"Changing the culture" of a program is an overused, and often completely undefined, phrase, but it contains within it some important realities.
In listening to HCMT's post-game press conference, I was struck with just what that phrase means for him and for this team. Of course, he repeated the old trope that he expected the biggest improvements for this team to occur between the first and second games, but he described those improvements as coming from the "aggregation of marginal gains": i.e., focusing on each player improving a little creates a large cumulative, and powerful, improvement in the team.
To begin with, I love the way HCMT is able to drop abstract concepts, perfectly considered and applied, into casual responses. More importantly, I think his way of looking at developing a football team, and working through a game, is a quantum leap beyond the MM approach. MM seemed to focus on the idea that there are going to be a few important plays in any game that are decisive. That thought-process always rubbed me the wrong way, as it presumes the criticality of almost randomly occurring moments in the future. As an athlete, that view of the game seems a poor motivator and basis for working your ass off: who knows when all of this will be important, but you should be ready when it is? It's ok. It's not overly helpful.
HCMT's approach is very personal, and personnel, based. He really doesn't seem to care or be worried about those moments. Based on his comments to the team at half-time, the entire first half of the NUB game (and all it's "critical moments') was merely prelude to the essential reality that "we out worked them this summer" and we haven't even begun to show how good we are. It's about to happen, and they are going to crumble. I love that. Confident. Calm. Positive. Easy to understand. Motivating to think about it. Not based on the unknown to come, but on the known we have spent months working on. Our ability to win is already inside us.
No yelling. No blame. No panic.
People can talk about the "culture change" in a variety of different ways, but for me, this change in perspective belies the change in attitude and performance that we have seen in the second half of each of these incredible games.
HCMT had me at "aggregation of marginal gains."
You find a coach who connects with his players and knows what winning looks like, in the preparation as well as the schematics, you found a gem to hold on to.
Go Buffs!
In listening to HCMT's post-game press conference, I was struck with just what that phrase means for him and for this team. Of course, he repeated the old trope that he expected the biggest improvements for this team to occur between the first and second games, but he described those improvements as coming from the "aggregation of marginal gains": i.e., focusing on each player improving a little creates a large cumulative, and powerful, improvement in the team.
To begin with, I love the way HCMT is able to drop abstract concepts, perfectly considered and applied, into casual responses. More importantly, I think his way of looking at developing a football team, and working through a game, is a quantum leap beyond the MM approach. MM seemed to focus on the idea that there are going to be a few important plays in any game that are decisive. That thought-process always rubbed me the wrong way, as it presumes the criticality of almost randomly occurring moments in the future. As an athlete, that view of the game seems a poor motivator and basis for working your ass off: who knows when all of this will be important, but you should be ready when it is? It's ok. It's not overly helpful.
HCMT's approach is very personal, and personnel, based. He really doesn't seem to care or be worried about those moments. Based on his comments to the team at half-time, the entire first half of the NUB game (and all it's "critical moments') was merely prelude to the essential reality that "we out worked them this summer" and we haven't even begun to show how good we are. It's about to happen, and they are going to crumble. I love that. Confident. Calm. Positive. Easy to understand. Motivating to think about it. Not based on the unknown to come, but on the known we have spent months working on. Our ability to win is already inside us.
No yelling. No blame. No panic.
People can talk about the "culture change" in a variety of different ways, but for me, this change in perspective belies the change in attitude and performance that we have seen in the second half of each of these incredible games.
HCMT had me at "aggregation of marginal gains."
You find a coach who connects with his players and knows what winning looks like, in the preparation as well as the schematics, you found a gem to hold on to.
Go Buffs!
