SharkHawk
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Since Pete has gotten here I've noticed 2 QB situations where he used very similar wording when describing the situation (and then as I looked back, I realized he did the same thing at USC).
Situation 1 was after CBJ was brought in to compete with Matt. It was a new team and a new year, and Matt won the competition fair and square it seemed. But there were some clear points that were made both through the media and that were hinted about through the media that Charlie was expected to work on for the next season.
Situation 2 was prior to last season and the Hawks made what seemed like a pretty fair offer to Matt considering what position they were in as far as the rebuild went. Matt turned it down before the lockout hit, and Pete seemed to give a bit of a reminder of what he had asked of CBJ. What happened? Matt led offseason workouts even though he was 90% sure he was gone, and CBJ didn't do any of things he was supposedly asked to do (throw with certain guys, lead offseason workouts, and gain some size and arm strength so he could take the beating of a season as a starter. If anything he got skinnier, which seemed to worry the coach and JS, as they had liked him in college where he was MUCH bigger and more of a straight drop back kind of guy that could take a hit.
Situation 3 Tarvaris Jackson is signed and his OC is brought in. Both of these seemed to be a direct response to what CBJ didn't do in the offseason along with Matt's unwillingness to accept their offer. This turned out to be a pretty good move really as the team with that much turnover had no business winning 7 games, yet still did and seemed to accelerate their rebuild process by giving players like Baldwin, Lynch, Sherman, Browner, and many others valuable time on the field in close game deciding situations.
Situation 4 Russell Wilson is thrown into the starting QB conversation. The way Pete phrases this is what makes me think that this is the way he operates. He says, "He has done everything we have asked him to do." Now to me that really stood out and seemed to match up with what Pete does and how he operates a team and makes important decisions. He didn't say, "Russell Wilson has a better arm." Or , "I feel at this point that Russell Wilson gives us a better chance to win a Superbowl this year." He said, "He has done everything we have asked him to do."
This would go back to his problem he seemingly he had with Matt in season 1 and his unwillingness to do things like throw the ball away (which caused friction and a couple of benchings, but ultimately they seemed to be on good terms). Then he turned the team over to Charlie. What did Charlie do? Not ANYTHING he had been asked to do from my perspective and my understanding of how he does things.
Situation 5 - Then prior to last season he signed Tarvaris Jackson who probably wasn't the best option on the sidelines at times, but he did do everything they asked him to do that he was capable off. He didn't opt for in-season surgery. He didn't complain about his 0-line and throw them under the bus. He didn't whine about being benched under Favre without even being told about it first etc. He went out like a true pro and did everything he was asked to do to the very best of his ability, and even when he got traded, he went off with as much class as I've ever seen a QB who has been traded. I've never seen a guy act that gracious and kind to his former team. Think the OPPOSITE of Josh Brown (the lonesome kicker/slave to the businessman and how he acted after leaving here by his own choice).
We saw similar things with Matt Cassell not getting the starts at all at USC (and maybe now we're seeing why), LenDale White's 2 strikes (both in college and here in Seattle), and how Pete reacted when Mark Sanchez said he was going pro and then told Pete how right he was after winning a playoff game (through no doing of his own really) and Pete sticking by what he said.
Now Situation 6 - Russell has done everything they asked him to do. My understanding from the "Chow Days" (and you have to know Norm Chow to understand his little psychological games he plays... they would be funny, if he didn't come off as being a total jerk... I believe he is a psychologist as this point, or very close to it if he never quite finished his doctorate, but I think he did at some point and the guy plays so many mind games that I know Pete learned some very big positives from Norm, but also got tired of his crap as everybody else has and encouraged him to find a new job.... which he has done many times since leaving BYU after about 20 years). Anyway, Pete says it in a positive way, but when I first heard him say that Russell has done everything we have asked him to do, the first thing I thought IMMEDIATELY was, "Uh oh... Matt Flynn didn't do everything he was asked to do. He didn't go out and throw to the guys, he didn't master some section of the playbook, he came into practices with this assumption that he was number one and had to have something explained to him from the playbook by Wilson or Jackson and that looked bad." Now am I sure that's what happened? Of course not. But the way it was stated makes me think that Pete is a player's coach and by that it means he doesn't go throwing players under the bus. But he is still able to get his point across. The guy who works for it is going to get first crack.
It seemed clear to me after a couple of preseason games that Russell had a better understanding of what they wanted him to do. Flynn looked skittish and was dinking and dunking a lot. Maybe that's what they wanted him to do.... but they may have wanted him to do that, because they didn't feel he had earned the right to go out and launch deep balls. Then his elbow injury comes about. Is that a real legit injury, or is that Pete's way of saying, "That's what happens when you don't spend your offseason throwing on the schedule we specifically outlined for you and now your arm is sore because of it and therefore another guy played his way ahead of you, not just on the field, but off the field through playbook study, film study, time spent at the VMAC, time spent working one on one with coaches and other receivers, etc.?
Situation 7 - T-Jack gets traded to Buffalo. Now this is one where you have to think I've really gone off the deep end and am digging pretty darn deep. But it seems to me that this was a reward for Tarvaris as they had decided they were going to start Russell at this point, and the Hawks braintrust is smart enough to know that Fitzpatrick never looks good for a whole season, and they had caught wind that VY was a goner. So they traded him to a team where he'd get a chance. His chances were somewhere between slim and none here considering how well RW3 had done and how much they had invested in Flynn. My guess is that Flynn probably griped a little (at least to friends and such) and wanted to start or go somewhere where he was going to start as he thought he was the anointed one. Instead he's going to sit for a bit, but he is going to have the coaches cover for him, say he's hurt and give him the chance to earn it all back.
Situation the last (8th). This past weekend during the game, the announcers mention that Flynn is all healed up and he's in play to be our QB just as much as Wilson is, and the way the league is, he'll probably get a chance at some point. Supposedly his "elbow" is all healed up. Does that mean he's spending the extra time? Does that mean he's got the playbook down? Does that mean he's spending extra time throwing to guys? Who knows.... but I think however the coach has played this situation (maybe I'm just imagining it, but it seems to be the way he gets guys to play and play well actually) seems to have worked. We'll see moving forward I guess. I'm in no way suggesting that Russell Wilson wasn't the guy who earned the job or anything of that nature. He clearly did. But I think Pete also taught Matt Flynn a big lesson in life while he's still young enough to learn it. Nothing comes your way by default that is a positive. IF you get something by default (the other guy getting injured let's say) and haven't worked your butt off as if it was simply your opportunity and you'd be starting now whether the other guy was injured or not then you won't have as much success as you would have otherwise.
I think the classic example we can come up with here is Steve Young. Pete was in SF and saw how Steve prepared. He prepared every single day as if he was the starter. So when it became time for him to start due to the inevitable injury to an aging Montana then it was like the team never skipped a beat, and in fact they seemed to actually improve a bit in some ways at that point in their history.
So take it for what it's worth, but if the madman is really running things this way, then I say more power to him and he's not only being a great coach for the team, but he's being a great teacher for individuals and providing them with motivation and encouragement and a slight kick in the pants when needed. In the end we may end up with 2 or 3 really good QB's instead of 1 ok one and 2 angry ones that feel they got jobbed out of the 1st string position that they should have gotten off of arm strength, size, speed, a really good game one time, learning behind the best, being one of the most highly recruited QB's in the country, etc. A ton of things go into it, and this staff seems to be one that puts weight into each and every part of that process, and creates better players in the process, which then creates better leaders, and better teams.
Mock away.
:stirthepot:
Situation 1 was after CBJ was brought in to compete with Matt. It was a new team and a new year, and Matt won the competition fair and square it seemed. But there were some clear points that were made both through the media and that were hinted about through the media that Charlie was expected to work on for the next season.
Situation 2 was prior to last season and the Hawks made what seemed like a pretty fair offer to Matt considering what position they were in as far as the rebuild went. Matt turned it down before the lockout hit, and Pete seemed to give a bit of a reminder of what he had asked of CBJ. What happened? Matt led offseason workouts even though he was 90% sure he was gone, and CBJ didn't do any of things he was supposedly asked to do (throw with certain guys, lead offseason workouts, and gain some size and arm strength so he could take the beating of a season as a starter. If anything he got skinnier, which seemed to worry the coach and JS, as they had liked him in college where he was MUCH bigger and more of a straight drop back kind of guy that could take a hit.
Situation 3 Tarvaris Jackson is signed and his OC is brought in. Both of these seemed to be a direct response to what CBJ didn't do in the offseason along with Matt's unwillingness to accept their offer. This turned out to be a pretty good move really as the team with that much turnover had no business winning 7 games, yet still did and seemed to accelerate their rebuild process by giving players like Baldwin, Lynch, Sherman, Browner, and many others valuable time on the field in close game deciding situations.
Situation 4 Russell Wilson is thrown into the starting QB conversation. The way Pete phrases this is what makes me think that this is the way he operates. He says, "He has done everything we have asked him to do." Now to me that really stood out and seemed to match up with what Pete does and how he operates a team and makes important decisions. He didn't say, "Russell Wilson has a better arm." Or , "I feel at this point that Russell Wilson gives us a better chance to win a Superbowl this year." He said, "He has done everything we have asked him to do."
This would go back to his problem he seemingly he had with Matt in season 1 and his unwillingness to do things like throw the ball away (which caused friction and a couple of benchings, but ultimately they seemed to be on good terms). Then he turned the team over to Charlie. What did Charlie do? Not ANYTHING he had been asked to do from my perspective and my understanding of how he does things.
Situation 5 - Then prior to last season he signed Tarvaris Jackson who probably wasn't the best option on the sidelines at times, but he did do everything they asked him to do that he was capable off. He didn't opt for in-season surgery. He didn't complain about his 0-line and throw them under the bus. He didn't whine about being benched under Favre without even being told about it first etc. He went out like a true pro and did everything he was asked to do to the very best of his ability, and even when he got traded, he went off with as much class as I've ever seen a QB who has been traded. I've never seen a guy act that gracious and kind to his former team. Think the OPPOSITE of Josh Brown (the lonesome kicker/slave to the businessman and how he acted after leaving here by his own choice).
We saw similar things with Matt Cassell not getting the starts at all at USC (and maybe now we're seeing why), LenDale White's 2 strikes (both in college and here in Seattle), and how Pete reacted when Mark Sanchez said he was going pro and then told Pete how right he was after winning a playoff game (through no doing of his own really) and Pete sticking by what he said.
Now Situation 6 - Russell has done everything they asked him to do. My understanding from the "Chow Days" (and you have to know Norm Chow to understand his little psychological games he plays... they would be funny, if he didn't come off as being a total jerk... I believe he is a psychologist as this point, or very close to it if he never quite finished his doctorate, but I think he did at some point and the guy plays so many mind games that I know Pete learned some very big positives from Norm, but also got tired of his crap as everybody else has and encouraged him to find a new job.... which he has done many times since leaving BYU after about 20 years). Anyway, Pete says it in a positive way, but when I first heard him say that Russell has done everything we have asked him to do, the first thing I thought IMMEDIATELY was, "Uh oh... Matt Flynn didn't do everything he was asked to do. He didn't go out and throw to the guys, he didn't master some section of the playbook, he came into practices with this assumption that he was number one and had to have something explained to him from the playbook by Wilson or Jackson and that looked bad." Now am I sure that's what happened? Of course not. But the way it was stated makes me think that Pete is a player's coach and by that it means he doesn't go throwing players under the bus. But he is still able to get his point across. The guy who works for it is going to get first crack.
It seemed clear to me after a couple of preseason games that Russell had a better understanding of what they wanted him to do. Flynn looked skittish and was dinking and dunking a lot. Maybe that's what they wanted him to do.... but they may have wanted him to do that, because they didn't feel he had earned the right to go out and launch deep balls. Then his elbow injury comes about. Is that a real legit injury, or is that Pete's way of saying, "That's what happens when you don't spend your offseason throwing on the schedule we specifically outlined for you and now your arm is sore because of it and therefore another guy played his way ahead of you, not just on the field, but off the field through playbook study, film study, time spent at the VMAC, time spent working one on one with coaches and other receivers, etc.?
Situation 7 - T-Jack gets traded to Buffalo. Now this is one where you have to think I've really gone off the deep end and am digging pretty darn deep. But it seems to me that this was a reward for Tarvaris as they had decided they were going to start Russell at this point, and the Hawks braintrust is smart enough to know that Fitzpatrick never looks good for a whole season, and they had caught wind that VY was a goner. So they traded him to a team where he'd get a chance. His chances were somewhere between slim and none here considering how well RW3 had done and how much they had invested in Flynn. My guess is that Flynn probably griped a little (at least to friends and such) and wanted to start or go somewhere where he was going to start as he thought he was the anointed one. Instead he's going to sit for a bit, but he is going to have the coaches cover for him, say he's hurt and give him the chance to earn it all back.
Situation the last (8th). This past weekend during the game, the announcers mention that Flynn is all healed up and he's in play to be our QB just as much as Wilson is, and the way the league is, he'll probably get a chance at some point. Supposedly his "elbow" is all healed up. Does that mean he's spending the extra time? Does that mean he's got the playbook down? Does that mean he's spending extra time throwing to guys? Who knows.... but I think however the coach has played this situation (maybe I'm just imagining it, but it seems to be the way he gets guys to play and play well actually) seems to have worked. We'll see moving forward I guess. I'm in no way suggesting that Russell Wilson wasn't the guy who earned the job or anything of that nature. He clearly did. But I think Pete also taught Matt Flynn a big lesson in life while he's still young enough to learn it. Nothing comes your way by default that is a positive. IF you get something by default (the other guy getting injured let's say) and haven't worked your butt off as if it was simply your opportunity and you'd be starting now whether the other guy was injured or not then you won't have as much success as you would have otherwise.
I think the classic example we can come up with here is Steve Young. Pete was in SF and saw how Steve prepared. He prepared every single day as if he was the starter. So when it became time for him to start due to the inevitable injury to an aging Montana then it was like the team never skipped a beat, and in fact they seemed to actually improve a bit in some ways at that point in their history.
So take it for what it's worth, but if the madman is really running things this way, then I say more power to him and he's not only being a great coach for the team, but he's being a great teacher for individuals and providing them with motivation and encouragement and a slight kick in the pants when needed. In the end we may end up with 2 or 3 really good QB's instead of 1 ok one and 2 angry ones that feel they got jobbed out of the 1st string position that they should have gotten off of arm strength, size, speed, a really good game one time, learning behind the best, being one of the most highly recruited QB's in the country, etc. A ton of things go into it, and this staff seems to be one that puts weight into each and every part of that process, and creates better players in the process, which then creates better leaders, and better teams.
Mock away.
:stirthepot:
