[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Hijinx

Part of this decision is what you believe makes a good football team. I've always believed that with a just few "superstar" exceptions, the talent level on most teams is just a hair difference. If you were to rate all the MLBs on the NFL rosters from 1 to 64 (assuming every team has just for right now) throw out the top 5 and the bottom 5 and I bet there isn't much difference in physical talents. A couple tenths of a second difference in a 40 yrd dash, couple less reps in the bench press, etc.. The key difference in how a player plays and if a team wins is coaching. Granted there are superstars who can rely on amazing talent alone, (I don't care how you coached Barry Sanders he was just going to run on you all day) but for the most players the training and the system are key.


Look at the team that has had the most success in the last 10 years, the Pats. They won the Superbowl in 2001, 2003, and 2004. Look at the starting lines up from the 2001 game vs the 2004 game only 5 starters out of 22 were the same. They didn't win because of talent per se they won because of coaching and "the system". Belichick is not a genius at the draft. From 2004-2008 the Pats had 21 picks in rounds 1-4, (these are guys who you expect to make the team, I didn't count the whole draft), out of those 21 less then half, 10 are on still on the team. That's not horrible, that's not great either.


All I am saying is that coaching and "the system" beats the heck out of "waking up the players" or firing someone to be the scape goat. If Danny boy fires Zorn now, there is no chance to do the types of things that you do in training camp and Preseason that makes a great football team. Just wait till the season is over, show the door to Zorn and throw a boat load of money at a PROVEN HEAD COACH.

Nice post. Especially the 2nd paragraph, Patriots' draft success seems to be constantly inflated