Cranking It Up
December 29th, 2020
Regular readers know Joe thinks “leader” talk is about as empty as empty can be.
It fills so many hours for lazy sports radio talk shows it drives Joe wild (which is why Joe pays monthly for SiriusXM).
Joe firmly believes “leader” talk is just “rhetoric.” And why does Joe put that in quotation marks? Because that’s a direct quote from someone who would know.
In an interview with NFL Films years ago, four-time Super Bowl winner Jack Ham, who also was part of two undefeated teams in college, a Hall of Famer who was also named to an NFL all-decade team, NFL 75th-Year Anniversary team and NFL 100th-Year Anniversary team, expounded on how “leader” talk is a bunch of crap.
It’s simply “rhetoric,” Ham said. Who would know better?
So for all those who love to talk about “lee-dehrs” as Dan Sileo so often did, maybe this is for you.
Bucco Bruce Arians noted yesterday that guys who have been through the playoff wars, and now play for the Bucs, have dialed it up recently in practices. And those without NFL playoff experience (there are many) have noticed.
“I said it last week – it was a different aura at practice last week,” Arians said. “Even with Christmas, you could feel it. You could feel the want and desire of Lavonte [David] and those guys, but you could feel the Brady’s, the Gronk’s (Rob Gronkowski) and A.B. (Antonio Brown) also. [Ndamukong] Suh turning it up a notch and those guys felt it.
“They know, ‘Hey, these guys [have] been there and done it. I’m with you.’ I think it’s an invaluable thing to have these veteran guys who have been there and done it.
“It’s one thing for a coach, ‘Hey, I’ve got a couple of rings.’ But, it isn’t like Tom, Gronk and guys that are in the trenches with them. It’s different when you’re in that locker room.”
Joe thinks this is all cool. Is it leadership? Perhaps.
Or is it just guys who are professionals who have experience at producing at the highest level — for the biggest stakes — and preparing for those big games accordingly?
Either way, Joe likes it.
December 29th, 2020 at 2:01 pm
Suh JPP Shaq David, I expect them all to turn up. Watch how differently Suh played in the playoffs, when he played for the Rams.
December 29th, 2020 at 2:36 pm
Yea I’m sure suh would love to play arod and green bay again. He seemed to have some of that old nasty in him that game.
On another note. Next season we’re winning the division for sure. The saints 1 year super team is done. Consider they are 91 million dollars over the cap next season. And that’s for currently signed players. It does not include drew brees (if he returns, doubtful) or hendricks their leading pass rusher with 12.5 sacks whos playing on the final year of his rookie deal for 600k. (3rd round 2017 pick, must be nice huh jason?)So he will command top dollar(probably somewhere else)
The saints will be a shell of themselves next season. We win the division, im layin cash on that for sure.
December 29th, 2020 at 2:50 pm
And if someone pulled a Swaggy last week, he’d have gotten a foot up his ass because LEADERSHIP!
December 29th, 2020 at 2:51 pm
From Rob Reiner’s hilarious ‘rockumentery’ Spinal Tap: Most amps go to 10. Mine goes to 11.”
Go Bucs!
December 29th, 2020 at 3:26 pm
Jack Ham and Derrick Brooks are the only HOF’ers to play high school, college and pro ball and never leave their home state. Warren Sapp would have been the 3rd if he didn’t go to Cali and the Raiders,
December 29th, 2020 at 3:30 pm
The veterans who’ve experienced the playoffs are showing the others what it takes. As many have said, you lead by example. No need for a lot of talking, just walk the walk!
December 29th, 2020 at 3:58 pm
Leadership is rhetoric when you say it. “As a locker room leader…”
When you’re out front showing it, then it’s real leadership.
December 29th, 2020 at 4:07 pm
Good stuff Dewey!
December 29th, 2020 at 4:11 pm
Dewey:
You got Joe thinking. Add Chuck Bednarik to your list. He went to high school in Bethlehem, Pa., played college ball at Penn and only played for the Eagles.
December 29th, 2020 at 4:21 pm
Dewey:
Thought of another one. Dick Butkus went to high school at Chicago Vocational. Played college ball at Illinois and only played for the Bears.
Chuck Noll from Cleveland played at Dayton and only played NFL for the Browns. (Granted he got in Hall coaching Steelers.)
December 29th, 2020 at 4:25 pm
What kind of man needs another mans leadership? It’s so femmy to even think about. If you look at other men to be your mommy and lead you, and you’re an adult, wow, there’s something wrong with you. Man up ladies.
December 29th, 2020 at 4:41 pm
BA…just keep on train on the track….full speed ahead….
GO BUCS!!!!
December 29th, 2020 at 5:35 pm
At some point in time highly paid professionals who want to win do their job.
December 29th, 2020 at 6:42 pm
I’m not sure if I’m over-thinking it or under-thinking it, because I have no clue what ‘leader talk’ is supposed to mean. But I’m certain of one thing: leadership is a vital element when it comes to winning, and it comes in many forms.
Warren Sapp was often loud & boisterous, but his performance on the field demanded attention … and so did his words because they were backed up by performance. Same thing with Logan Mankins IMO. I still remember how Donovan Smith & Ali Marpet applauded him for all the help & hints he’d give them, not just in practice but in games also. That was leadership IMO. And it was critical to both of them in their rookie season especially.
And that’s a lot of what Tom Brady brings to the Bucs, despite being 43-years-old. Yes he ‘leads by example’ as some have said, but it’s a LOT more than that. He’s sets the ‘expectations bar’ high, and he continues to do that in a lot of different ways. That’s the type of QB … and leadership … that winning teams usually have. Being the best out of 32 teams is no accident.
December 29th, 2020 at 6:57 pm
Leadership matters……
December 29th, 2020 at 8:36 pm
We will truly see..what we have..come playoff time.
December 29th, 2020 at 8:57 pm
When faced with a Bucs team that has actually had success (finally), with good reason to believe leadership was a major factor, we start with semantic games. Is it leadership? Yes, experience, attitude, approach to work, and ability to inspire others to raise their level and coalesce as a team is leadership. But don’t say the “L” word or someone might need to backtrack and swallow their words.
December 29th, 2020 at 11:02 pm
Suh. Suh. Suh.
He is by far the baddest man in a Bucs jersey since Dave Pear.
If he gets the fire in the playoffs, he will carry the team on his shoulders.
December 29th, 2020 at 11:59 pm
lol @ people bringing up SUH in the playoffs THREE years ago. I havent seen suh do anything since the Aaron Rodgers game
December 30th, 2020 at 2:19 am
I have never agreed with you on this, Joe, and probably never will.
Leadership is important. Just look no further than the Bucs. They went nowhere until good leaders were brought in to break the cycle.
Look at the Bengals when they were so disfunctional half the team ended up in jail.
Look at the Patriots this year. They lost their leader and what happened? There are countless example. The only real question is what elements make a good leader.
Some fans think it’s nastiness or toughness. To them, if a player helps an opponent off the ground, it’s bad leadership. Never mind that Selmon did it a bunch of times.
Some fans get ‘leadership’ confused with ‘quality’. In their eyes, a player has to be elite to be a leader.
In truth, a good leader has multiple qualities that are important, on and off the field.
December 30th, 2020 at 2:24 am
941bucsfan, two years ago. Just before he was signed, people claimed he didn’t play well until the playoffs.
I don’t think he’s been our best player here, but he has certainly been among the best. His presence is why we are the best at stopping the run.
And all players are supposed to turn things up in the playoffs.
December 30th, 2020 at 7:22 am
Ask our play-offs bound players about leadership; they’ll tell you…
December 31st, 2020 at 8:51 pm
In the same breath this site says to pick up a veteran to help the young secondary then says leaders isn’t a thing!! … Y’all think you get traffic because your so good and because people just looooove your STUPID park violating ice cream eating or whatever crap!!! … Supply and demand is why you get the traffic… People just want as much buc news as possible and people have begged you to stop with the stupid monikers that you think would stifle your creative integrity… God y’all suck!! … It’s like going to a leftists site! Totally ignorant of their hypocrisy and irony