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Message: [QUOTE="Cusefan95, post: 5649984, member: 173"] This whole discussion is a reminder that humans aren't rational creatures, we're rationalizing one. A lot of fans can't assess anything or anyone they don't like rationally, and just rationalize their hatred of a coach they don't like. Its sad. Here's why the early practice doesn't matter, and does matter - and why just having an early practice isn't a key to success...but it is part of the keys to success. My hard nosed old school coach created a culture - we were going to be the most disciplined team in the state. We were going to make other teams beat themselves. Making us practice standing for the national anthem was part of that culture. The reason it worked is because the team bought into it. Part of why we bought into it was he was truly committed to it and sold that vision to the team every year; one of my most vivid memories is him running a lap when he screwed something up. I have absolutely no recollection of what it was - but it clearly communicated nobody was above the law. We obviously had good players, there's a minimum level of talent required to win at any level - but sustained success came from an established culture. If some other coach saw that we practiced standing for the national anthem and just started doing it without creating a culture and getting buy-in first - the players would be standing there confused trying to figure out why they were doing something so irrelevant. I don't know exactly what Hurley's sales pitch was to the team about an early practice was - but them posting about it on social media is an evidence they bought into it. If I had to guess it was something like "Adapt and Overcome" - no matter what challenges get in our way, we'll find a way to achieve our goal. Does them talking about and posting about an early morning practice look stupid to some outside observers? Especially ones who don't understand anything I've posted above? Sure. My high school football team practicing the national anthem was pretty stupid and pointless out of the context of culture as well. I'm less interested in defending Hurley than in making this point: WHAT THE HELL IS OUR CULTURE!?!?!?!?!? Early in his career JB had a culture of offensive creativity. He transitioned to the 2-3 Zone and defensive focus. At the end it was "CYO Dad coaching his kids"...unshockingly, that wasn't something a whole lot of kids wanted to sign up for, and didn't lead to a lot of wins. I can't even identify a culture on the team now...maybe "at least we show up physically, and sometimes mentally too"? My greatest hope is we hire a guy to replace Red who so does such a good job establishing a culture that he can do something other fans mock or minimize - like scheduling an early practice to beat a snowstorm and have it work because it reinforces the culture. My greatest fear is we hire a guy who starts scheduling early morning practices to beat a snowstorm because he saw Hurley do it without bothering to create a culture and get team buy-in first. [/QUOTE]

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