How Can Some NFL Teams Be SO BAD

Every September, the fans of the NFL are ready charge through a wall in anticipation for their team’s season opener.  Many have their fantasy football rosters up on their computer editing their rosters at 12:30PM and by 1PM following the stat-tracker as if you were waiting the winning numbers of the lottery to appear.  Many also have their jerseys, paraphernalia as well as a spread of food.  Some have parties.  Some decorate their house.  Some spend a pretty penny to sit field level, 50-yard line just to be there. Even more extreme fans are using their season tickets to ensure their attendance for every home game.  This is the very many versions of the NFL fan.  They all have one thing in common: Fanaticism.  They love their team.

NFL Owners, restricted by the new Collective-Bargaining Agreement has some financial challenges.  The new CBA  had the owners slated to uphold a $120 million salary cap and a tricky stipulation of a salary floor that the new CBA demands that 99%  of the cap be spent this 2011 & 2012 seasons season and then a reduction to 95% mandatory spending league wide with no team going below 89% of the cap spent (Notes from NFLPA: New 2011 Deal)  In summation, owners will no longer be allowed to not spend money on players.  This should make teams more competitive.  Yet, how come some teams are so bad?  I think the answer clearly doesn’t come from the players but it comes from ownership and coaching staff.

Prime Example: The San Francisco 49ers and Coach Jim Harbaugh

Since 2003, the San Francisco 49ers have not been better than 8-8.  They have not seen the playoffs since 2002.   From 2003-2010 (8 seasons), after a poor decision to fire Steve Mariucci over an ego battle with the GM, the 49ers compiled a 45-83 record.  With Mariucci for six seasons, the 49ers were 60-43.

You could give argument that the defense played poorly and that after Jeff Garcia left the 49ers after a bad year under a new coach but let’s get the facts straight: That only speaks up to 2005.

Enter: Alex Smith.  Management tried to bring in a top QB.  That was a failure up through the recent past.

Enter: Mike Nolan, Mike Singletary.  They are great football minds but did not have a team to play with they believed could win.

Now let’s look at 2011. Jim Harbaugh comes on the scene from his successful tenure at Stanford.  His draft class includes Aldon Smith and Kendall Hunter.  Also, Harbaugh brings in veteran free agents who have achieved outside success on an individual and team levels.  He cleans house of some of the “old mentality”.  He builds HIS system that revolves around his players fighting and working for everything. He fights like George S. Patton, standing right along with his soldiers and leading them into battle.  Harbaugh preaches the influence of fundamentals, special teams and gives his vote of confidence to a QB with all the tools in the world except one: Confidence. The 49ers are 8-1.  Why now?

It is a very simple answer.  Success starts as an attitude.  You can take average players, place a few team-oriented stars in the mix and develop a mentality and game plan that is true and reflective of the coaching staff that preaches it.  Now it is no longer a game plan but  it is a culture.  Look at teams like New England, Pittsburgh and even Indianapolis (with Peyton Manning).  There are some stars on those teams but many of the starters are solid NFL players made by the stars of their quarterbacks and others leadership qualities.  Success is not just something you achieve but it is something you must embody.  That is why so many teams are bad.

Owners, GMs, coaches and players all go out on the field to earn a generous living (regardless of the mental and physical demands), perform the tasks they are skilled in and to win.  These individuals understand that winning brings legacies, contracts and endorsements but it is truly amazing how many people never take the time out to learn what it is to be truly successful.  That is why so many people play in professional sports to try to win every game. The consummate professionals and stars of the athletic player and coaching world never attempt to try.  They never attempt to run their mouth to the media to create a story line that builds suspense, drama and a fan base growth unless that is what is truly needed.  People like the Jets’ Rex Ryan and the Marlins’ Ozzie Guillen can keep their antics as I am sure some fans will go to the game more because of the ego-center mentality. The real winners just perform.  The people who know success speak when they must speak, say what is needed to be said (nothing more or inflated) and get back to work at their job- winning games.   I would rather have a team filled with Peyton Mannings, Derek Jeters and Bill Belichicks in my locker room or clubhouse than Michael Vicks, Alex Rodriguezs and Rex Ryans because regardless of success, there is a professionalism that comes with the first set of individuals that inherently lacks in the latter.

Success is a mentality.  Perhaps if we all were as committed to our dreams and goals, we could achieve our own definitions of greatness.