Kirkendall Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Cincy Enquirer sports columnist has a good piece on Marvin Lewis.. it's stuff like this that pumps everyone up. You have to win hearts and minds before you can win football games, so Marvin Lewis always will be part shrink. But that side of him isn't working as hard as it did last year. It doesn't have to. Lewis has what Boomer Esiason used to call "the juice." Players like him and believe in him. They're also afraid of him. You cannot overstate the importance of that in the NFL. "A year ago, we had some fence riders," Lewis said Tuesday. "We had some people who weren't willing to take accountability for winning and losing. We've aligned all the planets now. If you're not toeing the line, you're going to stand out." Who's with Lewis? Who isn't? There might be a few coaches in the league with more power and unchallenged authority than Marvin - Bill Parcells and Mike Shanahan come to mind - but there aren't many. True Marvin story: On his way home from a beach vacation a few weeks ago, he stopped at Georgetown, Ky., where the Bengals hold training camp, to look at the practice fields. He noticed six or seven brown patches in the grass of two fields. Each was "about the size of a dinner plate," according to Bill Connelly, the team's business manager. Lewis called Connelly and within days, the offending parcels were covered in new sod. True Marvin story, Part II: Last season, a local phone company called Lewis to note that one of his players had received free cellular service without doing the agreed-upon promotional work. "What should we do?" they wondered. "Shut his phone off," Lewis said. The player did the promos. The same Marvin Lewis who ordered the air ducts cleaned in the players' Georgetown dorm rooms - to head off any chance of allergies or cold misery - now trains his focus on his second season as head coach. The possibilities are scary. "I don't put much stock in X's and O's. Anybody can draw up plays," Lewis said. It's his ability to get inside players' heads that has made the difference. Lewis trained his light last year on Willie Anderson and Peter Warrick. Anderson went to the Pro Bowl for the first time; Warrick had career highs in catches, yards and touchdowns. Lewis gave Anderson "an opportunity and the support to be the pro he wanted to be. I wanted him not to feel bad about sticking his neck on the line." Anderson took his offensive linemates to dinner every week and went public with the general locker room consensus that Corey Dillon's act was lame. Lewis said to Warrick: "We're going to teach you how to catch the punts. We're going to put the football in your hands so that you can do what you do best: make people miss." If you tell people they're good, and you're consistent about it, they actually start to believe you. Especially if you back up the psychology with teaching. Lewis' projects this year are linebacker Brian Simmons and defensive end Justin Smith. The message for each is the same: "You have the intelligence and the ability to play better. Be the dominating player that you can be," Lewis said. Lewis also has a mind message for Chad Johnson, his cusp-of-stardom wideout: "This year, when the going gets tough, we need you to make the play that wins the game. Beat the double coverage, execute what we've got designed." The psychology doesn't always work. "I failed with Corey," Lewis said. "He showed his passion by playing when he probably shouldn't have. He tried and tried and he burst. I wasn't able to keep him a productive part of the football team." Now that Dillon is spreading his glad tidings all over New England, who will challenge Lewis' authority, or the notion he wants all his players to excel? Deposed starting quarterback Jon Kitna could, but won't. Everyone else is just trying to stay employed. It's a good situation in the NFL when the coach is the unquestioned master of the ring. Lewis doesn't mind sharing the footlights; he welcomes it. But in the end, everyone knows where the bright light shines. Entering training camp, the grass has never looked greener. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Great Post." We've aligned all the planets now. "I Love it !Play-Off in 04..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalsfan33 Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Nice post KirkI am already pumped as it is. This just makes me even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABengalsFan09 Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 I am saving money right now for the ceremony unveiling the Bronzed Marvin Lewis statue out front of PBS... All kidding aside, nobody pumps me up like Marvin Lewis.... hope he brings a much deserved Lombardi to the Queen City! :player: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShulaSteakhouse Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 I'm sure he does things a lot of other coaches do, we're just not used to it, with veteran LB's tugging on ball caps, getting multiple DUI's, stars calling "boycott the coaches day" every week, and players refusing to go back on the field during a game when told to....this kind of stuff is unheard of in these parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted July 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 I'm sure he does things a lot of other coaches do, we're just not used to it, with veteran LB's tugging on ball caps, getting multiple DUI's, stars calling "boycott the coaches day" every week, and players refusing to go back on the field during a game when told to....this kind of stuff is unheard of in these parts. Yea, you're absolutely right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brew Man Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Great article, good on you Marvin, get the troops in shape! Cant wait till the season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalByTheBay Posted July 30, 2004 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 Lewis' projects this year are linebacker Brian Simmons and defensive end Justin Smith. The message for each is the same: "You have the intelligence and the ability to play better. Be the dominating player that you can be," Lewis said. I'm a big Simmons fan and was disappointed in 56 last year. I thought he would've benefitted more from the move to outside and Lewis' help. Glad to hear that he's going to be a focus this year because I think he should be at the peak of his career right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted July 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 Lewis' projects this year are linebacker Brian Simmons and defensive end Justin Smith. The message for each is the same: "You have the intelligence and the ability to play better. Be the dominating player that you can be," Lewis said.I'm a big Simmons fan and was disappointed in 56 last year. I thought he would've benefitted more from the move to outside and Lewis' help. Glad to hear that he's going to be a focus this year because I think he should be at the peak of his career right now. Yea, your right. I've been very critical of Simmons and disappointed as well, but I'm not ready to give up on him yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted July 31, 2004 Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 What do you guys think about the 100% attendance clause they are insisting on in the contracts? I think it is a good thing. How many guys work 32 hrs a week and get paid for 40? Not many. I think our culture has been allowed to erode to the level were it is OK to give average or less effort and still expect get paid 100% or even demand a raise. I don't have a problem with Marvin insisting on it. I think it is about time we had someone kick a little ass around here. Most of us probably have three to four weeks off per year with vacations and holidays. These guys have a lot of downtime in between the end of the season and the beginning of the next even with the mini camps. Plus all of the perks that go along with being a pro football player. For those of us that live in Hamilton county and are footing the stadium bill and for my fellow season ticket holders, we should expect nothing less than a 100% effort (and attendence) from our team.I was out of town this week so I have missed some of the info lately. Great article by PD and as always ML is doing things the right way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jditty47 Posted July 31, 2004 Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 any job has that clause pretty much, he just wants them to let the company know if they arent gonna be there or what not...its a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted July 31, 2004 Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 What do you guys think about the 100% attendance clause they are insisting on in the contracts? I think it is a good thing. How many guys work 32 hrs a week and get paid for 40?For the money they're being paid, they BETTER be there 100% of the time! The only exceptable excuses of course would be sickness or injury, and both better be verified by the team physician. Oh...a death in the family would be valid too.There are no vacations during the season for any pro sports players. Thats what their off season is for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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