This is why Gibbs is a HOF coach
 

I got a huge grin on my face when I read this article, hell I wanted to suit up and go to OTAs myself!

[quote] From ESPN:
Gibbs challenged his players to match his work ethic, saying he expects 100 percent attendance during offseason programs that are officially deemed "voluntary." He said anyone who skips is making a statement.

"If they make that statement, then we're going to act accordingly," Gibbs said. "I'm not going to be counting on somebody's who's not around here.

"One thing I like to tell the players: You need to organize your life. If I make a lot of money playing football, I'm going to hire somebody to do my account work. I'm going to hire somebody to go live with my sister. Spend $50,000 and protect your million dollars. Come up here and work."[/quote]

Here's the link to the whole story. [url]http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nfl&id=1960816[/url]

Nobody can deny he has an incredible worth ethic. If he doesn't get things turned around it won't be for a lack of effort that's for damn sure. The way the team fought and battled all year is a direct reflection of him.

This part of that article says it all:

Gibbs' greatest accomplishment this season was to keep the players united. There was little bickering on this struggling team, and players were optimistic as they left Redskins Park.

"This was a losing-record team," Pierce said. "But not a losing team."

[QUOTE=Mattyk72]Nobody can deny he has an incredible worth ethic. If he doesn't get things turned around it won't be for a lack of effort that's for damn sure. The way the team fought and battled all year is a direct reflection of him.

This part of that article says it all:

Gibbs' greatest accomplishment this season was to keep the players united. There was little bickering on this struggling team, and players were optimistic as they left Redskins Park.

"This was a losing-record team," Pierce said. "But not a losing team."[/QUOTE]
That's why I can't stand it when the local media and other people harp on the negative things, and not that this season was really all about building a foundation of a team, which Gibbs did, even through all the adversity. Yeah there are things that need to be fixed or adjusted, but like many have pointed out, a few plays here and there, or about 5 more points a game, and the Skins are in the playoffs with a winning record. Gibbs and the coaches now have all offseason to focus on how to score more points. I think they can do it. And the players that show that prove that they have truly bought into his philosophy and work ethic will reap the benefits.
I don't know about anyone else, but to me, as dissapointing as it was, this year's 6-10 finish actually feels better than Spurrier's 7-9 in 2002....probably more [I]the way [/I] they finished it. This team is really a team for the first time in years.

Uhm, the media in my opinion was very kind to him. At least the DC media. It could have been much worse, not to mention the media concentrates on the negative side of everything. I think that statement is good, but I thought the NFL had rules against statements like that. Perhaps I'm wrong.

[QUOTE=Daseal]Uhm, the media in my opinion was very kind to him. At least the DC media. It could have been much worse, not to mention the media concentrates on the negative side of everything. I think that statement is good, but I thought the NFL had rules against statements like that. Perhaps I'm wrong.[/QUOTE]
Expected to attend and required to attend are different.. A fine line indeed, but different. I think the only time the league gets involved is if the teams are holding more than is allowed or when they have them hitting..

Daseal:

You are absolutely right. The DC media has been very kind and gentle with Joe Gibbs this year.

Now that he has made his statement, we'll have to see if he follows through with the implied threat there. Some of the high paid players on this team are not attendees at the voluntary team events (100% of the time).

yea guys like Parcells are assholes because they had to deal with the NY media all the time. It definitly keeps you on your toes. Bottom line though, skins playesr left optimistic, knowing they will succeed. Giants players left saying there is a problem with the team and that they arent happy with the coach.

[QUOTE=Daseal]...not to mention the media concentrates on the negative side of everything. [/QUOTE]

This is one post I can't forget.
;) :laughing-

Just because they focus on the negative side of things doesn't make them less true.

Just curious -- does anyone have any idea which Redskin players have skipped these workouts in the past? I doubt that Gibbs would ever let that info become public, but I'm just wondering if anyone's heard rumors.

that's the difference between a pro coach who lives at the office and gives 100% to win,and a college coach who wants to make his next tee time,or get home to eat supper by 6pm,and wonders why the team can't win.

BigRedskinFan63: Any college coach we know in particular?:rolleyes:

Face it... the media has the right and responsibility to be negative at times. The team had a bad season, and the media would not be depicting the team accurately if they were blowing sunshine up our butts all the time. But in the end... the media knows what we want to read and the bottom line is that we want to read that there is hope for this team.

The team finished 6-10, most of the criticism is deserved.

I say fire away while you can, it just gives Gibbs more motivation to succeed.

Yep, this is true! Next year when the Redskins are winning more, I expect the media to be on the Joe Gibbs bandwagon again.

[QUOTE=skinsguy]Yep, this is true! Next year when the Redskins are winning more, I expect the media to be on the Joe Gibbs bandwagon again.[/QUOTE]
I dont want the media or anyone else on the Joe Gibbs bandwagon that didnt believe in him this year. The people that come to mind are the likes of almost the whole FOX pregame show and fat ass from espn.

There's a big difference between people that said the game is past him and those who said that he still has it. The fox pre-game Jimmy Johnson and JB thought he still had it in him, but said he certainly didn't do the job this year, and it's hard for anyone to argue the other way.

Do you honestly think Gibbs had a good year and the criticism isn't warranted? You can believe in him and still be critical. This year he made some horrible personnel decisions and had a terribly conservative offense, yet I think most people, even those at Fox, believe that he will improve next year.

[QUOTE=Redskins8588]I dont want the media or anyone else on the Joe Gibbs bandwagon that didnt believe in him this year. The people that come to mind are the likes of almost the whole FOX pregame show and fat ass from espn.[/QUOTE]

To be fair outside of Brunell our personnel acquisitions were pretty damn good

Isn't that enough? This year we may have made the playoffs had it not been for that expensive disaster. I would have much rather see the Skins playing than watch Moss moon the nice folks in Green Bay.

I agree that the other moves were pretty good.

Why are these workouts called voluntary if attendance is made mandatory by the coach? I gotta imagine the NFL players union would have something to say about these 'mandatory' workouts

Every team does it to some extent.

They aren't mandatory but Gibbs is sending the message that if you want to be here next year and you want to be a part of this, you'd better be here in the offseason working your tail off. True he can't make them "mandatory" but the quickest way to his doghouse is skipping these workouts. EEich is right, everyone does this to an extent.

Irish:

They are "voluntary workouts" because the Collective Bargaining Agreement spells out just how much time the teams can demand from the players. So there are mandatory minicamps and workouts and there are "voluntary ones".

Teams do not have the authroity to fine or suspend a player for missing a "voluntary one", but teams have the unfettered right to cut any player any time they want. So some teams use that threat to raise the importance of the "voluntary workouts" in the minds of players.

The NFLPA has already agreed to the concept of "voluntary workouts" and complains only if something short of cutting the player is done to change that status.

Its kind of like those who work "overtime" at their jobs in hopes of getting promoted. When a player puts in 110% in the offseason as well as on the field during the season, it's going to pay off for them and it's going to be noticed. At the sametime, when a player does the bare minimum of what is required, that also shows up with performance on the field. This is probably the most effective way of seeing who really wants to play and win and who wants to just get paid.

Gibbs has challenged the team to match his work ethic. To me if you see the boss working his tail off and putting in extra time, how can you cut out early or even on time? And when you're a 6-10 team that means there's a lot of work to do.

I suspect guys on the bubble better show up for these "voluntary" workouts but I bet if LA or Smoot (assuming he's still here) there would be no negative consequences for their careers if they bailed.

irish:

You are right. The guys on the bubble better be there and be ready to work at the conditioning and the blackboard sessions with dedication and concentration or they are gonzo. "Bubble players" are everywhere and so you might as well have ones who do what you want them to do instead of shirkers. That is what Gibbs (and Andy Reid up in Philly) call "character guys".

Stars can get a lot more slack for two reasons. One they are stars and two cutting them would be a major problem for the salary cap. However, if/when you coddle stars too much, you wind up with players who figure out that they can do what THEY damned well please and then they miss all the workouts and etc. For the classic Redskin example of this see Smith, Bruce over the last couple of years...