PatsFanTX Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 August 7, 2005 Tagliabue Tells N.F.L. Coaches That It's Time to Ease Up By WILLIAM C. RHODEN THE quickest way to get a rise out of National Football League executives is to suggest that N.F.L. stands for No Fun League. It's an old joke, but one that stills gets under their collective skin. Last week, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue discussed a wide range of issues with editors and reporters for The New York Times. When someone asked him to comment on the perception that the N.F.L. - for all its success - was still the No Fun League, Tagliabue was to the point. "I don't think we would have the popularity we have had if it wasn't fun," he said. While the league insists its game is fun, behind the scenes Tagliabue has been working to relax the suffocating control some head coaches put around their teams in the interest - they think - of self-preservation. The truth is that football is overcoached, and Tagliabue wants head coaches to loosen the reins. Last month, for the first time, he issued a directive aimed generally at the N.F.L.'s 32 head coaches. Tagliabue formally outlined head-coach behavior toward the news media. He effectively commanded teams to loosen the head coach's control over who speaks and who does not. In his directive, Tagliabue said that head coaches "are strongly encouraged to make assistant coaches, especially veteran assistant coaches, available." By N.F.L. standards, this was a remarkable document - a concession, for one, that some of the head coaches in the league need to loosen up. The directive was also stunning because the N.F.L. acknowledged it was being driven to compete by other leagues. Tagliabue wrote, "We must recognize that we are competing against sports leagues whose players and coaches are available to the media on almost a daily basis during their seasons because they play so many more games than we do." He added, "Access to the players and the head coach is the No. 1 priority for producing media coverage that is in our best interest." Let's be clear. Tagliabue's action was not aimed at making the news media's job easier, but at getting head coaches, who often take themselves too seriously, to understand that the pens, cameras and tape recorders are a bridge to the N.F.L.'s greatest treasure: fans. Don't burn the bridges. "In today's competitive media environment," Tagliabue wrote, "gaining the public's trust and strengthening the connection between our fans and teams requires us to be accessible and open in our policies." New York offers a sharp contrast of how two head coaches deal with openness: Tom Coughlin of the Giants and Herman Edwards of the Jets. Coughlin is not news-media friendly. He takes the grin-and-bear-it approach. But in the new spirit of N.F.L. openness, Coughlin, in his second year with the Giants, inaugurated evening practices during summer camp partly so fans could watch the team after work. Edwards generally runs an open camp and has always made assistant coaches available. Edwards began his pro coaching career with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he was on the staff with Tony Dungy, now the Colts' head coach. When Dungy became the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he made Edwards the assistant head coach. "We always had the philosophy when we were assistant guys that when we became head coaches we were going to let our coaches speak," Edwards said. "As this thing has grown, I think head guys kind of forget how they started and when they were an assistant - wanting an opportunity to speak and become a coordinator and a head coach - and you can never forget about those guys." Tagliabue's insistence on an open N.F.L. is tied to a larger idea of giving the game back to the players. You rarely hear that in football, because players are overcoached. Tagliabue said he could see a day when technology would allow a quarterback to have 50 plays programmed into the wristband for one series of downs: one huddle for every series rather than one huddle for every play. Quarterback Jim Kelly demonstrated 15 years ago that an offense didn't need a huddle for every play. Tagliabue said, "I spoke to one owner about this last week, and he said, 'I'd vote for it right now because in addition to speeding up the pace of the game, it would put the game back with the players.' " Tagliabue said the same owner, whom he did not identify, told him he felt that on any Sunday the only people in the stadium who needed 40 seconds between every play were the assistant coaches, "because that 40 seconds is like their 15 minutes of fame in life; if they didn't have it, they would be out of a job." Tagliabue wants a more open N.F.L., and that's great. The only problem is that some head coaches who insist on control and silence have enjoyed enormous success: the Cowboys' Bill Parcells, the Patriots' Bill Belichick and the Dolphins' Nick Saban, formerly of Louisiana State, have five Super Bowl rings and a share of a college national title among them as head coaches. The commissioner wants coaches to loosen up; the owners want them to win. This is the ultimate no-win situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheerterror Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LionelRichie Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 i know you were just trying to stir the pot with this one Tx. i think we are Hermed out to a certain extent after the 18 pager earlier in the week. of note - after yesterday i would say mr. softy must have promised some pretty good bbq the way jets walked off the bus with a red-ass. it seams coughlin with all his toughness and hard camps brought a knife to a gunfight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preston Howley III Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 Who the %#*@ is William C. Rhoden? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatsFanTX Posted August 7, 2005 Author Share Posted August 7, 2005 Who the %#*@ is William C. Rhoden? New York Times reporter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GimmeShelter Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 Stupid thread. Sorry Tx....you can't be that bored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatsFanTX Posted August 7, 2005 Author Share Posted August 7, 2005 Stupid thread. Sorry Tx....you can't be that bored. Don't shoot the messenger. It was NYJ related. :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonJet Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 I guess Rhoden didn't hear about Coughlin bitching to Hendu about how hard our defense was hitting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage69 Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 i know you were just trying to stir the pot with this one Tx. i think we are Hermed out to a certain extent after the 18 pager earlier in the week. of note - after yesterday i would say mr. softy must have promised some pretty good bbq the way jets walked off the bus with a red-a$$. it seams coughlin with all his toughness and hard camps brought a knife to a gunfight. Maybe he's jealous that Hermie gets 25K to talk about getting his chicken wings in a row?? Interesting what Hermie has as his main Career accomplishment!! Thank you Tags!! See Link Scroll down and remember what I said about the NFL's program!! :wink: http://www.nashspeakers.com/cgi-bin/speakers/display.pl?speaker=253/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sperm Edwards Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Maybe he's jealous that Hermie gets 25K to talk about getting his chicken wings in a row?? Interesting what Hermie has as his main Career accomplishment!! Thank you Tags!! See Link Scroll down and remember what I said about the NFL's program!! :wink: http://www.nashspeakers.com/cgi-bin/speakers/display.pl?speaker=253/ That link says he was Tampa Bay's defensive coordinator. News to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BwanaZulia Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 That link says he was Tampa Bay's defensive coordinator. News to me. I guess his running a free football camp for kids with his own money passed them by. Savage, this is where you go off the deep end. If you want to debate his coaching, fine, but he is a stand up person who gives back so to go after his character is just low for even for HermHaterNation. BZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage69 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 That link says he was Tampa Bay's defensive coordinator. News to me. You don't suppose Hermie would lie while pumping himself up do you?? Besides it said "Asst DC" Hermie has BBQ asst's as well!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage69 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Savage, this is where you go off the deep end. If you want to debate his coaching, fine, but he is a stand up person who gives back so to go after his character is just low for even for HermHaterNation. BZ Just 1 additional post to show to show the blatant Hypocrisy of BZ!! I have always said Herm is a great person!! You should practice what you preach! You had no problem accusing Me of welching on the Marty Lyons bet even though you were shown to be the Liar!! When it's come to being Low... Whale sh*t has nothing on BZ!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BwanaZulia Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Just 1 additional post to show to show the blatant Hypocrisy of BZ!! I have always said Herm is a great person!! You should practice what you preach! You had no problem accusing Me of welching on the Marty Lyons bet even though you were shown to be the Liar!! When it's come to being Low... Whale Sh#t has nothing on BZ!! First of all, you constantly bash Herm not just as a coach but as a person, his integrity etc. I have a problem with that. Secondly, I never said you welched on our bet last year. In fact, I know you paid and if you had asked me before this crap post, would have said you were a stand up person. Of course calling me a liar and lower than whale sh*t certainly doesn't bode well. BZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage69 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 First of all, you constantly bash Herm not just as a coach but as a person, his integrity etc. I have a problem with that. Secondly, I never said you welched on our bet last year. In fact, I know you paid and if you had asked me before this crap post, would have said you were a stand up person. Of course calling me a liar and lower than whale Sh#t certainly doesn't bode well. BZ Yes you did I gave you my Word and you said it wasn't good enough!! Let's see if your a Liar! Show me 1 post I ever made that demeans Herm as a person!! And not BBQ jokes I have always said I'm kidding! My stance has always been Herm is a Class Guy and a great Person! I feel the same way about Martin! They are both class people!! The Ball is in your court.. PS And if I ever knew that I had seriously pissed someone off..I would have PM'ed them and apologized! Something that you would never do..And didn't!! And I apologize for the Whale sh*t comment! Let's see if the Liar part is true!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BwanaZulia Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Yes you did I gave you my Word and you said it wasn't good enough!! Let's see if your a Liar! Show me 1 post I ever made that demeans Herm as a person!! And not BBQ jokes I have always said I'm kidding! My stance has always been Herm is a Class Guy and a great Person! I feel the same way about Martin! They are both class people!! The Ball is your court.. PS And if I ever knew that I had seriously pissed someone off..I would have PM'ed them and apologized! Something that you would never do..And didn't!! And I apologize for the Whale Sh#t comment! Let's see if the Liar part is true!! Fair enough, I might be reading into your posts about Herm and his BBQs. It does seem like you are attacking more than his coaching when you are bring up his BBQs and speach fees. I take you for your word though as I always have. I have no idea what you are talking about pissing someone off. I was and am not pissed off. I wasn't pissed pissed off about our bet last year. I wasn't pissed off about your posts (maybe perturbed, but not pissed). I am still a little unlcear as to why you are calling me a liar though as I don't think I have lied to you about anything. Could you be more specific? BZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackLabelJetsFan Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 "In today's competitive media environment," Tagliabue wrote, "gaining the public's trust and strengthening the connection between our fans and teams requires us to be accessible and open in our policies." New York offers a sharp contrast of how two head coaches deal with openness: Tom Coughlin of the Giants and Herman Edwards of the Jets. Coughlin is not news-media friendly. He takes the grin-and-bear-it approach. But in the new spirit of N.F.L. openness, Coughlin, in his second year with the Giants, inaugurated evening practices during summer camp partly so fans could watch the team after work. Edwards generally runs an open camp and has always made assistant coaches available. I'm still trying to figure out how this makes Herm's camp soft. After seeing some in person this year, and reading the accounts from Albany this weekend. the camps have been nothing but soft. So what you're saying is that any of the HCs other than 5 or 6 who maintain media silence are soft? What a league of dooshey (credit to EB50) wussy coaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gun Of Bavaria Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 New York Times reporter. He writes for the same newspaper that decided to look into Supreme Court Justice Nominee Roberts adopted children for some kind of dirt and story. The NYT is right up there with 1970s Pravda as far as credibility goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage69 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Fair enough, I might be reading into your posts about Herm and his BBQs. It does seem like you are attacking more than his coaching when you are bring up his BBQs and speach fees. I take you for your word though as I always have. I have no idea what you are talking about pissing someone off. I was and am not pissed off. I wasn't pissed pissed off about our bet last year. I wasn't pissed off about your posts (maybe perturbed, but not pissed). I am still a little unlcear as to why you are calling me a liar though as I don't think I have lied to you about anything. Could you be more specific? BZ As usual you make it about you!! Typical Martinette! I was the one pissed off last year! I posted that on the JI Board! And you just said I attack his integrity.. Yet you attack mine by saying I was not paying a Bet to benifit Terminal Kids!! And saying my word wasn't good enough!! I said SHOW ME A POST where I attack Herms integrity? And even in Kidding I say he's Great behind the Grill!! And how is posting he gets up to 25K a Speech attacking him? Not to mention it's a Fact!! If I said you weren't worth 25 cents a speech now that would be a attack! Never mind, go back to Scottie's Dance Academy where dancing around the Subject is considered a Art Form! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BwanaZulia Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 As usual you make it about you!! Typical Martinette! I was the one pissed off last year! I posted that on the JI Board! And you just said I attack his integrity.. Yet you attack mine by saying I was not paying a Bet to benifit Terminal Kids!! And saying my word wasn't good enough!! I said SHOW ME A POST where I attack Herms integrity? And even in Kidding I say he's Great behind the Grill!! And how is posting he gets up to 25K a Speech attacking him? Not to mention it's a Fact!! If I said you weren't worth 25 cents a speech now that would be a attack! Never mind, go back to Scottie's Dance Academy where dancing around the Subject is considered a Art Form! Again, I am not sure why you are so pissed, since I do believe and have said that you paid your debt to the kids. I also said above that it is possible that I mistook your posts towards to Herm to be more hostile than they were. Either way, it looks like you are easy to rile up, so I will cease. BZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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