Measuring the Immeasurable: Team Chemistry

And before someone says “well the team got better when T.O. left, so that means chemistry works!”, let me say this:

1. T.O. was very well-liked in the locker room, and still is liked by many guys still in our locker room to this day. He had great social cohesion as OCC might say.

2. T.O. however had a different task cohesion than everyone else. He cared first about his own production and secondly about the team’s production. That’s why he was a problem. It had nothing to do with “locker room chemistry.” It had to do with one major part of the offense not striving for the same goals as everyone else, and that’s why the T.O. Era was a failure and why every T.O. Era on every team has been a failure. He’s more concerned about stats than wins. He talks like he wants to win, but he doesn’t walk like he wants to win.

T.O.‘s case is a perfect example to prove OCC’s point. It’s not the locker room dynamics that matter, but the task dynamics that matter. I’d rather have O-linemen that HATE each other but know exactly what each other are doing than O-linemen that LOVE each other and miss assignments because they’re not in-tune. Prime example again: two of our starting OL were great friends with Cory Procter, but when it came time for him to start alongside them in 2008, the line SUCKED.

For all we know, the OL might HATE Kyle Koiser (not that they’d admit it). He might be annoying, pass gas, and he probably isn’t much of a drummer. But they sure as hell play better with him around than with their good old buddy Cory Procter.

One last thing: If friendship led to productivity, Jason Witten would never forget the snap count that Romo picks and we’d have quite a few less false starts last year.

Because whenever people say “Chemistry” or (for another day) “Character” don’t matter, they love to bring up those 90’s Cowboys.
But the point was that whatever was going on, it never effected what was happening on the field. And that was the big Diff with the TOwens stuff-it obviously did show up on the field.
Social vs. Task-exactly.

With Pioli, I think it has a lot more to do with his experience in New England than anything Todd Haley brought over!

Athletes constantly watch ESPN etc. and live a media universe, and things that in the past could be swept under the rug on Sunday, off-field problems (“indiscretions”), can now become “Distractions.” Many here still refuse to believe there is such a thing for “professionals”, but they are human and many pay even more attention to the media than most of us do! It definitely effects their concentration and focus.

What Irvin got away with in those days would be completely different today

LOL

As for “Roy Williams though – don’t know how to explain that one.” I don’t think Roy is purposely off task. He just can’t seem to fit into the puzzle that is our offense. He may want to and he may try to…but he just hasn’t been able to pull it off.

Will he? Don’t know, but I’m not holding my breath.

Why is he still in there if he isn’t fitting in? My best guess would be Jerry’s pride overriding his and his coaches’ better judgment. I’m hoping Dez can help him overcome that issue if he performs as well as we hope if RW continues to not fit.

Because I was waiting for the cheerleader pics and was disapointed.

As in OCC nailed this one. It’s not a matter of everyone loves everyone else, BFFs, and kumbaya-singing in the shower. It’s about task dedication and having each other’s back on the field regardless of whether there’s personal conflicts or disagreements; that each player’s role is defined and that role fits with the others so the whole machine is humming.

Overcoming personal differences for the benefit of the whole unit. Subordinating the individual ego for the group. Task cohesion is a better description than “team chemistry”.

My experience in the military says that social cohesion typically follows task cohesion. That is to say, in a high-performing unit, the respect and team work you build translates in social interaction, where a less focused, cohesive work environment inhibits social interaction.

Most players talk about “buying into the system” as a key to success. In some cases, they modify the system, such as the players working with Coughlin to ease back a notch, or Singletary last season giving in to passing the ball a little more last year. The key is a common belief in the coaches and the tasks or there can be no cohesion around it. When the standards are known and bought into, players begin replace the coaches as the enforcers of the standards, and that is the beginning of a high-performing organization.

From that you get the argument for continuity and stability over frequent change.

“character,” so I’ll just say, great post.

I don’t know how much faith I place in team chemistry as the critical component to winning. I’ve never been paid to play a sport, so it’s hard for someone like me to add value in that discussion.

However, I think you cannot have a team identity when the team is fragmented, and T.O. has demonstrated his propensity to fragment teams.

Dallas still has not recovered from his time here. When I think about our offense, I still can’t characterize what our identity is. His presence created such a rift between people, who should have been in lockstep about their true mission, that I will never forgive him for. He had a golden opportunity in Dallas and blew it big time.

Can you dislike your teammates and still win a bling? Of course. By the same token, can you really enjoy the company of your teammates and go 2-14? Sure.

I think champions (and all winning organizations) have a way of looking past social and cultural differences as a way of making the “sacrifice” needed to achieve a common goal. It’s a way of subjugating SELF to TEAM. In business, I know how important the idea of ‘sacrifice’ is to winning.

Charles Haley always said that teams that he won with had a clear understanding of the sacrifices they had to make to win it all and they willingly made them.

Strange that it would come from him, but that just makes sense to me.

I sometimes grow tired of statistical analysis.

This piece deftly articulated the schism that most pundits do not fully understand.

I think we are good in the chemistry department this year with the obvious exception of RW.

Specifically the injuries to Romo, Barber, and Felix Jones. You put those guys back in and they win at least 2 more games in 2008.

You somehow made an excel spreadsheet on team chemistry didn’t you?

I beat you did you motorboating SOB.

Cohesion is so important in team play. Don’t gotta like your teammate but you have to be able to trust him.

The only statement I would take issue with is the “apples to oranges” comparison to the Cowboys of the 90’s. Two of the greatest motivational factors (fear and money) were at the disposal of Jimmy Johnson that allowed the dysfunctionality to exist in the locker room: a) strength of his personality, and more importantly b) no salary cap. As a result, the “fear” of “no money” was paramount among the players, as Johnson demonstrated a willingness to cut players.

OCC – This is my favorite of your articles. Great points backed up and clearly thought out. You do a great job of making the point that you don’t have to want to go to Cabo together, you just have to understand that you’re working toward the same goal and be able to function as a unit. I think Wade (and staff) deserve a lot of credit, not necessarily for assembling the talent or establishing the goals, but as Mr. Landry put it, figuring out how to get there and staying on task. (I plan to use that quote, too.)

Hopefully, we can dispense with the dreaded ‘chemistry’ label as the cause celebre’ whenever times get tough. Along with the other subjective, impossible-to-prove – ‘effort’, ‘commitment’ and ‘focus’ that crop up as the tragic flaw du jour.

But is anyone else hearing that Dez’s agent is hinting at Top 10 money and a hold out? It’s a hot topic on Sirius.

You’ve clarified a critical nuance about character that most of us, especially the mainstream media, have trouble realizing – that all character concerns are not created equal with respect to effective teamwork.

This is why I’ve always believed Dez would make a great football player, because none of his character questions related to selfishness, effort or his commitment to football/team. OK St. fans, teammates and coaches all sung his praises, I’ll take their assessments over media pundits any day.

I’m surprised the NFL doesn’t yet have a Wonderlic-like test for “team aptitude”. Most of the really destructive character issues seem to revolve around unhealthy ego’s that lead to immense selfishness and, paradoxically, self-sabotage via destructiveness, needs for attention/approval, etc. (yes, Marty B, I’m thinking of you).

Attracting and rewarding team-first leaders is clearly a Cowboy priority. Our core guys – Romo, Ware, Witten, Ratliff, and Austin – may not be as charismatic as Joe Namath or as demonstrative as Ray Lewis, but they absolutely lead by example, playing hard every down and focusing on the team above the individual. TNew and Barber also fit this mold, which is a key reason they’re still getting paid big money…while guys like Ellis and TO got shown the door.

Hard to quantify it if you don’t experience it first hand. And its still hard if you do.

That being said, we’ve got a lot of good guys on our team. Jason Witten. DeMarcus Ware. Marion Barber (I don’t care about him spraying deoderant on reporters). Tony Romo (don’t care about his girlfriends). Miles Austin. Jay Ratliff.

High character guys. Do your job. Go home. Avoiding trouble is a skill. Just like avoiding tacklers. These guys seem to know how to do it. As well as giving back to the community.

I’d rather have that. A group of professionals I don’t have to worry about. As opposed to a group of guys who famously get along like brothers. Would be nice to have both. But I’d prefer the former to the latter.

that the team chemistry is there for sure, and I am so excited for this year…..I can just feel it that this is the year of the Boys’

On the Roy W. point, I think if he cuts down on his drops, (BTW….Drops would be another great topic for an article….for instance….I think 1 drop in 25 targets is about normal, and Roy had about 1 in 13 if my memory serves me from my last research on it), and runs better routes, and Both are correctable.

Even if he gets about 40-50 catches and another 7 TDs which is his average, I think if people can just get past looking in his wallet, he will be fine and worth keeping.

Witten and Miles are going to get most of the targets and that means Roy, Dez, and Ogletree will get what is left, so how can Roy possibly get huge numbers and completely turn the opinions around?

because I am not sure if one or both will be here come September.