Team Concepts

[Thaak]

Pulled the following article off profootballtalk.com...

 

All I have to say, is (and I didn't not respect him) that wow, I really respect Mangini now. This team concept, making the players actually give two winks about their teammates... I like it.

 

 

Mangini forces Browns to mingle: New stalls regroup players in expanded locker room

 

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sports writer

 

POSTED: 08:00 p.m. EDT, Aug 27, 2009

 

BEREA: In 2003, Browns tight end Darnell Sanders proved how wide was the divide between offense and defense when he referred to defensive end Courtney Brown as, ''No. 92, over there,'' and pointed across the locker room.

 

Not only was Sanders playing with 2000 first-round pick Brown for the second season, but the two competed against each other in the Big Ten, Sanders at Ohio State, Brown at Penn State.

 

Under new Browns coach Eric Mangini, such a situation should never happen.

 

Mangini wants to mold his team into a family and is encouraging the players to get to know each other. So when he expanded the locker room and reassigned the stalls, he threw out the groupings of the past 10 years — offense on the left side, defense on the right, and players clustered by position.

 

''I got sat next to an [eighth]-year guy and a 13th-year guy and I don't think that was an accident,'' said wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who is flanked by defensive end Kenyon Coleman and receiver David Patten.

 

Quarterback Derek Anderson is near the door, and Brady Quinn is in the back of the room, with a post on one side offering a little privacy. Quinn has defensive end Corey Williams beside him and left tackle Joe Thomas two stalls over.

 

''I'm over there with Joe so I feel safe,'' Quinn joked. ''He's always got my backside.''

 

Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson ended up close to his old spot — ''I got lucky, I guess,'' he said. He's sandwiched between long snapper Ryan Pontbriand and tight end Aaron Walker.

 

''It's been good. I'm hanging out with Pont every day,'' Jackson said.

 

The closest thing to a grouping is the Kent State corner, with receiver/returner Joshua Cribbs and strong safety Abram Elam side by side.

 

Edwards said there was some resistance by the players at first, but he sees the method to Mangini's musical chairs.

 

''At first, a lot of guys were against it because I've had the same spot in the locker room for five years and I kind of got accustomed to that spot,'' Edwards said. ''But it's forced you to learn your teammates. I know everybody's name. I really know other players. Like I hold conversations with Hank Fraley, or Mike Adams, and we might catch each other in the hallway during bed check and we might play a game of pingpong. You interact with different guys now.''

 

Edwards said some have learned they have things in common, like a teammate knowing another player's aunt.

 

''I think everybody at the end of the day agrees with it because you're still going to be around your friends,'' Edwards said.

 

The new configuration, which annexed the old players' lounge (originally the media room when the complex opened in 1999), added 883 square feet and increased the locker room's size to 3,759 square feet. The televisions have also been removed, presumably to promote more bonding. The players' lounge is now down the hall.

 

In remixing the lockers, Mangini said he wanted offense and defense, young and old, a cross-section of the team.

 

''The team's a cross-section of society. It's all different races, demographics, right on down the line,'' he said. ''If you get the groups together, they're in all the meetings together, they're in the locker room together, there's a comfort level there. But on Sunday, we're not the D-line, we're not the O-line. We're not the offense, we're not the defense, we're the Browns.''

 

Almost as if he took a page from Ohio State coach Jim Tressel's book, Mangini tests the players on their teammates' names.

 

''I'll say, 'Kamerion [Wimbley], stand up.' I'll say, 'All right, all of you wide receivers stand up. Name them,''' Mangini said. ''If he doesn't know them, I tell them to have lunch together. There's real motivation when you have to stand up and say somebody's name to get it right. Conversations are generated by proximity in the locker room. Anything you can do to create a sense of combined or shared interest is positive.''

 

NO QUARTERBACK NEWS

 

Mangini said his starters will probably play into the third quarter of Saturday night's preseason game at home against the Tennessee Titans. But he said his choice of starting quarterback, Quinn or Anderson, will not necessarily be his choice for the season.

 

''I wouldn't read anything into that at all,'' he said.

 

MORE HIJINKS

 

Third-year cornerback Eric Wright seems to be a lot like Chad Ochocinco. Flagged for a costly excessive-celebration penalty Saturday against the Detroit Lions when he took a low bow after an interception, Wright said he was penalized because teammates were close by and appeared to be participating.

 

In practice today, Wright stepped in front of an Anderson pass intended for running back Jamal Lewis. He popped the football like it was a beer and acted as if he was pouring it into cornerback Brandon McDonald's mouth. ''Don't do that,'' yelled a teammate watching from the sideline.

 

BROWNIES

 

Safety Brodney Pool and offensive lineman Ryan Tucker were not seen at practice. Riding the bikes were Rex Hadnot, Jerome Harrison, Titus Brown, David Bowens and Shaun Rogers. ...It appears that first-round pick Alex Mack has beaten out Fraley at center. After rotating series with Fraley against the Lions, Mack has been taking the snaps with the first team this week.

 

BEREA: In 2003, Browns tight end Darnell Sanders proved how wide was the divide between offense and defense when he referred to defensive end Courtney Brown as, ''No. 92, over there,'' and pointed across the locker room.

 

Not only was Sanders playing with 2000 first-round pick Brown for the second season, but the two competed against each other in the Big Ten, Sanders at Ohio State, Brown at Penn State.

 

Under new Browns coach Eric Mangini, such a situation should never happen.

 

Mangini wants to mold his team into a family and is encouraging the players to get to know each other. So when he expanded the locker room and reassigned the stalls, he threw out the groupings of the past 10 years — offense on the left side, defense on the right, and players clustered by position.

 

''I got sat next to an [eighth]-year guy and a 13th-year guy and I don't think that was an accident,'' said wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who is flanked by defensive end Kenyon Coleman and receiver David Patten.

 

Quarterback Derek Anderson is near the door, and Brady Quinn is in the back of the room, with a post on one side offering a little privacy. Quinn has defensive end Corey Williams beside him and left tackle Joe Thomas two stalls over.

 

''I'm over there with Joe so I feel safe,'' Quinn joked. ''He's always got my backside.''

 

Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson ended up close to his old spot — ''I got lucky, I guess,'' he said. He's sandwiched between long snapper Ryan Pontbriand and tight end Aaron Walker.

 

''It's been good. I'm hanging out with Pont every day,'' Jackson said.

 

The closest thing to a grouping is the Kent State corner, with receiver/returner Joshua Cribbs and strong safety Abram Elam side by side.

 

Edwards said there was some resistance by the players at first, but he sees the method to Mangini's musical chairs.

 

''At first, a lot of guys were against it because I've had the same spot in the locker room for five years and I kind of got accustomed to that spot,'' Edwards said. ''But it's forced you to learn your teammates. I know everybody's name. I really know other players. Like I hold conversations with Hank Fraley, or Mike Adams, and we might catch each other in the hallway during bed check and we might play a game of pingpong. You interact with different guys now.''

 

Edwards said some have learned they have things in common, like a teammate knowing another player's aunt.

 

''I think everybody at the end of the day agrees with it because you're still going to be around your friends,'' Edwards said.

 

The new configuration, which annexed the old players' lounge (originally the media room when the complex opened in 1999), added 883 square feet and increased the locker room's size to 3,759 square feet. The televisions have also been removed, presumably to promote more bonding. The players' lounge is now down the hall.

 

In remixing the lockers, Mangini said he wanted offense and defense, young and old, a cross-section of the team.

 

''The team's a cross-section of society. It's all different races, demographics, right on down the line,'' he said. ''If you get the groups together, they're in all the meetings together, they're in the locker room together, there's a comfort level there. But on Sunday, we're not the D-line, we're not the O-line. We're not the offense, we're not the defense, we're the Browns.''

 

Almost as if he took a page from Ohio State coach Jim Tressel's book, Mangini tests the players on their teammates' names.

 

''I'll say, 'Kamerion [Wimbley], stand up.' I'll say, 'All right, all of you wide receivers stand up. Name them,''' Mangini said. ''If he doesn't know them, I tell them to have lunch together. There's real motivation when you have to stand up and say somebody's name to get it right. Conversations are generated by proximity in the locker room. Anything you can do to create a sense of combined or shared interest is positive.''

 

NO QUARTERBACK NEWS

 

Mangini said his starters will probably play into the third quarter of Saturday night's preseason game at home against the Tennessee Titans. But he said his choice of starting quarterback, Quinn or Anderson, will not necessarily be his choice for the season.

 

''I wouldn't read anything into that at all,'' he said.

 

MORE HIJINKS

 

Third-year cornerback Eric Wright seems to be a lot like Chad Ochocinco. Flagged for a costly excessive-celebration penalty Saturday against the Detroit Lions when he took a low bow after an interception, Wright said he was penalized because teammates were close by and appeared to be participating.

 

In practice today, Wright stepped in front of an Anderson pass intended for running back Jamal Lewis. He popped the football like it was a beer and acted as if he was pouring it into cornerback Brandon McDonald's mouth. ''Don't do that,'' yelled a teammate watching from the sideline.

 

BROWNIES

 

Safety Brodney Pool and offensive lineman Ryan Tucker were not seen at practice. Riding the bikes were Rex Hadnot, Jerome Harrison, Titus Brown, David Bowens and Shaun Rogers. ...It appears that first-round pick Alex Mack has beaten out Fraley at center. After rotating series with Fraley against the Lions, Mack has been taking the snaps with the first team this week.

 

[ClevelandFanForLife]

better team concept: win

[DeadWombat]

Great article. I read it in the paper this morning, too.

 

 

 

 

Quarterback Derek Anderson is near the door, and Brady Quinn is in the back of the room

Anderson is closer to the door.

 

 

LET THE SPECULATION AND CONTROVERSY BEGIN!

[AZBrowns]

better team concept: win

 

 

They have to develop a "team" atmosphere before they can consistently win football games season after season.

[hammertime]

Nice.....reminds me also of the movie "Remember the Titans"

 

You gotta have that team concept. It's more important in football than any other sport on the planet.

There had better be no kissing though!

[dencyguy]

They have to develop a "team" atmosphere before they can consistently win football games season after season.

 

Maybe. However, I'd like to see how much bonding goes on with other teams. I kind of doubt that Tom Brady and Richard Seymour go out for beers after the game. My hunch is that if you asked each one about the other, you'd get responses along the lines of, "Seymour? What position does he play again?" "We have a quarterback?" etc. There are two good reasons that teams segregate themselves as offense/defense and into position groups. First, while it's really swell to know the TE's kids' names and birthdays, I'd rather the DEs know about the DTs' techniques so that they can play better as a unit. Second, when the guys do play for one another, it's the guys in their unit and side of the ball--the LT forms a bond with the LG for a reason. That's the relationship we should be concerned about, not whether he remembers to send the FS flowers when he's feeling down.

 

It seems like it's solving a problem that, if it's a problem at all, is somewhere around fifteenth on the list.

 

Dennis

Well, there isn't a starting QB yet, but the backup punter and third-string nickleback just shared a great moment talking about puppies they had as kids.

[Sez.EJ]

Quarterback Derek Anderson is near the door,

 

 

hmmmm.. foreshadowing? play on words? ... pun? OH..words are fun things to play with. hahaaha.

 

Lums will tell us that's so he can lead us on the the field... I'm inclinded it's easier to tell him to pack his bag and get out easier.

 

All joking aside.. good move by the coach to mix things up. Sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference in your life.

[Gips]

I like the way mangini handles things minus the QB controversy and team first is how you go about eventually fielding a good consistant team i think he is the right guy for the job and has the right stuff for rebuilding this club into a winner but his love of ratty has me concerned about his judgement on QBs imho that kid shouldnt even be able to make a pro club but yet mangini is giving ratty all the 2nd half play and i think bartel is better but isnt getting a fair shake..its a little concerning...

[Canton Mike]

Maybe. However, I'd like to see how much bonding goes on with other teams. I kind of doubt that Tom Brady and Richard Seymour go out for beers after the game. My hunch is that if you asked each one about the other, you'd get responses along the lines of, "Seymour? What position does he play again?" "We have a quarterback?" etc. There are two good reasons that teams segregate themselves as offense/defense and into position groups. First, while it's really swell to know the TE's kids' names and birthdays, I'd rather the DEs know about the DTs' techniques so that they can play better as a unit. Second, when the guys do play for one another, it's the guys in their unit and side of the ball--the LT forms a bond with the LG for a reason. That's the relationship we should be concerned about, not whether he remembers to send the FS flowers when he's feeling down.

 

It seems like it's solving a problem that, if it's a problem at all, is somewhere around fifteenth on the list.

 

Dennis

Well, there isn't a starting QB yet, but the backup punter and third-string nickleback just shared a great moment talking about puppies they had as kids.

 

I think you've missed the point. A TEAM is working toward a COMMON goal, not just "parts" (as in offense & defense). Post game discussions among players from different sides of the ball can be a learning & bonding experience that just MAY increase individual understanding of the game outside their own position. This is not just a "social" thing. This was obviously done with purpose which (IMHO) is another positive change from Mangini.

Mike

[FairHooker11]

MORE HIJINKS

 

Third-year cornerback Eric Wright seems to be a lot like Chad Ochocinco. Flagged for a costly excessive-celebration penalty Saturday against the Detroit Lions when he took a low bow after an interception, Wright said he was penalized because teammates were close by and appeared to be participating.

 

In practice today, Wright stepped in front of an Anderson pass intended for running back Jamal Lewis. He popped the football like it was a beer and acted as if he was pouring it into cornerback Brandon McDonald's mouth. ''Don't do that,'' yelled a teammate watching from the sideline.

 

 

More "No Fun League" stuff I guess which is too bad... I bet Frank Minnifield would've been flagged for spinning the ball on the ground after a pick! I LOVED watching that! But I suppose it gets flagged today Who says a little celebration cant be team building? A strong coach KNOWS when to pull the reigns in on an individual player .. I think Mangini is that kind of guy. IMHO.

[Kosar_For_President]

Third-year cornerback Eric Wright seems to be a lot like Chad Ochocinco. Flagged for a costly excessive-celebration penalty Saturday against the Detroit Lions when he took a low bow after an interception, Wright said he was penalized because teammates were close by and appeared to be participating.

 

Even though I don't agree with it, you can't celebrate away from the ball. You can thank TO for that.

[kshutchins]

A team can't develop leaders unless the players know each other. It's a team sport. How can you play as a team if you don't even know who's ON the team? This doesn't stop individual units from knowing each other and working together. Players have to dress next to each other to communicate? I don't think so. Mangini's method of mixing the players should expand the sphere of influence of individual players and increase mutual understanding and a feeling ownership in the other players' success. I think it also should decrease fingerpointing and blame while increasing cooperation and productive discussion.

 

I understand those people who think each guy should just do his own job, but that leads to self-centered players and not team-centered players. The team concept is what makes the outcome for the whole group greater than the sum of the individual parts. I like Mangini's style so far.

[Sez.EJ]

"Quarterback Derek Anderson is near the door"

 

hahahhahahah I can only guess what Mangini is thinking..

[dencyguy]

I think you've missed the point. A TEAM is working toward a COMMON goal, not just "parts" (as in offense & defense). Post game discussions among players from different sides of the ball can be a learning & bonding experience that just MAY increase individual understanding of the game outside their own position. This is not just a "social" thing. This was obviously done with purpose which (IMHO) is another positive change from Mangini.

Mike

 

No, I've got the point, I just don't agree that it's as positive as others on this thread. For one thing, as I've asked, to what extent do other teams do this? And I'm not just talking about teams that are already so successful that it's a moot point--as an example, did Belichick do that when he showed up in New England? Jeff Fisher in Houston? Mike Smith in Atlanta? My issue with the story is that it assumes that this is a big step to turning the team around--if you read the story's lead, it implies that the lack of offense-defense chemistry was one of the main causes for the failure of the early Browns. In reality, the tight end not knowing Courtney Brown's name might have been the highlight of the first two years of the Browns, since it didn't involve an offensive lineman attacking a referee, the "QB of the future" getting the crap beaten out of him, or the hiring of Chris Palmer.

 

Second, I never said that the team shouldn't be a team. What I said was that it matters between players on the same side of the ball. Again, I would bet that most teams have a clear offense-defense divide on the team. The successful teams don't win because they mix up the lockers so that the players can get to know one another and try to win one for their teammates, they win because they draft and sign players well, are well-coached, and have offenses and defenses that play well as units.

 

I'm not talking about 53 guys, 53 cabs, but 53 guys, 2 buses.

 

Dennis

[Thaak]

better team concept: win

 

You know, I wish some of you would stop making obvious yet dumb statements like this. Of course team chemistry is helped by winning. Of course winning will solve a lot of the teams financial and popularity issues.

 

But you gotta do something to try and win right? I like the one for all, all for one team concept and think it will only help add to the win column on Sundays.

 

[ClevelandFanForLife]

You know, I wish some of you would stop making obvious yet dumb statements like this. Of course team chemistry is helped by winning. Of course winning will solve a lot of the teams financial and popularity issues.

 

But you gotta do something to try and win right? I like the one for all, all for one team concept and think it will only help add to the win column on Sundays.

wow, way to not be able to take a joke. everybody knows that simply telling people to win won't work our else little leaguers could beat pros if you told them to win. lighten up d-bag.

[Thaak]

wow, way to not be able to take a joke. everybody knows that simply telling people to win won't work our else little leaguers could beat pros if you told them to win. lighten up d-bag.

 

if you are going to joke around, you might actually want to give a textual clue that you are doing so, since sarcasm or irony don't come across well in text.

[ClevelandFanForLife]

if you are going to joke around, you might actually want to give a textual clue that you are doing so, since sarcasm or irony don't come across well in text.

yes sir