Sunday, February 20, 2011

The Compass View on the Super Bowl Game


We forgot to post this item about two weeks ago. I presumed that some of our readers saw the Super Bowl game.
Following is our analysis of the three key strategic factors that enabled the Green Bay Packers to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers:

Factor #1 : The Injury Factor Determines the Strategic Advantage
Green Bay Packers knew that the Steelers running game could be easily neutralized when it was announced that the offensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers lost their starting center a few days before the game.

Usually most second string replacements do not possessed the real game experience. This usually causes minor timing challenges for the running game. Also, the Steelers quarterback had a mobility problem. This was due to a cast in his right foot. Since most games are usually won in the trenches, we believed that the Packers would dominate the line of scrimmage.

Green Bay Packers lost a few of their starters during the game. However, their bench continued the momentum of playing a sound and solid football.


Factor #2: Injuries limits the quantity of quality decisions and execution.
The lack of depth usually changes the technical schema of game plan and sometimes the timing of execution on certain plays. The Steelers running game was no longer a threat. During the one week break before the game, Green Bay's scouting and their defensive team watched enough film and studied the statistics to understand the offensive tendencies of the Steelers. Roethlisberger's decision habits and execution became predictable to the Green Bay defense.

Conclusively, the extensiveness of the injuries usually limits the decision habits of the play callers and the execution of the players. Green Bay was quite lucky that they had more quality depth to counter their injury problems.

Interestingly, both defensive coaches of each team worked together and knew each other decision habits.
Factor #3: Knowing the Big Tangible Picture
It begins by knowing the state of the terrain and the current performance state of the competitors. Learning their tendencies by using specific statistics and watching game videos, this step sometimes determines the outcome of the competition

Minimum Injury Advantage: Green Bay

Experienced Depth Advantage: Green Bay

Home Territory Advantage: None.
For the Super Bowl, there is no home territory advantage for either side.

By understanding factor #1 and factor #2, the Green Bay Packers were able to transformed the Steelers disadvantages into their strategic advantage. They scored first and then maintained the lead. Pittsburgh fell behind and never caught up. Regardless of the injuries, Green Bay also had the advantage of experienced depth and good contingency strategies,

Click on this link for an interesting graphic on the game,


Final Outcome
The Packers prevailed because of the above-mentioned factors and many other tangible reasons.

The Vegas sport books barely scored profit. For a micro moment, economic equity almost became real.


Post Game Review
After the game, both organizations realized that their team needed to improve. Green Bay has already begun the process of improving their team performance. In the case of the Steelers, the management team realized that they needed to strengthen their receivers corps.

Retrospectively, NY Times did a very good job in reporting the game.


Creating and Maintaining Strategic Power (Strategic Advantage)
"Thus those who excel at warfare seek victory through the strategic configuration of power, not from reliance on men. Thus they are able to select men and employ strategic power."
- Art of War 5
The Compass Rule of Being Compass Smart
One should always be strategically prepared for all situations. It all begins by understanding the Big Tangible Picture. The Compass Strategist would rather have extra plays (and/or additional assets) for the strategic situation and not need it, than to need it and not have it available.

The feeling of being strategically prepared usually makes one feels Compass Smart.

Final Words
By understanding the scope of the Big Tangible Picture, the successful strategist usually decides correctly. Knowing the reasons behind the actual outcome gives him or her a better overview of the reality behind the actual outcome.

The rule of our information economy is that our results-driven public demand
the latest positive outcome of any upper class performer.

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