Mike Fisher: Source Reveal number one reason our head coach was hired!

[Spottswoode]

I coached for 20 years, dozens of all conference players, national player of the year finalist, college HOF members. I was pretty good at it... no, I was damn good at it.I wont compare it to pros, because that is totally different. The money these guys make today gives them all the power. more and more of these contracts are guaranteed and the coach's power continues to diminish every year.


The NCAA coach has been completely neutered. Players have ALL of the power. I stad by what I said, culture comes afterteams win. I gave you a couple examples that had crap "Culture," and as soon as they wi, it is viewed as a great culture.

If Washington goes 9-8 this year and misses the playoffs, watch how quick the talk was about the losing "Culture." We dont hear too much about the great "Patriot way," anymore, do we.

You can stand by what you said…my goal is not to change your mind. But I will also say that the examples you keep referring back to are not culture…they are a reflection of a larger culture. If it is true that winning defines your culture, then no team in the world has a culture until they win. And that is obviously not true. Every team, locker room, etc. has a culture, regardless of the sport.

I also come from a very long line of coaches and frankly considering your stated background, I find it fascinating that you don’t value the importance of a team culture. This isn’t a chicken or the egg discussion. Culture can’t come after winning because every team, whether good or bad, has a culture…it can’t be avoided. The only question is whether it’s the right culture. Dallas isn’t winning but to think they don’t have a culture that permeates the organization and locker room is silly.

I’ll let you have the last word and then I’m done. Outside of the smarmy comment in your first post, I enjoyed our discussion.

 

[Spottswoode]

I stad by what I said, culture comes afterteams win. I gave you a couple examples that had crap "Culture," and as soon as they wi, it is viewed as a great culture.

I said I was done but I re-read your comment. Maybe there is a breakdown in our communication. First, the two sentences above are contradictory. First you say culture comes after a team wins. Then you say you gave examples where crap teams had crap cultures. It seems like you are acknowledging that culture exists, regardless of the performance on the field. Otherwise, how could a crap team have a crap culture.

The difference between the two was one had a crap culture and the other had a great culture. And that’s my point. Culture exists whether you like it or not. If NCAA players hold all the power as you said, that doesn’t mean that culture no longer exists. It might have an influence on the culture but it will never eliminate the existence of a culture.

Culture is nothing more than a set of beliefs, values, etc. It defines the way things are done, the expectations, the accountabilities, and on and on. They are unavoidable. Without someone to guide, influence, and enforce them, they will still exist. It will just likely be dysfunctional and chaotic.

 

[Reid1boys]

You can stand by what you said…my goal is not to change your mind. But I will also say that the examples you keep referring back to are not culture…they are a reflection of a larger culture. If it is true that winning defines your culture, then no team in the world has a culture until they win. And that is obviously not true. Every team, locker room, etc. has a culture, regardless of the sport.

I also come from a very long line of coaches and frankly considering your stated background, I find it fascinating that you don’t value the importance of a team culture. This isn’t a chicken or the egg discussion. Culture can’t come after winning because every team, whether good or bad, has a culture…it can’t be avoided. The only question is whether it’s the right culture. Dallas isn’t winning but to think they don’t have a culture that permeates the organization and locker room is silly.

I’ll let you have the last word and then I’m done. Outside of the smarmy comment in your first post, I enjoyed our discussion.

This is a forum, and our opinions is the only thigs that drives this ship. I take no offense, and Im not expecting anyone to try and change my mind, nor am I trying to change yours.

I was an absolute dominant force with my teams. I drove everything,.... and yes, even the culture/attitude of my teams. For sports that arent pros, I do believe that the overall team is a reflection of the coach. I was cocky, I wanted my players to be cocky. Do not confuse disrespect with being cocky. I always treated my opponents and opposing players with respect, but my attitude was simple. I am a better coach than you are.

Fastpitch (what i coached) is IMO a sport where the coach can/does impact that actual outcome of the game more than possibly any sport played. I wont go into all the details as to why and bore you, but i took all of my knowledge and what I saw in games and taught that to my players. I used to tell them how this particular play was like taking candy from a baby, because it was so easy to do (steal 3rd base) if you knew when to do it and how to manipulate your opponent.

So yea, we definitely had a culture and an attitude. BUT we are talking about the NFL. IMO, all of those coaches know what they are doing. All of them are ultra competitive (regardless of what they outwardly show), all of them do much of the same stuff(coaches go from team to team to team and take all that knowledge with them. All of them have world class athletes... we are talking the best of the best. Put those teams into a statistical bell shaped curve, and they fall into line. 85% (a random number im guessing with) of all teams are basically the same. This is why a team like the pats used to lose and add players every year yet still have great success.

The QB is the determining factor on who wins Super Bowls and who doesnt. This has never been more evident than it is in today's pass happy game. The days of bob griese going 6-7 for 73 yards in a super bowl and winning are over.

20% of the time, maybe a little less, a solid qb wins a SB. The remainder of those titles are won by HOF QBs. My opinion s that this "Culture," so many in here like to point to, is simply overblown. It is a scapegoat. There are 32 teams in the NFL. Do 28 of them have a crappy culture? Because only about 4 of them have a legit shot year to year.

Just curious, do the Bills have the right "Culture?" Because we always hear how Dallas hasnt won a title since 1995, well the Bills havent won a SB since Jesus was throwing around the pigskin.

 

[Reid1boys]

I said I was done but I re-read your comment. Maybe there is a breakdown in our communication. First, the two sentences above are contradictory. First you say culture comes after a team wins. Then you say you gave examples where crap teams had crap cultures. It seems like you are acknowledging that culture exists, regardless of the performance on the field. Otherwise, how could a crap team have a crap culture.

The difference between the two was one had a crap culture and the other had a great culture. And that’s my point. Culture exists whether you like it or not. If NCAA players hold all the power as you said, that doesn’t mean that culture no longer exists. It might have an influence on the culture but it will never eliminate the existence of a culture.

Culture is nothing more than a set of beliefs, values, etc. It defines the way things are done, the expectations, the accountabilities, and on and on. They are unavoidable. Without someone to guide, influence, and enforce them, they will still exist. It will just likely be dysfunctional and chaotic.

Yep.. this can happen when we type, and I often type fast as I know what is in my mind, but it doesnt always reach the screen.

My view on culture, discussed a little in my post right before this, is that culture is BS. Made up by fans and disgruntled players (Dlaw, Hendershot, Cole Beasley). All of these teams, ALL OF THEM have players that bust their arse. They also have players that party and dont take the game as serious as others. No teams are unique. When a team wins, they suddenly are deemed as having this great "Culture." Something that there is no way to prove or disprove by the way. The culture sucks if you want it to suck. It is great if you want to claim it is great.

I used Washington as an example of a team where people would say these things about. I personally would not throw around this phrase as I think it is mostly BS.

Kind of like those demanding we have a hard arse coach like Jimmy Johnson. Uhm... that guy Tom and Joe Gibbs were pretty good, and they werent like Jimmy. They both work.

 

[Reid1boys]

I said I was done but I re-read your comment. Maybe there is a breakdown in our communication. First, the two sentences above are contradictory. First you say culture comes after a team wins. Then you say you gave examples where crap teams had crap cultures. It seems like you are acknowledging that culture exists, regardless of the performance on the field. Otherwise, how could a crap team have a crap culture.

The difference between the two was one had a crap culture and the other had a great culture. And that’s my point. Culture exists whether you like it or not. If NCAA players hold all the power as you said, that doesn’t mean that culture no longer exists. It might have an influence on the culture but it will never eliminate the existence of a culture.

Culture is nothing more than a set of beliefs, values, etc. It defines the way things are done, the expectations, the accountabilities, and on and on. They are unavoidable. Without someone to guide, influence, and enforce them, they will still exist. It will just likely be dysfunctional and chaotic.

Who determines if a culture is crap or good? This is my point. People talk about culture in HINDSIGHT. people judge a teams culture after a season ends, or mid season. If a team is winning, people will say they have the right culture. if the team stinks, people will say their culture stinks.

Lets play a little game. rate the culture of these 5 teams:
Dolphins
Falcons
Jets
Bears
Cleveland


Now lets rate these team's culture:
Chiefs
Eagles
Bills
Rams
49ers

 

[conner01]

My sources tell me that he was hired because he will do as Jerry tells him to do more than anyone else would’ve.

Dallas is the only place that would’ve ever allowed this loser to be a head coach.

I agree he was hired because he will do what Jerry says but I’m not so sure he’s a loser HC but time will tell

 

[JoeKing]

In the end, Schotty is just BS to me. I have absolutely zero faith in the guy to turn this team around. Aside from being handicapped by the Jones boys, his inexperience is an anchor.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

I agree he was hired because he will do what Jerry says but I’m not so sure he’s a loser HC but time will tell

He’s a loser coordinator that couldn’t keep a job until he got to Dallas where you fail up.

It’s a natural progression that he’ll be a loser HC.

 

[Spottswoode]

When a team wins, they suddenly are deemed as having this great "Culture."

I appreciate the discussion. It’s nice to have a cordial conversation and proves that it is possible, even on this site.

I agree with your comment above. The problem is that the people that say things like that are either being lazy or they don’t understand culture. When someone says “they have a winning culture”, winning is not the culture. Winning is the by-product of culture (along with other things).

Also understand that I am not discounting the importance of players, coaching, etc. Culture is just one component of team success. And you don’t have to win a championship to have a good culture…everyone can’t have 5 star recruits or win a trophy (yet). But having the right culture increases your odds. It enhances teamwork, commitment, buy in, accountability, and helps you get the best from your players. And while it doesn’t ensure success but it definitely increases the odds of success, whether it’s 1 more win or 50 more wins.

My bet is the success you achieved with your teams was greatly influenced by the culture you established. And your success suggests that you were likely good at it, whether you were consciously intentional about it or not. That doesn’t discount your coaching efforts or game decisions or any of the other tangible components that led to your success. But as a leader, you (along with others) established the vision and guidelines. You defined the expectations and beliefs…the North Star…the culture. It influences everything from communication to recognition and it’s unavoidable. And that’s what all leaders do and the successful leaders do better.

 

[Spottswoode]

Who determines if a culture is crap or good? This is my point. People talk about culture in HINDSIGHT. people judge a teams culture after a season ends, or mid season. If a team is winning, people will say they have the right culture. if the team stinks, people will say their culture stinks.

Lets play a little game. rate the culture of these 5 teams:
Dolphins
Falcons
Jets
Bears
Cleveland


Now lets rate these team's culture:
Chiefs
Eagles
Bills
Rams
49ers

First, it is impossible for me to rate the culture of those teams. I don’t work with them. I’m not in the locker room. I don’t communicate or interact with them. And this highlights the point I made from the very beginning. People don’t understand what culture is.

Since I can’t answer your question, maybe you can answer mine. I work for the largest biotech company in the world. We are #1 in almost every category we compete and produce some of the best science in the world. What do you think our culture is like?

The only people who can truly identify what the culture is are the people on the inside. You can try to guess based on what you hear others say or the success of the team but it’s only a guess. Culture is not one thing…it’s much more complex.

And again, crap or good is not a culture. It may be the byproduct of the culture but it’s not culture. As far as who defines culture, it should be the leaders in the organization. Culture starts at the top and trickles down from there.

And if people judge culture in hindsight or at season’s end, again they don’t understand culture. Culture doesn’t begin or end on a schedule…it just is. And as far as who gets to judge. Everyone who is influenced by the culture gets to judge. Players, coaches, front office, trainers, and on and on. They may have limited power to influence the culture but all are directly influenced by the culture. Some stay, some leave, some speak up, some just take it.

 

[Spottswoode]

Everyone who is influenced by the culture gets to judge. Players, coaches, front office, trainers, and on and on. They may have limited power to influence the culture but all are directly influenced by the culture.

I want to clarify the bold as it’s misleading. Players may have limited power to change the culture but they can certainly influence the culture both positively and negatively.

 

[plymkr]

LOL.

The culture can't be fixed until the two nitwits running the team are no longer running the team.

Jerry has changed coaches quite a bit since the 90s. What's the one constant throughout those 25+ years when people were complaining about the culture, laid back atmosphere, lack of accountability, etc?

That’s what I was thinking. How can he fix the culture if he can’t fix Jerry and Stephen. Jerry and Stephen IS the culture in Dallas, all talk and no substance.

 

[Reid1boys]

First, it is impossible for me to rate the culture of those teams. I don’t work with them. I’m not in the locker room. I don’t communicate or interact with them. And this highlights the point I made from the very beginning. People don’t understand what culture is.

Since I can’t answer your question, maybe you can answer mine. I work for the largest biotech company in the world. We are #1 in almost every category we compete and produce some of the best science in the world. What do you think our culture is like?

The only people who can truly identify what the culture is are the people on the inside. You can try to guess based on what you hear others say or the success of the team but it’s only a guess. Culture is not one thing…it’s much more complex.

And again, crap or good is not a culture. It may be the byproduct of the culture but it’s not culture. As far as who defines culture, it should be the leaders in the organization. Culture starts at the top and trickles down from there.

And if people judge culture in hindsight or at season’s end, again they don’t understand culture. Culture doesn’t begin or end on a schedule…it just is. And as far as who gets to judge. Everyone who is influenced by the culture gets to judge. Players, coaches, front office, trainers, and on and on. They may have limited power to influence the culture but all are directly influenced by the culture. Some stay, some leave, some speak up, some just take it.

I am talking from the perspective of this site... which is perfect, because you just make the point I have been making for years in here when people complain about contracts, length of deal, amount. None of us know what is happening behind the scenes. I am not in your company, just like you are not in the locker room. None of us can say what the culture is or isnt with the Cowboys.

Look at many threads and what do we read about? We see people typing from home or work how horrible the Dallas culture is. I agree with your point..... although you are likely far too polite to say it They are full of crap(posters), as they havent a clue what is happening at practice, in film study, in the weight room, or on game day.

Last weekend in a college game, a kid stole third base and got thrown out. I promise you there were people in the stads saying how stupid the coach was for calling that play. What they didnt know is that the kid was taught to stop and go back if the thrid baseman didnt take two steps up. Only the coach and the player know what really happened.

I read over and over how stupid Jerry is because he didnt lock up Dak and Lamb EARLY. But yet they have no clue what was happening between the Cowboys and the agent. Dallas could have offered Dak a big deal early, and Dak and his agent politely said thanks, but no thanks. They knew they held all the cards, including a no trade clause and absolute free agency if Dallas didnt get the deal done, plus HUGE cap hit.

CeeDee also wasnt going to sign any deal knowing full well you had other WRs with looming deals. Add in the fact Lamb and Jefferson share the same agent.

I have been coming to this site for a long time. There are always a few people that you can have good back and forth with. I stayed away from this site for about 6 months this past ear because it has gotten so toxic. It is nice to see another person that can discuss topics without slinging insults.

 

[Reid1boys]

That’s what I was thinking. How can he fix the culture if he can’t fix Jerry and Stephen. Jerry and Stephen IS the culture in Dallas, all talk and no substance.

Im just curious if you can give me a couple examples of things Stephen does that contributes to a culture (whatever that is) that you disagree with?

Then can you do the same with Jerry?

 

[cowboyschmps3]

What you expect from Fisher!

 

[atlantacowboy]

Obviously, the best way to fix the team culture is hire a veteran assistant whose never lead a team or merited the opportunity.
Jerry and his boy just keep showing the rest of the league how its done.

 

[fivetwos]

All of my words are 100% my mine, so there is no need to be sarcastic with your comments. I’m not your enemy and I’m certainly not looking to join an argument. If the way I worded something set you off, my apologies…it wasn’t my intent. I was simply adding some context.

As far as hearing teammates say they love each other, that is not culture. It could be a reflection of the culture, but it’s not culture. And yes, culture in a vacuum does not define winning or losing. And we can agree to disagree as to whether culture matters in sports relative to business. But I guarantee every coach, whether high school, college, or the pro’s would agree that culture not only matters, but is critical to achieve ultimate success.

When Jimmy made the comment about the asthma field, that was a public reflection of a culture he was trying to instill. When Hendershot says when he got to KC, he noticed it was all about winning, that is a reflection of differences in culture. When someone says fan tours make it seem like being in a fishbowl (don’t remember the exact quote), that is a reflection of the culture. When Jerry serves as the public face and voice of the team, that is a reflection of the culture.

Every day, coaches of every type talk about the importance of culture. Phil Jackson, Mike Krzyzewski, Bill Walsh, John Wooden, and many others have even written books about it. Last night I finished a documentary on John Calipari where he discussed the importance of developing a new culture when he arrived at Arkansas.

Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, culture in sports matters. And I think you would be hard pressed to find a coach, owner, GM, etc. who would suggest otherwise. But I’m open minded if you have examples to suggest otherwise.

What Rick Pitino has done with St John’s in such a short time is miracle-like.

Guys like that are legends, and you can’t just go to the store and get one.

Jerry had two of those types and both had to be gone because they are bigger and better at what Jerry wanted to be King at.

The fans suffer while Jerry plays with his kids, except one….that we know of.

 

[plymkr]

Im just curious if you can give me a couple examples of things Stephen does that contributes to a culture (whatever that is) that you disagree with?

Then can you do the same with Jerry?

Seriously? Um okay
undermining the HC

Constant interviews and radio shows discussing player’s health . Again taking on HC duties while being the “GM”

Several sexual scandals that are embarrassing, 1 of which concerned Jerry’s daughter and Stephen’s sister that was swept under the rug to help Jerry get into the GOF. Also said person, Rich Dalrymple, had access card to Cherrleaders’ changing room. Let’s not forget Jerry’s illegitimate child, pictures of him with strippers and the new one.

Not covering up the sun in the stadium but covering up the sun for other events, this is an example of looks over winning

Putting forth their personal agenda of fame and celebrity over winning therefore setting an example to players that winning is secondary.

That’s all I can think of off the top of my head at the moment. I could put a good list together if given a couple days to think about it.

Seriously dude, I respect that you have a different take on Jerry and Stephen, but 29 years and 4 playoff wins is hard to argue with.

It shouldn’t be lost on anyone that the Commanders went to the NFC title game once Dan Snyder was purged from their franchise. I would argue with some of the sexual scandals that have come up the last couple years that Jerry is in the same level. Jerry is just better at hiding it than Snyder was. And Jerry has more pull in league offices. But Jerry and Snyder have a lot in common as far as sketchy toxic work environments.

After 29 years and 4 playoff wins, Jerry doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt on anything. He has to earn that back. If you want to still support him that’s cool and I respect you for your loyalty but for me he has to earn some loyalty back by cleaning things up.