Quit it with ripping Fox for clapping after a bad play...

[George Shinnsplints]

Wow. Some of you guys really are so out of touch it's frightening. Professional sports are not like mid-level management. And just because a player gets paid more money than you do doesn't mean that he's any less deserving of some encouragement, and there is not a better person for that to come from than a head coach. Let the position coaches tell their guys how bad they f*cked up. It's not like the players don't already know it. And anybody who's played a sport in their entire life, be it curling or football, baseball or soccer, knows good and well that Fox isn't "congratulating" his players for screwing up. It's called encouragement, not congratulating. That's the difference between "Come on guys, we gotta pick it up," and "Great job!" the latter of which I can assure you is not what he's telling the offense after a lost fumble, 3 and out, or interception. Nor is he telling that to the defense after a huge pass play, missed assignments, blown coverages, or a touchdown.

Really, guys? Really?

To me, this post is condescending; it's awful arrogant to be so adamant that your opinion is right and everyone else's is wrong on an issue which revolves so much on a topic with so many variables, like psychology (I'm assuming you're not a Psych major? Neither was I).

There are different management styles, mine for a professional sports club would include encouraging players when they do something good, and letting them sort through their own issues when they screw up. I really don't think there's any redeeming value other than player loyalty (and that trait is very overrated for Ws and Ls) for encouraging players when they screw up, if they're really professionals they should be able to get over their own mistakes, and if they can't, I'm not sure they have the mental toughness to play in the NFL anyway.

The reason you sound arrogant telling everyone else they're wrong and you're right here is that there have been many successful coaches that were similar to John Fox in this regard (John Fox, Skinner for BC Hoops, Dean Smith, etc), and many successful coaches who applied an opposite strategy as well (Cowher, Lombardi, Bobby Knight in hoops, etc). I feel like i'm right, but I'm not going to say "Really guys, really" and "Some of you are out of touch" because I don't agree with Zod and some of the others in this thread.

[Skew]

Zod claps for me every time I take a big poo. Then he slaps me on the ass when I come out of the bathroom.

I find it weird

[panthersphan]

He claps b/c he's a softy...and can't yell at grown men....

[Vagrant]

The thing about Fox clapping after a bad play is like things that your girlfriend used to do that were cute right before you broke up with her. Like a little snort before she laughs or something stupid like that. It used to be unique and funny, but now that stupid skank needs to learn how to breathe properly before you choke her out.

Yeah, that's kind of like this.

[CarPanthers21]

You guys are completely right. He should get on their asses when they make mistakes, that'll teach them. Hell, he needs to even call their asses out publicly during post game interviews. If that doesn't get their attention I don't know what will ! Forget clapping.

/sarcasm.

[George Shinnsplints]

You guys are completely right. He should get on their asses when they make mistakes, that'll teach them. Hell, he needs to even call their asses out publicly during post game interviews. If that doesn't get their attention I don't know what will ! Forget clapping.

/sarcasm.

Nice straw man argument. I don't think anyone is claiming he should rip into players publicly after they screw up, or even yell at them on the sidelines. All we're saying is this clapping after turnovers thing is stupid, and probably counterproductive.

[George Shinnsplints]

The thing about Fox clapping after a bad play is like things that your girlfriend used to do that were cute right before you broke up with her. Like a little snort before she laughs or something stupid like that. It used to be unique and funny, but now that stupid skank needs to learn how to breathe properly before you choke her out.

Yeah, that's kind of like this.

That may be it. A lot of things become annoying when you're a fan of a losing football team.

[MaineManPanther]

I think either way, it neither has any noticable positive or negative effects. And if it does, its impossible to measure. So I think any praise or crap about it doesnt really have a point.

[Skew]

Zod claps for me every time I take a big poo. Then he slaps me on the ass when I come out of the bathroom.

I find it weird

I think either way, it neither has any noticable positive or negative effects. And if it does, its impossible to measure. So I think any praise or crap about it doesnt really have a point.

But I don't even work with Zod.

[malik]

Players aren't people? They are not allowed to make mistakes?

perfection isnt possible. But when it is, we call it peyton manning.

[Catdaddy]

He's clapping for the effort, not the result.

[Fox007]

He's clapping for the effort, not the result.

So I guess Peppers only gets clapped at every other week or so.:biggrinjester:

[ed bell]

Expand the concept of clapping to include something different than cheering. We aren't on the sidelines or in the locker room. This is a non-issue unless one is interested in justifying their belief in removing Fox as head coach. It's micromanaging the expectations of what a head coach should be. There will never be a consensus there. Some want a scowling disciplinarian that will show it to the camera on the sidelines. Some want an animated showboat that provides all sorts of crazy press conference quotes. Some want a solemn, stoic figurehead that seems disconnected from the players. The list could go on. The reality in the NFL today is that winning is the expectation and it must happen, now. The personality that makes it happen is secondary.

[Raskle]

Personally, I always found Holmgren to be the perfect blend of rip and clap. He never let it get out of hand either way as far as I remember, and his players seemed to always play harder for him regardless of which they were receiving at the time. Mainly though, I liked that he talked to his guys right then and there to try and fix whatever was being a problem or strengthen whatever was working.

Like a lot of you have said, these are grown men, and as such, should be communicated with, not screamed at incoherently (Cowher) nor applauded until they can fart smoke signals (which seems to be the case for Fox).

Then again, none of us are on that sideline, so who knows exactly what's being said behind those claps, no?