BuzzerBeater Forums

I think the most important part of gameplanning is doing the opposition research. The U21 manager needs to do more than just lead the discussion. They have to do their homework and make that they have all of the information ready before you can even talk about tactics.

I think it is safe to say this is a cornerstone of the entire game. Not just the national level.

I have a chart with the complete history of each opponent's games including Score, Result, GDP usage, whether the GDP was correct or incorrect, did they use enthusiasm, and all their game ratings (OS, IS, OD, ID, RB , Flow).

Once again, I am sure we all do this. Or everyone just logs into buzzermanager to check team records? (addicting by the way)

Any USA owner can register for an account and contribute to the discussion. The idea that there is some small group of owners controlling the offsite is kinda of funny coming from someone who wants to create some secret email chain and have a small cabinet of "trusted owners". Doesn't sound like a community to me. During the finals, IIRC nearly 20 patriotic American BBers contributed to the gameplanning. The more people that contribute the better IMHO. Different perspective give you different insights that you can use.

Email is so much faster and more convenient.

But in the end advice is advice, and the manager is the one that has to make the tough call.

Your're right. And America needs to elect a manager that can make the right ones.

There is no Buzzer-Manager for U21/NT play. USA needs a manager that has proved that they can put the work in, not one that is full of hot air. Please add some substance to this debate.

Last edited by Phyr at 8/8/2015 7:49:21 AM

Right, the people saying "but we only got silver during continentals" are grossly misinformed. You accomplish auto-bid for worlds simply getting to the finals. Winning or losing that game does not matter.

“Winning is a habit. Watch your thoughts, they become your beliefs. Watch your beliefs, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character.” - Vince Lombardi

Winning matters to me. I hope that we find that the majority of Americans care about winning as well.

Major decisions, such as finals tactics, would not be openly discussed anywhere. I would implement a new email based communication system for things of this nature and for scheduling discussions. (i.e. mailing lists, cc's, etc) It would be much easier for managers to schedule time for a meeting when they have the information on their phone.

I'm confused. You've been talking the whole time about not letting a selective group of people run the U21, but that's what you're proposing here. You want a small group of people to e-mail about tactics, that sounds worse than what you were against before. Please explain.

Oh, and you still haven't explained how you're going to win. How are you going to get the gold?

I haven't just helped a lot in the past, and ran a lot. No, much more than that.

Go on the offsite. Look at all those training diaries. I was the very first one. I encouraged others to do the same. Then Wozzt made one, and then it started to explode. But it started with me, and my thread is still going.

Domestic scouting was non-existent circa S12. I volunteered to help with every 18 y/o, and I was the only one besides the current NT/U21 coach to be given access to the database(now extinct). I must have updated 100 18 y/o that first season. And after? Domestic scouting became HUGE. Dozens of scouts volunteered their time, and were given access to the database.

Training. I have trained 3 U21/NT guys in my career, most notably current NT superstar Otto Reedy. But I don't believe in those high salary behemoths that some train. I believe driving is the most underrated skill in the game. It is nearly free, and cap efficient, but it is the bridge between inside skills and outside skills. I like to think I was big in advocating for balance secondaries with your trainees, even if they are a shoo-in for the U21 team if you just pumped primaries.

I was an advanced scout under Sleet. I wasn't very good, I'll admit that(it was also about a dozen seasons ago, so..) but I learned a lot about spreadsheets, tactics, and opponent tendencies, and that stuff has not left me, even if I'm not as active as I was all those seasons ago.

Call me biased, but I think I should have been the U21 coach many seasons ago going off my pedigree. I'm not as active as I once was, but that doesn't mean I don't know how to do any of what it takes to be the U21 coach. I've been around man great ones, and worked with them.

The continental finals are an exhibition. It has no bearing on anything other than Pride. I'm not saying winning it isn't nice, but judging a candidate on that finals, that exhibition, win or lose, is harsh.

Not to mention that sometimes there is a tactical element to winning or losing that game. Like, which pool you will be placed in for Worlds. That matters quite a bit. Sometimes you throw that game to ensure the best shot at winning the Worlds competition.

Last edited by oriolekid at 8/8/2015 11:28:15 AM

The continental finals are an exhibition. It has no bearing on anything other than Pride. I'm not saying winning it isn't nice, but judging a candidate on that finals, that exhibition, win or lose, is harsh.

When they hand out trophies for exhibitions, let's make sure America brings home a GOLD one.

Thanks for the response. There's no doubt you have a lot of experience working with the NT and training players in the past. While helpful and putting you behind Phyr in my book, the U21 squad tends to be a "what have you done for me lately" type of position as players are routinely changing and I see Phyr's recent experience, including the scouting and developing of the players in the pipeline for the upcoming seasons, as having the edge over you. Is there any other reason you'd like to state that would make you a better candidate than him? And if you don't win the election, do you plan to contribute to the U21 squad this time around regardless? If so, how?

What are you going to do differently to get that gold? All I've heard so far are claims of a gold medal, but nothing else substantive. Please elaborate.