News: Witten serves as undisputed leader in Cowboys’ locker room

[CCBoy]

Witten serves as undisputed leader in Cowboys’ locker room

http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/article45565491.html




...“It’s incredible to watch him work and realize he’s been doing it for 13 years. He doesn’t take anything off. He takes every rep. He goes at full speed. He treats everything like it’s a game. It’s really impressive.”


Witten has become Mr. Reliable for the Cowboys, and it’s no surprise he is on the verge of two significant milestones. On Sunday in Miami, he’ll pass the great Bob Lilly for the Cowboys’ record for most consecutive games at 197.

It’s a record Lilly set in 1974. Witten has missed only one game in his career — with a broken jaw his rookie season.

And Witten could also flirt with joining the 1,000-reception club. He is eight catches shy of getting into that elite company that includes only one other tight end — Tony Gonzalez (1,325).


Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/article45565491.html#storylink=cpy

 

[perrykemp]

Nice article, however, I question whether Witten is truly the undisputed leader of the locker room....

Does he police the locker room, do other players try to follow his example, and emulate his approach?

He is a truly great player, however, he has never struck me as one of the true leaders of the lockerroom.

 

[Kalyan]

I have said it before, my gut tells me he will become a very good head coach one day, hopefully for our cowboys

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Nice article, however, I question whether Witten is truly the undisputed leader of the locker room....

Does he police the locker room, do other players try to follow his example, and emulate his approach?

He is a truly great player, however, he has never struck me as one of the true leaders of the lockerroom.

Yup! If locker room cancers (Hardy?) are the reason for the 7-game skid, wouldn't an "undisputed leader" and all-around good guy like Witten have the opposite effect?

In the end, it's all about football players playing football; not a good or bad locker room environment. The locker room personality is what media types like to create, romanticize and embellish.

 

[superonyx]

Nice article, however, I question whether Witten is truly the undisputed leader of the locker room....

Does he police the locker room, do other players try to follow his example, and emulate his approach?

He is a truly great player, however, he has never struck me as one of the true leaders of the lockerroom.

Why? How many times have you been in the lockeroom?
Because he never struck you as one of the leaders then the story written by people who have been in the locker room should be called into question?

 

[WoodysGirl]

Nice article, however, I question whether Witten is truly the undisputed leader of the locker room....

Does he police the locker room, do other players try to follow his example, and emulate his approach?

He is a truly great player, however, he has never struck me as one of the true leaders of the lockerroom.

I'd say he is..but that's because I pay attention to what his teammates say about him.

 

[superonyx]

Witten is a class act. He is one of the few professional sports athletes i feel comfortable being a role model to my sons. He grew up with domestic violence troubles and has proven to be a real man in a sport that seems to be loaded with oversized boys that have not yet figured out how to be men.

It will be a shame if he and Romo don't win a Super Bowl together.

 

[noshame]

If you watched the Dez blow up last week, you saw who was the first player to get between him and the reporter.

 

[perrykemp]

Why? How many times have you been in the lockeroom?

I've never been in the locker-room. This is a internet discussion forum and I've provided my opinion based on the little information I am able to glean as a casual fan.

My opinion should not be considered a statement of fact. Just my best guess.

 

[etw926]

Why? How many times have you been in the lockeroom?

Exactly!!!

 

[DFWJC]

Probably better to word it "one of the undisputed leaders"...not THE undisputed leader.

In any case, great to have had around so long. And he is an outstanding example and leader.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Absolutely one of my all time favorite Cowboys. I'll probably be the saddest I've ever been, from a fan point of view, the day he retires.

 

[SDCowboy]

Probably better to word it "one of the undisputed leaders"...not THE undisputed leader.

In any case, great to have had around so long. And he is an outstanding example and leader.

I agree the title could be better, but to be fair, it doesn't say "the".

 

[Fletch]

Nice article, however, I question whether Witten is truly the undisputed leader of the locker room....

Does he police the locker room, do other players try to follow his example, and emulate his approach?

He is a truly great player, however, he has never struck me as one of the true leaders of the lockerroom.

I bet he does police the locker room, just like he does the sidelines, practice, etc. No questioning needed.

 

[Rockport]

Yup! If locker room cancers (Hardy?) are the reason for the 7-game skid, wouldn't an "undisputed leader" and all-around good guy like Witten have the opposite effect?

In the end, it's all about football players playing football; not a good or bad locker room environment. The locker room personality is what media types like to create, romanticize and embellish.

Wow and to think both of you actually believe this.

 

[Aven8]

Nice article, however, I question whether Witten is truly the undisputed leader of the locker room....

Does he police the locker room, do other players try to follow his example, and emulate his approach?

He is a truly great player, however, he has never struck me as one of the true leaders of the lockerroom.

I listen to the radio show that Brad Sham, and Ben and Skin put on every Monday night after a game. They have players from the team on weekly. Out of every guest they have asked this season they all said Witten. We are taliing about defensive players all the way to a guy like Butler. They said he is nothing like as he appears in public as well. He is a tough sob and talks alot they say.

 

[bark]

I know it was reported last yr during the randle vs dez dispute. Whit was the one that told randle not another bleeping word. He's the closest thing we have to a leader in that locker room from my point of view.

 

[Seven]

Yup! If locker room cancers (Hardy?) are the reason for the 7-game skid, wouldn't an "undisputed leader" and all-around good guy like Witten have the opposite effect?

In the end, it's all about football players playing football; not a good or bad locker room environment. The locker room personality is what media types like to create, romanticize and embellish.

#81 completely trashed this, and several other locker rooms.....................I believe there's something to be said about it. JMO, of course..

 

[Future]

Sure he's a leader, but that doesn't mean everybody follows him.

i.e. Marty B

 

[Reality]

Let me start by saying I am a huge Witten fan. I think he has been a great player and a great person to have on the team. That said, and I know I will ruffle some feathers with this, I don't fully agree with the article's premise of Witten being an "undisputed leader in the Cowboys locker room". I think he's definitely a leader, but "undisputed" implies that everyone listens and follows him and I do not believe that to be the case.

I think Jason leads by example and I think he is very vocal with most of the players on the team when he's on the field. However, I think he tends to shy away from players who are more animated or vocal, especially off the field. A good example of what I'm talking about was last week when he was giving an interview in front of his locker and Dez was going off on the media. He paused his interview and looked around the reporters to see what was going on. After a little time, he went back to his interview like nothing happened. An "undisputed leader" would have excused himself from the interview and walked over to try to calm Dez down. A leader takes control of situations like that before they get worse. Once they get really bad, no leader can calm the situation, so good leaders are proactive.

The bottom line is that one could argue he's an undisputed leader on the field, but I don't think he's an undisputed leader in the locker room.

Just my thoughts of course ..