The mind-set matters most - My Turn

Most football fans know the on-field ingredients that make an NFL team successful: an outstanding offensive line protecting a superb quarterback; a potent running back who can get the tough yards; a run-stopping defensive front backed by an excellent secondary; and special teams that can deliver, either by putting the offense in great field position or putting the other team on a long field.

Those are givens.

But after many conversations with people in the NFL I respect, I firmly believe there are key ingredients--elements that can translate into championships--beyond having talented players.

No matter who wins the Super Bowl come February--whether it's preseason favorites such as the Buts, Packers, Eagles or Rams in the NFC; the Steelers, Dolphins, Patriots or Raiders in the AFC; or a team that surprises us, like maybe the Colts or Vikings--that team's success started long before two-a-days.

It started with a mind-set. As trite as it sounds, an organization has to have a single focus--like those great 49ers teams under Eddie DeBartolo and Carmen Policy or the Packers under Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren. Everyone, from the front office down, was thinking, "What can I do to help us win the championship?" That single purpose--that championship atmosphere--has to be there. But just as important, the owner has to buy in because when you talk about assembling talent, that begins with the talent in the front office and the coaching staff.

A person who is critically important to the business end today is the "capologist." When Jimmy Johnson got back into coaching with the Dolphins, he recognized that he had to adapt to changes in the game. He said you can't "fall in love with a lot of guys" because the salary cap will force you to face the reality that you're going to lose some good players. The capologist helps a coach maximize the value he can get nut of the money available. The coach and capologist then must work to find younger players who represent as little drop-off as possible from the top players a team might have to sacrifice.

An excellent coach is a must. He must be able to develop a cogent game plan and be adept at making adjustments (in-game and in-season). A guy like Jon Gruden comes to mind. He was smart enough to recognize the excellent pieces Tony Dungy had assembled in Tampa Bay and kept most of them in place. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, one of the best in the game, retained his job because Gruden recognized this was a coaching gem.

Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, one of the master adjusters, once told me it is crucial to have a strong staff in place, allowing the head coach to focus on being a head coach. There's not a better "architect" than Bill Parcells. And in his previous reclamation projects, he had outstanding coaches such as Bill Belichick, enabling Parcells to focus on the big picture. This year, Parcells is coaching his assistants, most of whom have not worked with him before, along with the players. He's spending a lot of time laying a foundation in Dallas; he does it by teaching, and he does it by exhorting.

The ability to motivate is crucial. It's an undervalued, overlooked asset. When the Buts went into Philly last year for the NFC championship game, there was incessant talk about them not being able to win when the temperature dips below 40. In a Knute Rockne-style pregame speech, Gruden had his troops so amped up about their mission that even Brian Mitchell's excellent kickoff return to open the game did not deflate Tampa Bay. And, of course, the rest is history.

Boy, I'm getting excited just thinking about the upcoming season. I'm so excited, I feel like I want to go out and tackle somebody. Hmm ... tackling Howie Long is probably not such a good idea!

The James Brown Show airs weekdays from 10 a.m.-noon ET on Sporting News Radio.

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