Quote:
Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud
Uh, times are different now, Champ.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...oks/index.html
"I'll tell you the real reason,'' his friend Warren Sapp said over the weekend. "Because it's not the same for the veterans anymore. The NFL doesn't need us. In this NFL, the old vets don't factor in. The kids don't listen to nobody. Nobody! My last year in Oakland, I'd try to talk to some of the kids. Tommy Kelly, Terdell Sands. But they had no interest. I thought the ghosts in that building were so valuable, but none of the young guys cared. Once in a while, one of the old legends would come in the building, or make a trip. Jack Tatum would be around, and I'd say, 'You know who that dude is? You know how he played?' And the kids would be like, 'Nah, I don't care.'
"The game's different now. Look at Vince Young. Why wouldn't he listen to Kerry Collins? I'm sure Vince thinks, 'Nobody's been through what I'm going through. Nobody's been through my kind of pressure.' Are you kidding me! Kerry Collins, fifth pick in the draft, has all the ups and downs, gets benched, makes those racist comments, has the alcohol problems, moves from team to team, comes back, has success ... Vince Young should suck up all the knowledge Kerry Collins has to offer! There's no better role model for him.''
I have heard that Collins went out of his way last year to try to help Young when the struggling quarterback was having his quasi-breakdown. Young had no interest. Maybe Sapp's on to something. If he is, it's a sad commentary on the kids of the NFL. |
And your entire argument hinges on an opinion made by Warren Sapp and about the followership of Vince Young.
You have stories about Tony G teaching receivers routes and sitting down with Tyler Thigpen VOLUNTARILY to tutor the kid. You have stories of Cassel shadowing Brady and developing the same work ethic. You have stories of young players shadowing Cassel's strong workout regimen. You have stories about LJ throwing a shit-fit after T-Rich was traded. Are you really going to suggest that good leaders don't affect young players? I take a lot more stock in these stories than one opinion by a player who has a reputation for being an asshole.
No, not all veterans are great leaders (Favre) and not all young players are great listeners (Young). But it's a really tough argument to make that solid veterans have no effect whatsoever in helping out young players.