Was having this "culture" conversation last night with a successful coach and today at lunch with a successful businessman.
The culture at Tech, and specifically Tech football is non-existent. We love the catch phrases like "Fearless Champions" and "We. Us. Our".....but those are nothing more than shallow slogans made up by either PR firms or copycatted from other programs over the years.
To be successful at any level, especially at Tech, culture is EVERYTHING. For years, it was tied to an individual (Leach). His offense and his quirky ways became the culture at Tech. Everyone loved The Pirate. The Jones was the toughest place to play in the conference (save OU), defenses feared his teams and we were a known brand in this state and nationally.
Now, we are just aimless and floundering. We have zero direction and worse, ZERO culture.
Coaches like our own Beard, Dabo, Rhule, Campbell, Fleck, Popovich, Smart, Saban....they have created a culture around them that refuses to lose. Regardless of who is on the team, regardless of the minutes or snaps played, regardless of if you are outmatched, because you all believe in each other, believe in your system and believe that you can beat anyone, anytime, there is a culture that cannot be broken. Even as assistants come and go, the culture that a HC, AD and President create, will always win out. A HC has to have the ability to get everyone rowing in the same direction....not just the coaches....the players, the trainers, the administration, the ball boys, the band, the cheer squads....EVERYONE bought in for the same cause. Guys like Beard and Rhule had that in spades. Those two guys have donors waiting for them to ask how to spend their money.
Yet, our AD doesn't see that. Even though he studied under the ultimate culture guy in Bill Snyder.
Until the culture around our ENTIRE football program changes (from AD all the way down to the kid that washes the shorts), we will continue to be a rudderless vessel.
I have had some very disappointing days with Tech football over the last many years, but today is the worst.
The culture at Tech, and specifically Tech football is non-existent. We love the catch phrases like "Fearless Champions" and "We. Us. Our".....but those are nothing more than shallow slogans made up by either PR firms or copycatted from other programs over the years.
To be successful at any level, especially at Tech, culture is EVERYTHING. For years, it was tied to an individual (Leach). His offense and his quirky ways became the culture at Tech. Everyone loved The Pirate. The Jones was the toughest place to play in the conference (save OU), defenses feared his teams and we were a known brand in this state and nationally.
Now, we are just aimless and floundering. We have zero direction and worse, ZERO culture.
Coaches like our own Beard, Dabo, Rhule, Campbell, Fleck, Popovich, Smart, Saban....they have created a culture around them that refuses to lose. Regardless of who is on the team, regardless of the minutes or snaps played, regardless of if you are outmatched, because you all believe in each other, believe in your system and believe that you can beat anyone, anytime, there is a culture that cannot be broken. Even as assistants come and go, the culture that a HC, AD and President create, will always win out. A HC has to have the ability to get everyone rowing in the same direction....not just the coaches....the players, the trainers, the administration, the ball boys, the band, the cheer squads....EVERYONE bought in for the same cause. Guys like Beard and Rhule had that in spades. Those two guys have donors waiting for them to ask how to spend their money.
Yet, our AD doesn't see that. Even though he studied under the ultimate culture guy in Bill Snyder.
Until the culture around our ENTIRE football program changes (from AD all the way down to the kid that washes the shorts), we will continue to be a rudderless vessel.
I have had some very disappointing days with Tech football over the last many years, but today is the worst.
