09-09-2021, 09:06 AM
(09-09-2021, 07:27 AM)Bilbo Saggins Wrote: The question is a bit like asking "what's the difference between art and pornography?" A computer can't really do it. Objective data can't really do it. When you see it as an intuitive human being who is halfway competent at what you do, then you see it and you can't necessarily write a book as to why. Apparently Zac Taylor, who owns the absolute worst win to loss ratio in all of NFL history since Bert Bell, has done enough to earn a job as one of the 32 most elite head coaches in all of football existence. Somehow, paradoxically, Duke Tobin has done enough in the eyes of Bengals ownership to earn another stint as an elite executive and that this is a coherent strategy for attempting to build a championship football team. Perhaps talent and coaching complement each other when one is competent? Perhaps a top down culture of just not giving a rat's ass about results breeds things like, oh I dunno, sitting with injury rather than laying one's career on the line...? I don't know if "talent" or "coaching" is really even so much of an issue as "a reason to believe in the goal." Has Tobin with his chronic whiffs in the first round given anyone reason to believe in his own competence aside from his decisions to draft Green and Atkins? Has Taylor done anything at all to inspire the slightest whiff of confidence? Does anyone really want to go out and sacrifice their body for an owner who has publicly stated that good players earning more money in free agency and having the right to choose where they want to play is a materially bad thing that never should have been allowed to happen? Nevermind talent, how about basic human motivation?
So now, not a single Bengal even cares about winning? They are all just a bunch of indolent loafers?
I think here is where we see the difference between the men who have what it takes to make it to the NFL and the average fan. Men who make it to the NFL are extremely self-motivated and driven. They work hard to overcome obstacles to advance their careers. Meanwhile many average fans look for any reason to slack off and do as little as possible.
The competition for the top dollars paid to NFL players is brutal. The pride of NFL players in their public performances is great. Even players on poor teams have enough pride in themselves to try as hard as they can t advance their careers or avoid being embarrassed on the field.
So while many "average Joe's" will say "I would not care if I embarrassed myself on national TV or got released for poor play, I would not try hard if I felt I wasn't on a great team" the type of guy who can make an NFL roster will be working hard to preserve their public image and make as much money as possible.
