TAMPA – Giants coach Tom Coughlin is impressed with Yankees manager Joe Girardi’s idea to build team unity through pool.
“In this profession, we are all teachers at heart, and because of that we study methods and techniques of other coaches and leaders in other fields. Nobody has a monopoly on good ideas, so we all try to find something that we think will work for us to maximize the efficiency and production in our own situations,” Coughlin said via PR guru Pat Hanlon. “To Joe’s credit, he is doing something about it. I had never thought of a billiard tournament. That’s pretty good.”
Girardi opted to cancel the Yankees’ workout yesterday to take his team to play pool. It was similar to what Coughlin did in the summer of 2007 when he took the Giants bowling. Girardi admitted he is keeping an eye on Coughlin’s strategies and didn’t dismiss instituting a leadership council like Coughlin did in 2007.
“The greatest benefit of having a leadership council is that it facilitates communication, which is essential for success in any sport or any endeavor,” said Coughlin, who was attending the NFL combine in Indianapolis.
Coughlin believes off-the-field activities can help a team.
“What I think is important is that the players get to see the coaches in a social atmosphere where everybody is having fun and enjoying themselves,” Coughlin said. “In my case, the players have a chance to ride me when I throw a ball in the gutter, for instance. It makes the relationship more personal, more human, and makes the players feel more comfortable in approaching the coaches, especially the head coach.”