We got a reaction from several Eagles fans around the nation to our little discussion about “cheating” in the NFL… not the least of which was a commentary by former Eagles cornerback Herm Edwards.
Former Eagles CB and also former head coach of the Jets and the Chiefs, Herman Edwards is now a football analyst for ESPN. Edwards is known for his gameday sermons and terminology, known by fans as “Hermisms,” including the quote and sound bite, “You play to win the game!”…
“I always told my players to do whatever it takes to get ready to play,” Edwards said. “As long as it’s legal, I want them to do it.”
Although Edwards never encouraged his players to break rules, he did emphasize that they need to understand a simple tenet of survival in the NFL: gamesmanship, even if it falls into the category of cheating, is a way of life. “In other words, if a man isn’t looking for a way to gain an advantage, he’s really courting plenty of heartache. Losing in the NFL is bad enough. To lose without using everything at your disposal, well, that’s a fate nobody wants to accept.”
“Everybody in this league is trying to find a way to get away with something that creates an advantage,” said Edwards. “If they get caught doing something, they’ll get penalized. But if they don’t, they’ll keep doing it as long as they can.”
Stealing audibles, for example, is quite common. Ex-Oakland Raider Matt Millen was a master at that during his 12-year career. He apparently could hear 10 audibles and know what each one meant by the start of the second half.
When Marty Schottenheimer coached the Cleveland Browns in the late 1980’s, he routinely sent a scout to watch the signals opposing teams used to relay messages from coaches to players. When the scout returned, Schottenheimer’s staff would watch the game film and match the signals to the plays that followed.
Edwards said the same is true today. It’s common for coaches to watch standard game tapes (which include shots from the press box and end zone angles), sideline tapes (which usually wind up on highlight shows and include footage of players and coaches talking on the sidelines) and even the television shows of opposing coaches for tips..
“We always want to hear what’s being said in case you hear an audible or a [defensive] check,” Edwards said. ‘”Coaches have a saying: “Anything you say can and will be used against you.'”
Some people simply have ultracompetitive personalities, such as former Redskins coach George Allen. He once sent an equipment manager on a five-hour drive from Washington, D.C., to West Virginia to retrieve some spring water. He had read that it could help his players stay more energized.
“This is a strategic game, and there are no slouches out there playing,” said Edwards. “You’re talking about the best coaches and players in the business. And when everything is that even, you have to use everything you have.”
“But we do have our codes,” added Edwards. “The most basic one is that we wouldn’t do something that would possibly end someone’s career.”
Edwards pointed out the case of Billy Ray Smith Sr., a defensive end who played on three teams from 1957 to 1970, and who chewed tobacco during games and spit on the fingers of opposing linemen to provoke false starts. “That’s what I mean by gamesmanship,” Herman added.
Another popular fad for awhile was defensive linemen who sprayed silicone on their jerseys to keep offensive linemen from holding…
Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus was so adept at learning his opponent’s snap counts that he would yell it out as soon as the quarterback started his cadence.
And when Edwards started his career as a Philadelphia Eagles cornerback in 1977, coaches warned players to watch their playbooks during walk-through sessions in opposing stadiums. “Things had a way of disappearing back in those days,” Edwards said.
The rules also are much tougher now, especially when it comes to another popular means of gaining an advantage: the use of banned substances. Most people think of steroids when cheating comes up, but the league’s decision to ban the stimulant ephedra in 2001 had a major impact on players.
Before the rule, it was common for players to drink “party balls” before games — a potion concocted from ephedra, Coca-Cola and Ultimate Orange (a drink used by weightlifters that is said to offer more explosive power than seven shots of espresso) — to maintain a higher energy level throughout the contest. Unfortunately, the consequences of drinking those potions without properly hydrating were scary.
Even Edwards admits he found his way around at least one rule in his playing days. When the NFL outlawed Stickum after the 1980 season, Edwards continued to dab a small amount on the inside of his cleats, just below his ankles. Whenever he faced obvious passing downs, he’d reach down and rub some on his fingers.
Of course, Edwards wasn’t the only player using that trick. He just understood the necessity of using every advantage. And he believes that is one thing that will never change in the NFL.
Coaches are involved in gamesmanship, too. In 1998, the NFL fined then-Broncos coach Mike Shanahan $15,000 for failing to list quarterback John Elway on the Denver injury report despite the fact that Elway had ribs so sore they eventually prevented him from starting that week’s game… (Shanahan responded by listing 22 players on the next week’s report, 20 of whom were labeled “probable”).
During 2005, the league also levied a $25,000 fine against then-Atlanta Falcons coach Jim Mora for using his cell phone during a game. Mora had used the phone in an overtime loss to Tampa Bay to learn how a tie would affect Atlanta’s playoff chances.
“It’s definitely a different league now,” Edwards said. “People are concerned about the image more than ever. But I also know there’ll always be some gamesmanship going on. That’s just how this business works.”
A final note on Stickum: Apparently our little discussion a few articles back on that sticky substance provoked a response from the Maine Arm-Wrestling Federation, which sponsors competitive arm-wrestling events and has a little “Stickum” controversy of its own.
Seems there is a huge debate over the merits of Stickum versus Chalk in arm-wrestling…to wit, from an arm-wrestler named “Allen”: “I think only Chalk should be allowed and Stickum/Rosin should be banned. Chalk simply drys your hand so you can grip without sweat. BUT Stickum/Rosin actually helps your grip by sticking to the back of the other hand. Chalk wont help a weak hand. BUT Stickum will help the weak hand.”
“Stickum is for people who refuse to work and learn the toproll. The chalk is the answer for it. The pine sap is nasty as well. I got a better one for you guys. I know of this one because I almost passed out on stage with “The Big Egyptian”. This guy sprays ether all over his hands to dry them out. Truth is, Chalk is better— but you can just about pass out when wrestling at the table when they use ether. Heck, change the rules and I will bring a rag with Chloroform, and that way I can just wait until the 3 minutes is up… and opponents don’t show at the table to get the win…”
Gamesmanship. It’s everywhere. My letdown is your advantage. Your obsession is my connection.
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