Blood, Sweat And Chalk – Read This Book!

If you are interested in change and innovation in sport then
you need to read this book – Blood, Swat And Chalk – The Ultimate
Football Playbook: How The Great Coaches Built Today’s Game. Sports
Illustrated writer Tim Layden does a masterful job of tracing the changes and
innovations in American football tactics. It is a very real and personal story
full of interviews with people who have been in the headlines and coaches you have
never heard of. For me it underscores that change is possible, though never easy or
comfortable. These change agents were often surrounded by naysayers. It also
proved to me that imitation is the highest form of flattery. As soon as the innovations worked everyone copied them, but only after they were proven to work. Even if you are
not into American football this is worth the read. I loved the chapter on the
single wing formation. Tim Tebow is a throwback to the single wing tailbacks of
the 1930’ and 40’s. The chapter on Air Coryell brought back a flood of memories having played against his teams at San Diego State in the mid sixties. His system was ever so simple it is still in use today. Designed so that it could be taught and mastered in two days. 

The coaches highlighted here were willing to get away from
the follow the leader sheep-walking world and innovate. Most innovated out of
necessity, they were getting their asses kicked doing it the old way, or they
did not have the personnel to do the traditional things so they found a better way.

It makes me wonder where
the next great innovations in sport will come from. I doubt it will be technology;
it will come from the creative mind of some unknown coach who dares to be
different.  Will it be you? Why
not?