Mayo as "the anti-BB" -- something to watch going forward

[Tunescribe]

New Patriots Running Back Makes Telling Comment on Jerod Mayo

Recently-signed New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson likes what he sees in first-year head coach Jerod Mayo.

heavy.com

This comment by Gibson seeing Mayo as "one of the guys" caught my eye. Is that what you want in a head coach? Apparently at Bob Kraft's behest, team culture in Foxboro is undergoing a radical change -- for better or worse is TBD. Yes, it's extremely early for the new regime and one isolated example of the anticipated "player-friendly vibe" Jerod brings to the table. I'm just hoping the pendulum doesn't swing too far in the direction opposite Bill Belichick's iron-fisted approach, that discipline and individual sacrifice toward team goals don't become casualties along the way.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

It's a standard pendulum swing. Pete was supposed to be the anti-Parcells. But that was, of course, a much different situation. Pete inherited a literal Super Bowl team. Jerod is...not.

 

[Tunescribe]

It's a standard pendulum swing. Pete was supposed to be the anti-Parcells. But that was, of course, a much different situation. Pete inherited a literal Super Bowl team. Jerod is...not.

Inevitably, push will come to shove. Whether Mayo can be "one of the guys" yet crack the whip when needed will be interesting to see play out.

 

[HSanders]

i think there always needs to be some type of "line" between coach and player. within that,there's room to have the approach be more player friendly/approachable,etc. through more authoritarian. there's not just one place on the line that is successful. that said, i don't think being "one of the guys" the way i interpret that is a good thing for a h.c.

 

[aluminum seats]

Yeah, it's just one line, but the hope is that mayo isn't actually behaving like that.

I will say this, you can't reverse it. A tough coach that establishes discipline can then show some softness and that's OK. But a guy who comes across too soft can't suddenly try to toughen up. Nobody takes them seriously if they try to do that

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The full quote:

“He [Mayo] has a different vibe as a head coach,” Gibson said. “He sounded like he was talking to one of the guys. Having that kind of personality in the locker room … I feel like that is something that might be a positive thing, for him to relate and communicate like that.”

I don't think this is so much a reflection of culture as it is of the fact that Mayo has lived that life of a player in "today's" NFL.

 

[Ross12]

The full quote:



I don't think this is so much a reflection of culture as it is of the fact that Mayo has lived that life of a player in "today's" NFL.

I agree… Gibson isn’t saying Mayo is “one of the guys”, he’s saying he can speak like “one of the guys”. He speaks their language, he understands their experience. A lot of head coaches didn’t play, or barely played, or played a really long time ago. Mayo was a star 1st round drafted NFL linebacker just last decade.

 

[Tunescribe]

I agree… Gibson isn’t saying Mayo is “one of the guys”, he’s saying he can speak like “one of the guys”. He speaks their language, he understands their experience. A lot of head coaches didn’t play, or barely played, or played a really long time ago. Mayo was a star 1st round drafted NFL linebacker just last decade.

There is a difference from how you're interpreting this. From the article (verbatim): Gibson described his interaction with Mayo as like “talking to one of the guys.”

Here it is on video where he says talking to Mayo was not like talking to a coach, compared to his experience under Ron Rivera:

Antonio Gibson on his first impression of Jerod Mayo

Newly signed running back Antonio Gibson talks about his meeting with Jerod MayoAntonio Gibson on his first impression of Jerod Mayo originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

sports.yahoo.com

OK, is this a good thing or bad thing? Who knows what Mayo's radically different approach portends. Perhaps it will be GREAT. Or it could quickly degenerate into inmates running the asylum. It will be fascinating to watch play out, because it sure as hell won't be Captain Bligh commanding the ship.

 

[BTTA]

Yes, this is definitely an important narrative for the team going forward. The Pats haven't had a significant culture shift in a long time so it'll add to the entertainment value of being a fan.

Mayo can be far more approachable and engaged with the players without "crossing the line." But many coaches have made that mistake before, so we'll see. It wouldn't take much to differentiate from what's been there for the past decade.

I have to think that Mayo's first conversations with a newly signed player will undoubtedly be different than Belichick's were.

 

[Tunescribe]

Yes, this is definitely an important narrative for the team going forward. The Pats haven't had a significant culture shift in a long time so it'll add to the entertainment value of being a fan.

Mayo can be far more approachable and engaged with the players without "crossing the line." But many coaches have made that mistake before, so we'll see. It wouldn't take much to differentiate from what's been there for the past decade.

I have to think that Mayo's first conversations with a newly signed player will undoubtedly be different than Belichick's were.

All I know is that at some point, players will have to be forced into doing things they don't want to do for the good of the team. And for that to happen the head coach's authority must be respected. Not everything can be expected to occur within a "comfort zone," especially with the adversity awaiting this team in 2024 and perhaps beyond.

 

[jimnance]

Nobody wants another Pete Carroll.
But what kind of player was Mayo?
Very good, not a superstar but a very good,dependable player.
Go back to when he was playing, numerous players and coaches felt he'd be an nfl hc.
BB called him a " coach on the field".
He had great work ethic and was highly disciplined.
A HC can be  both a "players coach" and the unquestioned boss who can lay down the law when necessary.
Ex.A is one if the greatest HC's in the history of American team sports, Coach Pop of the San Antonio Spurs.
As tough,hard-nosed and intelligent as BB but also a players coach.
As for explayers, I see 2 guys who were both known to be players coaches starting out- Mike Ditka and Larry Bird. But both were the boss and could be disciplinarian when necessary. Similar to how both played
Those 2 were unusual in that both were superstar players who went on to become great HCs. Bird didn't do it for too long. It just wore him out. But he was good.
So I guess we can take some hope from those dudes.
Have to see how it plays out with Mayo but the type of player he was suggests he won't be a pushover

 

[borg]

Note:
Zero team practices yet to interpret coaching style

But Mayo is a hell-of-a nice guy in the hallways of Gillette

 

[Tunescribe]

Nobody wants another Pete Carroll.
But what kind of player was Mayo?
Very good, not a superstar but a very good,dependable player.
Go back to when he was playing, numerous players and coaches felt he'd be an nfl hc.
BB called him a " coach on the field".
He had great work ethic and was highly disciplined.
A HC can be  both a "players coach" and the unquestioned boss who can lay down the law when necessary.
Ex.A is one if the greatest HC's in the history of American team sports, Coach Pop of the San Antonio Spurs.
As tough,hard-nosed and intelligent as BB but also a players coach.
As for explayers, I see 2 guys who were both known to be players coaches starting out- Mike Ditka and Larry Bird. But both were the boss and could be disciplinarian when necessary. Similar to how both played
Those 2 were unusual in that both were superstar players who went on to become great HCs. Bird didn't do it for too long. It just wore him out. But he was good.
So I guess we can take some hope from those dudes.
Have to see how it plays out with Mayo but the type of player he was suggests he won't be a pushover

As tough as he was on them, BB's saving grace with the players was being a football brainiac they could trust to put them in position to win. Through the years we heard and read countless anecdotes about his uncanny ability to predict what opponents would do and prepare for it situationally.

Whatever works. I don't care if Mayo is Mr. Touchy Feely Diversity Inclusion Guy as long as the team wins.

 

[venecol]

I think a big difference between Mayo's role and BB's, is former will only be HC, while the latter was HC/GM. That's a huge difference.

Many players complained about Bill the GM, which I have to believe forced Bill, the HC, not to get too close.

Regardless, there's nothing new here. Mayo in his introductory speach pretty much spelled it out: he wants to empower players to hold themselves accountable. If they don't, he'll drop the hammer. Mayo comes from a disciplined family background. Nobody is going to push him around. You don't need to have players, literally living in "fear" to get goals accomplished.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think a big difference between Mayo's role and BB's, is former will only be HC, while the latter was HC/GM. That's a huge difference.

Many players complained about Bill the GM, which I have to believe forced Bill, the HC, not to get too close.

Regardless, there's nothing new here. Mayo in his introductory speach pretty much spelled it out: he wants to empower players to hold themselves accountable. If they don't, he'll drop the hammer. Mayo comes from a disciplined family background. Nobody is going to push him around. You don't need to have players, literally living in "fear" to get goals accomplished.

If just HC, i'm not sure BBs HC/GM persona would have been different. He learned under Parcells who was not GM with the Giants.

And from a personality standpoint, BB isn't the "player's coach type" regardless.

 

[venecol]

Former Patriots DE gets brutally honest about the fear of playing for Bill Belichick

Former New England Patriots defensive lineman Adam Butler admitted that he feared playing for Bill Belichick.

clutchpoints.com

“So if you ever been in his system, anybody you talk to, I don't care who it is, if you’ve ever been in his system, like the fear level is like up here. You know what I'm saying, you’re always on egg shells in the building,” said Butler, per Maxx Crosby's channel on YouTube. “You know, you’re always worried you’re going to f— up on this or that. Because like when he punishes you, he punishes you to the maximum. Let's say you get a personal foul in the game, and the league fines you $15K, this man would turn around and also fine you conduct detrimental to the team. So instead just getting the $15k from the league you finna get another $25k on top of that.”

 

[Fuzz]

Former Patriots DE gets brutally honest about the fear of playing for Bill Belichick

Former New England Patriots defensive lineman Adam Butler admitted that he feared playing for Bill Belichick.

clutchpoints.com

“So if you ever been in his system, anybody you talk to, I don't care who it is, if you’ve ever been in his system, like the fear level is like up here. You know what I'm saying, you’re always on egg shells in the building,” said Butler, per Maxx Crosby's channel on YouTube. “You know, you’re always worried you’re going to f— up on this or that. Because like when he punishes you, he punishes you to the maximum. Let's say you get a personal foul in the game, and the league fines you $15K, this man would turn around and also fine you conduct detrimental to the team. So instead just getting the $15k from the league you finna get another $25k on top of that.”

Yeah, no way this was a regular occurence. There are strict rules teams must follow on team conduct fines.

 

[venecol]

Yeah, no way this was a regular occurence. There are strict rules teams must follow on team conduct fines.

Idk, but found it shocking if true. Not sure why he would lie.

 

[DarrylS]

Yeah, it's just one line, but the hope is that mayo isn't actually behaving like that.

I will say this, you can't reverse it. A tough coach that establishes discipline can then show some softness and that's OK. But a guy who comes across too soft can't suddenly try to toughen up. Nobody takes them seriously if they try to do that

In our world folks sometimes confuse kindness with weakness, I do not think Mayo will come across as weak. Reasonable maybe and easier to talk to probably.

 

[Wozzy]

Idk, but found it shocking if true. Not sure why he would lie.

Hyperbole… the player’s association would never stand for it.