Strategy Archives

Shopping for the Groceries

Reading Time: 2 minutes

In First is Worst in NFL Draft, the discussion hinged around the personnel department and draft strategy. But there’s more to winning Super Bowls than trying to obtain the best players. Those players have to develop into better players. They also have to execute on their role in the strategy outlined by the coaching staff.

The groceries matter

In his 3rd season as the Patriots Head Coach, The Big Tuna and Robert Kraft, then a “green” NFL owner, had a falling out. The rift was caused by differences of opinion on personnel decision making. Reportedly, Parcells wanted to draft Tony Brackens in 1996 but was over-ruled by Kraft, leading to the team selecting Terry Glenn. By the time the Pats reached Super Bowl XXXI, there was a media frenzy stirring over The Tuna’s imminent departure. New England lost the game.

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Ted Williams

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Ted Williams has a special place in my heart. As one of the all-time Red Sox greats and a favorite of my Dad, he is best known as the last major leaguer to finish the regular season with a batting average (BA) of .400 or better. He accomplished this feat in 1941 with an average of .406 marking the 28th occurrence of this rare accomplishment (including competing pro leagues in the late 1800s).

Over time, the .400 batting average has gone the way of the dinosaur. It’s been over 75 years since it was last accomplished. In the 1890’s it was achieved 11 times, including 5 players who had a BA over .400 in the 1894 season. Through the first 65 years of pro baseball, its occurrence has risen and fallen, eventually being snuffed out since Ted Williams made it happen.

Why?

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First is worst in NFL Draft

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Starting from the Top

The objective in the NFL is to win Super Bowls. In order to win Super Bowls, you have to win significantly more games than you lose, in most seasons. Winning games requires scoring more points than you surrender to the opponent. Outscoring your opponent requires some combination of better personnel, strategy, and execution (which I think of as the interaction between personnel and strategy). With the annual NFL Draft approaching, this piece focuses on the personnel part of the equation. Continue reading “First is worst in NFL Draft”

Golf Strategy

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Objectives

The objective of stroke play in golf is to make your way through 18 holes in the fewest strokes possible. This requires avoiding mistakes as each mis-hit adds one or more strokes to your score.

Too many amateurs ignore this and choose the risky, hero shot. This shot is typically an attempt to salvage a chance to make birdie or par. Like when you try to hit a 30-yard fade with a 7 iron through an 18 inch opening in the woods. You choose the low probability, high reward shot instead of the high probability, damage mitigation shot that keeps your round on track.

This is a mistake.

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