PICKING COACHES AND SCOUTS

[KODIAK-BEAR]

What is the sceret to picking a good young coach or scout? Do you pick them young when they are green and have a lot of fairs to their abilites and let them grow through the years. What is the longest term you guys have ever signed a coach or scout. What I am getting at is can you pick a young guy, and sign him to a eight year deal and watch him grow, and not have to worry about him slipping away for a while. I would also like to think you all for answering my questions you have been very helpful. Take care and God Bless always Cliff.

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GOD SAVES

[Ctown-Fan]

Hello Cliff,

1st. you cannot hire a scout/coach for more than five years.
2nd. some coaches and scouts improve over time, and some do not. I don't think it has ever been discussed how or why coaches improve. It is a risk you take.
3rd. It can be tricky retaining a young coach/scout. Often, during the resigning period another team will try to steal your coach/scout. My suggestion is to make a fair offer and then inflate that a little.
4th. no matter what route you choose I would suggest this. Focus on what skills you want your coach to have and look for that. Also, be wary of signing a coach over the age of 60, often their skills will start to dimish. Finally, make mental notes about what works for you and doesn't. Questions and debate work a lot better when you have concrete examples instead of abstract questions.


See this thread as well http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~fof/ubb/...ML/002123.html
Cheers

[This message has been edited by Ctown-Fan (edited 01-20-2001).]

[QuikSand]

Questions and debate work a lot better when you have concrete examples instead of abstract questions.

I'll cast my ballot for abstract questions.


On the general question posed-- I think it's true that young coaches and scouts tend to advance in their skills over time. However, this is generally very slow and not very predictable.

CTown is correct, the maximum deal is for 5 years, so you'll have to re-sign your guys a few times (at least) if you want him to be a "lifer." Coaches and scouts tend to start a deline in their 60s, and the decline can be sharp around age 65-- watch out.

In my judgment, unless you fancy the novelty of watching a coach or scout "grow with the team" I would recommend taking the best guy available based on his current ratings, and expect that he will more or less stay put over the duration of the contract you sign him for. After that contract ends, then re-evaluate whether the guy has advanced, and whether he's still the best guy for the job.

In general, my approach with both scouts and coaches is more "avoid major downsides" that "pursue major upsides." If faced between two guys-- one with across-the board "good" ratings, and another with offsetting "excellent" and "poor" ratings, I'd probably take the former.

Of course if you have the luck and money, getting guys who are generally very good or better in the things you value most is the way to go. You can't always deal yourself a pat hand, though.

[SYMTEX]

Jim said in a Q&A that coaches and scouts gain skill rapidly in their 30s about 1 rating a year and in their 40s about one every 2 years then level out in their 50s and lose in their 60s he was talking about FOF2 at the time.It also apply's to FOF2001.I have noticed their are years when they dont gain even in their 30s and years when they gain 2 ratings so their is some randomnis to it

[SYMTEX]

By the way I always sign a coach/scout in early 30s with pretty good ratings and let him grow with my team

Its unpredictable. After signing a guy in his mid 30s for a five year deal, he eventually stayed for a total of nine years (from age 35-44) The team had much success and several bowl appearances, however his ratings did not improve in any category. I'm curious to check back with this particular scout after 10 more seasons to see if any ratings moved.

[Dustin972]

I personally have found that 2 of the biggest things are young talent and motivation. I hate having rookies not develop, and a motivation rating has proven to have your players play more to their true abilities.

[NovaBlazer]

It was said somewhere before that the most important skill rating for a coach is *avoid injury*. I would have to agree with this whole heartidly. It does not matter how good your rookies develop if they are flat on thier backs in the first two weeks of the season.

When I get a coach - he MUST have excellent in avoid injury.

[OldGiants]

I always get the best coaches and scouts I can sign. There's no penalty for canning a guy and there's no hit to cohesion.

I start out with a "development" coach, EXC young player skills, EXC and VG on as many positions as I can get. Everything else is optional, even injuries.

When the team is developed, maybe 3-5 years, I get a game day coach with playing calling and Injury avoid as high as I can get. Motivation, too. The I let those guys win for five to ten years, lose them to the salary cap, hire another development coach and begin again.