Both Lynden Trail and Kourtnei Brown were cut by the Texans.
Something that I talk about in addiction treatment, with clients and my college students is the difference between information vs application. Information is knowing what to do. Application is – how do I do what I know I am suppose to do?
INFORMATION:
Everyone in weight loss programs know they should eat less and exercise more. They know there are some foods they should avoid. Yet most people who go to paid weight loss programs gain back all the weight that they lost.
People in chemical dependency programs know they should use again – yet many relapse.
Students know they should study for tests – yet many fail.
Trail and Brown both knew they needed to “set the edge,” and “play better,” yet both ended up getting cut.
APPLICATION:
Developing new coping skills is very important. If prior to going on the diet the person ate when they were stressed, lonely, angry or bored – they how are they going to not eat when those situations come up again? They must develop new coping skills to have a chance in keeping the weight off.
In addiction treatment we constantly stress developing new coping skills. How do you deal with the same issues the dieters deal with? In addiction treatment we call developing new coping skills as “new tools in your toolbox.” Addicts need to learn how to deal with their feelings and not medicate their feelings away. They need to learn how to assert themselves and “find their voice,” instead of using drugs or alcohol as a means of communication. A new coping skill for an alcoholic could be as simple as saying: “I’d rather you not drink if front of me.” This simple statement is something everyone in early recovery should say – but I’d guess over 90% do not say. They feel they should be strong and think “It’s up to me to stay clean and sober.” This is one of the many reasons that relapse rates are so high. Another new coping skill is asking for help and talking to others when they are struggling.
For students: What are the best ways to study? Do they use flash cards? Do they ask the teacher for help? Learning how to ask for help cuts across all areas. This is a coping skill that many do not use – because they either think they should know – or don’t want to look bad or weak by asking for help.
I do not follow pro football at all and knew nothing about the Houston Texans prior to watching Hard Knocks. I pointed out that in the first episode that J.J. Watt was alone when he stayed after practice to work on his technique. I asked where were the other players? Did Trail and Brown think they had the information they needed – and this information was enough? Why didn’t they ask Mike Vrabel to stay after practice and help them? Did they think Vrabel would not – or could not help them? This may be the case based on the interactions shown on Hard Knocks. Clearly neither Trail nor Brown knew how to apply the skills needed to “set the edge.” Both could have benefited from additional instruction.
I once read a biography of Vince Lombardi. Lombardi started off as a high school teacher. He saw his role as a coach as one of a teacher. He is famous for holding up a football at the beginning of camp and saying: “Gentlemen, this is a football.” Lombardi always focused on execution. Execution is what I mean by application – how do you do what you know you are suppose to do?
I heard John Madden talk about starting out as a football coach. He was in his 20’s and went to a football coaches conference. Madden said he thought he knew everything about coaching at the time. He went to a talk given by Vince Lombardi. Madden said he sat in the back of the room – cause he didn’t think he’d actually learn anything and in case he wanted to leave early. He said Lombardi talked for four hours about the famed Packer sweep. There was a lunch break and Lombardi came back and talked another four more hours about the same play. Lombardi spoke eight hours on the Packer sweep. Madden said he walked out of Lombardi’s talk and thought to himself: “I don’t know anything.” Lombardi broke the play down including every possible variable for the proper execution of the sweep.
I had never heard of Mike Vrabel prior to the first week of Hard Knocks. It is obvious he had a great career as a pro football player. One problem in business is that successful sales people are often promoted to management positions – where they are not nearly as successful. A successful player does not always make a successful coach. Bill Belichick did not play professional football. In the four episodes of Hard Knocks the only actual coaching I saw Vrabel do was with Jadevon Clowney. Otherwise, I did not hear either Vrabel or defensive coordination Romeo Crennel say anything that the peanut vendor could not say. Neither of them came across as teachers.
I do not think there is a sport where technique/execution does not matter. The application of technique is important. I heard NFL analyst, Mike Mayock talking about quarterback Tim Tebow. He pointed out exactly what Tebow does wrong and what he needs to change. He pointed out the progress Tebow made during his preseason games this year. I think Mayock, or anyone else, would be hard pressed to look at film of Trail and Brown and notice any progress during this preseason. They both made the same mistakes each episode. One reason they did not improve is because they were not coached properly.
There is a company here in the Bay Area that when an newly hired employee wants to quit – the employee’s manager is brought in and asked: “Why isn’t this working?” “You were involved in the hiring process – you have been working with this person – what could you have done better?” Was Vrabel asked why Trail and Brown didn’t improve during the months that he worked with them?
As I talk about in my book – too many coaches at every level do not coach/teach. This is similar to how the Texans looked to just trade for a linebacker that can set the edge. The Texans are two injuries away from needing guys like Trail and Brown. I have no idea if these two have the ability to play at the professional level. Until they get proper coaching, I don’t think anyone will know.