TEAM CHEMISTRY

Team Chemistry

After the Super Bowl all the Packer Players could not say enough about their teammates and how well they all work together with no bad apples. We all like to hear that talk and it makes us feel good about all the players on the team. I have had long standing discussions with others about the importance of team chemistry in sports like football. On the surface it seems a slam dunk---of course team chemistry is a key ingredient to success on the field. The players just told us that, as did the coaches.

HOWEVER, the issue is not so simple. It is just another one of those questions of which came first, the chicken or the egg. First of all, talent is needed at all the different positions. That is also a slam dunk. Then, winning also breeds contentment, with oneself and then with the rest of your teammates. I can't recall any team winning where the players do not give effusive praise to all their teammates. Whenever we win we get into an effusive praise mode---to all sorts of others--- teammates, parents, coaches, spouses, children, God, etc. One of those 'everybody is great' moments.

ONE OF THE GENUINELY ADMIRABLE THINGS about winning is that it brings to the surface genuine respect for some teammates who otherwise would be on the athlete's subjective 'biggest jerk' list. Now they become an affectionately designated 'our jerk' and they understand they 'need' such 'jerks' to continue to be successful. If one wants to call that team chemistry, I would accede the point but then, winning came first. When a team is losing the easy targets are those who are 'different', those who keep to themselves, or talk to much, or brag too much, or break rules, etc. These are the 'cancers' of the locker room and the reason for the losing. This brings to mind an athlete so many love to hate, which is their right, but a 'cancer in the locker room is hard to establish. A person who is different does not, by that in itself, make him a cancer. Terrell Owens has been on several teams and those who can't stand his personality refer to him as a cancer in the locker room. Really? Then why, without exception, has every team he left gotten worse after he left? By what logic can one argue that someone is a cancer in the locker room, a poison to team chemistry, and then when the poison is removed the team does worse? Either team chemistry is not that important or the player was not harmful to team chemistry. In the case of Owens, when in his prime, his presence on a team made the team record better. Now, in his declining years, put on teams that are weak, even though he does well, the team does not. To me, this kind of proves that a given wide receiver cannot make a poor team good.

ON THE OTHER HAND, when a team loses a lot of games the finger pointing begins. Clearly there has to be a reason why the team is losing. Some players or coaches are not performing well enough. And each is trying to figure out where to place the blame. After all, if you can't figure out where the weak links are on the field how can corrections be made? Things get said or implied and team members start to get a little cranky and defensive. When the season ends no one is in front of a camera touting how wonderful their team chemistry was, and gushing forth with effusive praise for teammates, God, coaches, spouses, etc.

IT NEEDS TO BE NOTED that no one is kept on a team because they are nice guys. The nicest players with the best attitudes and efforts and personalities get traded or dropped all the time. They just are not good enough at their position. No coach ever says "we know Charlie is not that good on the field but we love him in the locker room so he stays." Of course not, team chemistry doesn't enable you to catch the ball, throw it better, tackle better, block better etc. What team chemistry does is make it more pleasant to go through practices and enjoy going to work more. And that may help you train better. That is about it.

FINALLY, we all know many teams who do real well with a team composed of starkly different and incompatible personalities. I mean a team composed of Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman is not exactly a picture of harmony and team chemistry. Rodman didn't even speak to the rest of the team most of the time.
Jordan worried about Jordan, and Pippen wallowed in envy. BUT, they won championship after championship and with each Championship trophy they all had wonderful things to say about each other. Winning does that. And THEY SHOULD say nice things about each other. They couldn't win without Rodman's rebounds, Jordan's scoring, or Pippens defense and assists.

The 1985 Chicago Bears are considered one of the best football teams ever and Dikta and Ryan wouldn't even talk to each other, the quarterback was off doing his own thing with attitude sky high, Perry eating his way to fame, etc. They were good simply because each player performed well during games.

Bellicheck is not noted for being a great coach because he specializes in building team chemistry. He is about as methodical and impersonal as a coach can be.
You perform well or you are gone. Bellicheck knows if you have an excellent quarterback and competent players at all positions, you will win most of the time. He doesn't spend a huge pile of money to attract the best at one position because that leaves him short money to get a competent player at some other position. Both Bellicheck and the Eagles dump players who get so good they demand a huge contract. You can't afford to be the best at one position (excluding quarterback) and weak at other positions.

Realistically, the Packer players can effusively praise every player on the team, and it is well and decent that they do, BUT the Packers did well this year because they had Aaron Rodgers, Woodson, Matthews, Jennings, a good coaching staff, and fairly competent players at other positions. Take Rodgers out of the mix and see how far all this team chemistry stuff carries them. All those dropped passes during the game were not a product of any kind of team chemistry, good or bad. That is just silly.

A good coach (like Phil Jackson) is able to take diverse personalities, even weird personalities and get them to allow teammates to live and let live with respect to each other. Bubba doesn't talk much---so what? Doosey doesn't ever shut up---so what? Doosey brags too much---so what? Everyone do your job on the field and all will be well. If that is team chemistry then so be it.