Dispelling some half-truths about Shula's time in Tampa

[fieryprophet]

If I sucked at programming a decade ago, and was demoted to data work for the past 10 years while I watched other programmers write code, I might be better at writing code. But that doesn't mean I would be any better at figuring out the best algorithms in that code.

I've got a guy working for me right now who's about as good as it gets as far as syntax is concerned. He's got a doctorate in information systems. He's got all kinds of accomplishments to suggest he would be ready to write code again. And my best TA thought he was a junior developer based on the code he had seen, because he consistently takes what we feel is the wrong approach to solving problems. Frankly, as a programmer he sucks, although he knows every class and method in our application forwards and backwards.

Shula probably knows a lot more plays he can call now than he did 12 years ago. That doesn't mean he's gotten any smarter about when to use them. That skill isn't something you magically gain by working in a junior position for 13 years. So he's probably going to still suck.

After all, if all you needed to do to overcome a lack of skill was to go back and be a position coach for a decade, then the NFL landscape would be littered with people who fit that profile. And it isn't.

/programmer fist bump