Bill Belichick went deep in a 45-minute interview with professional lacrosse player Paul Rabil.
Belichick appeared on the first episode of the “Suiting Up” podcast, which is hosted by Rabil, and went into detail on Lawrence Taylor, scouting methods and his coaching staff, among other topics. Rabil previously has described Belichick as a mentor.
In the interview, Belichick explained the importance of timing, as it pertains to both the on-field and business side of football.
“You can be fast, but making the cut at the right time is a little bit more important than being fast,” Belichick said. “Running the route on the right timing is a little bit more important than being whatever, tall. The bigger and faster and quicker and all that, the better, but the timing, whether it being in sports or business, the right decision can be the wrong one if the timing is bad. So, a lot of that is instinctive, and a lot of that is gained through experience. Timing is an important part of all critical decisions.”
Timing also can be important as players develop. Belichick explained how a less talented, but more amenable, player can move up the depth chart.
“It’s our job as coaches, or whatever part of the organization we’re in, to provide instruction and the right methods,” Belichick said. “So, if we send a guy down the wrong road, then even though he works hard and improves, it’s not going to turn out right. We’ve got to give the players a chance. We’ve got to give the team a chance by having a good game plan, by coaching good techniques, by setting up drills that will allow the player to improve. But assuming that he understands what he needs to do and puts in the quality work to improve it, then we’ll see a difference.
“The guys that we don’t see a difference in either No. 1, don’t understand or don’t want to understand because they just want to do it their way. Or they understand, but they’re really not willing to work hard enough to change it, so therefore it never really changes. It’s kind of lip service, but there’s no real change. And those players get bypassed by the ones that do the other, regardless of what the talent is. At this level, there’s different levels of great talent, but eventually the talent’s relatively competitive enough that a player who improves will eventually pass — and that won’t take that long — will eventually pass a player who has a little bit more talent that’s not improving.”
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
