Implications?

The landscape of coaching , IMO, has not and will change because of this----AND we still do not know the true picture---I find it interesting to see YOU TUBE videos of this kid in the "shed" or whatever you want to call it.

You may see a ban of cell phones/video phones at any practices because of this

These are interesting questions. Have players ever-power-tripped or otherwise usurped their coaches authority in the past? I know we've seen it on the pro level where players have a ready media platform to air their grievances. Here, you had a name player in young Mr. James who by some accounts may have been somewhat of a diva. Craig James was asked about it last night on his college football broadcast and he seemed genuinely shook up by the ordeal. Would another player without a name been given the same platform by the media? Did TTU merely use this incident as a pretext to fire the coach who they may have had other issues with? Did James' claim actually have merit?

I am trying to think of other similar college scenarios and perhaps Bobby Knight comes to mind who ironically coached at TTU. It seems he was given many chances before firing became an issue at Indiana. Here, there may have been other issues than alleged player abuse.

Since there are so many questions swirling, it might be hard to draw a general conclusion from this particular incident. It certainly raises the question however imho.

I'll preface this with, I don't have the depth of experience as a parent/outsider, to draw an analogy from.

I've found it very difficult to even have pleasant conversation with college coaches, other than the obligatory greetings. That being said, I've never tried to cultivate it either. My point is, that college coaches have put up the PC defense shield when dealing with outsiders, meaning non players. I'm not commenting on whether this is positive or negative, and pretty understandable considering the actions of some parents.

Did the relationship/evaluation landscape change this week? I'm not sure it really has. The TTU is a pretty unique situation. It seems the AD wasn't really all that enamored with his coach, and wasn't sure that the relationship could be sustained. That is evidenced by the structure of the contract. On top of that, how many recruits have former pro's and sports announcers/analysts for fathers?

Will coaches scrutinize families more? I'd say yes, if that family is in a high profile position to make waves. For the average Joe, probably not, IMHO.

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After 30 years working full time with parents, players and coaches...IMO the landscape ALREADY shifted, fully about 8 years ago. The TT situation is simply the "perfect storm" of six factors: Helicopter parents, MTV youth, inflexible coaches, lack of human communications skills, and the win now at all/any cost mentality....six factors that are now endemic to college sports, ones that are not going away... and are in the process of being renegotiated.

Helicopter parents. As youth sports have become a managed individual "career" Parents are more heavily involved than they have ever been, not as parents in the traditional sense but rather as career managers and advocates. One of my son's college coaches called the players in one day and told them if one more parent called him about PT, that player would be suspended. Another coach was challenged to a fight in the parking lot by a parent after a game over PT.

MTV youth. Many of our youth (not all) hold "MTV Values": celebrity, entitlement, priviledge, and a need for "reality TV" drama. To be fair many have no other values, or have dual values, or may be be confused about reality and the skills needed to succeed in a real world, a world not populated by others like them. The things that allow a player to excel between the lines or to fully develop talent, or to be a producing member of the team reagrdless of PT, or to simply outwork amd overcome...are often either lacking or nonexistent in many of todays youth and they are shocked when a coach hits them wth reality. Compete for a spot? What? I was promised a starting position!

Inflexible Coaches. Many coaches fail to realize that the world has shifted under them. That many players arrive without being parented, having grown up in an evironment where parents were comitted to things other than the character development of their children. Fact is that many players arrive without traditional values. The values that you need to succeed between the lines. Today you first have to get into a players head and instill the values that you, as a coach need to teach and motivate that player to success at the game. This takes a long time, great pateince, and a recognition that your role is often as parent not as coach. Many coaches ar unwilling or unable to take on this role, or are simply blind to the shift.

lack of human communications skills. Put the principals in a room (not a shed) and it all gets worked out. This is being played in the media, betwteen hired mercenaries. Increasingly we rely on electronics and others to do our communication.

Win at all cost. With the pressure and expectaion to win, now, at all costs (from youth sports on up), the players, the parents and the coaches are all under the gun to win in increasingly compressed blocks of time. There is little desire or time to develop players, little time to parent, little time to win. Mix these factors up and put them under huge time pressure and you have the perfect storm.

...and it ain't shifting back.

44
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quote:

One of my son's college coaches called the players in one day and told them if one more parent called him about PT, that player would be suspended. Another coach was challenged to a fight in the parking lot by a parent after a game over PT.

GREAT POST O44.

Hard to believe the above happens at the college level.

What I am afraid of with the football situation that just occurred, that kid spoke up, how many do not because they are afraid of how it will affect their career.