What did Parcells mean when he said; I don't coach penalties

[jaybird]

Never quite understood that. Is he saying it's not my fault, I'm didn't teach them that or what?
Seems to me a coach would focus on technique stuff more (coach'm up) if penalties we're too often. But whom am
I do question Parcells wisdom.

 

[fifaguy]

As a (very) wild guess, maybe he meant that he doesn't teach his guys to flop (and draw penalties in that manner)...

 

[TheCount]

I thought he meant that he coaches proper techniques, so it's up to the players to be smart and avoid penalties.

 

[LandryFan]

I thought he meant that he coaches proper techniques, so it's up to the players to be smart and avoid penalties.

You got it! Coaches coach and players play. The players have to execute...properly.

 

[erod]

It was a response to media criticism directed at him when too many penalties were committed by his team in a game.

 

[AsthmaField]

Yeah, just that he taught proper technique and when the players became undisciplined and caused a penalty, it wasn't the coaching staff's fault.

Of course, I disagree. Make the consequences severe enough for stupid penalties and it will slow down the yellow flags on the field. Not to mention that if you have the team prepared enough... they don't have to resort to fouls as often.

However, some are inevitable as well as less stupid than others.

 

[LandryFan]

Yeah, just that he taught proper technique and when the players became undisciplined and caused a penalty, it wasn't the coaching staff's fault.

Of course, I disagree. Make the consequences severe enough for stupid penalties and it will slow down the yellow flags on the field. Not to mention that if you have the team prepared enough... they don't have to resort to fouls as often.

However, some are inevitable as well as less stupid than others.

What consequences can there be? They can bench players, but with a 53 man roster limit, their hands are pretty much tied there. Fines are off limits (CBA). There's really not much they can do other than get rid of the player and replace him with someone else. No, they simply work to correct them by watching film and working on technique in the limited practices that they have.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

I think he's referring to mental mistakes. I had a coach back in the day who would seriously frown on mental mistakes. Know your assignment, know and play within the game rules. He would give pass on a physical mistake if you slipped and fell, dropped a ball, etc. but not mental mistakes.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

Parcells hated penalties, he's the guy who considered 10 yards of penalty/field position equal to 1 point. He just meant it's up to the players to not false start and do dumb stuff like that, how to play disciplined is not part of what a head coach teaches you. It's part of the culture though.

 

[Bullflop]

Sounds to me like Parcells issued a statement in denial of responsibility for the penalties assessed to his players. In so doing, I'm pretty sure he felt like he did everything in his power to caution his players to avoid them and wasn't inclined to take the heat for their mistakes. He's nobody's fool. Once players are taught how to perform properly, they're on their own to follow the instructions they've been given.

 

[T-RO]

Never quite understood that. Is he saying it's not my fault, I'm didn't teach them that or what?
Seems to me a coach would focus on technique stuff more (coach'm up) if penalties we're too often. But whom am
I do question Parcells wisdom.

Hall of fame coach. His teams were not generally highly penalized.

Not a perfect coach. Not a perfect man...but he's a guy who has the cred to say whatever the hell he wants.

One more thing: there probably has never been a coach in the history of the game who is as beloved by his players as Bill Parcells. And a huge number of those friendships persist to this day.

 

[Doomsday101]

Never quite understood that. Is he saying it's not my fault, I'm didn't teach them that or what?
Seems to me a coach would focus on technique stuff more (coach'm up) if penalties we're too often. But whom am
I do question Parcells wisdom.

simple, they don't draw up plays or practice plays with penalties. Players normally commit penalties because they are out of position or getting beat on the play and are forced to grab or jump off sides because the man in front of them is beating them. Teams do not practice or coach up penalties it is a product of poor execution

 

[T-RO]

Sounds to me like Parcells issued a statement in denial of responsibility for the penalties assessed to his players. In so doing, I'm pretty sure he felt like he did everything in his power to caution his players to avoid them and wasn't inclined to take the heat for their mistakes. He's nobody's fool. Once players are taught how to perform properly, they're on their own to follow the instructions they've been given.

Good post.

Parcells once brought one of his veterans in and said, I'm putting you in charge of this rookie player we got. You need to clean up some of the stuff he's doing. The vet was like, "Huh? I got my own business to take care of." But Parcells only doubled down. He said..."if it doesn't get fixed I'm coming right back at you."

He created a core of players on his team that were leaders and enforcers. It was brilliant, really.

 

[Doomsday101]

Sounds to me like Parcells issued a statement in denial of responsibility for the penalties assessed to his players. In so doing, I'm pretty sure he felt like he did everything in his power to caution his players to avoid them and wasn't inclined to take the heat for their mistakes. He's nobody's fool. Once players are taught how to perform properly, they're on their own to follow the instructions they've been given.

coaches can't play the game for them, ultimately it is on the player to go out and do the job. You can teach proper technique but on game day it falls directly on the player to do it and do it right

 

[drawandstrike]

Wasn't Wade Phillips asked this also in his time with Dallas? I remember Wade answering along the same lines.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

Sounds to me like Parcells issued a statement in denial of responsibility for the penalties assessed to his players. In so doing, I'm pretty sure he felt like he did everything in his power to caution his players to avoid them and wasn't inclined to take the heat for their mistakes. He's nobody's fool. Once players are taught how to perform properly, they're on their own to follow the instructions they've been given.

Yep. This is the actual true translation. It's almost an "I didn't do it."

 

[xwalker]

Never quite understood that. Is he saying it's not my fault, I'm didn't teach them that or what?
Seems to me a coach would focus on technique stuff more (coach'm up) if penalties we're too often. But whom am
I do question Parcells wisdom.

He was implying that he puts the structure in place and coaches them on technique, game plans, etc. and the players have to take responsibility for the details like not committing penalties.

It would be like saying that you don't teach players how to get out of bed and be at meetings on time. You just put the structure in place so that they know it is their responsibility to be on time.

 

[Rogerthat12]

Never quite understood that. Is he saying it's not my fault, I'm didn't teach them that or what?
Seems to me a coach would focus on technique stuff more (coach'm up) if penalties we're too often. But whom am
I do question Parcells wisdom.

 

[Blackspider214]

You got it! Coaches coach and players play. The players have to execute...properly.

But tons of penalties is a reflection of the coach. Sounds like a cop out to me that he doesn't want any responsibility for how many they commit.

 

[LandryFan]

But tons of penalties is a reflection of the coach. Sounds like a cop out to me that he doesn't want any responsibility for how many they commit.

I think he was just saying that all they can do is create the right culture and coach the proper technique...after that, it's on th player. That said, any time a team is highly penalized, the coach will always get the heat for it.