About a 'players coach'

[Tucker51]

"We love Coach Jauron, he takes care of us"

 

I take this to mean that he doesn't beat them up in training camp or practice. This also could refer to practicing indoors, not calling them out after making ill-advised plays, and taking the blame for their mistakes. You have to remember that these guys are in the twenties - how many of us were mature enough to discipline ourselves when we were that age? What kind of person do you grow into if there is always somebody there to clean up your mess.

 

"We were prepared well by the coaching staff, sometimes guys just do their own thing"

 

This is the mentality of the current professional athlete. The players have the power, and with a 'laissez-faire' coaching staff they are allowed to run free. Then when they do make egregious, ego-driven errors, they are not held accountable. There's no consequent for blowing an assignment.

 

"You expect things to go a certain way and then they get messed up", "we saw something completely different on Sunday that we saw in practice", "We practice that every Friday", etc.

 

This is a player's way of saying the we were so unprepared, we could not make enough adjustments to make the slightest difference in the outcome.

 

I've never been a 'fire the coach' kind of guy. As you can see, I'm a new poster, and I've lurked around here for years. It just seems as though Dick Jauron lacks the human qualities necessary to properly motivate and coordinate a pro football team. The Patriots love their coach because they win. Players hated Parcells, but loved him in the end because they won championships. Our players love Jauron because he is like a doting parent. It serves their personal interests well, and they want to keep the status quo.

[R. Rich]

Very good initial post, Tucker. What took you so long?

[AlbanyBill]

I've actually been thinking a lot of the same things recently... Do the players love Jauron because he's so easy on them? I'm not sure if being a 'player's coach' is the attitude that gets wins. I really could give 2 sh*ts about how the players like the coach as long as he can get the most out of them and win games. I'm also sure the players would love a coach that beat them up and called them out as long as the team was winning. Either way, I've had enough with Jauron.

[colin]

vermiel and dungy have reps as real players coaches, but they are brutal in practice wrt how much the push their guys. they also are not affraid to replace guys at any time.

[The Dean]

I'd say when you interpret quotes to mean what you want them to mean, it is easy to see how the quotes might "say it all" for you.

[Hazed and Amuzed]

Very good initial post, Tucker. What took you so long?

 

 

He was waiting until he could afford an expensive car, I hear it makes you more credible when you own a Beamer.

[BuffaloWings]

I've actually been thinking a lot of the same things recently... Do the players love Jauron because he's so easy on them? I'm not sure if being a 'player's coach' is the attitude that gets wins. I really could give 2 sh*ts about how the players like the coach as long as he can get the most out of them and win games. I'm also sure the players would love a coach that beat them up and called them out as long as the team was winning. Either way, I've had enough with Jauron.

I doubt it's this as much as it is how he probably treats them like professionals and with respect. These comments have followed Jauron everywhere he goes, so that would make the most sense to me.

 

When I first started working out of college, I couldn't stand certain bosses that were hard on you and demanded good, hard work. As I look back now, I'd rather have those guys be my boss....you were required to be on top of your game and were always thinking fresh. With the occasional exception, most of those types of bosses I've seen will respect you and have your back 24 hours a day.

[Tucker51]

True, the truth is in the interpretation.

[VOR]

Very good initial post, Tucker. What took you so long?

Because he switched back from being Defender51, after yesterday's results?

[Buffalo Wing]

I read a quote once that stated "One mark of a great leader is his/her team is willing to follow him to Hell with squirt guns." If we filter this quote through the Bills organization, my impression is that a lot of the Bills players would be willing to follow Jauron to Hell with squirt guns, however I think one of the bigger issues is that a lot of key position players would not know how to use their squirt guns once they got there (cf. Royal, Kelsay, Fowler, et al)!

 

Bottom line is this - it's not just the coach, it's not just the players, it's not just the owner - I think there are numerous problems with this team that all stem back to the time when John Butler left....and as fans, it has been a rough road watching and hoping that someone could put it back together again.

[Cynical]

I read a quote once that stated "One mark of a great leader is his/her team is willing to follow him to Hell with squirt guns." If we filter this quote through the Bills organization, my impression is that a lot of the Bills players would be willing to follow Jauron to Hell with squirt guns, however I think one of the bigger issues is that a lot of key position players would not know how to use their squirt guns once they got there (cf. Royal, Kelsay, Fowler, et al)!

 

 

IMO, I do not get that impression. I think the Bills players respect Jauron as a person, and for what he will do for them, but when push comes to shove, they have no respect for his coaching/management abilities.

[Endzone Animal]

Firing Jauron simply won't get it done as long as Wilson is the owner. We'd just get another loser retread like Dom Capers for the NFL minimum to replace him. Wilson needs to be fired before any improvements can be expected. Going on 10 seasons in a row without the playoffs is no accident.

[KD in CA]

I've actually been thinking a lot of the same things recently... Do the players love Jauron because he's so easy on them? I'm not sure if being a 'player's coach' is the attitude that gets wins. I really could give 2 sh*ts about how the players like the coach as long as he can get the most out of them and win games. I'm also sure the players would love a coach that beat them up and called them out as long as the team was winning. Either way, I've had enough with Jauron.

 

IMO, the 'players coach' can work if you have a bunch of self motivating veterans who know what the hell they are supposed to be doing and hold one another accountable. Marv Levy's teams are a good example. The collection of dopes on the current squad needs the direct opposite of a players coach.

 

Amazing what happened in San Fran the last two months of the season, isn't it?

[Sisyphean Bills]

Did you see the Fred Jackson quote where he said he hoped the same staff would come back because it would make this off-season easier? He'd just take a couple of tapes home with him and work on improving a couple of things he knew he needed to get better at. He wouldn't have to learn anything new next year, so he could just pick up where he left off. Does that sound like a very competitive and challenging environment to you?

[Endzone Animal]

IMO, the 'players coach' can work if you have a bunch of self motivating veterans who know what the hell they are supposed to be doing and hold one another accountable. Marv Levy's teams are a good example. The collection of dopes on the current squad needs the direct opposite of a players coach.

 

Amazing what happened in San Fran the last two months of the season, isn't it?

Yes, amazing what a tough, smart coach who won't take any crap from his players can accomplish.

[Tucker51]

Amazing what happened in San Fran the last two months of the season, isn't it?

 

Remember he benched Vernon Davis because of attitude detrimental to the team? That's called a consequence, and it spoke volumes to those players. They learned that they're not in charge, Singletary is.

 

Of course, it's a fine line. Gregg Williams was a taskmaster too. Difference IMO... inspiration and victories. Also, the SF players can watch tape of Singletary suiting up and showing the same intensity that he expects from them.

[GG]

Remember he benched Vernon Davis because of attitude detrimental to the team? That's called a consequence, and it spoke volumes to those players. They learned that they're not in charge, Singletary is.

 

Of course, it's a fine line. Gregg Williams was a taskmaster too. Difference IMO... inspiration and victories. Also, the SF players can watch tape of Singletary suiting up and showing the same intensity that he expects from them.

 

That's exactly why hiring the right people to run an organization is a little talked about, but the most important thing an owner can do - and something that the Bills have not had in its history - except for a fluke between '85 & '91.

 

On paper you can see how a players' coach can be too soft on his players and then demand a screaming micromanager. But in the end, when your choice is between a Jauron or Greggo, you will lose anyway. The biggest problem with Wilson is that he's rarely had good football people in his organization to choose from, and when he goes outside, it's not based on first hand knowledge. Sparano worked out well in Miami because Parcells knew his abilities. Polian wanted Levy because he knew what he did in the USFL.

 

But we also have to acknowledge that when Wilson hired Donahoe, he gave him unprecedented control over the football operations. Too bad Donahoe was more interested in a quick personal payback to Pittsburgh instead of rebuilding the team's foundation.

 

Even if DJ is let go, the organization will again be in a vacuum to fill the needed slots.

[NyQuil]

I am not sure if its the fact that the players love him because he's easy on them or whatever reason. I think the fact that his future is unknown causes those types of comments. If he could be coming back next year you don't, as someone wanting to make sure you still have a paycheck, want to throw him under the bus.

 

Schopp actually made a good point on the post game. Interviewing players about coaching decisions is just a waste of time and oxygen.

[Sisyphean Bills]

That's exactly why hiring the right people to run an organization is a little talked about, but the most important thing an owner can do - and something that the Bills have not had in its history - except for a fluke between '85 & '91.

 

On paper you can see how a players' coach can be too soft on his players and then demand a screaming micromanager. But in the end, when your choice is between a Jauron or Greggo, you will lose anyway. The biggest problem with Wilson is that he's rarely had good football people in his organization to choose from, and when he goes outside, it's not based on first hand knowledge. Sparano worked out well in Miami because Parcells knew his abilities. Polian wanted Levy because he knew what he did in the USFL.

 

But we also have to acknowledge that when Wilson hired Donahoe, he gave him unprecedented control over the football operations. Too bad Donahoe was more interested in a quick personal payback to Pittsburgh instead of rebuilding the team's foundation.

 

Even if DJ is let go, the organization will again be in a vacuum to fill the needed slots.

Given DJ's hiring of assistants, it's hard to say that he himself isn't in a vacuum. (Actually, I think he knows people but they don't want to work for him and/or take the massive pay cut to do so.)

 

All the more reason to ante up and bring in someone like Schottenheimer, who knows how to build a football team, knows how to win and get a team playoff caliber, and knows everybody in the business. You're correct that adding more incompetence to the mix and stirring it with a spoon is unlikely to help anything.

[Cugalabanza]

Schopp actually made a good point on the post game. Interviewing players about coaching decisions is just a waste of time and oxygen.

This is true. Obviously you're not going to get any real honest insight there. However, in DJ's case, we're hearing some strong stuff, way beyond the obligatory "yeah, we support the guy" rhetoric. It really makes me wonder what goes on behind the scenes.

 

At this point, I would not be against keeping DJ for now, as long as Turk is gone. From what I can tell, that's where the real failure is.