 | Ed Marinaro
With All Due Respect |
 You Guys Write Me!
I've been overwhelmed by the letters I've been getting from you guys, and I really appreciate all the great comments. I promised you a few weeks ago that I would try to answer a letter or two, so without further delay, here's the first one:
I often wonder why today's college coaches do not tell players how they will have to conduct themselves while on the field. If you [player] celebrate at any point other than when the final gun goes off, you will sit on the bench. I have had this argument with several people and they say that a coach who demanded this of his players would not be able to recruit the star players. It is my feeling that parents who knew that a coach was going to demand that kind of behavior of his players would encourage their children to go to that school. I wondered what your thoughts were on this issue.
Cliff H.
Good question, Cliff. It was my experience that, as a player, you do learn that sort of discipline in college. In NCAA football, there are rules against excessive celebration, as well as against taunting in general. It's when these star players get to the NFL and begin to make millions of dollars that the coach's influence wanes. As I've written before in this column, the really great players contain their emotions for the 60 minutes on field, then celebrate afterward. When players lose their focus by thinking about celebrating instead of playing mistake-free football, bad things usually happen. Football is "controlled violence," and when player focus is diminished it becomes "uncontrolled violence," and things like dropped balls, fumbles, blown coverages and unsportsmanlike penalties occur.
Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated |
In Minnesota, I was lucky enough to play for Hall of Fame Coach Bud Grant, who led us to two Super Bowls. Coach Grant had some strict rules for us as a team, among which were: no spiking the ball, standing at attention during the national anthem and no altering the uniform. These small rules helped give us cohesion as a team, and made us focus on the whole game, not on just one play. I wonder how many coaches in today's NFL would have the power to enforce these rules…probably only a few. Yes, Cliff, I agree that a coach should demand discipline of his players, but unfortunately today it's easier in the college ranks than in the pros.
Thanks again for all the great letters, and keep 'em coming!
November 16, 2000
edmarinaro@sportshollywood.com
Ed Marinaro | In his three seasons as Cornell's tailback, Ed Marinaro was the all-time leading rusher in Ivy League history. He established eight NCAA career records and was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. After turning pro he became a running back for the New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks. Then he turned to acting and played everyone from Joe Coffey on the classic TV show "Hill Street Blues" to Joey Buttafuoco in "Long Island Lolita." In his off-time he enjoys ranting in his column for SportsHollywood. |
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