Bill Belichick and Coaches KISS As Secret To Success

In a headline that looks a bit more like it should be on the cover of People Magazine than the Bleacher Report, Patriots coach Bill Belichick and staff's coaching philosophies can be spelled K-I-S-S.

No need to panic. Belichick and crew have not employed the teaching's of Heidi Fleiss in their latest version of, "How to Win A Championship."

Instead, Belichick has instilled the "Keep It Simple Stupid" approach into his coaches and players en-route to three Super Bowl Championships and an overall won-loss record of 138-86 in 15 seasons as a head coach.

At a USA Football Coaching camp held at Foxborough Stadium last May, coach Bill explained his KISS approach to coaching.

"We try to tell the players exactly what we want them to do. Not 800 things to remember. But these are four things you need to do—'this is how we're going to approach this mini-camp, this is how we're going to approach today's practice'", he explains with the fervor and the commitment of a corporate CEO.

"Tell them the four things that are most important to you, that you want to see at the end of the day, so when you call the team up at the end of the day or at night, you can say 'here are the four things we talked about in the morning and let's grade that. Let's see where we are today.'"

As we've watched Belichick over the years, it is no surprise that his players and coaching staff drink the same Kool-aid.

"If they don't do what you tell them to do, I think you have every right to let them know about it and to make them understand that's not going to be acceptable. Or more importantly, you can't win until those things are accomplished.

"That's also for when we go to a game-plan situation as well. So whoever our next opponent is, the first thing I'll do when I bring the team in is tell them 'Look, these are the things we have to do to win this game, or, more importantly, if we do these things, we're absolutely going to lose."

Belichick has mentored his previous staff of coaches into numerous promotions with other organizations. At present, eight of his assistant coaches have been taken from his iron grasp and promoted to head coach in either the NFL or college, as well as five executives promoted to general manager of higher.

Belichick employs another battle tested philosophy when selecting his right-hand men.

"Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out."

These are the words of "The Gipper", former US President Ronald Reagan, and they describe the sound practice Belichick uses when selecting the constant replacements for his depleted troops.

His current coaching staff of Dante Scarnecchia (offensive line/assistant head coach), Dean Pees (defensive coordinator), Bill Obrien (quarterbacks coach), Ivan Fears (running backs coach), Pepper Johnson (defensive line coach), and Matt Patricia (linebacker coach) is a mix of seasoned coaching veterans, sprinkled with youth all carrying out the same Belichick philosophy of KISS.

So, if you see the stoic figure, dressed in the sweat shirt with the cut-off sleeves whispering in the ear of his troops, remember, he's only coaching.

Todd Civin is a freelance writer who writes for the Bleacher Report. He can be reached with comments or story leads at [e-mail]. He is a proud supporter of "A Glove of Their Own" and Good Sports Boston. Please visit the site at www.agloveoftheirown.com and donate under donor code GSC133.