Viva Murillo!
Something happened on Sunday that made me think a successful coach had lost his marbles. It showed a lack of understanding regarding his position and the way professional football is played. He made a dumb decision and I think it showed serious flaws in his coaching ability.
Do you think I'm talking about Mike Tomlin, and his decision to try for an onsides kick with a small lead and a few minutes left in the game? I'm not. I think that was a questionable call and the wrong decision, but Tomlin has won a Super Bowl and doesn't have the kind of defense he had last year. He made a decision and it would have cost the Steelers if Roethlisberger and Wallace hadn't bailed him out. But that wasn't the dumbest thing that happened on Sunday.
No, the dumbest thing occurred on Sunday night, when Brad Childress tried to bench Brett Favre -- and failed. Favre vetoed the head coach's decision. Let me say it again: Chldress said to come out of the game, and Favre said no. And Favre won. Now, I don't care if the Vikings win the Super Bowl and shut out the undefeated Colts in Miami. Brad Childress should resign as head coach and hand the headphones over to Favre. He runs the team; not Childress.
This past weekend, a guy in my league did something Brad Childress could not -- he benched Brett Favre. Who knew that a guy in Florida has more power than an NFL head coach? The Vikings should be embarrassed, but fantasy owners can learn a lesson from that exchange: You have to decide what kind of coach you're going to be.
With one game left to play, it's time to find out who you really are. Are you Mike Tomlin, a guy who makes unconventional decisions that might get criticized? Or are you Brad Childress, a guy who doesn't really run his own team? People might tell you that you "can't" bench your starting quarterback, but that's not true. Apparently Brad Childress can't, but you can. You can do whatever you have to do to earn a victory. I'm not telling you to do something crazy (I'll let you decide if Tomlin's decision qualifies) but I encourage you to start the guys you honestly feel will net you the most points. I wouldn't make a change just to do it, but I wouldn't hesitate to bench a season-long starter if you think a guy behind him has a better shot of winning you a game. This game -- the most important one.
If you’re in your league’s Super Bowl, I offer my congratulations -- and a little advice. Don’t let what other people think influence your lineup decisions. It doesn’t matter if the other owners will scratch their heads. Ten of them aren’t playing anymore. You are, so run your team they way you want and do what you honestly believe will help you win, regardless of the names of the players or where you drafted them. This is a one-game season now. Anything can happen, so consider all your options.
Look, only four things can happen this week: You let conventional wisdom run your team for you and you win, you let conventional wisdom run your team and you lose, you run your team your way and win, or you run your team your way and lose. If you put your team on auto-pilot and win, that’s great...but how satisfying is that? You had to go against your gut to win a title? Winning is winning, but it would be a little sad if you had to ignore your instincts to do it.
Now, suppose you went with what everyone else thinks you should do, and you lose. What a rotten way to end the season. You trusted yourself until it counted the most -- and then you ran away from the decision-making. That would certainly sting.
But what if you call your own shots and you win? Now that’s a great way to finish the year. Your team, your decisions, your trophy. Nobody handed you the title; you went out and took it. That’s a champion’s philosophy.
There’s one other option, of course: You could call your own shots and lose. Nobody likes to lose, but I think you could live with it if you did what you thought was best. Outcomes aren’t guaranteed in this hobby, but if you reach for the brass ring, you have to feel good about making the effort. You won’t always succeed, but it’s your team. I think losing while calling your own shots is an acceptable way to end the year. You do what you have to do and accept the consequences. I think that’s a champion’s philosophy, too.
I wish you good luck this week (unless you’re facing me, of course). But whatever you do, don’t be a Brad Childress. You run your team; not the other way around. Your players start at your discretion. You don’t have to make crazy moves; just use a critical eye when choosing your final lineup. Make your own decisions using the best information and your gut instinct. Win or lose, it’s your team.
You can reach Michael Murillo at vivamurillo@gmail.com.
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Posted by Robert Heater | Dec. 22 at 04:45 AM
2 Things. Firstly, Jim Zorn clearly made the most inept coaching move of the week if not the season. Lining up for a trick play after the opposition called a time out and then going for it again when the D has it covered is inexcusable. There aren't enough superlatives to describe his coaching ineptness. Secondly, I was the beneficiary of an owner going with what the conventional wisdom was as opposed to what he was feeling. That being he started Kurt Warner over Aaron Rodgers. I won by a score of 169.45 to 168.85 thanks to Adrian Peterson's 63 yard catch at the end of SNF. Had Rodgers been started like he was planning all week I wouldn't have had to embarrass myself at my friend's Christmas party by screaming "Break it Break it Break it!!!" when Peterson made that last reception..... it was worth it. Now my opponent from that week is in a state of fantasy depression not because of the fact he lost, but that he turned his back on his bell cow when it mattered most for a 'can't miss matchup'
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Dec. 22 at 04:53 AM
I tried to bench Brett Favre last week against Carolina too, but he said to me, Are you sure? Then he jerked a thumb toward the bench where Jay Cutler sat glumly. I said, Go get 'em, Brett. He then talked one of his teammates into landing on DeAngelo Williams' ankle, putting me in the Super Bowl. Granted, Favre not only runs my team but it's actually his league, so I don't have much choice in these situations.
Posted by IAN ALLAN | Dec. 22 at 05:21 AM
I was shocked that Washington lined up for the fake field goal again after the timeout. I was surprised, however, that nobody seemed to mention that Washington has scored on a couple of fake field goals this year -- once in the game in week 1 against the Giants, and once against the Broncos. They have had some success with those plays.
Posted by Robert Heater | Dec. 22 at 07:36 AM
lol Andy. Ian, they did score on fakes before, clearly they have a couple clever play designs. When you show your hand though it takes away any semblance of a fake. The play was dead on arrival. The Redskins have had success on fake FG's but that was when they had the element of surprise, which was clearly absent after they showed the fake prior to the timeout. I dunno what the reaction to the Favre / Childress situation is like up in Minny, but I'm betting it can't touch the seething hate and disgust that are flooding the radio waves here in the D.C. area.