Bill Cody
11-19-2009, 01:57 PM
Credibility
a) Credibility with his own players. Players need to be mentally tougher and in physically superior shape to their opponents. Asking them to work harder isn't enough. Exhibit A is Eric Mangini. You can try to be Bill Bellichick but if the players think the Emperor's got no clothes, they ain't going to run through that wall. A coach with skins on the wall can ask that and get it.
b) Credibility with players on other teams. Free agents make decisions based on money first usually. But if the money is in the ball park what free agent says "you know what, I want to win, I'm going to go up to Buffalo and play for Dick Jauron. He went 13-3 with the Bears 12 years ago". Er...no.
c) Credibility with Opponents. If a team goes into a week with no worries about any wrinkles the opponent might bring, doesn't that make it easier to just relax and play your best? When have we heard an opponent say "I was watching extra film this week because I wanted to be ready for all of ways the Pop Warner I mean Buffalo offense can attack us".
d) Credibility with fans. We have the best fans in the league bar none. But we are losing faith in droves, even the hard core multi decade Rock Pile types. Football is a game of emotion. Are Buffalo players feeding off any positive emotion right now? Why in hell would they be? A big name coach brings hope and hope brings emotion. Buffalo needs hope. And hope can't be waiting for the paper every day in hope Ralph's obit is on the front page, that ain't gonna cut it.
a) Credibility with his own players. Players need to be mentally tougher and in physically superior shape to their opponents. Asking them to work harder isn't enough. Exhibit A is Eric Mangini. You can try to be Bill Bellichick but if the players think the Emperor's got no clothes, they ain't going to run through that wall. A coach with skins on the wall can ask that and get it.
b) Credibility with players on other teams. Free agents make decisions based on money first usually. But if the money is in the ball park what free agent says "you know what, I want to win, I'm going to go up to Buffalo and play for Dick Jauron. He went 13-3 with the Bears 12 years ago". Er...no.
c) Credibility with Opponents. If a team goes into a week with no worries about any wrinkles the opponent might bring, doesn't that make it easier to just relax and play your best? When have we heard an opponent say "I was watching extra film this week because I wanted to be ready for all of ways the Pop Warner I mean Buffalo offense can attack us".
d) Credibility with fans. We have the best fans in the league bar none. But we are losing faith in droves, even the hard core multi decade Rock Pile types. Football is a game of emotion. Are Buffalo players feeding off any positive emotion right now? Why in hell would they be? A big name coach brings hope and hope brings emotion. Buffalo needs hope. And hope can't be waiting for the paper every day in hope Ralph's obit is on the front page, that ain't gonna cut it.