Things that good coaches do.

[Ullis]

Good coaches don't start drinking until halftime.

I'm shocked!

Good coaches start drinking before the game starts to even up the odds against worse coaches.

Good coaches never give up on a drive.

[otherdave]

Good coaches plan for and assume failure.

I'm hardly a 'good coach' but I heeded this advice when I started playing and now consider it bad advice. Good coaches that I've observed consider the consequences of any failed action, and have a contingency plan in that case, but a good coach will also balance the cost of failure with the rewards of success, and manage the risk of their moves accordingly (as others have said in this thread). I think that this risk/reward calculus is much more important that assuming failure and playing conservatively.

[mattgslater]

I think it's something in between. In considering risk vs. reward, human nature tends to downplay the future, which means you should tend to play "pessimistically" when considering odds. But there are a lot of big risks that are still worth taking, if you can get enough of a reward and sufficiently mitigate the cost of failure.

Here's one.

Good coaches build their teams by winning on defense.

[Funksultan]

I think Joe's first reply to the thread just about said it all. Rather than ^c^v it all, i'll just add..

Good coaches:
Know it's a game for fun, and play accordingly.

Cheer when they make a miraculous play, cry when their opponents crush them, and generally add excitement to the game.

Have a line of players wanting to play them.


Note: Our old play group had a player that had superb tactics, and well thought out plans, and skill choices. Unfortunately, he had zero of the above traits, and thus, was often without opponents.

[Coachbalrog]

Good coaches... will play it out until the end.

Good coaches... will engage their opponent in friendly banter and conversation.

Good coaches... will sometimes choose the riskier play.

Good coaches... will recognize when they are outplayed and learn from it.

Good coaches... will remember that no amount of planning can stem the wrath of Nuffle.

and, I repeat,

Good coaches... will play it out until the end.

[Greyhound]

Well considering the usual clues I pick from bad coach I can probably reverse it. Good coach CAN do these, but a few signs of these will trigger "Noob" alarm bells

Good coach don't start a team with 0 RR
Good coach don't overload the LOS when kicking
Good coach spread their resources across the field when setting up.

[inkpwn]

A good coach will not have 10 cheerleaders
A good coach won't consider a desperate measures card a effective use of team treasury.
A good coach will not put the bombadier on the line of scrimmage.

[Purplegoo]

Good coaches plan for and assume failure.

I'm hardly a 'good coach' but I heeded this advice when I started playing and now consider it bad advice. Good coaches that I've observed consider the consequences of any failed action, and have a contingency plan in that case, but a good coach will also balance the cost of failure with the rewards of success, and manage the risk of their moves accordingly (as others have said in this thread). I think that this risk/reward calculus is much more important that assuming failure and playing conservatively.

Perhaps you answered your own point.

But, more seriously, Joe edited and fleshed out what I meant by that line as I was writing in his first five points, so I didn't bother. Planning for and assuming failure means that you will generally do things in the right order (from free to 'should I do this at all'), plan contingencies and not just fail a pickup in no-man's land, etc, etc. Of course, there are times when risk is the right thing, but a strong basis of doing the basics well is what good coaches do; don’t read too much into it in terms of being uber conservative - it was supposed to be a basic, new player type point.

[B SIDE]

Good coaches...

... contribute to the fluff by naming their players, painting their models, and cursing their rivals.
... have an extra coke in their fridge.
... know that fouling a guy when he's down is good sportsmanship, but cheating on advancement rolls isn't.

[mattgslater]

Well considering the usual clues I pick from bad coach I can probably reverse it. Good coach CAN do these, but a few signs of these will trigger "Noob" alarm bells

Good coaches never concede.

[Smurf]

Good coach don't start a team with 0 RR

erm... I have and the team still has no Rerolls. It is becoming a ponderous question at the moment, but I resist!

OK WE over 17 games.

PS and they're named and most feared is Rutger #10 the line elf... because he can take a beating, again and again and again etc. From Match to Match... Rutger, he gave! Vs the big buys, he gave! Against all the other tough nuts out there, he gave! When opponents ask what skills #10 has, He is RUTGER! Recently Rutger has learnt the dodge skill but is thinking of Sidestep to 'Give the team more!' At the last tournament the Norse teams asked about #10... Well it's Rutger and don't forget it! See you on the LOS next time is Rutger's motto.

[Glowworm]

Can someone start an "average coaches" thread so I can contribute.......

Good coaches make a good game better, win or lose!

[SunDevil]

Good coaches have fun playing and are fun to play against.

Good coaches don't always believe what some idiot podcaster tells them to.

Good coaches stay off the sidelines...most of the time.

[mattgslater]

When a good coach kicks your teeth in, you feel richer for the experience. When you beat a good coach, you feel like you accomplished something.

[antipixi]

For me, Good coaches ....

• ...are fun to play.
  ...will talk to you, but not necessarily whilst playing.
  ...will shake your hand before and after the game regardless of the result.
  ...smile!
  ...always go for the win, no matter what the current state of play.
  ...don't take stupid risks unless it is their last chance saloon play in turn 16.
  ...give you some level of pity when the dice hate you.

This what I play for and probably not the intended response to the thread. But it all depends what is important to you. :shrugs: