Jim Zorn Assumes Fetal Position, Uses It as Coaching Tool

Now that the Redskins have officially been eliminated from the playoffs, Sunday's matchup against the 49ers is more 2009 preseason game than 2008 regular-season finale. San Francisco interim head coach Mike Singletary has probably earned the full-time gig after going 4-4 since taking over for Mike Nolan back in Week 7.

Washington rookie coach Jim Zorn started 6-2, and nearly two months later, is sitting at 8-7. Things got so bad that rumors surfaced that his job might be in jeopardy, and after last week's loss to the Bengals, he called himself the "worst coach in America."

But for as different as Singletary and Zorn seem, they're both young head coaches trying to win football games. And they both have interesting ways to motivate their teams. Singletary's halftime trou-dropping episode is well documented, and the Sports Bog's Dan Steinberg gives us a glimpse behind Zorn's proverbial coaching curtain.

"After a practice this year I started talking about--I forgot which team it was, can't remember what team--but as I started talking I started talking about all the things that could happen with us. And I started acting like I was getting stiff and not being loose, every little thing I was talking about. And then at the end I fell over, and I was in the fetal position, plopped over. I was explaining that this was how we could be on Sunday if we played all tight. And then I got back up.
"I think while I was on the ground in the fetal position, our players were thinking, 'Ok, he's lost it.' I didn't get kicked, there was no dog piling. But anyway, yes, I did. I did."

After hearing that, I'm shocked the Redskins lost just five of six games. I don't know the response Zorn was going for, but the "Okay, he's lost it" one sounds about right.

I'd suggest Wade Phillips give it a try this week (at this point, it can't hurt), but he'd definitely need somebody to help him up off the floor and that would just ruin the effect. Frankly, he'd probably be better off just pulling down his pants.