Some random thoughts about what can be done to improve our team

[Ray R]

Different types of positions attract players with certain types of personalities. We might want to analyze what kind of personalities are common to successful players at a given positions.To support the validity of this assertion I refer you to something I saw on TV from the NFL a long time ago. Possibly an other forum member can find some reference to the program I saw, or even the program itself.

I remember a televised NFL report from somewhere between the 1960's to 1980's about a psychiatrist that was working with the Chargers to help find out why the team was not winning. He had made some interesting observations and the NFL allowed him to be on TV. He pointed out there were some common attributes in the personalities of the players who played the same or similar positions. To show what he meant, during a Chargers practice he showed the lockers of the Chargers offensive linemen. Each locker was well organized and everything was hanging neatly in place. This was true for every lineman. He then went to the lockers of some defensive backs. Every one of their lockers were disheveled, with stuff crumpled in a ball at the bottom of the locker and the stuff on the upper shelf totally disorganized.

He went on to describe the attitudes of these players (he had interviewed the entire team). The linemen all complained they didn't get to practice enough. The psychiatrist described the defensive backs personalities. He said they were more similar to assassins than any other personality type in their independence and aggressiveness ( its been a few decades and my memory isn't to clear about this detail, except that he compared them to assassins). He pointed out that one defensive back made it a point to park 3 blocks away from the stadium, even though he had been given a reserved parking spot. I guess he didn't like being told what to do.

In the end, his efforts did not have any effect on the Chargers record.

I feel this shows there really are some positional personality traits that should be considered when we bring in a new (to us) player, as a method to reduce our player turnover and improve the success rate of our draftees and Free Agents.

 

[Danny]

Ways to improve the team
1-Ross sells the team
2-Whoever buys the team fired t-dumb and Grier
that'd be a good start

Ozzy rules!!

 

[<O>]

The central personality traits sought in any NFL player should be 1) a love of football, 2) a strong desire to win a Super Bowl, and 3) the sort of selflessness that puts the success of the team above one's individual achievement.

In other words, Tom Brady.

 

[zach attach]

Immediate team improvement: Gase takes the Tennessee job and brings Burke with him. Instantly we win 3 more games guaranteed.

 

[NorFlaFin]

Harry Edwards PhD, staff consultant to the 49ers during their dynasty run with Montana and Young.

The Giants did something similar under Parcells, although I can't remember their sports therapist name.

 

[Dogbone34]

Gase/franchise are doomed with another T-slug/Grier draft.

Year after year this board is more dialed in than the paid dead weight. TJ Watt was the pick in 17, could have even traded down to get him but hey we got science project Charles Harris.

McMillan in the 2nd made sense even if you didn't watch college football, kind of like Landry #obvious duh...

 

[Jimi]

I really don't think the team is as far off as people think. We are really bad, but I think it's more of a factor of our weakest links being realllllly weak.

The O line needs a major overhaul. We badly need a seem threat at TE. Kiko needs to be a special teamer. We need to see if Anthony can play and work around McMillan next year then we only need 1 lb or maybe restructure Timmons. I think with the return of Lippet the secondary has enough. D Line needs a scheme change more than anything.

What I listed isn't a small feat by any means, but it's far from a total rebuild. This of course also hinges of Tannehill coming back as good or better than last year.

 

[Ray R]

Different types of positions attract players with certain types of personalities. We might want to analyze what kind of personalities are common to successful players at a given positions.To support the validity of this assertion I refer you to something I saw on TV from the NFL a long time ago. Possibly an other forum member can find some reference to the program I saw, or even the program itself.

I remember a televised NFL report from somewhere between the 1960's to 1980's about a psychiatrist that was working with the Chargers to help find out why the team was not winning. He had made some interesting observations and the NFL allowed him to be on TV. He pointed out there were some common attributes in the personalities of the players who played the same or similar positions. To show what he meant, during a Chargers practice he showed the lockers of the Chargers offensive linemen. Each locker was well organized and everything was hanging neatly in place. This was true for every lineman. He then went to the lockers of some defensive backs. Every one of their lockers were disheveled, with stuff crumpled in a ball at the bottom of the locker and the stuff on the upper shelf totally disorganized.

He went on to describe the attitudes of these players (he had interviewed the entire team). The linemen all complained they didn't get to practice enough. The psychiatrist described the defensive backs personalities. He said they were more similar to assassins than any other personality type in their independence and aggressiveness ( its been a few decades and my memory isn't to clear about this detail, except that he compared them to assassins). He pointed out that one defensive back made it a point to park 3 blocks away from the stadium, even though he had been given a reserved parking spot. I guess he didn't like being told what to do.

In the end, his efforts did not have any effect on the Chargers record.

I feel this shows there really are some positional personality traits that should be considered when we bring in a new (to us) player, as a method to reduce our player turnover and improve the success rate of our draftees and Free Agents.

I Found a reference - it was in a 1976 piece!

"I’ve tried every drug except cocaine,” says Dr. Arnold Mandell. “LSD? An incredibly beautiful, insightful experience. Lithium? It takes my bright edge off. Heroin? Just like morphine, a cosmically sensual experience. Marijuana? Not that interesting.”

Because Mandell, a psychiatrist, is a prominent researcher into brain chemistry and psychopharmacology, his experiments with dangerous drugs are understandable. But it is not so easy to comprehend why Dr. Mandell ever got involved professionally with the San Diego Chargers.

Actually, Mandell first became interested in football because of his son, Ross, now 13, and he was also a social friend of Chargers owner Gene Klein. And in 1972 San Diego was having such a miserable season that coach Harland Svare was willing to try anything. He asked Mandell to become resident shrink for a team which then included Duane Thomas, the All-Pro recluse, and Tim Rossovich, the linebacker notorious for eating glass. Observing the players close up, Mandell (who insisted that he not be paid) says he discovered that they were typecast: those who played on offense were conservative and more disciplined; most defensive players were free spirits.

Mandell also learned how much some team members depended on amphetamines. “Doc,” one player told him, “I’m not about to go out there against a guy who’s grunting and drooling and comin’ at me with big dilated pupils unless I’m in the same condition.”

Mandell says that 50 to 60 percent of the Chargers used drugs to produce “the rageful football syndrome.” But he argues, “This was not drug abuse. There was great self-discipline. They hated it, but it was drug use for function. Nobody used it off season.”

If Mandell had kept his ruminations to himself, he might still have friends on the team. Instead he wrote a book, The Nightmare Season, out this month, portions of which were published in a San Diego newspaper. His erstwhile friend Gene Klein says, “The book is totally inaccurate. It’s full of lies and innuendos.” And when Harland Svare was fired as general manager, he blamed Mandell’s book for “destroying my credibility” and vowed to “pursue all remedies available.”

“I love Gene,” psychiatrist Mandell says, “I love Harland. If they can’t see the love in the book, it makes me crazy.” The National Football League did not see it either, apparently, and banned Mandell unofficially from NFL locker rooms for life, as well as fining Klein, Svare and eight San Diego players.

To make matters more complicated, Mandell had learned in 1972 that he had a heart problem. He gave up smoking, became a vegetarian and lost 50 pounds. He also divorced his wife of 22 years. He gets high these days, he says, by running 12 miles every morning: “I’m a junkie out there. It’s my ecstasy.”

Professionally, he continues as co-chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California at San Diego Medical School.

In the furor over his book, Mandell can find some comfort in statistics. During the 1973 season, with Dr. Mandell in attendance, the Chargers’ record was two wins, 11 losses and one tie. Last year, with the psychiatrist no closer than a box seat at any game, the team won two and lost 12."

 

[.....]

This isn't a fast food restaurant. Last year was the first time under this coach, with his philosophy, with this pieces. Give it a little more time and let it mature. No good team gets there over night.