Now in his 17th season at the helm of the Patriots, Belichick and company show no signs of slowing down, as they are the favorite to win the Super Bowl at 11-4. But what makes Belichick so great? The answer can be found in a fanatical adherence to preparation and discipline.
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Bill Belichick
is arguably one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. Despite
the occasional conflict in his career, he has guided the New England
Patriots to seven
Super Bowl appearances, resulting in five championships as a head
coach. He also netted two Super Bowl rings as a defensive
coordinator for the New York Giants prior to arriving in New England.
While his
enigmatic character may be confusing to fans, Belichick is a master
of crafting winning teams year in and year out.
Now in his 17th
season at the helm of the Patriots, Belichick and company show no
signs of slowing down, as they are the favorite
to win the Super Bowl at 11-4.
But what makes
Belichick so great? The answer can be found in a fanatical
adherence to preparation and discipline.
One of the
things that is important to the winning ways of the New England
Patriots is the way that Belichick prepares the team for their games.
On Mondays during the season, he quizzes the players on the
game plan for the upcoming week.
On the first day
of quizzing, players are lightly reprimanded for any incorrect
answers that they give the coach. As the week goes on,
continually getting answers wrong on these quizzes leads to more
reprimanding. Being “intensely prepared” for a game
physically is not enough for Belichick.
Belichick is
also a stickler for a holistic approach to football discipline. He
tends to draft or obtain players who come from colleges with coaches
who have a reputation for regimented discipline. These are players
who come to the Patriots in a “battle ready” mold that Belichick
can shape from the first day, using his methods.
Further
demonstrating the discipline he instills in players, Belichick knows
exactly how to strike a balance between strict discipline and earning
the respect of his players. This is an important aspect that
certainly makes a huge impact out on the field.
With players
eager to earn his respect, they give all they have in their on-field
performances. This is a cycle that has proven very valuable for
Belichick.
He is also very
smart with his praise. Some people might praise anyone for any
little thing. Belichick is known for being sparse with any
compliments. Even when a game seems to be going almost perfectly, he
still tends to point out any flaws he sees in his squad. Being
so conservative with his praise makes players appreciate it when he
does offer an accolade.
Belichick even
deflects any praise he is given back to his team. He
understands the team nature of football and the role everyone in the
unit must play in order to provide a championship-caliber performance
on game day.
In a sport where
emotions tend to run high and are emphasized on the field,
the seemingly
emotionless Belichick keeps things simple and
straightforward. If a team plays well, they win. It’s a
simple and highly effective motto.
The fact is that
his methods work. He holds his players to an exceptionally high
standard, and he doesn’t care about anything else but maintaining
this standard on and off the field. His expectations of
excellence inspire his players to be the absolute best they can
be. It’s definitely an effective strategy that has paid off in
championship after championship.
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