The Game of Football: What is best to Preserve Integrity

While searching the blogosphere this week, I came across two related blog entries in The Daily Angllhungnu2. The author has published various books in the world of Psychology and frequently publishes blogs on topics that are related to the realm of athletics. Recently, he has been focused on prominent athletic figures that have sullied their reputations, and the reputation of the NFL. This is a topic that has been at the forefront of the field lately and has garnered much attention through publication, radio, and television. One of his entries, "Busting His Bust...The Removal of O.J. from Canton" gives his view on the recent allegations surrounding former professional running back, and USC star, O.J. Simpson (pictured here). The second entry, "Should Belichick be Asked to Resign" alludes to the videotaping scandal associated with the New England Patriots, and what the best course of action would be for the game of football. I have left comments on these blog entries addressing both with my own viewpoints and why the face of the game is more important than any one face that makes up that game.

The actions taken by Bill Belichich, on behalf of the New England Patriots, is by no means commendable. What he has done deserves the penalty that has been placed by Commissioner Goodell. I actually think that a suspension from the league for the coach should have been included as well. However, I do not think that Belichick should resign from his current position. What he has partaken in is in fact cheating, and does reflect on the league negatively in the media, but is not means for self-expulsion. That, we can leave to those who have really scared the game, such as Pacman Jones. Belichick's actions should not give the NFL or any other players in the game a bad name but himself ( I believe these actions were only his idea), and the only way I think he should be made to resign, is if he did give others a bad name through his actions or helped to label the NFL, and all of its players and coaches, as a "cheaters league" much as Pacman Jones gave some evidence, quite unfortunately, for the stereotype that the NFL is a "criminals league". Goodell (to the left) has done a great job trying to protect the image of the NFL, and in doing so, has kept Belichick from becoming the type of sports figure that would warrant such a severe penalty such as being made to resign. The bottom line is what is the best for the "sake of the game". The game is for the fans. Without them there is no game, and no money to support it. It is best for the game to keep Belichick in, not because he necessarily deserves it, but because if he is made to resign you "cast a long and hideous shadow" over the game of football as well. In this age of steroids, its one of the last remaining popular sports that we don't have looming suspicions about. Baseball achievements and records have the shadow due to steroids, relieving Belichick from his duties will cast the shadow over football for cheating. Our national pastime has been tarnished, lets not do the same to the game of football, and do what is right for the game.


The recent allegations against O.J. Simpson are almost beyond belief. One would think he would have learned by now. Its strange to think that this one time childhood hero, and pro-bowler has become a serial criminal, but this does not take away the fact that he was a hero for many children and one of the best on the field. I have always been a supporter of what was achieved as a player matters most when it comes to Hall of Fame induction, but I agree we must draw the line somewhere.

I had an opportunity to meet Pete Rose this summer and he signed a baseball for me, pictured to the right, that says the words, "I'm sorry I bet on baseball". Some might say it is just a money ploy to inscribe something like this on a ball, but in talking with him, anyone could tell that if he could take one thing back in his life, the gambling would be it. He is the all-time hit leader, and one of the best baseball players ever. What he did was wrong, but he has apologized and does regret what he has done. Pete Rose, in my estimation belongs in the Hall at this point.

O.J., on the other hand, will never apologize for any of his actions, and we now see that he has no qualms about compounding his mistakes. Although I am not sold on destroying the bust and removing O.J. from the hall yet, I do think there has to be some action taken. Once again, we see that something has to be done to protect the image of the league and its fans. There is something to be learned from Pete Rose's regret, but nothing from O.J.'s continual court visits. This is the perfect opportunity to separate those who have become great people from those who were just good athletes, and we can all agree, O.J. was only, and will always only be the later.

Leadership: What Really Leads to Success

The sports world has seen many of its leaders scrutinized as of late. On September 13th , we saw one of the most respected coaches in the NFL, Bill Belichick, of the New England Patriots, as seen on the left, disciplined for filming the defensive coordinators of the opposing team in order to steal signs that would tip of the defensive formations being used. Earlier this summer, Michael Vick, the undisputed leader of the Atlanta Falcons in his time there has admitted to dog fighting charges. This does not even take into account the barrage of steroid allegations associated with some of the biggest names in Major League Baseball. This string of events that has taken place with childhood heroes and leaders of their respective teams begs us to find the true qualities of a leader.These qualities, although thought to be measurable through testing, go beyond that. A true leader holds that special quality, often called the "x-factor", that makes them, and those around them winners on and of the field.

A recent study by the University of Exeter, University of St Andrews, and Australian National University answered that question. They found that the best leaders are the ones who shape themselves to fit the group, instead of fitting the group to them, despite any action that is taken off the field. Although these finding do have merit, there are instances that refute this finding, and they come in the way of some of our generation's most successful leaders.
An article entitled "Leadership in Sports", points at Jim Fassel (to the right), a long time NFL head coach, as a poster-child for this leadership technique, but when we look at the numbers Fassel posted as a leader of his teams, we see that he was average compared to the many NFL coaches throughout the leagues existence.

In yet another related article titled, "Leadership Characteristics", by Karlene Sugarman, she states, "The quality and effectiveness of a great leader will often show itself by way of the team's effort as a whole." By this rational, Fassel, with his perfect leadership technique, as provided by the study of the University of Exeter, University of St Andrews, and Australian National University, should get more out of his players than any other coach in the league, which in turn should lead to victories on the field, the barometer of success on any athletic playing field.

Another long time NFL head coach, Bill Parcells, as seen here, implements a vast contrast in Fassel's style of coaching. Parcells' approach has always been to fit his players into his game plan as if they were pawns in a chess-match. By the studies results, he should be unsuccessful as the team's leader, but Parcells is one of the most successful, and respected coaches of our time. He has amassed a 154-116 record in his time with the NFL and has a winning playoff record. Fassel, on the other hand, has a record that barely surpasses the .500 mark and has a losing playoff record.

Phil Jackson, of the Los Angeles Lakers, is another great example of a contradiction to these recent findings. Jackson was inducted to the basketball Hall of Fame this month and, in 1997, was recognized as one of the NBA's ten greatest coaches. In his sixteen years of coaching in the NBA, he has obtained a record of 919-393, and a playoff record of 179-77, including nine NBA titles tying him for the most all time. Jackson, like Parcells, has always fit his players into his scheme and has even been known to bench, and surpass the opportunity to obtain star athletes if they don't conform to his style. According to the study, he should also be unsuccessful as a leader in the athletic realm, however, this is once again not the case.

Leaders in the athletic realm are not limited to coaches though. Many athletes look to other players for leadership. One on the field leader was Priest Holmes. Holmes, pictured on the field, now looking to come back from a catastrophic injury, was the offensive leader for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2002 until 2005, the year of his injury. From 2002-2003, no running back in the NFL had more touchdowns or rushing yards than Holmes. The Kansas City offense, anchored by Holmes, was also considered one of the best of the time, and was a playoff contender in Holmes most productive years. Thanks to Elizabeth Merrill, new light has been shed on the character of Priest Holmes, giving us a better understanding of the man trying to reestablish himself as a prolific player after his injury. She reveals that Priest Holmes, the former on the field leader, kept to himself, did not talk to teammates, practiced on his own, and even cut ties with his own family during training camp so he would not be distracted. Most of this he did throughout the season, but still showed up quite noticeably as the teams leader every Sunday. As the best player in the NFL at the time, Holmes was forced into the leader role and played it well, but provides a look at the opposite side of the spectrum when it comes to the composition of a great leader, as described by the coinciding studies results.
This study, as said earlier, is not without merit, and could be true in most situations, but there is much to be said about the other side of the coin. Some of the best leaders of our day were not "team players", but this does not make them unsuccessful as a leader. There is some "x-factor" at play, and that is what needs to be brought into focus. Every good leader has that unique quality, and its not this easy to generalize.