Jason Hatcher on what’s different about Washington: The head coach isn’t policing the team

[khiladi]

Let's not blow this out of proportion like Hatcher is still trying to go out of his way to speak about the team. He went on a radio show, most likely INVITED, because he has a past history of the Cowboys with him. That happens all the time in different areas. In DC, they had Carlos Rodgers two years back on 106.7 asking what the difference was between the 49ers and Commanders environment.

 

[TrailBlazer]

Hatcher is an idiot. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of his new coach. The only thing I got out of his comments were that Washington is just as dysfunctional as Dallas, if not worse.

Micro managing, policing, whatever; I don't read too much into that. Every coach has their own style. I care more about implementing schemes, play design, creativity, getting players to execute schemes, game management.

 

[Califan007]

Yea, its really hard to take somebody who has been spoiled and catered too and then take back something they feel entitled too. Little kids, and even big kids are like this as well.

So you think allowing established veterans to get their own room is "spoiling and catering to" them? You have your HOF player sleeping in the damn hotel hallway on away games due to an unnecessary desire to treat him as if he's not accomplished anything whatsoever in his career...and that's a good thing, I suppose?

 

[khiladi]

I agree, but I think some are taking the standpoint that Hatcher only is using it in a negative sense because he didn't like being held accountable by Garrett lol...

Yeah, it's pretty comical especially when Hatcher was essentially our best player on defense last year. If anybody was holding himself accountable, irrespective of the motivations of being a contract year or not, it was Hatcher. What he was saying was clear... The head coach polices the team and doesn't listen to anybody essentially.

And this was pretty much confirmed by Jerry Jones when he said Garrett wouldn't keep his hands away from Callahan as OC.

The funny thing is, Garrett homers will use the words of a player actually playing on the Cowboys as evidence, but when that person leaves it's spilt milk. It's not like Dallas didn't want to retain Hatcher. They just new it wasn't feasible at the price.

 

[Califan007]

Jimmy Johnson said, "I will be very consistent. I will treat every player differently."

He cut a player for sleeping in a team meeting. He said if Aikman had fallen asleep in the same meeting he would have yelled at someone to get him a pillow.

LOL!!...there ya go--evidence of "policing" the right way ...

 

[Hostile]

Follow me here... The fact that other coaches have failed being Policeman is completely relevant to the topic, especially when the person it is being used against is trying to argue that is the true indicator of success and makes one Tom Landry. Tom Landry had other qualities that Garrett couldn't hold a candle too, among them, he has a tradition of players remembering him with affection over a decade after he died, while Garrett has players calling him out for being interfering and a policeman, the moment they leave Valley Ranch.

BTW, I very much remember Mr. Jerry Jones telling us that despite the reigns going to Callahan last year, Garrett couldn't keep his hands away. So now Jerry has made Opie wander the sidelines of the defense. So not only do we have Crayton confirming Garrett not listening to advice from people experienced, we've got Mr. Hatcher. And also Jerry Jones himself.

I know it's hard. You've made him out to be Tom Landry, but that Titanic has already sunk.

No, I haven't.

 

[khiladi]

Jason Hatcher nowhere said Bill Parcells policed a team, so trying to spin this as Hatcher is referring to a specific coaching style of Parcells as being similar to Garrett is just utterly absurd. Hatcher clarified exactly what he meant when he said the head coach doesn't listen to veterans and doesn't take any advice, and doesn't make the veterans feel like they can contribute anything. WHat I know about Parcells is that he was stubborn and disciplined, but he respected his veterans. There is a reason, Parcells always brought his veterans back to the teams he coached..

And again, whether or not the comparison to the Commanders are valid, it's irrelevant to Hatcher's experience at Dallas, which he experienced for years. If the Commanders environment turns out to be policing, the only thing that would be wrong is Hatcher's analogy, not necessarily his experience in Dallas.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells. Head Coaches who "policed" their teams.

Dave Campo, Wade Phillips, Chan Gailey, Barry Switzer. Head Coaches who didn't.


Any fan who doesn't want Garrett in that first list is nuts. Period.

To be fair, Wade Phillups did win 2 division titles and a playoff game.

Chan Galiey took the team to the playoffs as well.

Barry Switzer won a SB, yes it was with Jimmy's players but he still didn't mess it up.

Of the 7 head coaches you named, only Dave Campo and Jason Garrett are the only ones to never take their teams to the playoffs..................just facts

 

[Hostile]

To be fair, Wade Phillups did win 2 division titles and a playoff game.

Chan Galiey took the team to the playoffs as well.

Barry Switzer won a SB, yes it was with Jimmy's players but he still didn't mess it up.

Of the 7 head coaches you named, only Dave Campo and Jason Garrett are the only ones to never take their teams to the playoffs..................just facts

I know this. One chapter is written, the other is being written. Just facts.

 

[Califan007]

Your words:


You forgot another coach who didn't police his team: Joe Gibbs.

He actually took veterans aside and told them--and I quote--"This is your team". He told them he wasn't in the locker room, he wasn't with the players off the field...and that he needed the veterans to set the tone and help the players stay accountable to each other instead of just to the coaches.

Just saw this lol...

In case you were wondering, I said Hatcher was using "policing" in a negative way. I thought Hostile was using not "policing" in a negative way. I showed how a coach not policing his players is not a sign of weakness. I also said policing/micro-managing in and of itself is not "good" or "bad". Depends on how it's done.

 

[birdwells1]

Correct. Players are not smart enough to know what is good for them.

And think of the some of the "veterans" on the Commanders.

DeAngelo Hall. DeSean Jackson. Brandon Meriweather.

And they lost the one with real leadership and character in London Fletcher.

Great news. Enjoy Commander fans.

If this is the case, their season is over before it began.

 

[Hostile]

LOL!!...there ya go--evidence of "policing" the right way ...

What is the right way of "cupcaking," and who besides Joe Gibbs has done it in your opinion?

 

[starfrombirth]

Lil Country Club atmosphere with Danny's boys.

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***...n-the-head-coach-isnt-policing-the-team.html/


“Every coach has a different approach, but there’s a lot of things different here,” Hatcher said on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “I don’t want to go into details about it because I don’t want to get blamed like, ‘Oh, he said this about Dallas…’

“They really take care of the veteran guys. They give us more say-so over the team. This is our team. The head coach don’t want to be policing the team. This is our team, so when we set the foundation for this football team, the way it’s supposed to go, that’s the way it’s supposed to go, through the players and not the coaches. It’s a players team, so whatever we say goes, pretty much, if it’s going in the right direction.”

So he's been there for about 5 minutes and suddenly the team is looking to him for leadership? Suuuure the are. Keep telling yourself that the grass really is greener.. Wow!

 

[Beast_from_East]

I know this. One chapter is written, the other is being written. Just facts.

I am just saying that different styles of coaching work for different coaches.

Its not as simplistic as you are making it sound. Those coaches that you named that didn't "police their team" did have success (except for Campo and that was more a talent issue with him).

Garrett should not force himself into one category or the other, he should try to figure out the best way he can coach because what he is currently doing is not working very well and his time is running out.

 

[Califan007]

What is the right way of "cupcaking," and who besides Joe Gibbs has done it in your opinion?

So not micro-managing things like your veteran players' roommates is "cupcaking"? lol...

Gibbs and Dungy had similar coaching styles. Even Mike Shanahan leaned more towards not micro-managing the players. He was very big on reminding the players that they should be accountable to each other even when away from minicamps and training camp. I would make a guess that Jon Gruden didn't micro-manage his players either, preferring them to own that aspect themselves.

But this is why I asked you to define "policing"...it seems that some (and this may include you) believe "policing" means running demanding camps, demanding the best from players and taking no-nonsense approach when players screw up. None of that is "policing" to me.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

So you think allowing established veterans to get their own room is "spoiling and catering to" them? You have your HOF player sleeping in the damn hotel hallway on away games due to an unnecessary desire to treat him as if he's not accomplished anything whatsoever in his career...and that's a good thing, I suppose?

You are a Skins fan? So comprehension isnt your strong point, I know.

Notice I said "has been spoiled . . . . " Past tense. Something he already had experienced. Its hard to have that taken away.

 

[Beast_from_East]

So not micro-managing things like your veteran players' roommates is "cupcaking"? lol...

Gibbs and Dungy had similar coaching styles. Even Mike Shanahan leaned more towards not micro-managing the players. He was very big on reminding the players that they should be accountable to each other even when away from minicamps and training camp. I would make a guess that Jon Gruden didn't micro-manage his players either, preferring them to own that aspect themselves.

But this is why I asked you to define "policing"...it seems that some (and this may include you) believe "policing" means running demanding camps, demanding the best from players and taking no-nonsense approach when players screw up. None of that is "policing" to me.

I think it is open to interpretation.

Like I said, different coaching styles work for different coaches. Dungy was not a fire breather, but he was considered an excellent coach. It all comes down to how a coach can best rely his message and vision to the team. Some coaches think screaming at the players is best, some think being their friend is the best. It is up to each coach to find out the best way to relate to his players and to get his players to perform the best.

 

[Califan007]

You are a Skins fan? So comprehension isnt your strong point, I know.

Notice I said "has been spoiled . . . . " Past tense. Something he already had experienced. Its hard to have that taken away.

So in the story I posted, what exactly was "taken away"?...That was the only thing mentioned.

 

[jday]

Riddle me this Batman. Over the course of History name the 25 most successful coaches of all time. Then whether you think they were Policemen or Cupcakes.

The fact that other coaches have failed while being Policemen is completely irrelevant to the topic. Otherwise you need to look at how many Cupcakes have succeeded. We're talking about what is happening in Dallas and the fact that this Head Coach, according to a former player.

Once you look at the evidence, don't make it about your like or dislike for the Head Coach. What do you prefer in a Head Coach based on those results by your own study and definitions? A Policeman or a Cupcake?

Personally, I don't think it matter as much as some people may think. The big question, the most important of all questions, is do the players buy in? Do they embrace the scheme and believe in it? But, of course, these are not the only factors on rather or not a team will be successful. Clearly, you have to have talent, as well. Furthermore, has the Head Coach surrounded himself with people who understand what the Head Coach wants and know how to implement it (e.g. coordinators)? If I'm not mistaken, both kinds of coaches have had success in the NFL...but a number of other things have to come to fruition in order for them to be successful.

 

[Califan007]

I think it is open to interpretation.

Like I said, different coaching styles work for different coaches. Dungy was not a fire breather, but he was considered an excellent coach. It all comes down to how a coach can best rely his message and vision to the team. Some coaches think screaming at the players is best, some think being their friend is the best. It is up to each coach to find out the best way to relate to his players and to get his players to perform the best.

I agree...and I think that none of the coaching styles are mutually exclusive from "policing" the players. Wouldn't surprise me at all if Cowher didn't really police/micro-manage his players, regardless of his fire-breathing dragon coaching style.