I heard an interesting point the other day about the difference between a mentor and a coach. They said that any new young professional needs both. In football, it has to be true too. A mentor is both a coach and an emotional crutch. A coach is a person who helps you become better at your job. A mentor is a go-to person for everything, from coaching to emotional support. Anybody who's ever worked in a job, particularly one with lots of employees, knows the feeling. There are some things you want to talk or bitch about your job, but you would never say it to your boss. There are a gazillion studies that show that young employees who aren't emotionally connected and who bottle up their anger and anxiety are more likely to hate their job and to progress slower than they should. In fact, the most popular employee satisfaction survey asks the question "do you have a best friend at work."

Veterans on a team can be coaches OR mentors, and both are invaluable for players who actually use it. And for the Vince Youngs of the world, it proves your immaturity when you refuse to use it.

If that's the case, why are there so many draft failures? Why is it that so many guys in the NFL fail to improve?

No, it goes much deeper. If you think that a 21 year old kid is going to listen to a 30 year-old vet, I think you're sadly mistaken. Individual talent and determination wins out, every time. It's not up to a "Vet" to "teach" a younger player how to play football or prepare. I mean, come on! These guys have been playing football for more than a decade in most cases (and often times, much longer than that).

If guys learned by "watching and listening", why did Dwayne Bowe have 13 drops last year? Are you implying that he didn't "watch and listen" to Gonzalez enough?

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A Monster season playing special teams why Mike Brown makes plays being a starter with the Chiefs :)

I see you're high as a kite on this topic too. :D

I haven't seen any contract details but, assuming they didn't break the bank for him or give him a long-term deal, I don't see how you can be down on this move. Low risk, high reward. Worst thing that happens is he continues to have durability problems, and if so then he's gone. He's better than what you have, no? So any play he's out on the field for, you're better off, whether he play all 16 games, 8 games, 4 games, whatever. It's all about the contract: if there's no danger, what the hell, sign 450 old or injured guys if you want and bring 'em to camp. The ones who work out, work out.

Actually it does. You think it's a coincodence that the guys I mentioned are either great players or HoF type players, and that those guys tried to learn as much as they could from a mentor?

I already noted, Sapp was in the last days of his career and he said the guys he was trying to help didn't care. So that pretty much blows the "If I were Mike Brown" bit out the water.

I said it before, the young guys that want to become great players will use these vets to their advantage. The ones that don't, won't, and in a few years they will be out of the league. If you look at every great player most of them always give credit to a former pro for helping them. Brady even did so with Bledsoe MANY times. Priest Holmes credited Ernest Byner all the time for helping him become a better player. I could go on and on and on. Generally the great players learned from someone because it's damned difficult to become great without soaking up that knowledge from them. So basically your line that "it's a myth" is BS. These are exceptions. It's pretty common.

Sure. All a player needs is a mentor to be successful. If he doesn't have one, he won't be successful.

Right...

:rolleyes:

I'm SURE that the reason they fail at a high rate is because mentors sent them to the bottom. Christ. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that not all college players are talented enough or motivated enough. Or the fact that each year, over 400 players are competing for a handful of starting jobs and a fraction of roster spots.

Let me get this straight. You're a young QB like Matt Cassel entering the Pats' organization. You would be that much of an arrogant punk that you would never once look over to Tom Brady and say "hey, that guy is the best in the business. Maybe I should figure out how he became so good"? That sounds that ridiculous to you? Or you're a star like Tony G dying to win a Super Bowl--you're not going to see Dwayne Bowe run a poor route and show him how to run them better?

You obviously misunderestimate human nature. In my work experience, there are tons of older people eager and anxious to help younger people. And there are tons of younger people that want to learn from the best. That's why most large corporations have mentorship programs. I can't believe that in a team sport you find it so hard to believe that there are players who want to help others to benefit the team.

NOBODY has said that. Stop being ridiculous.

Not all young players will take advantage of mentors. Not all mentors will help young players. But the young players that do will usually get better. You obviously can't improve a lump of shit. But if you've got a talented but inconsistent starter, a mentor can help him become a talented, consistent starter.

Again, tell me if you honestly think Matt Cassel would have developed into the absolute practice fanatic and film room fiend that he is without Tom Brady.

Gotta say Dane, you are being a bit obtuse on this subject.

I know

:D

OK then.

Carry on.

bI think the point some are trying to make is that there are two major things that aid a players development...coaching and example...if you get to see how a hall of famer, or pro bowl type player prepares, it gives you a better idea of what you need to do to get similar results.

Moss had Carter
Champ had Deion

Kind of ironic but dont you remember all the mentoring Priest and TRich gave LJ? That taught him patience and how to use your blockers at this level.

The type of veteran has to play the biggest role on if the veteran is properly mentoring.

I would be willing to bet part of being a Patriot is having to dp theae types of things and that is a big reason why they continue to play well through rashes of injuries

*cough cough cough*

I don't recall asking you to turn your head, Fred.:p