BA = Toxic

[traveler]

Note: For those of you who will accuse me of being a bandwagoner---I was one of the few on the board last year who voiced strong concerns about BA's handling of certain situations in the media. For example, I am still very disturbed about BA making his nickname for D.J. Humphries ("Knee Deep") public. It was wrong. But, some will say, "look at Humphries this year---he got the message!" To that I say, he could be playing even better this year. The reality is the Cardinals lost a whole year of on-the-field production from a talented 1st round draft pick in a rare year where they were contending for a championship. They could have drafted Tyler Lockett instead who might have been the STs threat to get the Cardinals the number one seed and their second berth in the Super Bowl.

When BA called out the Rams publicly with his now infamous 8-8 remark---I immediately expressed my concern for that completely unnecessary indiscretion. But, some will say, "Well, he was right, wasn't he?" To that I say, sure---but how does it feel to have lost 2 of the 3 games the Cardinals have played versus Jeff Fisher's Rams since? Last year's loss to the Rams helped prevent the Cardinals from getting the #1 seed.

BA sure has a way of getting under people's skins. Doesn't he?

How about the refs? Do you think BA's treatment of them has had somewhat of an effect on the games this year?

When you give no respect---you get no respect.

How about with some of his players---you know, the ones he doesn't favor?

Has calling out players in the media helped BA's and team's cause this year?

Well, how many players are having an impressive year production-wise?

1. David Johnson; 2. Larry Fitzgerald; 3. Calais Campbell; 4. Tony Jefferson; 5. Patrick Peterson (in coverage, but not in tackling or punt returns); 6. Markus Golden.

That's it---6 players.

So, what happened from last year to this?

Look at how many players have regressed for one reason or another:

1. Carson Palmer; 2. Andre Ellington; 3. Mike Iupati; 4. Darren Fells; 5. Earl Watford; 6. John Brown; 7. Michael Floyd; 8. Frostee Rucker; 9. Rodney Gunter; 10. Kevin Minter; 11. Deone Bucannon; 12. Chandler Jones; 13. Alex Okafor; 14. Tyrann Mathieu; 15. Drew Butler; 16. Chandler Catanzaro; 17. Justin Bethel;

Sure, you can say, "but what about the injuries?" And in the cases of John Brown and Tyrann Mathieu that's an especially valid point. However, why so many drops in player production and performance?

The answer for that, in my opinion, is that BA and his staff have lost the locker room. And it all goes back to their embarrassing pre-season.

The easiest way to tell this by 1st and 3rd quarter scoring numbers, which often indicate how well the players are responding to the coaches during pre-game and during half-time.

1st Quarter Points: Cardinals 41 Opponents 62
3rd Quarter Points: Cardinals 60 Opponents 81

BA will tell you that it's all on the players---that they control the locker room.

In an ideal world, sure. But it all begins and ends with the culture that the head coach creates.

BA talks about accountability all the time---yet absolves himself and his coaches of any accountability, even when, for example, it has been 4 years of subpar STs play and yet BA insists that his STs coach is doing an "excellent job."

BA talks about the players not spending the extra hours it takes to prepare to excel on Sundays---yet he has made it publicly knows that he never thinks coaches should have put in extra nights at the office.

BA belittles players on the practice field---and says he will hug them later. How well is that now working? BA's rookies are nervous wrecks whom he has said he doesn't plan to play anyway. Again this year, a 1st round draft pick sits on the inactive list week after week.

It is one thing to lose and to fall miserably short of high expectations---but it is another thing to compound the losing by handling it with pure ugliness.

Arians' repeated belittling of the Cardinals players has reached a new level of ugly.

On Monday at his press conference he decided to make Justin Bethel his most recent scapegoat and whipping boy when he described Bethel as "a failure in progress."

Justin Bethel is arguably the most dynamic special teams player in the history of the Arizona Cardinals. Bethel is a 3 time Pro-Bowler (2013, 2014, 2015) and 2 time First Team All-Pro (2013, 2015).

Last December, Steve Keim, who identified Bethel as one of the Cardinals' core players, signed Bethel to a 4 year $15.7M contract with $9M guaranteed.

At that time, the expectation was that Bethel would become the starting CB opposite Patrick Peterson in 2016. Also at that time, Bruce Arians was adamant that Bethel has as much physical talent for the position as Peterson. Bethel struggled down the stretch last year filling in for an injured Jerraud Powers---but it was Arians who even exculpated Bethel for allowing Jeff Janis to blow right past him on the Packers' highly improbably Hail Mary. Arians claimed that Janis was not Bethel's responsibility.

This off-season, Powers was not re-signed and the plan all along was to start Bethel at RCB and to use a 3rd round draft pick on CB Brandon Williams to groom behind Bethel on the depth chart.

However, Bethel missed all of the OTAs in the off-season because he had surgery to repair a fracture in his foot. While preparing for training camp, Bethel re-aggravated the injury and missed most of camp. By the start of the regular season it was clear that Bethel would have to play in pain for the entire season.

Frustrated by Bethel's situation, and seeing the Bethel was not his usual self on STs during the opening game loss to the Patriots, an exasperated Arians told the media, “Justin has to decide if he’s going to play with that foot. He was just an average spectator in special teams, missed two tackles. If he’s going to play, he needs to play better or he shouldn’t play.”

Now---despite his foot issues and having lost the entire off-season and pre-season---he's being branded as a "failure in progress."

Well, then, BA, by his own "All or Nothing" standards, thus far is a "failure in progress" himself. He has said repeatedly, the only success is winning the Super Bowl. But---it's the players who are the failures. He continues to make that clear.

Justin Bethel has been the captain of STs. He has shown tremendous skill and courage in becoming the best gunner in the NFL. To treat him in the way BA did is despicable.

Well, in light of how toxic BA has become---don't be totally surprised if Larry Fitzgerald decides to retire this year. It is no secret that Fitz has not been enamored with his role in BA's offense. And who can blame him? Everyone in the world now knows that when Fitz motions toward the tackle, it is running play with him assigned to block the DE or the ILB---something that a TE or H-Back is supposed to do. Better yet, if you have a fullback, then WRs can block downfield, not in the inner scrum.

To Fitz's credit---he has done everything that has been asked of him and more. But---it has come at a cost. It's tough enough to endure the punishment of being a WR---but add in the weekly pounding his body is taking hitting 240-270 pounders in the box and at his age Fitz may very well be on the verge of walking away. Plus there is always the fear of getting his ankles rolled up on from behind...every blocker's fear.

One can imagine that this is not the way Fitz envisioned his last years in the NFL to look like---otherwise, Fitz might be amped to try to catch Jerry Rice.

BA has ridden Fitz for the last three years like a Triple Crown hopeful. Again, some will say, "but it's worked!" To that I ask, at what cost? Why not use a fullback instead---that's how other coaches protect their QBs, RBs and WRs.

spot on. This team will not win again until he is gone. The 3 year honeymoon is over. We all see the coaching shortcomings. But alas, we have about 2 more years until he and the "fear in his face" Palmer is gone.

 

[cardncubfan]

Note: For those of you who will accuse me of being a bandwagoner---I was one of the few on the board last year who voiced strong concerns about BA's handling of certain situations in the media. For example, I am still very disturbed about BA making his nickname for D.J. Humphries ("Knee Deep") public. It was wrong. But, some will say, "look at Humphries this year---he got the message!" To that I say, he could be playing even better this year. The reality is the Cardinals lost a whole year of on-the-field production from a talented 1st round draft pick in a rare year where they were contending for a championship. They could have drafted Tyler Lockett instead who might have been the STs threat to get the Cardinals the number one seed and their second berth in the Super Bowl.

When BA called out the Rams publicly with his now infamous 8-8 remark---I immediately expressed my concern for that completely unnecessary indiscretion. But, some will say, "Well, he was right, wasn't he?" To that I say, sure---but how does it feel to have lost 2 of the 3 games the Cardinals have played versus Jeff Fisher's Rams since? Last year's loss to the Rams helped prevent the Cardinals from getting the #1 seed.

BA sure has a way of getting under people's skins. Doesn't he?

How about the refs? Do you think BA's treatment of them has had somewhat of an effect on the games this year?

When you give no respect---you get no respect.

How about with some of his players---you know, the ones he doesn't favor?

Has calling out players in the media helped BA's and team's cause this year?

Well, how many players are having an impressive year production-wise?

1. David Johnson; 2. Larry Fitzgerald; 3. Calais Campbell; 4. Tony Jefferson; 5. Patrick Peterson (in coverage, but not in tackling or punt returns); 6. Markus Golden.

That's it---6 players.

So, what happened from last year to this?

Look at how many players have regressed for one reason or another:

1. Carson Palmer; 2. Andre Ellington; 3. Mike Iupati; 4. Darren Fells; 5. Earl Watford; 6. John Brown; 7. Michael Floyd; 8. Frostee Rucker; 9. Rodney Gunter; 10. Kevin Minter; 11. Deone Bucannon; 12. Chandler Jones; 13. Alex Okafor; 14. Tyrann Mathieu; 15. Drew Butler; 16. Chandler Catanzaro; 17. Justin Bethel;

Sure, you can say, "but what about the injuries?" And in the cases of John Brown and Tyrann Mathieu that's an especially valid point. However, why so many drops in player production and performance?

The answer for that, in my opinion, is that BA and his staff have lost the locker room. And it all goes back to their embarrassing pre-season.

The easiest way to tell this by 1st and 3rd quarter scoring numbers, which often indicate how well the players are responding to the coaches during pre-game and during half-time.

1st Quarter Points: Cardinals 41 Opponents 62
3rd Quarter Points: Cardinals 60 Opponents 81

BA will tell you that it's all on the players---that they control the locker room.

In an ideal world, sure. But it all begins and ends with the culture that the head coach creates.

BA talks about accountability all the time---yet absolves himself and his coaches of any accountability, even when, for example, it has been 4 years of subpar STs play and yet BA insists that his STs coach is doing an "excellent job."

BA talks about the players not spending the extra hours it takes to prepare to excel on Sundays---yet he has made it publicly knows that he never thinks coaches should have put in extra nights at the office.

BA belittles players on the practice field---and says he will hug them later. How well is that now working? BA's rookies are nervous wrecks whom he has said he doesn't plan to play anyway. Again this year, a 1st round draft pick sits on the inactive list week after week.

It is one thing to lose and to fall miserably short of high expectations---but it is another thing to compound the losing by handling it with pure ugliness.

Arians' repeated belittling of the Cardinals players has reached a new level of ugly.

On Monday at his press conference he decided to make Justin Bethel his most recent scapegoat and whipping boy when he described Bethel as "a failure in progress."

Justin Bethel is arguably the most dynamic special teams player in the history of the Arizona Cardinals. Bethel is a 3 time Pro-Bowler (2013, 2014, 2015) and 2 time First Team All-Pro (2013, 2015).

Last December, Steve Keim, who identified Bethel as one of the Cardinals' core players, signed Bethel to a 4 year $15.7M contract with $9M guaranteed.

At that time, the expectation was that Bethel would become the starting CB opposite Patrick Peterson in 2016. Also at that time, Bruce Arians was adamant that Bethel has as much physical talent for the position as Peterson. Bethel struggled down the stretch last year filling in for an injured Jerraud Powers---but it was Arians who even exculpated Bethel for allowing Jeff Janis to blow right past him on the Packers' highly improbably Hail Mary. Arians claimed that Janis was not Bethel's responsibility.

This off-season, Powers was not re-signed and the plan all along was to start Bethel at RCB and to use a 3rd round draft pick on CB Brandon Williams to groom behind Bethel on the depth chart.

However, Bethel missed all of the OTAs in the off-season because he had surgery to repair a fracture in his foot. While preparing for training camp, Bethel re-aggravated the injury and missed most of camp. By the start of the regular season it was clear that Bethel would have to play in pain for the entire season.

Frustrated by Bethel's situation, and seeing the Bethel was not his usual self on STs during the opening game loss to the Patriots, an exasperated Arians told the media, “Justin has to decide if he’s going to play with that foot. He was just an average spectator in special teams, missed two tackles. If he’s going to play, he needs to play better or he shouldn’t play.”

Now---despite his foot issues and having lost the entire off-season and pre-season---he's being branded as a "failure in progress."

Well, then, BA, by his own "All or Nothing" standards, thus far is a "failure in progress" himself. He has said repeatedly, the only success is winning the Super Bowl. But---it's the players who are the failures. He continues to make that clear.

Justin Bethel has been the captain of STs. He has shown tremendous skill and courage in becoming the best gunner in the NFL. To treat him in the way BA did is despicable.

Well, in light of how toxic BA has become---don't be totally surprised if Larry Fitzgerald decides to retire this year. It is no secret that Fitz has not been enamored with his role in BA's offense. And who can blame him? Everyone in the world now knows that when Fitz motions toward the tackle, it is running play with him assigned to block the DE or the ILB---something that a TE or H-Back is supposed to do. Better yet, if you have a fullback, then WRs can block downfield, not in the inner scrum.

To Fitz's credit---he has done everything that has been asked of him and more. But---it has come at a cost. It's tough enough to endure the punishment of being a WR---but add in the weekly pounding his body is taking hitting 240-270 pounders in the box and at his age Fitz may very well be on the verge of walking away. Plus there is always the fear of getting his ankles rolled up on from behind...every blocker's fear.

One can imagine that this is not the way Fitz envisioned his last years in the NFL to look like---otherwise, Fitz might be amped to try to catch Jerry Rice.

BA has ridden Fitz for the last three years like a Triple Crown hopeful. Again, some will say, "but it's worked!" To that I ask, at what cost? Why not use a fullback instead---that's how other coaches protect their QBs, RBs and WRs.

A few different players but same coach that has won 2 coach of the year awards & has had a winning season every year but this one. I think he is doing a fine job.

 

[AZCrazy]

He 'did' a fine job. He's not 'doing' a fine job. The coaches are to blame for this year's failures, not the players. It's all the same players. Heavy handed, unadaptable offensive gameplanning, vanilla defense without players in the right seats, horrifying special teams. Clock and game management, down and distance management. Coaching crapola carousel.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Not sure if you are directing this at me?? I am not denying anything Mitch said. Yes, BA has indeed said those things or acted in the manner Mitch illustrates for us. My issue is...So what?? Is there a perfect Head Coach out there? If so, who might that be and what exactly makes him perfect?
My issue is that Mitch seems to be making efforts to twist facts into a story that fits his own perceptions and views of BA. That he's "toxic..." How so? By what measure(s)?? Because as far as I can tell, I have yet to hear of a player (past or present) speak negatively of BA. As far as I can tell, up until this season, he was doing things no other Cardinal Head Coach had ever done. So, based upon one sub-par season, BA is now "toxic??" Seriously??

I'd argue belicheck is perfect. Even his warts are perfect. Even his cheating is perfect.

 

[MrYeahBut]

More weeping and gnashing of teeth can continue In earnest as the Cards are officially eliminated from division contention with the hags win tonight

 

[Jetstream Green]

He 'did' a fine job. He's not 'doing' a fine job. The coaches are to blame for this year's failures, not the players. It's all the same players. Heavy handed, unadaptable offensive gameplanning, vanilla defense without players in the right seats, horrifying special teams. Clock and game management, down and distance management. Coaching crapola carousel.

More weeping and gnashing of teeth can continue In earnest as the Cards are officially eliminated from division contention with the hags win tonight

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[NJCardFan]

but how does it feel to have lost 2 of the 3 games the Cardinals have played versus Jeff Fisher's Rams since?

If you remember correctly, losing to the Rams in week 1 in 2013 cost us a playoff spot.

 

[CFLredzoned]

I can't recall any NFL head coach using the media the way BA does to disparage the refs, the league and, worse of all, his own players.

That's how you lose respect and how you lose locker rooms.

Usually he tells players in the locker room that he just blasted them in the post-game interview. At least that's what he and various players have said in the past.

I still get the impression that players love him for his brutal honesty. I guess we'll find out how true that really is this offseason.

 

[NJCardFan]

but you don't kill a spider by lighting your house on fire.

Depends on how big the spider is.

 

[Reddog]

I agree that BA has gone too far with his "public" criticism of the players given how little accountability he has accepted himself or for his staff.

 

[Cards_Campos]

A few different players but same coach that has won 2 coach of the year awards & has had a winning season every year but this one. I think he is doing a fine job.

Whisenhunt actually made the super bowl and won the West back to back. Losing both years to eventual super bowl winners. We scored 51 points in a game in the playoffs and best the number 1 seed another year... we can all toot the accomplishments of both. And both believed their system is better than adjusting or admitting fault. Arians will be sitting next to Whiz...saying wtf?

 

[Cards_Campos]

Our roster is loaded except a few glaring spots. Cb2. Healthy OL. Honey Badger and John Brown. But solid QB. Great RB. Great WR. Solid Wrs. Good def line. Great CB1. Our downfall is that ...and this is why I want Arians either gone or on a short leash.....how smart can you be if you constantly think Butler is the answer. That is really what irks me more than anything. It's like having a Porsche and then putting wood panels on the side. I mean the ignorance alone for keeping Amos and not getting a replacement for Butler is what is crazy. I mean Butler constantly puts us in bad situations....and there are thousands ues thousands of dudes who can punt further thsn 38 yards. We have an 8th grader in middle school who avg 37.5. We have had backup punters out punt us. And yet ask Arians about Butler and he will look at you like you stole something. Arians may have Alzheimer's....it makes no sense ...and he loses all credibility with it

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Damn, Arians is toxic, a bad leader, and now has Alzheimer's. I don't know how the Cards have ever fielded a team, much less on of the best teams in the league since BA arrived.

Oh yeah, just for good measure, Keim sucks too.

 

[Garthshort]

Mitch, I think you are being too hard on BA, though you do have some valid points. All I will say that if BA had as much passion for his job (coaching) as you have for your job (being a fan), he'd be better at his job.

 

[Mitch]

Mitch, I think you are being too hard on BA, though you do have some valid points. All I will say that if BA had as much passion for his job (coaching) as you have for your job (being a fan), he'd be better at his job.

BA's passion is there---I do not question that at all, Garth. But, he's crossing lines that champion coaches do not cross. It has created an us (coaches) versus them (players) discord. The coaches do no wrong and the players are so at fault that they deserve to be denigrated and humiliated publicly to the media. Motivating by fear and scathing criticism isn't going to galvanize a locker room...and that's why he and his staff have lost the locker room.

 

[schutd]

You may not agree with everything Mitch is saying however I think everything Mitch has stated in his post is true especially about Arians and his treatment of players and officials. All of these things Arians said is fact. Those things you can't deny because they are documented.

This is true, but Mitch takes takes these things and offers WILD conjecture as to their affect on the players, the team, the locker room, whatever, and presents THOSE as facts. Its shady. He speaks in absolutes ie: "BA's rookies are nervous wrecks ..." when there is little to no evidence of this being a truth. Its just his thoughts on how Arians documented behavior might be affecting players. Mitch is passionate, full of intellect about the game, but when push comes to shove, he writes like a fan. He presents like an authority but really, he's just a fan. Passionate and emotional. And I simply put little stock in the overall reality of his posts.

 

[schutd]

Mike Jurecki ‏@mikejurecki 4m4 minutes ago
Larry Fitzgerald on Michael Floyd release: “I can’t give you my true feelings because people might get upset. Mike is like my brother."

Fitz went on to add that several GMs have called him about Michael Floyd and Fitz said he highly recommends him.

And I can just as easily infer from the above that thats what FRIENDS do. They too are passionate and loyal. Ive vouched for many friends that dont always deserve it because I want them to be successful, but at the end of the day, I understand why decisions were made outside of that friendship.

 

[schutd]

Coack K is coaching hand-picked McDonald All-Americans every year. That said, I have never heard him disparage a player publicly. In practice is where it belongs and where it should stay. This is not a fitting analogy.

I am sick of the "this is the NFL" argument, like all modes of human decency are thrown out the window. At the end of the day, it is about respect. Respect for people and respect for the game.

I can make an analogy to my profession. Im a cook/chef. I lead a team of cooks into battle nightly. Im supportive, dont yell and scream, never belittle. Because of that, sometimes, I come across as weak. Im a cooks chef (like a players coach). Dont cross me, but even still, I dont present as a hard ass. I have worked for, respected, and hated, many chefs who yell, scream, belittle, and decry as a management style. However, they are effective leaders, too. Ive learned SO MUCH from these types of people. Its part of the business. Id love to see the paradigm switch, and I believe it slowly is (the stereotype of the ranting raving chef), but for as much as I hated being treated the way I was being treated early in my career, it not only made me better, but it also informed me on how Id like to someday manage. I chose to go the opposite route. Im supremely happy with the decision, but believe me, there are times when I wish I could be like BA and let it rip. Because it works.

The whole point is, you dont like his management style. I get that. And Im wholly supportive of that it. What I take issue with is your constant conjecture. Offer these awesome pieces you write as opinions. "I cant help but wonder if perhaps his methodologies with the rooks might be doing more harm than good..." is far easier to digest than "BA's rookies are nervous wrecks ." If you werent so informed about football or didnt write so well, Id probably just block you. But I LOVE reading your stuff. I get frustrated with your posts when your passion takes over, and generally then only when its negative, because I can ALWAYS get behind the rah rah stuff!

Anyhow, keep the content coming! Im tuly appreciative to be able to read your thoughts.

 

[schutd]

Old school doesn't work for today's athletes.



Cbus---I know how practices go. But I also know that I have never seen the last three Super Bowl winning coaches (Carroll, Belichick and Kubiak) throw their own players under the bus publicly. Those guys are straight shooters too.

I would argue that superbowl winning coaches HAVE VERY LITTLE REASON to throw players under a bus. That seems pretty obvious to me.

 

[cardncubfan]

Whisenhunt actually made the super bowl and won the West back to back. Losing both years to eventual super bowl winners. We scored 51 points in a game in the playoffs and best the number 1 seed another year... we can all toot the accomplishments of both. And both believed their system is better than adjusting or admitting fault. Arians will be sitting next to Whiz...saying wtf?

We also got our asses handed to us 51-0 against Seattle. Guess who was coach at that time?

 

[NJCardFan]

We also got our asses handed to us 51-0 against Seattle. Guess who was coach at that time?

Get it right. It was 58-0.

Whisenhunt actually made the super bowl and won the West back to back. Losing both years to eventual super bowl winners. We scored 51 points in a game in the playoffs and best the number 1 seed another year... we can all toot the accomplishments of both. And both believed their system is better than adjusting or admitting fault. Arians will be sitting next to Whiz...saying wtf?

Whiz's successes were obviously because of Warner. If his system was any good then Leinart should have transitioned into the starter and we should have had continued success but after 2009 we fell like the Chixulub asteroid.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Ah yes. Where are the good old days of "One Heart Beat"? Where 7 wins was a great season.

There is nothing more than needs to be said.

Some people do not like Bruce Arians and the way he coaches. That opinion is respected by this fan.

I do not agree, but I at least respect it.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Mitch, are you a millennial?

I know nothing about you personally, but based on your statements in your posts I am going to believe this is true of your life:

With all due respect to the Man, Mitch is not a millennial, he has "a lot of life experience", many a boomer generation or later.

I actually REALLY like that blurb, it gives insight on why Mitch doesn't like Arians' style. Mitch likes the players coach, the one that is worried about feelings, and making sure no one is offended, etc., etc. There are programs in the NFL like that. But, like all things they need balance.

Maybe Arians is too strict, too cut-throat, but again, if you have a "country club atmosphere" that doesn't work either. Its about the balance of the two.

Being VERY close to the millennial generation, partly because of my current living arrangements, and partly because young men in general are severely lacking proper guidance, I have a lot of experience with them. Mitch is right, they can be rather sensitive, but on the other hand they are not as naive and irresponsible as they are portrayed to be. They are actually A LOT smarter than many think, and without a doubt see the world for what it is, and not how it was, and they know that there is a HUGE difference between the life they have to live, and those, like the Baby Boomer generation, lived.

Thus why a lot of older people think millennials are lazy, irresponsible, entitled, etc. Some are 100% that, but many, many more are not and the only reason they are not accepted is because the advice and the way it was done in 1960, 1970, or 1980, does not apply in any way, shape or form to the world the current generation is trying to navigate. Its like two people having two completely different conversations.

Thus Mitch has a point, this could be a generational thing, or what have you.

In the end, I will still take Arians approach. This is a professional game with players getting paid top dollar, and they should be held accountable. As for the rhetoric, and the "loud mouth-ness" of Arians ? I see people's point, but maybe since I am from New Jersey I am just used to people being blunt.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I can't recall any NFL head coach using the media the way BA does to disparage the refs, the league and, worse of all, his own players.

That's how you lose respect and how you lose locker rooms.

Maybe.

It wouldn't lose me if I was playing for him.

If my job is to block a player, and I miss the block, and I then hear I am not doing my job.......well, yeah, I didn't. I can either fix the situation or pout.

......and you are 100% right that the player can in fact pout, and then what do you have. A problem. Now I would just get rid of the player, and find one that wants to do a job, where they get paid a lot of money to play a game, but then again that sounds idealistic, so again, valid argument.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Ha! Good one!

I know this may sound odd, but if it takes my head coach publicly ripping the refs, the league and his own players and never being humble enough to share in the blame when things go wrong---in order to win---then I don't want to win like that. Not like that.

Nice guys finish last Mitch, and that is the truth.

And to be fair, you are saying that you wouldn't want Vince Lombardi to coach your team. That is a coach that called our players in the media, and any where else he deemed fit.

Again, I understand and even respect the thinking, but I simply do not agree.