<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vikingfan)</div><div class='quotemain'>So you think Cowart is unproductive? I think he's proven that he can be a very productive player in this league. He is definitely on the downside of his career, but he still has the athletic ability to play and to play well. The most important part of taking him on, however, is his ability to get the younger players lined up correctly. I think it is a big assumption to say that he is unproductive, especially when he had a 140 tackle season just two years ago, and last year he was replaced by Vilma while he was hurt. There is no way to judge how good he really is. You have to admit that bringing a veteran player in who can still play, who can provide some leadership, and who knows the game will improve the younger players on the team, can't you?</div> It probably wont hurt thier chances too much. In the vikings case it may be helpful to have someone to teach younger players, since coaches arent able to.
Any coach will realize the benefit of having players on the field that can make their jobs easier. A coach can teach all he wants, but he can't line up on the field with a player during a game. So, let me just make this clear...you place no value in veteran leadership? You would be fine with a team of talented rookies and no veterans who have had experience in the league?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vikingfan)</div><div class='quotemain'>Any coach will realize the benefit of having players on the field that can make their jobs easier. A coach can teach all he wants, but he can't line up on the field with a player during a game. So, let me just make this clear...you place no value in veteran leadership? You would be fine with a team of talented rookies and no veterans who have had experience in the league?</div> I would want leadership on my coaching staff, dont need it in my players. I do need good followers.
I think that veteran leadership is a must! You cant fling a group of rookies out on the field, you have to have someone for them to look to for answers. Example bearsfan your WR corp is going to be much better due to the leadership of Mushin "Money" Muhammad, he has the talent to make plays on the field and on the sidelines, just wait and see I gaurantee they improve once he's in there.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FLORIDA PACKER)</div><div class='quotemain'>I think that veteran leadership is a must! You cant fling a group of rookies out on the field, you have to have someone for them to look to for answers. Example bearsfan your WR corp is going to be much better due to the leadership of Mushin "Money" Muhammad, he has the talent to make plays on the field and on the sidelines, just wait and see I gaurantee they improve once he's in there.</div> Yeah they will improve, cuz he will catch the ball and get yards and TDs for a team that hasnt had a lot of production. Not cuz he is being a f-ing cheerleader and teaching the youn'ns how to play.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BearsFan1)</div><div class='quotemain'>I would want leadership on my coaching staff, dont need it in my players. I do need good followers.</div> Fair enough...you are certainly entitled to your opinion. All I know is that players themselves constantly talk about the benefits of having the influence of a veteran player on the team, especially young players. What is ironic is that this conversation started by talking about Sam Cowert and how I believe he will help the Vikings linebacking corps by bringing leadership and a veteran presence. The ironic part is that Cowert himself attributes a lot of his success to the leaders and veterans of the Bills when he was a younger player. Again, though, you are more than welcome to your opinion that leadership does not matter on the field.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vikingfan)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BearsFan1)</div><div class='quotemain'>I would want leadership on my coaching staff, dont need it in my players. I do need good followers.</div> Fair enough...you are certainly entitled to your opinion. All I know is that players themselves constantly talk about the benefits of having the influence of a veteran player on the team, especially young players. What is ironic is that this conversation started by talking about Sam Cowert and how I believe he will help the Vikings linebacking corps by bringing leadership and a veteran presence. The ironic part is that Cowert himself attributes a lot of his success to the leaders and veterans of the Bills when he was a younger player. Again, though, you are more than welcome to your opinion that leadership does not matter on the field.</div> Leadership matters. It just shouldnt be coming from a player. He can set an example. You need your leaders to be on a level higher than the people following them. A clearly defined chain of command is essential to success. That is why the Moss was so bad. He knew he was more important than the coach. Tice doesnt have the kind of authority to command respect from his players, so they walk all over him.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BearsFan1)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vikingfan)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BearsFan1)</div><div class='quotemain'>I would want leadership on my coaching staff, dont need it in my players. I do need good followers.</div> Fair enough...you are certainly entitled to your opinion. All I know is that players themselves constantly talk about the benefits of having the influence of a veteran player on the team, especially young players. What is ironic is that this conversation started by talking about Sam Cowert and how I believe he will help the Vikings linebacking corps by bringing leadership and a veteran presence. The ironic part is that Cowert himself attributes a lot of his success to the leaders and veterans of the Bills when he was a younger player. Again, though, you are more than welcome to your opinion that leadership does not matter on the field.</div> Leadership matters. It just shouldnt be coming from a player. He can set an example. You need your leaders to be on a level higher than the people following them. A clearly defined chain of command is essential to success. That is why the Moss was so bad. He knew he was more important than the coach. Tice doesnt have the kind of authority to command respect from his players, so they walk all over him.</div> I would say I sort of agree with both of you....I like having leaders on the field but they must produce and lead by example as well....but having a guy out there like a Rodney Harrison that can check off with some younger D-backs to make sure they are in the right postion is also very important...but he also makes a ton of plays and leads by example as well...thats why if we lose Bruschi it could hurt...cus not only did he make most of the calls for the front seven..he made a ton of plays and led by example as well...but having guys with experience is never a bad thing...I mean we won our first superbowl with a team full of veterans that were "washed up" like Roman Phifer and Bryan Cox...
I think it was good for the Jets, Sam Cowart, as I recall, haven't made any impact plays which changed the momentum of the game into their favor. He was just like an average player, which any 6th or 7th rounder rookie can do.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BearsFan1)</div><div class='quotemain'>Leadership matters. It just shouldnt be coming from a player. He can set an example. You need your leaders to be on a level higher than the people following them. A clearly defined chain of command is essential to success. That is why the Moss was so bad. He knew he was more important than the coach. Tice doesnt have the kind of authority to command respect from his players, so they walk all over him.</div> Those are pretty bold statements that you are making about a team which you don't follow. Moss had more respect for Tice than he did for Denny Green, that is for sure. And when Moss did screw up, it was always Tice who brought Moss back with an apology. Moss is his own problem. I agree that the coaches should be the first teachers on a team, and the first leaders, but inevitably there are on the field leaders that emerge. The biggest problem with the Vikings linebacking corps last year was not knowing schemes, not lacking in ability, but rather not being able to take what they were learning in practice and translating it onto the field. Now the coaches can be blamed to some extent for this. But any coach worth anything will realize that the best way to help a player translate a good practice into a good game is to give him an example on the field that he can look to. An on the field leader is a tool of the coaches, not a replacement of the coach. It is the same way with Peyton Manning calling offensive plays. This isn't something that we criticize the coaches in Indianapolis for. We give them credit for recognizing a great weapon in his abilities. In the same way having an on the field leader is an effective teaching tool that a coach can use. Finally, regarding Cowert, he does represent an overall upgrade to the defense. He may not be an impact player on his own, but he will be that extra coaching force that the Vikings coaches need in order to make the linebackers play up to their potential. And regarding the impact plays that he makes, I'll take a linebacker who can put up 140 tackles in a season any day.
cowert can be an impact player, hes got to stop gettin injured but he can do well if hes there. I wanted to trade away cowert but i think a 5th rounder is more fair for both. In Buffalo he had 130 tackles but he never had that same type of production for the jets hes past his prime. to the leadership thing, you need a leader by example on your team, you really cant be a leader if you dont prove yourself or already have proven yourself you cant be respected. If ray lewis wasnt good and was just a guy who talked a lotr who would respect him and look up to him.... no one. Same with like Curtis Martin hes a leader because of what he does on the field. The definition of a leader in my eyesis a guy who everyone looks up to. You cant be looked up upon if you dont prove yourself as a player. But Cowert has proven himself to be a good linebacker, and the players will look up to him, he can help them learn the system and be a better player. Hes past his prime but i'm sure the only reason the Vikes brought him in was to be more of a teacher than a player
