Disco08 said:
How do you know how long it takes to impart one's full wealth of Aussie Rules knowledge? It's a sport, not Micro-seismology. So while he may not be able to impart it all in one year, I reckon it's pretty clear that he can impart a fair bit of it. How can you be so certain that what's left to teach is so much more valuable than a second round pick? Can you quantify the value at all? Would you turn down Cousins for Rich just like Livers for example?
Could not disagree more strongly mate. Forgive me if I get the wrong impression but the way you said that, it read to me as "it's just a sport". If we were talking about surburban footy I would agree with you. However we are not.
Before I elaborate allow me to point out, footy tactics wise, should be relatively simple. A lot of buzz words and nonsense gets uttered these days to make it more complicated than what it is, HOWEVER, the simplicity of football does not translate to the athletes development, preparation and individual performance
itself.
There is nothing simple about elite althletes. We are not talking about their average intelligence, we are talking about the wealth of discipline, behavioural management, knowledge, experience and science they need in todays sports environment.
I know from experience firsthand myself, athletes and human nature as a extension to that, don't learn all they can learn from someone (or even the majority of it) within a year of exposure to them. There is a lot more to it than teaching them a few tricks, techniques, setting example etc....
For example, Benny would assist in the following areas (talking solely from a example/teaching/leader influence, not his playing contribution or marketing blah blah);
- His presence/aura supports subconciously in the back of the kids mind what you aspire to profile/success/reputation wise (personal demons n/a here)
- His constant example on the training track drives kids to want to be better and gives them a measuring stick to elite preparation
- We don't have many players who can give first hand, detailed accounts of inside opposition clubs/big games/games. (I've heard Ben tell tales to players of other famous players training habits/freak abilities and I am sure he has told them many more along the lines of freak players playing injured or through grief etc in big games, these stories a) build camradrie b) make the right athletes hungry c) gives them more examples of how to be successful or want to be a part of successful atmopsheres)
- His gut running on the day constantly reverbrates through players heads. The more he plays (he has only played what 8 games? the more players get to see of him do it). Players aren't robots. They don't take in information 100% everytime they see it, on average they generally absorb things through constant reinforcement. This takes time. Polo might have had a bad patch with relationship or a ill family member and not be 100% focussed on his awareness/efforts, later down the track when he is, Cousins is still there demanding more of everyone, showing that while he is under a microscope internally and externally he is still performing 100% everytime he gets out there. That makes a strong impression on players and takes time to sink in and mean something more than the easy comment "Gee, he runs and works hard". Players can have long periods of being self absorbed, weeks, months, a season or years. Some you can recover with someone like Ben always there in their moments of self honestly/clarity.
- Ben is a fitness freak. He is a walking encylopedia of conditioning, fitness and recovery tips. He is not a instructor though and nor is it his job to systematically impart that knowledge to kids. Therefore he is more like a sponge that takes time to slowly squeeze the water out of him. The more he is around the more chances there are he spots something, has a conversation, etc etc where he can impart his experience/knowledge to a kid. Cotchin over trained in the pre-season, Cousins wasn't that tight with them at that point. You can bet he will be next pre-season, it's highly unlikely it would happen again if it was someone training with Cousins (as i bet Cotch will) due to the fact Cousins can say. "Look ease up mate, trust me, you have to learn what your body can handle and you can over train as much as under train" or he can say "Look if you really want to train, do some flexibility instead, you are running too much". Cousins is a fitness freak but he made mistakes early in his career, same as Cotch did.
- Cousins has inside experience/knowledge tactically on players/teams that not many of our players has. That often used quote from Jackson about what annoys you the most might be a edited version of something i heard. Before the West Coast game Jackson went up to Cousins and asked what annoys Kerr the most and he told him what he hates. Cousins wouldn't just have that info on old teammates, he has a wealth of experience firsthand or from discussions on other players strengths/weaknesses.
- There is the obvious technique, tactics, running patterns/strategies etc that many might refer to in saying surely he can teach that or the bulk of it already but it's not just about the players there either. It's also about the kids we draft this year, let our Jackson's concentrate more on their own game and development predominantly and statesman (may i use that term? :hihi) like Cousins impart knowledge and mentor green kids more on the training track/field.
- Cousins is a walking example of leadership. He is a throwback to the old side of football that still has a place (Rawlings also believes this) where players respond to emotion. That can't be fabricated for a year window to impart on kids, it can only be used selectively/sparingly not as a weekly session. You have someone who excels at that around the club all the time, every tough situation, every game where you are being challenged, every personal hurdle, is like unto a titanic problem of it's own when you are facing it at the time. Cousins has a elite rep for being able to demand the best of people, challenge them, inspire them with words. You can't have exposure for that long enough when you are young developing side, you certainly want them exposed to that longer than a year. It teaches the Cotchins and Jacksons and Lids how to go from setting great examples to being great leaders of men if they want to or have a natural inclination to do so.
Football clubs are dynamic places full of cliques, egos, self esteem problems and mental demons. It takes time to sort through all that and make a real lasting impact as a leader/teacher/mentor. You can have a sudden and immediate impact, sure. However if it is not reinforced over time and ingrained into habit it all fizzles to nothing and is sadly wasted opportunities. That reinforcement takes longer than a year, especially when it is from someone like Cousins who has had a host of unique circumstances that has dluted the impact he has been able to make.
That's why his impact is already becoming profound and people around the club raving about it. He is starting to blossom and find his niche in the club. He is starting to get over his self esteem issues and come out of his shell (he was gun shy around the club despite his profile/ego/rep) and more importantly it takes time to build personal trust and friendships and with them comes a more openess to ideas, learning and getting access to his experience. I hazard a guess Ben didn't want to throw his weight around too much early in the club also or be seen as a know it all and kept to himself partly for this also. he felt he had to proove to the club he belonged there and was committed and got his head down. Now he has proven that committment and earned respect from possible doubters or felt comfortable in his mind, he will contribute a lot more to the club.
I think it is incredibly simplistic to say he can impart most of what he offers in the year he is there and I think it is grossly wrong. I don't think anyone with a wealth of knowledge can do that let alone someone who came to the club in the circumstances he did.
