Why coaches state obvious like "We need to get off to a fast start?"

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

One thing I will never understand about sports, both in coaching and in commentating, analyzing, is all the statements of the obvious.   I happened to be browsing through this Bill Belicheck book on the Patriots first and second Superbowl, and I was expecting to read something about why he's the genius and winner that he is, and all I get is stuff like this...

"Coach Bellicheck analyzed that the Patriots needed to be more efficient on third down and needed to take better care of the ball."

"He realized it was imperative to get off to a fast start against the Jets".

etc., etc. etc....

NO SHIT!!  So did he want to get off to a slow start?  Does he want to be less efficient on third down?  Does he want to turn the ball over more?


I hear this kind of stuff in coaching and sports radio all the time and it drives me crazy.

[Citizen-Y]

Belichick will talk in cliches just so the media has nothing to write about because he hates them.  All the coaches hates the media.

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

Belichick will talk in cliches just so the media has nothing to write about because he hates them.  All the coaches hates the media.

yeah, that's true. 

But what about when the sports talk radio and analysts do it?

[Sccit]

sometimes we need to be reminded of the most obvious things, so that it can be freshly re-inforced in our minds when were ready to get out there and perform. it comes off as cliche, but thats what the great coaches do. it aint what u say, it's the energy u put behind it.

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

sometimes we need to be reminded of the most obvious things, so that it can be freshly re-inforced in our minds when were ready to get out there and perform. it comes off as cliche, but thats what the great coaches do. it aint what u say, it's the energy u put behind it.

Fair enough.  

Just seems like something anybody could do.  I mean.. I could look at a football game and say, "Ohhh, we got off to a slow start.  Ohhh, we didn't tackle well enough, we need to tackle better.  ...We are having too many dropped passes, this team needs to focus and catch the ball".   You want to believe that a guy like Bell-a-check has some kind of superior wisdom that the average guy doesn't have.

 Like Phil Jackson for example, you can tell from his books and interviews that he was on another level, so it makes sense that he had the success that he did.

[Sccit]

sometimes we need to be reminded of the most obvious things, so that it can be freshly re-inforced in our minds when were ready to get out there and perform. it comes off as cliche, but thats what the great coaches do. it aint what u say, it's the energy u put behind it.

Fair enough. 

Just seems like something anybody could do.  I mean.. I could look at a football game and say, "Ohhh, we got off to a slow start.  Ohhh, we didn't tackle well enough, we need to tackle better.  ...We are having too many dropped passes, this team needs to focus and catch the ball".   You want to believe that a guy like Bell-a-check has some kind of superior wisdom that the average guy doesn't have.

 Like Phil Jackson for example, you can tell from his books and interviews that he was on another level, so it makes sense that he had the success that he did.

it's not what u say, it's how u say it


phil jackson was a genius...but he too had cliches for days

[Teddy Roosevelt]

sometimes we need to be reminded of the most obvious things, so that it can be freshly re-inforced in our minds when were ready to get out there and perform. it comes off as cliche, but thats what the great coaches do. it aint what u say, it's the energy u put behind it.

Fair enough. 

Just seems like something anybody could do.  I mean.. I could look at a football game and say, "Ohhh, we got off to a slow start.  Ohhh, we didn't tackle well enough, we need to tackle better.  ...We are having too many dropped passes, this team needs to focus and catch the ball".   You want to believe that a guy like Bell-a-check has some kind of superior wisdom that the average guy doesn't have.

 Like Phil Jackson for example, you can tell from his books and interviews that he was on another level, so it makes sense that he had the success that he did.

it's not what u say, it's how u say it


phil jackson was a genius...but he too had cliches for days

Not really. He was one of the few coaches that would give an insightful answer during post game interviews.

[Sccit]

sometimes we need to be reminded of the most obvious things, so that it can be freshly re-inforced in our minds when were ready to get out there and perform. it comes off as cliche, but thats what the great coaches do. it aint what u say, it's the energy u put behind it.

Fair enough. 

Just seems like something anybody could do.  I mean.. I could look at a football game and say, "Ohhh, we got off to a slow start.  Ohhh, we didn't tackle well enough, we need to tackle better.  ...We are having too many dropped passes, this team needs to focus and catch the ball".   You want to believe that a guy like Bell-a-check has some kind of superior wisdom that the average guy doesn't have.

 Like Phil Jackson for example, you can tell from his books and interviews that he was on another level, so it makes sense that he had the success that he did.

it's not what u say, it's how u say it


phil jackson was a genius...but he too had cliches for days

Not really. He was one of the few coaches that would give an insightful answer during post game interviews.

of course he did...


but he also had mad cliches and u most likely aint watched enough lakers to notice.

[DeeezNuuuts83]

Not to say that coaches aren't intelligent, but they're not statisticians who can pinpoint their exact weaknesses and give a clear solution to the cameras on how to succeed.  Additionally, a lot of times, they may only have basic answers when questioned on-the-spot (as it's not like they have answers prepared), and usually those answers will confirm their shortcomings by pointing them out and saying, "We need to do this better," which doesn't throw the team under the bus or make it sound like he thinks they're fucking up simple things.  Or maybe they don't want to give away too much of their strategy before the game is over.  It reminds me of how Gregg Popovich didn't want to answer too many questions as the earlier games of the Finals were in progress when asked about how he planned for his team to hopefully take the win.

At the same time, they probably save the real answers for their team.  It's kind of like when you compare what boxing trainers say to their fighters between rounds compared to what they say to the cameras during the post-fight interviews, as very few trainers go into detail.

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

Not to say that coaches aren't intelligent, but they're not statisticians who can pinpoint their exact weaknesses and give a clear solution to the cameras on how to succeed.  Additionally, a lot of times, they may only have basic answers when questioned on-the-spot (as it's not like they have answers prepared), and usually those answers will confirm their shortcomings by pointing them out and saying, "We need to do this better," which doesn't throw the team under the bus or make it sound like he thinks they're fucking up simple things.  Or maybe they don't want to give away too much of their strategy before the game is over.  It reminds me of how Gregg Popovich didn't want to answer too many questions as the earlier games of the Finals were in progress when asked about how he planned for his team to hopefully take the win.

At the same time, they probably save the real answers for their team.  It's kind of like when you compare what boxing trainers say to their fighters between rounds compared to what they say to the cameras during the post-fight interviews, as very few trainers go into detail.

Actually, I've been pretty impressed with the sport of boxing in this regard. 

[DeeezNuuuts83]

Actually, I've been pretty impressed with the sport of boxing in this regard.

It depends on who's talking though.  Freddie Roach tends to be pretty articulate when it comes to explaining their strategy, though he's usually the mouthpiece since Manny's English is good but not anything that will produce quotes worth quoting.  I'm reminded of when Roach said stuff at the end of a number of fights, like after they beat Oscar (he said something about how he "didn't think Oscar could pull the trigger anymore" and that "he looked sluggish in the Forbes fight"), or after they beat Hatton (he said something about how "Ricky doesn't have the ability to adjust" and "leaves himself open to a southpaw stance").

Not that I know every trainer out there, but most of the other ones that come to mind generally haven't said a lot.  The Mayweathers (Floyd Sr. and Roger) both tend to just cuss and talk about how their fighter "whooped they ass" or whatever.  Naazim Richardson is straight up boss and can at least hold his tongue and not spew nonsense, but he doesn't tend to give a lot of insight either.  Nacho is a great trainer, but I haven't really been impressed by what he says (or at least what is translated into English, though I'd doubt that they dilute it much).  Robert Garcia doesn't seem to say much either.  Not that I respect him much, for laughing along when his fighters were mocking Roach's Parkinsons Disease or when he let Margarito keep going out to get his face fucked up like that by both Manny and Cotto.

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

Actually, I've been pretty impressed with the sport of boxing in this regard.

It depends on who's talking though.  Freddie Roach tends to be pretty articulate when it comes to explaining their strategy, though he's usually the mouthpiece since Manny's English is good but not anything that will produce quotes worth quoting.  I'm reminded of when Roach said stuff at the end of a number of fights, like after they beat Oscar (he said something about how he "didn't think Oscar could pull the trigger anymore" and that "he looked sluggish in the Forbes fight"), or after they beat Hatton (he said something about how "Ricky doesn't have the ability to adjust" and "leaves himself open to a southpaw stance").

Not that I know every trainer out there, but most of the other ones that come to mind generally haven't said a lot.  The Mayweathers (Floyd Sr. and Roger) both tend to just cuss and talk about how their fighter "whooped they ass" or whatever.  Naazim Richardson is straight up boss and can at least hold his tongue and not spew nonsense, but he doesn't tend to give a lot of insight either.  Nacho is a great trainer, but I haven't really been impressed by what he says (or at least what is translated into English, though I'd doubt that they dilute it much).  Robert Garcia doesn't seem to say much either.  Not that I respect him much, for laughing along when his fighters were mocking Roach's Parkinsons Disease or when he let Margarito keep going out to get his face fucked up like that by both Manny and Cotto.

The only trainers I can really speak on with knowledge are from the Mike Tyson camp.  Cus D'Amato, Teddy Atlas, and Kevin Rooney.  It was fascinating to listen to any of those guys talk about the art of boxing.  From the psychological aspect of it, to the technical aspect, I don't even box but I learn so much listening to those guys.