Commanders Post at The Warpath - View Single Post - Fassel meets with Redskins over coaching vacancies

FRPLG · 01-22-2008, 08:23 PM

Here's what I have learned about football by watching and observing it for 20 years now. Head Coaching has less to do with the Xs and Os of it than does simple people management.

There are many coaches who are great Xs and Os guys and they can win. Norv Turner comes to mind. Brian Billick too. There are great "people" guys and they can win too. Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Fischer come to mind. Then there are the guys who can do both. These are the guys who DO WIN. Guys like Parcells, Belichek, and Reid.

The two ingredients are mostly learned but we can all probably admit that it is easier to overcome a lack of technical knowledge than it is the "management" stuff.

Looking at Fassel and Williams, and leaving continuity and locker room support out of it for a minute, we have to decide what we know and what we don't.

Here we go:

Fassel - adequate Xs and Os guy probably who seemed to always have a good hold on his teams for about 10 games at which point they often tanked and he lost control. That was his MO there and why he got fired. He kept losing his team when things got even remotely rough. At least that's how I recall it. Someone correct me if I am wrong. He had a nice long run there and it was at the end where his people management didn't look so hot. Much of me doubts this has changed.

Williams - arguably one of the best Xs and Os guys in the league. Respected by all for his accumen and schemes. Had good defenses in Tennessee and here even with often lacking talent. He also had good defenses in Buffalo as head coach where he had an established roster that was probably difficult to corral initially. His record was lacking partly due to mediocre talent and difficulties gaining control. But alas he didn't get a ton of time to get his management style established and aceepted by a group of "his" guys and probably we can't judge too harshly on this.

So what do we know? We have two guys with disparate technical skills and questionable leadership skills. One probably isn't a very good leader and the other MAY not be. But one has had more success as a HC.

It comes down to this. Is Williams going to be able to lead? If he is better than he showed in Buffalo then he is a no brainer and we'd dumb to let him go. I am personally inclined to think he is closer to Belichek in his coaching style and maybe, just maybe his second stint as a HC will bear that out. Not saying he is remotely near that level but he gives me that vibe.

Fassel is a known commodity and I think we can judge that it isn't greatness that he'll bring.

01-22-2008, 08:23 PM	#157
FRPLG MVP Join Date: May 2004 Age: 46 Posts: 10,164	Re: Fassel meets with Redskins over coaching vacancies Here's what I have learned about football by watching and observing it for 20 years now. Head Coaching has less to do with the Xs and Os of it than does simple people management. There are many coaches who are great Xs and Os guys and they can win. Norv Turner comes to mind. Brian Billick too. There are great "people" guys and they can win too. Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Fischer come to mind. Then there are the guys who can do both. These are the guys who DO WIN. Guys like Parcells, Belichek, and Reid. The two ingredients are mostly learned but we can all probably admit that it is easier to overcome a lack of technical knowledge than it is the "management" stuff. Looking at Fassel and Williams, and leaving continuity and locker room support out of it for a minute, we have to decide what we know and what we don't. Here we go: Fassel - adequate Xs and Os guy probably who seemed to always have a good hold on his teams for about 10 games at which point they often tanked and he lost control. That was his MO there and why he got fired. He kept losing his team when things got even remotely rough. At least that's how I recall it. Someone correct me if I am wrong. He had a nice long run there and it was at the end where his people management didn't look so hot. Much of me doubts this has changed. Williams - arguably one of the best Xs and Os guys in the league. Respected by all for his accumen and schemes. Had good defenses in Tennessee and here even with often lacking talent. He also had good defenses in Buffalo as head coach where he had an established roster that was probably difficult to corral initially. His record was lacking partly due to mediocre talent and difficulties gaining control. But alas he didn't get a ton of time to get his management style established and aceepted by a group of "his" guys and probably we can't judge too harshly on this. So what do we know? We have two guys with disparate technical skills and questionable leadership skills. One probably isn't a very good leader and the other MAY not be. But one has had more success as a HC. It comes down to this. Is Williams going to be able to lead? If he is better than he showed in Buffalo then he is a no brainer and we'd dumb to let him go. I am personally inclined to think he is closer to Belichek in his coaching style and maybe, just maybe his second stint as a HC will bear that out. Not saying he is remotely near that level but he gives me that vibe. Fassel is a known commodity and I think we can judge that it isn't greatness that he'll bring.