hufnagel

[zark]

does anyone remember seeing hufnagel play?was he any good?I cant even remember who he played for.

[Rammer]

does anyone remember seeing hufnagel play?was he any good?I cant even remember who he played for.

Yes, okay, Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg, mostly sharing duties with others throughout his tenure in the CFL as a QB.

[Lions4ever]

does anyone remember seeing hufnagel play?was he any good?I cant even remember who he played for.

Because I am very old I can remember Hufnagel playing in college! I still remember the Penn State (JH was QB) v. Texas Cotton Bowl game when Penn State beat Texas. That was a long time ago. Ouch.

I remember him mostly playing for Calgyra and Saskatchewan but there were those classic mid-80s tilts against the Blue Bombers and my (shakey) recollection is that he was a Bomber in those days.

[mightybuck]

Its interesting.

Some of the best players do not make good coaches. They seem to be unable to relate to the average player to bring out the best in them.

Then some of the average players end up making great coaches

There are exceptions to that of course

[Rammer]

Its interesting.

Some of the best players do not make good coaches. They seem to be unable to relate to the average player to bring out the best in them.

Then some of the average players end up making great coaches

There are exceptions to that of course

Perhaps the average players got to the professional level just by doing more film work, which transfers into being able to recognize talent limitations and exploit strengths better than someone who just has it.

[mightybuck]

Perhaps the average players got to the professional level just by doing more film work, which transfers into being able to recognize talent limitations and exploit strengths better than someone who just has it.

good point

[Bosco]

I remember when Hufnagel shared Saskatchewan QB duties in the early 80's with Joe Barnes. For a while, they were shuttled in and out of the lineup so much, the tandem took on the collective name of JJ Barnagel.

[KnowItAll]

I remember Huff as being about 20% above average, and for some reason, a favorite of mine. At least when he played on the right team.

[Rammer]

I remember Huff as being about 20% above average, and for some reason, a favorite of mine. At least when he played on the right team.

Hufnagel never did play on the right team, period.

[West Coast Blue Fan]

Huffer was Bomber backup to Tom Clements in 1984....not a bad duo.

[TheLionKing]

I remembered watching Hufnagel. Never considered him to be a top echelon quarterback.

[Toppy Vann]

Its interesting.

Some of the best players do not make good coaches. They seem to be unable to relate to the average player to bring out the best in them.

Then some of the average players end up making great coaches

There are exceptions to that of course

I always liked Hufnagel as a QB. I'd not rank him up there with Kenny Ploen, Joe Kapp, Dieter Brock, Sam Etcheverry but definitely a good QB who was a good player but not a guy like Cavillo is today or Dunigan, Allen, etc.

I have thought about this issue of players becoming coaches and I think I can add some insight into it with a story. I started head coaching my own young kids soccer team at 15 while still playing actively on top winning teams. I used to be able to show these guys in game situations what to do. I even played at 18 in an exhibition game for my team of then 15 year olds against the top team in BC. I thought how advantaged they were to have me over some guy who didn't play at the same level as I was then at. Well, the results were always middle of the road. Teams didn't meet my expectations. My dad who really never played the game worked as manager with another coach in a division higher than me and that coach really never played either and they ended up champions producing a couple of guys who went pro. Later I realized that these guys were using their management and organizational skills.

I didn't coach after 21 when I went off to work and go to university. Years later I started coaching my son in soccer and the other in baseball.

What I discovered when I came back to coaching was that I was no longer thinking as a player but thinking as a coach. I really think this is one of the keys to transitioning from a player to coach. If you can stop thinking of the game as player and now as a coach you can make it and be a good coach. You have to like to lead and gain success through the efforts of others.

You also have to have a philosophy and a set of guiding principles as well as knowledge of the game and how it should be played in all aspects. You also have to learn to not talk too much. Players don't learn via lectures. You also need to know when are the teaching moments for a player and when it is not the right time. You have to be consistent.

Too often today I see youth coaches giving long talks in training or at games. It doesn't work with pros or senior amateurs. It has to be brief, specific and properly timed.

For me when I came back to coaching I no longer prided myself in being better than they were. I started thinking and acting like a manager/head coach. I didn't get frustrated that a kid couldn't rocket a corner kick in from the right and the left as I could using either foot. I used to show them that and wonder why these big tough kids weren't copying me!

Last November 4th (Arsenal 2 - Man U 2) a month or so after arriving here in Hong Kong, I was lost and jumped off the bus as I now thought I was heading for the China border - my map ended just before this park in Kowloon. I got off at a soccer park and there was a high school team preparing for a cup game with their young coach- mid 20s. It was 2 hours before the game and this coach was doing what I used to do. He was showing these kids how to do corner kicks and then it was free kicks and then crosses and then shooting. I was fascinated as I saw myself in him.

The other team didn't take the field as a group until 30 minutes from kick off. Their coach had them stretching and warming up and then moved to checking, passing and crosses and shooting for forwards and mid field. His defenders gradually lengthened their passes and kicks to full out longer balls.

Ten minutes before kick off this coach called them together and went over the line up I think and last minute instructions. The water bottles were there and all were now ready to play. While he had them there the ref assistant came and checked their IDs, boots, etc. I was impressed. I 'd not have done it a bit different from my senior mens teams. Now it's 5 min. to kick off and all this is done in 5 min.

At the other end, the young coach was less organized. He had still been doing drills and now his players were off getting shin guards and putting jerseys on and getting water. It was a hodge podge. By game time, he was now trying to get his roster set but the ref was whistling for Captains. It looked disorganized. Meanwhile the other team takes the field does their player group thing and is ready to go.

The young coach had some highly skilled guys. One guy who could have won that game by himself if he was used properly. They were bigger and stronger. The team that had been there for two hours ended up losing that game as all that stuff they worked on didn't include passing or checking - all what the other team did. It got frustrating for the young coach. At the half in the heat he talked to them the whole time - even before they got off the park and to the shade. The winning coach let his boys come off and he patted them on the back. He let them get their water and relax. After a few minutes, he called them together. Went over a few things. I dont know what he said but it was brief, seemed specific to a few breakdowns where mid fielders weren't picking up the runners. They came out on fire.

The ref whistles the half to start and the young coach is still making his subs and talking.

Result. Young guy's team loses to a lesser skilled team and to a coach who probably couldn't have tied that other coach's laces up.