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ASFN Addict
Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 8, 2005 12:00 AM
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]PRESCOTT - Chemistry in sports is a difficult concept to define. It's most often used to describe a harmonious locker room (good chemistry) or a divisive one (bad chemistry).
But chemistry is not only important among players, but coaches, too. Cardinals coach Dennis Green commented several times last year that his offensive coaches weren't all on the same page and that some wouldn't let go of their own way of doing things.
That lack of cohesiveness contributed to the 6-10 record. Green didn't waste time taking what he thinks were corrective steps[/font]
A day after the season ended, he fired offensive coordinator Alex Wood and replaced him shortly after with Keith Rowen, tight ends coach in Kansas City. Green also fired receivers coach Robert Ford and moved Mike Wilson from tight ends to receivers and promoted Carl Hargrave, who was an offensive consultant, to tight ends coach.
Green feels better about this year's staff, partly because he's worked with the new guys before.
"I like to have guys who know how we do things," Green said.
The "we," of course, means Green.
The lack of offensive production was a constant irritant to Green last year. The regular season was only two weeks old when Green brought Hargrave in as a consultant, and took over play-calling duties for the game against Atlanta.
The following week, Green hired Everett Lindsay as offensive line assistant. And two days before the seventh game of the year, Green fired offensive line coach Bob Wylie and promoted Lindsay.
Wylie had spent 14 seasons in the NFL and was widely respected. But he had never worked for Green before. The same is true of Ford.
No one is saying they were bad coaches. But they obviously didn't fit into Green's staff.
In contrast, Green knows Lindsay and Hargrave well. Hargrave was an assistant under Green for eight years in Minnesota. Lindsay, who was cut as a player in training camp a year ago, played for Green in Minnesota. Rowen was Green's offensive line coach in Minnesota for three seasons.
"I think we have more guys now on the offensive side who have more familiarity with the offensive system and what it takes than we had last year," Green said.
Ideally, that will produce better chemistry than what the Cardinals offensive staff had last season.
Green made no changes on his defensive staff. Coordinator Clancy Pendergast and his assistants barely knew each other when they arrived in Arizona, yet they helped the Cardinals improve from last in points allowed in 2003 to 12th last season.
The key to the staff's success, said Pendergast, was that everyone had input, listened to each other's ideas and then bought into the game plan.
"When you're talking about getting to the office at 5 in the morning and staying until 10 at night four days a week for 20 weeks or more, it's important for everybody to get along and have respect for each other," Pendergast said, "to be able to listen to one another. And really, more importantly, that when you walk out of the room everybody is on the same page."
Making staff changes isn't unusual in the NFL, especially for a coach coming off his first season.
Chicago coach Lovie Smith fired two assistants, and two others left on their own. Washington's Joe Gibbs reassigned quarterbacks coach Jack Burns. Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio has fired five coaches and demoted two more in his two years.
"Everybody (talks) like I'm the only guy who made changes but I saw that Lovie has four new coaches, and last year was his first year, too," Green said. "The demands of the game are such that guys have to work very hard at being on the same page."
In today's NFL, it's not easy for a head coach to hire the people he wants. Green's efforts reportedly were hindered by the Cardinals' low pay scale, although team officials have denied that.
NFL rules can make it difficult, too. An assistant under contract must have permission from his team to accept another job, even if the new job would mean a promotion.
Kansas City, for instance, wouldn't let Rowen leave last year to become the Cardinals offensive line coach. Tampa Bay stopped linebackers coach Joe Barry from interviewing for the Cardinals defensive coordinator job. Green then turned to Pendergast.
"There's no doubt that it's more difficult to get the guys you want," Green said.
Green now has the guys he wants, and he's counting on familiarity breeding success. He coached Lindsay. He's worked with Hargrave and Rowen before. Running backs coach Kirby Wilson and receivers coach Mike Wilson are in their second seasons with the team.
Green compares Rowen to Pendergast, an assistant who wasn't well-known but will succeed in a position of more responsibility. The same thing happened in Minnesota, Green said, when he hired Brian Billick, the Ravens coach, as offensive coordinator.
And Green compares Lindsay to Minnesota coach Mike Tice, another former player Green hired to coach.
"He didn't earn it because Denny Green likes him," Green said of Lindsay. "He earned it because he played center and he played guard and he played left tackle."
Just as important, Lindsay knows Green and what he wants.
"He can interpret," Green said. "If there is any confusion about what I'm saying - and sometimes I can get a little excitable - then (Lindsay) can say, 'Let me give you a couple of examples.' "
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/0808cardscoaches0808.html
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 8, 2005 12:00 AM
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]PRESCOTT - Chemistry in sports is a difficult concept to define. It's most often used to describe a harmonious locker room (good chemistry) or a divisive one (bad chemistry).
But chemistry is not only important among players, but coaches, too. Cardinals coach Dennis Green commented several times last year that his offensive coaches weren't all on the same page and that some wouldn't let go of their own way of doing things.
That lack of cohesiveness contributed to the 6-10 record. Green didn't waste time taking what he thinks were corrective steps[/font]
A day after the season ended, he fired offensive coordinator Alex Wood and replaced him shortly after with Keith Rowen, tight ends coach in Kansas City. Green also fired receivers coach Robert Ford and moved Mike Wilson from tight ends to receivers and promoted Carl Hargrave, who was an offensive consultant, to tight ends coach.
Green feels better about this year's staff, partly because he's worked with the new guys before.
"I like to have guys who know how we do things," Green said.
The "we," of course, means Green.
The lack of offensive production was a constant irritant to Green last year. The regular season was only two weeks old when Green brought Hargrave in as a consultant, and took over play-calling duties for the game against Atlanta.
The following week, Green hired Everett Lindsay as offensive line assistant. And two days before the seventh game of the year, Green fired offensive line coach Bob Wylie and promoted Lindsay.
Wylie had spent 14 seasons in the NFL and was widely respected. But he had never worked for Green before. The same is true of Ford.
No one is saying they were bad coaches. But they obviously didn't fit into Green's staff.
In contrast, Green knows Lindsay and Hargrave well. Hargrave was an assistant under Green for eight years in Minnesota. Lindsay, who was cut as a player in training camp a year ago, played for Green in Minnesota. Rowen was Green's offensive line coach in Minnesota for three seasons.
"I think we have more guys now on the offensive side who have more familiarity with the offensive system and what it takes than we had last year," Green said.
Ideally, that will produce better chemistry than what the Cardinals offensive staff had last season.
Green made no changes on his defensive staff. Coordinator Clancy Pendergast and his assistants barely knew each other when they arrived in Arizona, yet they helped the Cardinals improve from last in points allowed in 2003 to 12th last season.
The key to the staff's success, said Pendergast, was that everyone had input, listened to each other's ideas and then bought into the game plan.
"When you're talking about getting to the office at 5 in the morning and staying until 10 at night four days a week for 20 weeks or more, it's important for everybody to get along and have respect for each other," Pendergast said, "to be able to listen to one another. And really, more importantly, that when you walk out of the room everybody is on the same page."
Making staff changes isn't unusual in the NFL, especially for a coach coming off his first season.
Chicago coach Lovie Smith fired two assistants, and two others left on their own. Washington's Joe Gibbs reassigned quarterbacks coach Jack Burns. Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio has fired five coaches and demoted two more in his two years.
"Everybody (talks) like I'm the only guy who made changes but I saw that Lovie has four new coaches, and last year was his first year, too," Green said. "The demands of the game are such that guys have to work very hard at being on the same page."
In today's NFL, it's not easy for a head coach to hire the people he wants. Green's efforts reportedly were hindered by the Cardinals' low pay scale, although team officials have denied that.
NFL rules can make it difficult, too. An assistant under contract must have permission from his team to accept another job, even if the new job would mean a promotion.
Kansas City, for instance, wouldn't let Rowen leave last year to become the Cardinals offensive line coach. Tampa Bay stopped linebackers coach Joe Barry from interviewing for the Cardinals defensive coordinator job. Green then turned to Pendergast.
"There's no doubt that it's more difficult to get the guys you want," Green said.
Green now has the guys he wants, and he's counting on familiarity breeding success. He coached Lindsay. He's worked with Hargrave and Rowen before. Running backs coach Kirby Wilson and receivers coach Mike Wilson are in their second seasons with the team.
Green compares Rowen to Pendergast, an assistant who wasn't well-known but will succeed in a position of more responsibility. The same thing happened in Minnesota, Green said, when he hired Brian Billick, the Ravens coach, as offensive coordinator.
And Green compares Lindsay to Minnesota coach Mike Tice, another former player Green hired to coach.
"He didn't earn it because Denny Green likes him," Green said of Lindsay. "He earned it because he played center and he played guard and he played left tackle."
Just as important, Lindsay knows Green and what he wants.
"He can interpret," Green said. "If there is any confusion about what I'm saying - and sometimes I can get a little excitable - then (Lindsay) can say, 'Let me give you a couple of examples.' "
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/0808cardscoaches0808.html
