JTech194
Starter
I was listening to Channing Crowder yesterday on the radio and he was speaking about the dynamics of locker room culture and gave this example..
He says Zach Thomas was the smartest football player he knew and would often know more than the coaches. He says that in meetings there were times when the coach would give his plan on how they were going to defend an offense and Zach would openly challenge or question the plan... for example
Coach says we're going to play a base man to man defense, Zach would raise his hand and say well if we do that, we will get killed because of (and would give his reasons and thoughts behind it).
Channing said that some coaches are perfectly ok with a player doing that and can have those cerebral chess match conversations on the fly right there in front of the entire team defending his position OR adjusting to it based on the input from Zach.
He also said that some coaches can't have that type of open dialogue because they need time to think about it, draw it up and reassess. Those coaches typically get upset when a player does that for obvious reasons as it makes them look like they don't know what they're doing in front of the team.
In my opinion, a coach should welcome that type of input and should be smart\prepared enough to have those open conversations with their team. In the end, the end result would be better for all parties involved. Just as players have to prove to coaches that they are prepared and know what they are doing.... the coaches have to prove to the players that they know what they're doing as well, especially if you want those players to buy into what you're saying.
So with that said... my question this.... lets say the players we let go Ajayi, Drake, Suh, Pouncy etc... were the outspoken types that would hold coaches accountable and would question gameplans and or schemes if they didn't agree....
Do you see that as being negative to team culture? OR do you see that as coaches being arrogant thinking that a player shouldn't question them, OR do you see that as mental softness on the coaches part not having the balls OR on the fly knowledge to have open dialogues with players that way?
He also gave another obvious example of negative impacts on team culture, he said that Joey Porter would turn to the team any time Cam Cameron would speak and mumble under his breath "This guy's and idiot"
Thoughts.
He says Zach Thomas was the smartest football player he knew and would often know more than the coaches. He says that in meetings there were times when the coach would give his plan on how they were going to defend an offense and Zach would openly challenge or question the plan... for example
Coach says we're going to play a base man to man defense, Zach would raise his hand and say well if we do that, we will get killed because of (and would give his reasons and thoughts behind it).
Channing said that some coaches are perfectly ok with a player doing that and can have those cerebral chess match conversations on the fly right there in front of the entire team defending his position OR adjusting to it based on the input from Zach.
He also said that some coaches can't have that type of open dialogue because they need time to think about it, draw it up and reassess. Those coaches typically get upset when a player does that for obvious reasons as it makes them look like they don't know what they're doing in front of the team.
In my opinion, a coach should welcome that type of input and should be smart\prepared enough to have those open conversations with their team. In the end, the end result would be better for all parties involved. Just as players have to prove to coaches that they are prepared and know what they are doing.... the coaches have to prove to the players that they know what they're doing as well, especially if you want those players to buy into what you're saying.
So with that said... my question this.... lets say the players we let go Ajayi, Drake, Suh, Pouncy etc... were the outspoken types that would hold coaches accountable and would question gameplans and or schemes if they didn't agree....
Do you see that as being negative to team culture? OR do you see that as coaches being arrogant thinking that a player shouldn't question them, OR do you see that as mental softness on the coaches part not having the balls OR on the fly knowledge to have open dialogues with players that way?
He also gave another obvious example of negative impacts on team culture, he said that Joey Porter would turn to the team any time Cam Cameron would speak and mumble under his breath "This guy's and idiot"
Thoughts.
