"Get used to different"

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BrentVU
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"Get used to different"

Post by BrentVU »

Some of you may be familiar with "The Chosen', the crowdfunded TV series about Jesus' apostles. One of the catchphrases from that TV show is: "Get used to different."

Don't worry, I'm not trying to go all religious here. It just strikes me that that probably should be Vandy fans' motto for the 2021 season. Clark Lea is just a different, unconventional kind of rookie head coach, and some of the things he does really make people scratch their heads:
- Hiring a guy from a website that covers recruiting as the "General Manager" of the team.
- Hiring one guy as offensive coordinator, then enlisting another offensive assistant to call the plays. (Unusual, but certainly not the first time in college history this has been done.)
- A de-emphasis on everything that has ever happened in this program's past. (Don't most college programs embrace their past?)
- Not letting players have jersey numbers until they demonstrate enough leadership and dedication to the program; then randomly assigning numbers to the ones who don't.
- Making practices open and accessible to members of the media; and being refreshingly candid about injury updates.
- A very unusual team warmup routine; if you haven't seen the way this team methodically goes through game warmups, you should get there early next time.
- Pacing the sidelines calmly, almost emotionlessly, during games, and letting his assistants coach up their players. (He is certainly involved in game management situations, of course, like managing the clock on Saturday's game-winning drive.)
- An emphasis with the players on not letting THEIR emotions get out of hand. An emphasis on the players showing respect to everyone, on and off the field. An attitude that says everything is earned, and nothing is automatically given.

As we learned at his hiring press conference, Lea has made a lifelong study of successful coaches (Don Meyer, Tim Corbin, Mike Elko, Brian Kelly, etc.). His approach is an amalgamation of things he has picked up on a myriad of coaching stops. He's now a rookie head coach. Some of these ideas are going to work, and some may fail spectacularly. He's human, and he will make mistakes. But fans need to understand, nothing is happening here by chance. There is always a plan, and always a deeply considered purpose behind the plan.

Doing things differently always sets a leader up for criticism, and we've seen that on this board already. But if I had one message to give VandyManiacs right now, it would be "Get used to different."

(Oh yeah, that, and don't abandon ship if things don't go perfectly in Season One.)


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Re: "Get used to different"

Post by BrentVU »

Oh, another one: downplaying the value of the transfer portal.
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Re: "Get used to different"

Post by Podge91 »

And yes, The Chosen is absolutely fantastic
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