We need to draft smarter players

[StoneyBurk]

Two of the most successful teams of the last decade put a premium on smart players. The Patriots and the Colts have the most college graduates of any two teams in the league. They don't make as many pre-snap penalties as most teams. I think some of our players had very low wonderlic scores if I recall.

 

[THUMPER]

Smart players make fewer mistakes and tend to know where they are supposed to be on a given play. It is ALWAYS a good idea to draft smart players.

 

[AKATheRake]

Smart is a darn good start.

 

[hutch1254]

"Dumb players do dumb things. Smart players seldom do dumb things." Bill Parcells

I'll take a smart player with average skill over a dummy with talent any day of the week. Pac Man is a prime example.

I can still see Westbrook stopping at the 1 yd line that one game against us. One of the smartest things I've seen on the field. Reason? He wants to win.

 

[Doomsay]

Not sure Jerry can be a good evaluator of intellect. :

 

[links18]

Some of our players are borderline ********. No offense....

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Ken Hamlin and Andre Gurode are supposed to be the guys who line everybody up on their respective sides of the ball

and they are ********

 

[StoneyBurk]

Does anyone have the wonderlic scores on our players ?

 

[Biggems]

Lawrence Sidbury is intelligent. He designed that program to show the tendencies of opponents. He has football knowledge and is a hard worker.

Eric Wood is a football guy and a student of the game.

Nate Ness is a football guy and a student of the game.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Lawrence Sidbury is intelligent. He designed that program to show the tendencies of opponents. He has football knowledge and is a hard worker.

Eric Wood is a football guy and a student of the game.

Nate Ness is a football guy and a student of the game.

so is Antoine Caldwell (graduated in 3 years)

Scott McKillop

Edwin Williams

Jamon Meredith (very high GPA)

 

[28 Joker]

I don't know about you guys, but I love 5 yard false start penalties when the Cowboys are in the redzone in a playoff game.

 

[Clove]

Two of the most successful teams of the last decade put a premium on smart players. The Patriots and the Colts have the most college graduates of any two teams in the league. They don't make as many pre-snap penalties as most teams. I think some of our players had very low wonderlic scores if I recall.

What's the use when your owner and coaching staff are dumb?

 

[LarryCanadian]

I think this is a good thread topic and agree with original poster.

This is one thing about the "THUG" identity. In many cases the guys that are the thugs are also STUPID. Tank Johnson wasn't truly a thug, but he did some dumb things, seemed to have a dumb attitude last year, and didn't step up his play. Now PacMan was a thug and anybody who squanders that much talent and that much existing and potential money is also not intelligent. Terrel Owens is clearly not a thug. He never is in trouble with the law, BUT he might just keep himself out of the hall of fame if he isn't careful. Has he hurt his career by being "dumb" with his constant selfishness and personality clashes, sure he has. He has hurt his teams in as many ways as he has helped them.

Irvin was a bit of a thug. Same with Eric Williams, but somehow they had the street smarts and caring/winning personalities to get it done on the field too. Their co-players would be willing to sacrifice for these guys (although at the end, Irvin was pushing it too) but after a while I ain't gonna kill myself for a "I love me some me" teammate, sorry.

Gregg Ellis is another example of a guy that just doesn't strike me as all that bright all the time. Nice guy, who doesn't realize he doesn't do himself any favors by acting like a victim (woe is me, they drafted another linebacker, I have competition - woe is me they didn't extend my contract or redo my contract and pay me extra millions I don't deserve because I haven't lead this team to anything yet, etc). These type of guys just don't step up in the big games.

Even Crayton needs to be careful. He talks a bit too much and then boom he drops a key ball in the playoffs and looks like he cuts a TD potential pass route a bit short. Woopsy, the world likes to attack the big mouth that didn't come through.

Intelligence and street smarts in football players is an underrated skill. A number of players have made great careers without having the same physical talent, but by having a large dose of those intangibles, intelligence included. Ask a Zach Thomas or a Dat Nguyen or a Dexter Coakley, or a Steve Largent, etc.

LarryCanadian