LifetimeBillsFan
04-21-2005, 12:38 AM
In an earlier post, a Jets fan mentioned that there was an article in a NYC newspaper mentioning the Jets had a FBI agent checking out prospects that they are interested in and there was another earlier post that mentioned that J.Miller, CB from Clemson, was arrested. Here is a link to the story that appeared in the NY Daily News today that details not only J.Miller's arrest, but also discusses some of the problems that L.Castillo, DT of Northwestern, and M.Jackson, CB of Michigan, have had. Since all three have been mentioned as players that the Bills might be interested in drafting, I thought that Bills fans might find some of this information of interest:
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/story/301572p-258184c.html
I am currently reading Marv Levy's book, Where Else Would You Rather Be?, and, coincidently, I just happened to read the following passage--which is certainly applicable to the above article--just this afternoon:
"The stay-out late guys are easy to spot. They show up at practice at the last minute, and they often doze through the team meetings. A general listlessness begins to dull their performance. They never reach their potential, and only rarely does this type of player ever mend his ways. How do you motivate a person like this? You don't! I readily admit that there is a secret involved in how to motivate NFL players. It's simple. Bring only intrinsically motivated players onto your roster. They hunger for guidance. They'll observe, and they'll listen when you show them and when you tell them how they can get better. I have found that the high-lifers enjoy short careers. As I have often told our players "You can't hoot with the owls at night if you want to soar with the eagles during the day."
I think that this is the reason that NFL teams are so concerned about the "character" of the players that they draft and why some very talented players end up falling a long way--well below where their talents would suggest that they should be taken--on draft day.
In the previous paragraph to this one, Coach Levy talks about the money that the pro players have and how it can affect some of them. I think that one of the reasons that some of the offensive line coaches in the league prefer to work with guys who are not high draft choices comes from their feeling that some of the guys who go higher and have more money in their pocket may not be as willing to listen to the coaches and learn the things that they need to learn to develop into effective linemen in the NFL, while guys who have lesser reputations and were taken later in the draft (or even were not drafted) and have less money will be more willing and eager pupils.
I think it is important to understand how coaches and organizations view these kinds of things because it can help to understand some of the seemingly inexplicable moves that we sometimes see teams make with players.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/story/301572p-258184c.html
I am currently reading Marv Levy's book, Where Else Would You Rather Be?, and, coincidently, I just happened to read the following passage--which is certainly applicable to the above article--just this afternoon:
"The stay-out late guys are easy to spot. They show up at practice at the last minute, and they often doze through the team meetings. A general listlessness begins to dull their performance. They never reach their potential, and only rarely does this type of player ever mend his ways. How do you motivate a person like this? You don't! I readily admit that there is a secret involved in how to motivate NFL players. It's simple. Bring only intrinsically motivated players onto your roster. They hunger for guidance. They'll observe, and they'll listen when you show them and when you tell them how they can get better. I have found that the high-lifers enjoy short careers. As I have often told our players "You can't hoot with the owls at night if you want to soar with the eagles during the day."
I think that this is the reason that NFL teams are so concerned about the "character" of the players that they draft and why some very talented players end up falling a long way--well below where their talents would suggest that they should be taken--on draft day.
In the previous paragraph to this one, Coach Levy talks about the money that the pro players have and how it can affect some of them. I think that one of the reasons that some of the offensive line coaches in the league prefer to work with guys who are not high draft choices comes from their feeling that some of the guys who go higher and have more money in their pocket may not be as willing to listen to the coaches and learn the things that they need to learn to develop into effective linemen in the NFL, while guys who have lesser reputations and were taken later in the draft (or even were not drafted) and have less money will be more willing and eager pupils.
I think it is important to understand how coaches and organizations view these kinds of things because it can help to understand some of the seemingly inexplicable moves that we sometimes see teams make with players.