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The Growth Mindset Culture of Coach McDermott 


foreboding

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4 hours ago, foreboding said:

And it starts at the very top

Thank goodness our Godess is Kim Pegula, President of Pegula Sports and Entertainment (Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Knighthawks, Americans),  HarborCenter and Black River Entertainment.

 

She is the leader among leaders.

 

ALL HAIL KIM.

 

(note to dissenters: she's here for the next forty or fifty years, so get used to it)

 

 

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As much as I love Ralph for all that he did to help this team stay in Buffalo and exist to begin with his ownership had crippled the team by the 2000's. I know OJ isn't the most accurate source but his comments about Ralph not wanting to build a winner in the 70's has been backed up by a few other sources. The Bills got lucky to get some good coaching and management to put together the early 90's teams and remained competitive in the late 90's but Ralph's investment in the team ranged from adequate to poor throughout the years. 

 

Ralph was an old school owner who ran the team like a business so I get his apprehension to treat the team like a vanity project as most modern owners do. But I think the biggest factor in the Bills improvement has been Pegula's investment into the team on and off the field. The Bill's have first class facilities and haven't been afraid to stray away from the cash to cap formula. 

 

I think Pegula learned his lesson from the 2015 to 2016 Rex experiment that while talent is important you need a culture and plan for building a team beyond talent acquisition. The 2015 off-season was an insane leap of talent for a team that had already prudently (with the exception of the Sammy trade) been building quality levels of defensive talent and had a solid skill position core. They acquired Shady (and paid him well) a top 3 RB in the league at time of acquisition, they acquired Clay a top 10 talent at his position, and took a chance on InCog to help bolster their O-line. Then via the draft they landed two impactful starters (at least the first couple of years) in Darby and Miller. 

 

Even the team's biggest issue (QB) they had found Tyrod who was a capable game manager who could make plays with his legs. But as talented as the 2015 and 2016 rosters were (And they spent big money to keep Hughes and Glenn) the culture and leadership wasn't there. Rex is at best an act that wears thin but that act wears super thin if the defense's scheme is changed to not fit the talent thus resulting in a steep defensive decline that counteracted a significant leap for the offense. Then after a failed attempt to bolster the defense in the 2016 draft the team fell apart and the previous 2 years showed you how important coaching and culture are to complementing a talented roster. 

 

Now McBeane has spent two years building a culture, trading away ill-fitting talent to stack up draft capital, and clearing out the cap situation. then this past year they spent their money smartly (no real long term commitments besides Mitch) and now the team has a young QB with promise, a good defense with a good young talent base and pieces on offense in place. 

 

I hope that they can put this together because the team has honestly gone about it the right way from top to bottom. I can't say every move they did was perfect but the philosophy to which they have built the team (selling out productive parts of the team for draft capital to acquire a QB, clearing out bad cap issues, gutting vets who didn't fit the culture and not overspending for quick fixes) has been mostly correct. 

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26 minutes ago, boater said:

Thank goodness our Godess is Kim Pegula, President of Pegula Sports and Entertainment (Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Knighthawks, Americans),  HarborCenter and Black River Entertainment.

 

She is the leader among leaders.

 

ALL HAIL KIM.

 

(note to dissenters: she's here for the next forty or fifty years, so get used to it)

 

 

I like her and am glad a woman has a position of power in the NFL.

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4 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

Lol... Pete Carrol and the Seahawks were 15-19 after week 2 in year 3...

 

Dude ...

 

They similarly made the playoffs in Pete Carrol's first year, but with a 7-9 record...

 

 

Yep........if you went by early returns then Carrol was failing...........but his system has proven to be exceptional over the long haul.

 

We can hope that there are similarities beyond the fact that they are so defense-centric........they are certainly the closest success model to this Bills team(no Carolina isn't a success model, IMO)............and before Eli picked up some garbage passing yardage yesterday the Bills were on a prime-Seahawks-esque streak of preventing teams from passing for more than 210 yards.

 

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4 hours ago, Just Joshin' said:

Do you think McClappity is witty?  A good post with a bad title.

glad to see he changed it. I hate that mockery of his clapping. Id rather see a motivated coach, even when they're down. I like McD, he has more on the job learning to do but I like how he has brought the team together and has shown good leadership.

 

 

I agree with the OP, it starts at the top!

 

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11 minutes ago, inaugural balls said:

 

You won't mind me quoting you here, will you?

 

 

That Pete Carrol has a system that's proven effective?   Not at all.  Averaging 11 wins and winning a SB over 10 years is legit excellent.    That would be the high water mark for the Bills franchise.  Marv Levy made it to the HOF with a lower win % in his first 10 seasons with the Bills(full or including the partial) and zero SB wins.

Edited by BADOLBILZ
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5 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

What they've done is fairly common practice in the NFL...........but it just usually doesn't work because the players are missing from the equation.

 

The proof is winning over a long term.   

 

Pete Carroll, for instance,  just won his 100th game with the Seahawks in game 2 of his 10th season.............when you average winning nearly 11 games per season for a decade then your system worked.    When you are 17-17 in year 3............ehh..........premature.

What is your point?  Carroll was 16-16 his first two seasons as a NFL head coach.  His record improved when he coached the Pats with Bledsoe and when he found Wilson with the Seahawks  If Allen is a above avg qb McDermott will have a winning record  if he's not he'll get fired

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9 minutes ago, DuckyBoys said:

What is your point?  Carroll was 16-16 his first two seasons as a NFL head coach.  His record improved when he coached the Pats with Bledsoe and when he found Wilson with the Seahawks  If Allen is a above avg qb McDermott will have a winning record  if he's not he'll get fired

 

 

My point is that nothing has been done that proves that McDermott has the team on a path to long term success.

 

Carrol was 16-16...........Rex in Buffalo was 8-8 and 7-8 with a layup finale against the Jets coming up when he quit........so basically also 16-16.

 

The Seattle reference is because that is the closest successful comp for style.........it's a lofty goal but that's what goals are for.

 

 

 

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13 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

My point is that nothing has been done that proves that McDermott has the team on a path to long term success.

 

Carrol was 16-16...........Rex in Buffalo was 8-8 and 7-8 with a layup finale against the Jets coming up when he quit........so basically also 16-16.

 

The Seattle reference is because that is the closest successful comp for style.........it's a lofty goal but that's what goals are for.

 

 

 

Yeah, I would argue this is a good example of a A process. But, I think Carroll also has such an infectious personality that serves him well too. I do see one big difference, he does not go for guys that fit a growth minded system cause has had some loudmouth obnoxious dudes there. I do not think those types would last long in this system--that really focuses on growth mindset style learning and humility.

Edited by foreboding
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52 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

That Pete Carrol has a system that's proven effective?   Not at all.  Averaging 11 wins and winning a SB over 10 years is legit excellent.    That would be the high water mark for the Bills franchise.  Marv Levy made it to the HOF with a lower win % in his first 10 seasons with the Bills(full or including the partial) and zero SB wins.

 

I absolutely hear you.

 

I believe we just might be on that path. :thumbsup:

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5 hours ago, DC Tom said:

 

Is this thread the exception that proves the rule?

If there is an exception to every rule there would be an exception to that rule and there would be one rule without an exception unless of course the one rule without an exception was the rule that says there is an exception to every rule. It’s pretty straight forward. 

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5 hours ago, MR8 said:

 

I'm not sure man, I would argue they had VERY good players on this roster BEFORE McBeane.... They weren't necessarily "The Right Players" but they were highly talented guys who've gone on to success elsewhere...

 

Sammy Watkins, Ronald Darby, Robert Woods, Marcel Dareus (no one likes to admit he's played well), Marquis Goodwin, Preston Brown, Reggie Ragland... all guys who were here when McBeane took over, and all guys who have had varying degress of success elsewhere.

 

There are many other great players who've come and gone during the Bills 2 decades of futility as well, but naming them becomes pointless.  

 

There are a lot of factors in building an organization and a team... think of it as a airplane in WWII...

 

You not only need to get the right people on the plane, but you need to get the right people sitting in the right seats on the plane...  You need the right guy flying, the right guy navigating, the right guy at the waist gun, the right guy on the tail gun etc....

 

If you don't put the right guys in the right places you have FAR less chance at success... and just like a plane in war, even with all the right guys, you can fail.  But you're best chance is to have all the right parts in the right places, and get moving forward.

 

So back to the Bills... for decades we've had some great players, we've had some good and great coordinators,  But we didn't have the proper formula top to bottom.

 

McBeane SEEM to have hit it right... the right people at the top organizing the plan, putting the right Schemes in, with the right players in those schemes, setting the course for the highest chances of success...

 

Whether or not they are successful is still a matter of luck just as it is a matter of talent and everything coming together.  But they SEEM to have torn this thing down to the studs, and started over hand picking all the guys for their seat on the plane.  They are doing the same with their front office, and their coaches... they've made mistakes, and they've corrected those mistakes.  

 

The OP is correct, they take everything as a learning opportunity.  I still think McDermott is VERY slow to learn lessons about being aggressive versus his overly conservative nature, and he's too digs his heels in on players he has decided are better despite stats proving other wise, for instance carrying the TolDozer as long as he did, and McCoy, and allowing Gore to carry the rock more than Singletary despite his success early... and on the flip side force feeding Ford into the lineup despite Ty being better hands down.  

 

But I still have seen him grow, recognize issues and correct them. I am encouraged all the way around by these guys, their mindset, and the way they are doing things.  And they've brought in players who buy in 100% and have the same mindset.  That is VERY valuable.... weather it = success is still up to the fates... 

 

 

McDermott’s apparent sit on a lead strategy is a fixed mind set and not a growth one as suggested in the book the OP referenced. 

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6 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

What they've done is fairly common practice in the NFL...........but it just usually doesn't work because the players are missing from the equation.

 

The proof is winning over a long term.   

 

Pete Carroll, for instance,  just won his 100th game with the Seahawks in game 2 of his 10th season.............when you average winning nearly 11 games per season for a decade then your system worked.    When you are 17-17 in year 3............ehh..........premature.

 

I think this regime is better about doing a full e v a l of the coaching staff too.

 

Rarely have I seen a front office so willing to part ways with a coach that does not grade out well or simply where they feel the coaching position could be upgraded; players yes, but coaches not-so-much.

 

It is hard to sell the concept of accountability and improvement to players if the coaching staff is exempt.

 

They are building something here....not sure where it is going, but at least it feels different.

 

 

 

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10 minutes ago, WideNine said:

 

I think this regime is better about doing a full e v a l of the coaching staff too.

 

Rarely have I seen a front office so willing to part ways with a coach that does not grade out well or simply where they feel the coaching position could be upgraded; players yes, but coaches not-so-much.

 

It is hard to sell the concept of accountability and improvement to players if the coaching staff is exempt.

 

They are building something here....not sure where it is going, but at least it feels different.

 

 

 

That is true but it is also true that they made some horrible choices to begin with.

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As a career educator, I am a big believer in the growth mindset because I want my students to believe that they can become smarter by working harder.  I know this is true.  The fixed mindset says I'm inherently smart and I don't have to work as hard.  In public schools, we have the opportunity to save some kids and help them overcome the odds over an extended timeline.  In NFL, however, you might have a growth mindset about getting better, but if your talent is limited, or those around you are overmatched against better competition, then you are not going to have the chance to get better.  I'm not sure that the Super Bowl Bills had a growth mindset.  Probably, a fixed mindset thinking they were just better than everyone else, and they didn't work as hard.  Regardless of mindset, our Bills teams in the 21st century would have won some Super Bowls with Brady, Elway, Big Ben, Favre, Rodgers, Ryan, Stafford, Luck, etc.  Having said all of this, I do like the combo of mindset and talent under the present leadership.  Go Bills!!

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1 hour ago, Kelly the Dog said:

That is true but it is also true that they made some horrible choices to begin with.

 

Well you got to start somewhere to establish your baseline for perf evals and improvement.

 

We will see where this goes, but I think NFL orgs that have success have to have owners that let their head coaches coach and their GMs manage - check.

 

And having your head coach and GM on the same page certainly does not hurt - check.

 

Draft well - check.

 

A capable QB to build around - really want to say check here too, but a bit too soon. Certainly hoping Allen is our guy, as he is pretty entertaining and likeable on and off the field.

 

Been a while since the Bills org was run professionally.

 

 

 

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I think it’s fair to say it’s a mix of a few things.

 

A rudderless ship will spin in a circle. You have to have someone in the organization, coach or GM or owner, who is allowed to be the final say of things and implement a core philosophy.

 

also if you just acquire talent with no thought to scheme/fit/personality (basically what I think Whaley did), then that likely won’t work either.

 

You have to find players that A) are talented, but also B) fit your teams philosophy (or perhaps “mentality” is a better word?) and also C) fit the scheme as well. 

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I agree with the original post.  

 

For too long, this franchise's priority was to remain solvent, run by people in Ralph Wilson's football circle.  Then, for whatever reason, Terry Pegula stuck with the same people for awhile before learning that this team was not yet in the 21st century.

 

Russ Brandon was committed to Russ Brandon.  Wanted to make a name for himself so he could land on his feet elsewhere in the NFL, mainly on the football side.  That was his dream and his goal and his reason for being in the profession.  Ralph Wilson did all in his power to assist Brandon in chasing that goal.  

 

Levy, Nix, Whaley, etc were largely puppets/"co-GMs" along with Brandon and Overdorf to help Russ Brandon learn the ropes.  They kept in-demand GMs and Coaches at arms reach because they didnt want to upset the power structure (and in-demand coaches and GMs knew to stay away).  We were fed the 'continuity' line over and over, which was tough to swallow because we were being told the Bills should continue with crap.

 

As a result, we got a lot of garbage.  Poor management, disjointed.  Struggles at times.  Our 2 most 'successful' coaches quit after winning seasons. 

The Watkins trade was 100% desperation to prop up Manuel to make themselves look good because they knew the clock was ticking on their employment status.  Low regard for the future.  

 

 

McDermott and Beane feel different.  It feels like a cohesive franchise and an attention to detail that we haven't seen in a long time.  It feels like they are adaptable.  Players seem to really like to play here and word will get out.  

Edited by May Day 10
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