[Husker] Showing the ropes

[baseballguy at neb.rr.com]

***** ORIGINAL "Andrew Smith" <arossman at earthlink.net> MESSAGE 
FOLLOWS *****

>>I find this "showing the ropes" concept a bit comical.
(1) There's no secret "ropes" that a head coach hides from all 
but his 
chosen successor.  If you're one of the top coaches of a team, 
you see 
the "ropes" every day you work with the team and the other 
coaches.



     It might be comical and if one gets a good laugh that's 
good.  There is not enough laughter in the world today.  But, the 
role of a Head Coach and the role of an Assistant Coach are as 
different as day and night in Div-IA college football.  There are 
no secret ropes but an assistant doesn't experience the things a 
Head Coach does.  He probably knows what the Head Coach does just 
like we pretty much know but until you experience something you 
can't know as personal experience.  Pretty much the role of an 
Assistant Coach is totally football related such as the game 
plan, technique, and getting the team emotionally ready to play 
just to name a few.  The Head Coach's position includes things on 
the football field but goes way beyond just things on the 
football field or in the meeting rooms.  You have to meet the 
media, the boosters, do radio and TV, be called on to speak here 
and speak there, be responsible for recruiting, and etc.  In 
other words the Head Coach is the face of the program.  It isn't 
as much hiding things from the assistants.  It is just unless you 
are grooming someone you may not include them on just everything. 
 



>>(2) The only way to fully see the "ropes" is to be a head 
coach.


     
     Amen!



 >>I'm not convinced that being an assistant head coach shows you 
much more of 
the "ropes" than being, for example, the defensive coach IMHO.  
The 
other coaches are not going to see you and treat you as a head 
coach 
unless you ARE the ultimate decision maker for the team AND their 
continued employment, and you're not going to fully understand 
what it 
takes to be a head coach until you have those responsibilities.



     I agree just the title doesn't make any difference or show 
you more.  But it does make a difference the intent of the Head 
Coach.  If the Head Coach walks in and says so and so is the next 
Head Coach and should be treated as such because he will be 
working hand in hand with me it would make a difference.  It has 
been announced at Florida State that Jimbo Fisher will be the 
next Head Coach when Bobby Bowden steps aside.  Now that might be 
another 100 years :-) but I would guess with that announcement 
two things at least will change and possibly Fisher's title which 
is now Offensive Coordinator.  I would think the rest of the 
assistants would view Fisher differently knowing one day he will 
be their boss and I would also think Fisher would be working with 
Bowden hand in hand so when Bowden steps aside the transition 
will be smooth.


Sincerely,

Bob Beach

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