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Shell is Raiders' Pied Piper
New head coach convinces players to do things his way
By Bill Soliday, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area
ALAMEDA — When he speaks, they listen.
Art Shell stands tall on the practice field with his own football team, one for whom he can speak because he knows the Oakland Raiders so well. And they know him, which is why he is here.
He's been there. He knows. What he has to say has meaning in the history books.
"They know exactly where I'm coming from, and they know where we want to be," Shell explains.
That place would be in the champions' seat.
"There's nothing wrong with talking about it," Shell said. "I'm not going to soft sell the championship. Every team in the National Football League wants to play in the Super Bowl. So, hey, why not us?"
It is Shell's second minicamp, and if there was any doubt before, his team is getting the picture. Play tough, play disciplined, play proud. Play like their coach did.
"Players seem to be taking to Shell's direction. Young players, certainly, but older veterans and those in between, too.
"Tell you what," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "You'd have to be a dead man to not know who Art Shell is."
Center Jake Grove added: "He's done this. He knows whathe's talking about. He's got that credibility. He's a presence out there on the field, and he's someone you're going to listen to and respect."
Center Adam Treu has been an active Raider longer than any other, 10 years, and he sees a difference.
"There's an emphasis on individual accountability," he said. "If something is done wrong on the field, we repeat and correct it."
It is an approach Shell grew accustomed to playing for John Madden. Madden's practices were famous for repeating drills until players got it right. A two-hour practice frequently went into triple overtime.
Those were the Raiders' salad years, and even though modern players might never have seen their new coach play in person, they know the legends.
"They know I have three Super Bowl rings," Shell said. "I played in two and coached in one, so I understand what it takes to win and what we have to do in order to get there. So we have their attention ... and they want to win. They're tired of losing."
Guard Barry Sims agrees.
"It feels good, like we're on the right path," he said. "Everybody's doing the right thing. Everybody's held accountable for our actions and what we do. That's the only way you'll be successful is to be held accountable, and this coaching staff is different than the last couple. The last few years it seemed a little too loose, like we didn't really have the leadership we have now."
"It takes me back to my first couple of years with (Jon) Gruden. It's a lot like that. Everybody is in charge of what they're supposed to be doing. If they don't do it, then put someone else in there to do it."
Tackle Robert Gallery said: "I think the attitude is changing because he's demanding it. We'll see when we put the pads on, but I think it's moving in the right direction, that's for sure."
Sapp also likes what he sees.
"It (the response) has been real good. The thing about it is, everybody is closing ranks and getting in line and following one leader in one direction.
"That is one thing that kind of went awry a year ago. We had groups of guys here and groups of guys there, but now everybody has closed ranks. Let's get in line and march like soldiers. If you're leading in the right direction, people will follow.
"That's the only way you are going to win anything in this league. It's about one goal, one purpose, one direction, and that's where we are right now. And if we are all rowing the same way, the boat is going to move."
Although Shell's public persona is not that of a screamer, Sapp just laughs when a reporter suggests he comes across as soft spoken.
"He can get a little fiery at times," he said. "He is a great dude. His reputation precedes him. We haven't won many games around here, and if you haven't won many games around here, you might want to follow the lead of the guy who has won games, who has been there and done that."
Meanwhile, Shell seems to be enjoying himself.
"Smell the grass," he said after an afternoon workout, enjoying the atmosphere so much that he repeats that three-word sentence three times. "Being around the players, the practice ... there's nothing like it.
"We're all working for the same thing and just to be out here watching them work, to see kids do something. You preach it over and over again, 'do it this way,' and all of a sudden he does it right.
"That's a great feeling ... a great feeling."
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_3795445?source=rss
New head coach convinces players to do things his way
By Bill Soliday, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area
ALAMEDA — When he speaks, they listen.
Art Shell stands tall on the practice field with his own football team, one for whom he can speak because he knows the Oakland Raiders so well. And they know him, which is why he is here.
He's been there. He knows. What he has to say has meaning in the history books.
"They know exactly where I'm coming from, and they know where we want to be," Shell explains.
That place would be in the champions' seat.
"There's nothing wrong with talking about it," Shell said. "I'm not going to soft sell the championship. Every team in the National Football League wants to play in the Super Bowl. So, hey, why not us?"
It is Shell's second minicamp, and if there was any doubt before, his team is getting the picture. Play tough, play disciplined, play proud. Play like their coach did.
"Players seem to be taking to Shell's direction. Young players, certainly, but older veterans and those in between, too.
"Tell you what," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "You'd have to be a dead man to not know who Art Shell is."
Center Jake Grove added: "He's done this. He knows whathe's talking about. He's got that credibility. He's a presence out there on the field, and he's someone you're going to listen to and respect."
Center Adam Treu has been an active Raider longer than any other, 10 years, and he sees a difference.
"There's an emphasis on individual accountability," he said. "If something is done wrong on the field, we repeat and correct it."
It is an approach Shell grew accustomed to playing for John Madden. Madden's practices were famous for repeating drills until players got it right. A two-hour practice frequently went into triple overtime.
Those were the Raiders' salad years, and even though modern players might never have seen their new coach play in person, they know the legends.
"They know I have three Super Bowl rings," Shell said. "I played in two and coached in one, so I understand what it takes to win and what we have to do in order to get there. So we have their attention ... and they want to win. They're tired of losing."
Guard Barry Sims agrees.
"It feels good, like we're on the right path," he said. "Everybody's doing the right thing. Everybody's held accountable for our actions and what we do. That's the only way you'll be successful is to be held accountable, and this coaching staff is different than the last couple. The last few years it seemed a little too loose, like we didn't really have the leadership we have now."
"It takes me back to my first couple of years with (Jon) Gruden. It's a lot like that. Everybody is in charge of what they're supposed to be doing. If they don't do it, then put someone else in there to do it."
Tackle Robert Gallery said: "I think the attitude is changing because he's demanding it. We'll see when we put the pads on, but I think it's moving in the right direction, that's for sure."
Sapp also likes what he sees.
"It (the response) has been real good. The thing about it is, everybody is closing ranks and getting in line and following one leader in one direction.
"That is one thing that kind of went awry a year ago. We had groups of guys here and groups of guys there, but now everybody has closed ranks. Let's get in line and march like soldiers. If you're leading in the right direction, people will follow.
"That's the only way you are going to win anything in this league. It's about one goal, one purpose, one direction, and that's where we are right now. And if we are all rowing the same way, the boat is going to move."
Although Shell's public persona is not that of a screamer, Sapp just laughs when a reporter suggests he comes across as soft spoken.
"He can get a little fiery at times," he said. "He is a great dude. His reputation precedes him. We haven't won many games around here, and if you haven't won many games around here, you might want to follow the lead of the guy who has won games, who has been there and done that."
Meanwhile, Shell seems to be enjoying himself.
"Smell the grass," he said after an afternoon workout, enjoying the atmosphere so much that he repeats that three-word sentence three times. "Being around the players, the practice ... there's nothing like it.
"We're all working for the same thing and just to be out here watching them work, to see kids do something. You preach it over and over again, 'do it this way,' and all of a sudden he does it right.
"That's a great feeling ... a great feeling."
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_3795445?source=rss