Joemailman
05-05-2006, 05:21 PM
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THIS STORY
McCarthy to address his troops
Having met with Favre, he'll outline his vision Friday
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
Not everybody on the Green Bay Packers roster has had an opportunity to spend quality time with new coach Mike McCarthy.
But come 3 p.m. Friday every Packer but those playing in NFL Europe will be exposed to the man general manager Ted Thompson called "Pittsburgh macho" when he hired him in January. McCarthy will deliver the first full-squad speech of his fledgling head coaching career sometime before that first practice.
"I'm actually in the process of cutting back what I need to say," McCarthy said early Thursday evening. "Because if I say everything I need to say I'll probably be up there for a couple of hours. I think it's important to have a message, but so is the length of it. It's about substance."
His boss thinks substance is what McCarthy is all about.
Thompson hired him because the two had similar philosophies on how to build a team and handle players, particularly those who are new to the National Football League. But Thompson also hired him because McCarthy has strong convictions about the rules he sets, the offense he runs and the commitment to the game he demands.
Part of his job beginning this weekend will be to assume leadership over the entire team, including its central figure, quarterback Brett Favre, who two weeks ago was undecided whether he wanted to continue playing for the Packers. Under Thompson, the club has taken a hard-line approach in refusing to bow to the desires of a single player and McCarthy has backed him up.
Now that Favre is back, McCarthy's job turns to re-forming his relationship with the quarterback he coached for one season seven years ago. It started with a lengthy meeting with Favre on Thursday morning in McCarthy's office.
"We talked for a long time," McCarthy said. "We were up in the office for almost two hours. It's a continuation of an ongoing conversation (this off-season). We talked about a lot of things. A lot of times when Brett and I get together we talk about issues and ideas and we also talk about games and plays. We talk football.
"That's what players and coaches like to do. It's all about football. That's what we do best and that's when we're at our best."
Asked if he thought Favre was truly on board with the program Thompson and McCarthy were authoring in Green Bay, McCarthy was blunt in his answer.
"I think he's definitely on board," he said. "If he weren't on board I don't think he would have come back."
McCarthy said he and Favre were supposed to discuss the amount of work Favre would receive in the two minicamps this month and the 14 days of practices known as organized team activities that run through June. Their conversation took too many other directions and the two never finalized Favre's work schedule, but McCarthy said he expected the 36-year-old quarterback to work in this camp and attend selected other practices.
"I'm going to be real smart with his arm," McCarthy said. "As long as he was here today, we didn't go through the whole schedule off-season. I'll probably do that over the weekend. He is 36 and looks good. He's in good shape. But we're a long way from playing a game. I'm more worried about the mental and fundamental part than the physical."
McCarthy said he wasn't worried about Favre's state of mind given he appeared to have one foot out the door not so long ago. But he does want him to get up to speed with his mechanics and the new language the McCarthy offense uses in describing plays and formations.
Through the off-season, the Packers have had about 75% attendance in their off-season workout program and those on offense are already familiar with much of the terminology McCarthy will use. Favre hasn't had access to a playbook and will need a little time to catch up.
However, after 14 years running the same offense, the transition won't take long.
"It's changed for him, too," McCarthy said. "They've done it a certain way for a long time now. He's not learning a new language, but he's learning a new slang version. He has to learn just like all the other guys have had to.
"But I think any time there's change there's anxiety, but there's also excitement because everything is new. It's about the challenge. And we all know how he responds to challenges."
McCarthy is hoping the changes excite Favre and rekindle his passion for the game, but his primary goal is to get the team - not just Favre - ready for the regular-season opener. McCarthy has 12 newcomers from the NFL draft last weekend and 21 players who were rookies or first-year players with the Packers last season, so he's not exactly dealing with an experienced group.
Before he can address the rookies, he has to make sure his veterans on offense understand what he is trying to accomplish with his style of the West Coast offense. So the first minicamp will mostly consist of the veterans running most of the plays and the rookies keeping a watchful eye.
"It'll just be very basic," McCarthy said. "We have plenty of volume but this will be a lot of our foundation things. Everything we put in this weekend will be all primary concepts. We'll build off those. We're probably going to struggle a little bit and then we'll get a little better in the second minicamp and by the (organized team activities ) I'm confident they'll be more comfortable with everything."
Besides Favre and the rookies, McCarthy will be on display as well. It will be everyone's chance to find out who he is and what he's about, although some think they already know that.
"I don't have any questions about the staff," Thompson said. "You never know everything about somebody, but I think I know what kind of coach he's going to be. I'm excited about it."
I love the way McCarthy is approaching things. Instead of treating Favre as a Hall-Of-Famer-In-Waiting, he is regarding Favre as most coaches would their starting quarterback. Which is to say, a very important part of the team, but not above anyone. I often thought Sherman made a mistake of treating Favre almost as an icon, instead of just his quarterback. Personally, I think Favre will react positively to the change in coaching style. McCarthy will hold Favre accountable for errors, whether they be physical or mental, just like he would any other player. I think Favre will respect that.
THIS STORY
McCarthy to address his troops
Having met with Favre, he'll outline his vision Friday
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
Not everybody on the Green Bay Packers roster has had an opportunity to spend quality time with new coach Mike McCarthy.
But come 3 p.m. Friday every Packer but those playing in NFL Europe will be exposed to the man general manager Ted Thompson called "Pittsburgh macho" when he hired him in January. McCarthy will deliver the first full-squad speech of his fledgling head coaching career sometime before that first practice.
"I'm actually in the process of cutting back what I need to say," McCarthy said early Thursday evening. "Because if I say everything I need to say I'll probably be up there for a couple of hours. I think it's important to have a message, but so is the length of it. It's about substance."
His boss thinks substance is what McCarthy is all about.
Thompson hired him because the two had similar philosophies on how to build a team and handle players, particularly those who are new to the National Football League. But Thompson also hired him because McCarthy has strong convictions about the rules he sets, the offense he runs and the commitment to the game he demands.
Part of his job beginning this weekend will be to assume leadership over the entire team, including its central figure, quarterback Brett Favre, who two weeks ago was undecided whether he wanted to continue playing for the Packers. Under Thompson, the club has taken a hard-line approach in refusing to bow to the desires of a single player and McCarthy has backed him up.
Now that Favre is back, McCarthy's job turns to re-forming his relationship with the quarterback he coached for one season seven years ago. It started with a lengthy meeting with Favre on Thursday morning in McCarthy's office.
"We talked for a long time," McCarthy said. "We were up in the office for almost two hours. It's a continuation of an ongoing conversation (this off-season). We talked about a lot of things. A lot of times when Brett and I get together we talk about issues and ideas and we also talk about games and plays. We talk football.
"That's what players and coaches like to do. It's all about football. That's what we do best and that's when we're at our best."
Asked if he thought Favre was truly on board with the program Thompson and McCarthy were authoring in Green Bay, McCarthy was blunt in his answer.
"I think he's definitely on board," he said. "If he weren't on board I don't think he would have come back."
McCarthy said he and Favre were supposed to discuss the amount of work Favre would receive in the two minicamps this month and the 14 days of practices known as organized team activities that run through June. Their conversation took too many other directions and the two never finalized Favre's work schedule, but McCarthy said he expected the 36-year-old quarterback to work in this camp and attend selected other practices.
"I'm going to be real smart with his arm," McCarthy said. "As long as he was here today, we didn't go through the whole schedule off-season. I'll probably do that over the weekend. He is 36 and looks good. He's in good shape. But we're a long way from playing a game. I'm more worried about the mental and fundamental part than the physical."
McCarthy said he wasn't worried about Favre's state of mind given he appeared to have one foot out the door not so long ago. But he does want him to get up to speed with his mechanics and the new language the McCarthy offense uses in describing plays and formations.
Through the off-season, the Packers have had about 75% attendance in their off-season workout program and those on offense are already familiar with much of the terminology McCarthy will use. Favre hasn't had access to a playbook and will need a little time to catch up.
However, after 14 years running the same offense, the transition won't take long.
"It's changed for him, too," McCarthy said. "They've done it a certain way for a long time now. He's not learning a new language, but he's learning a new slang version. He has to learn just like all the other guys have had to.
"But I think any time there's change there's anxiety, but there's also excitement because everything is new. It's about the challenge. And we all know how he responds to challenges."
McCarthy is hoping the changes excite Favre and rekindle his passion for the game, but his primary goal is to get the team - not just Favre - ready for the regular-season opener. McCarthy has 12 newcomers from the NFL draft last weekend and 21 players who were rookies or first-year players with the Packers last season, so he's not exactly dealing with an experienced group.
Before he can address the rookies, he has to make sure his veterans on offense understand what he is trying to accomplish with his style of the West Coast offense. So the first minicamp will mostly consist of the veterans running most of the plays and the rookies keeping a watchful eye.
"It'll just be very basic," McCarthy said. "We have plenty of volume but this will be a lot of our foundation things. Everything we put in this weekend will be all primary concepts. We'll build off those. We're probably going to struggle a little bit and then we'll get a little better in the second minicamp and by the (organized team activities ) I'm confident they'll be more comfortable with everything."
Besides Favre and the rookies, McCarthy will be on display as well. It will be everyone's chance to find out who he is and what he's about, although some think they already know that.
"I don't have any questions about the staff," Thompson said. "You never know everything about somebody, but I think I know what kind of coach he's going to be. I'm excited about it."
I love the way McCarthy is approaching things. Instead of treating Favre as a Hall-Of-Famer-In-Waiting, he is regarding Favre as most coaches would their starting quarterback. Which is to say, a very important part of the team, but not above anyone. I often thought Sherman made a mistake of treating Favre almost as an icon, instead of just his quarterback. Personally, I think Favre will react positively to the change in coaching style. McCarthy will hold Favre accountable for errors, whether they be physical or mental, just like he would any other player. I think Favre will respect that.