Last Monday on September 14, Mike Keller and I
were featured with the Rock Star- the Jim Harbaugh radio show in Ann Arbor,
Michigan. Jim Brandstatter was the moderator. Coach Jim Harbaugh was pleased and
talked about the team’s first victory against Oregon State University. The
coach was asked about a particular play in the game, in which the Oregon State
punter took a couple of steps to his right after receiving the snap from
center. At that point, the punter was outside the tackle box before he kicked
or punted the football. A flag was thrown as a University of Michigan defensive
player made physical contact with that punter. Coach Harbaugh went nuts on the
sideline and was visibly upset, screaming at the line judge about the call. After
the game, that line judge apologized to coach Harbaugh for missing that call.
The coach was right about the incorrect call.
I had a few moments to talk to Jim after the show. I confessed to
him that I didn’t clap for him while he was coaching the San Francisco 49ers,
because my favorite team was the Oakland Raiders. I added that I was happy that
he was the quarterback position coach with the Raiders in 2002 -2003. He then
said to me “what’s your second favorite team?” I responded that the Detroit
Lions were my second favorite team. Afterwards, I thought more about the
question. My favorite baseball team is the Oakland A’s followed by the Detroit
Tigers. When it comes to college football, my favorite team is the University
of Michigan, followed by Michigan State University. I remember during spring training
2015 that coach Harbaugh visited the Athletics manager Bob Melvin in Arizona,
and was part of that celebrity coaching staff.
One main theme expressed by coach Harbaugh was about expecting his
players and team to improve. It is
believed that improvement in practice results in better team game performance.
The cliché is” one plays how one practices. “So it’s always about the
individual player improving. This fits nicely with the idea of the ego ideal,
which is the unconscious drive to continually improve -psychologically,
physically, emotionally, etc. When coach Harbaugh talks about improving, that
corresponds nicely within each player’s psyche. Unconsciously, we all want to
improve and remove our deficits. When the
head coach expressed the idea of everyday improvement, that is in consonance and
congruent as everyone wants to improve and get better.
Self-improvement for a football player means greater on the field
achievement. Murray’s “n “or need for Achievement fits well with athletes.
Murray defined n Achievement as accomplishing something difficult; to master;
to overcome obstacles and attain a high standard; to excel; to rival and
surpass others and to increase self-regard, or esteem. Throwing a football with
accuracy with a plus or minus 250 pound opposing player running at you, and
wanting to throw you forcibly to the ground, I would say is a difficult on the
field situation. Some quarterbacks have mastered the ability to stay in the
pocket even when surrounded knowingly they’re likely going to receive a
tremendous physical blow to their head, body, or both. Certain quarterbacks
have the reputation of “happy feet”, meaning they leave the pocket too quickly,
and likely throw an incomplete pass or interception. So despite potential
achievement for success, the football player has to physically and mentally
defeat his opponent in order to be successful on every play. In so doing,
Murray’s n Abasement is also in play. This need is about accepting injury,
blame, and punishment; to admit wrongdoing or error; to blame one self and to
seek and enjoy pain or punishment in the process.
In other words, every football player has both n Achievement and n
Abasement in his psychological makeup and these needs are expressed over and
over in practice, and during game day. In a recent discussion with running back
Fritz Seyferth, he told me about that the hardest football hits [tackled] he
received were from teammate Mike Taylor. Fritz scored four touchdowns in one game
against the University of Minnesota; was drafted by the New York Giants, and
played for the Calgary Stampeders until an injury forced his retirement from
professional football. Middle linebacker Mike Taylor was a consensus first-team
All-American; and selected as one of the 100 greatest Michigan football players
of all-time. Taylor was a first round selection by the New York Jets and
started five games for this team as a linebacker. He later signed a multiyear contract
with the Detroit Wheels of the World Football League. Head Coach Dan Boisture
said, after the signing, that Taylor would be the focal point of our defense.
Fritz said he can still feel the hits by Taylor.
Mike Keller, a defensive end-linebacker, an All-American; third pick
by the world Champion Dallas Cowboys; and player, scout said that going up
against offensive guard Reggie McKenzie in practice was no picnic. Reggie was
an All-American; first pick by the Buffalo Bills; was the head of the electric
company [it turned on the Juice] and
primarily and instrumental in OJ Simpson’s setting, the NFL rushing record of
over 2000 yards in a single season. Both
Fritz and Mike demonstrated the Need for Achievement, and Abasement during
their University of Michigan and pro football careers.
Is true that coach Harbaugh’s father Jack coached at the University
Michigan. It’s also true that Jim Harbaugh was an All-American quarterback at
the University of Michigan playing for Coach Bo Schembechler. According to
Fritz and Mike, coach Schembechler at times single-minded mission was to run
the same play over and over again. Success was when play was run without error.
In fact, Reggie McKenzie repeated to me, one of Bo’s infamous sayings “do it
right, the first time, every time, and all the time.” Every member of Bo’s
teams got it. And, Jim Harbaugh is instilling that dynamic with his University
of Michigan Wolverine football team. It is no surprise that coach Harbaugh
focuses on improvement. As with coach Schembechler, coach Harbaugh believes in
constant improvement and is never satisfied with the status quo.
More about these individuals, can be found in Bo’s Warriors-Bo
Schembechler and the Transformation of Michigan Football.
Go Blue!
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