Hogs Haven: Chris Cooley Highlights Leadership Problems Now & Past Years

[Xero21]

Stop pointing the pitchforks at Cooley. The guy is the most talented player we have on offense. He's dropped passes this year? Great. Let's single out the mistakes of one of our great players as opposed to the other scrubs we have who are actually running their mouths.

[MLiverpool]

There was an article about the new Notre Dame coach, and when asked how he's been able to turn the team around on defense with all the injuries to key players he said its because they're now playing as a team, and not a bunch of individuals. The Skins are a bunch of individuals. Somehow they have to pull it together. Where is the yearly players meeting. Come on guys! Pull it together!

[MartyMcfly]

Maybe this is my blatant and incredibly biased man-crush talking, but I have no problem with what Cooley said. It's pretty obvious that we need leadership. Sure it would be great for Cooley to step up and get in people's faces, but I have always sensed that he is a lead by example type of guy. Also, what great teams are led by tight ends? It's gotta be the quarterback that takes responsibility and holds people accountable. In regards to the comments that Cooley is complaining to the media too often...I personally love that he goes on Lavar and Dukes every week and keeps a blog going. I love that he is trying to connect with fans. He cares about the fans, which is an increasingly rare quality in professional athletes. Most importantly, he doesn't sugarcoat what he says. After a loss like the one this week he really tells us what he thinks the team is doing wrong. He also always takes responsibility for his own play. He is always quick to say that he has to evaluate himself and improve himself. I think he is a stand up guy...far from the problem with this team.

[seantaylor=god]

I think the constant drone of "we're not talented enough" is total bull****! There's much less talented teams in the league winning football games, Bills anyone?

Talent is important, but it's not the answer, you need heart and someone who inspires their players to go against a more talented foe and play their guts out. Why don't our Redskins have this desire?

I'm a former Army Officer and I agree 100%. This is also the reason Gibbs 2.0 took a terrible team to the playoffs. Part of it IS the players though. Not talent necessarily, but picking up guys who have a unquenchable, unending, and obsessive desire for winning and will literally ball out until they collapse. Thats what we need. How many guys like that are on the team now (Fletcher? Maybe Cooley? Orakpo? Landry?)

[Seabee1973]

He actually hits the nail on the head so to speak the constant turnover of personell has hurt this team if we had had a good GM even if we had sucked for a few years a new coach should be able to come in and help out and help us into the playoffs. Hopefully this starts to change

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I love you CC man, but words are cheap.

Don't point the finger at others. Lead by example yourself.

Hail.

[Skins4life88]

Look at what Brady does when the receivers start dropping balls.We need that type of leadership on our team. London is the only one giving the Defense the riot act. Who do we got on Offense? Every player is only concern about how they are playing and that it. Last time I check it's a team sport so why not pull another player to the side and let him know he is playing like sh$t and needs to step it up....

[celticsalmon]

Leadership begins at the top. And look at what Dan Synder has done to his leaders-Marty, Gregg Williams, Zorn, etc. Cololey has seen it-so maybe he's learned to it's best to keep your head down, or else it'll get chopped.

[#98QBKiller]

Look at what Brady does when the receivers start dropping balls.We need that type of leadership on our team. London is the only one giving the Defense the riot act. Who do we got on Offense? Every player is only concern about how they are playing and that it. Last time I check it's a team sport so why not pull another player to the side and let him know he is playing like sh$t and needs to step it up....

Brady and Manning both hold their offensive players accountable. No one does that here. When Santana and Cooley drop passes and when the OL ****s up a play by missing an assignment, McNabb should be letting them know that it's not ok.

[Skinsinparadise]

Leadership begins at the top. And look at what Dan Synder has done to his leaders-Marty, Gregg Williams, Zorn, etc. Cololey has seen it-so maybe he's learned to it's best to keep your head down, or else it'll get chopped.

Dumping strong leaders like Gregg, Marty, OK. But Zorn, assuming that was a joke. I recall reading earlier this season that Mcnabb was the leader that JC wasn't., wonder how that went south? Cooley seems to be a stand up guy, I listened to his interview, he didn't seem too whiny to me. The comment I found most interesting was he basically said the players pretty much NEVER run a play perfectly, there is always at least one player who blows their assignment on every play. Unless I misunderstood what he was saying.

[ZoEd]

Bills are talented enough to be Super Bowl contenders? That the frame of reference usually used when people talk about lacking in talent.

Besides, Barry Switzer won a Bowl with talent alone.

Huh? I didn't say the Bills were talented enough to be Super Bowl contenders, that was my point. However, they're won against some good opponents and have been in a lot of games they should have been blown out in. They haven't gotten beaten the way the Redskins did on Monday night. Again, my point is they're not winning on talent, they're plaing with heart.

[paloosa]

Is it just me or is Cooley starting to get annoying?

No, McNabb doesn't go to Cooley as frequently as Campbell did. However, Cooley's not as good as he used to be either.

In my opinion, don't complain about something not being done if you're not willing to do it yourself. He refers to leadership a lot... since he knows what it is, why doesn't he demonstrate some?

Are you serious? Cooley not that good anymore? What planet are you from? or What have you been smoking? Cooley catches the ball and makes plays and that was evident in that last game. If he is getting that annoying then stop listening. He has every right to be disappointed with this team and their performance. He was drafted to help win ball games but this organization hasn't given him the opportunity to work with players and coaches that have improved the team as a whole each year. Look at the Patriots, Colts, Giants, Eagles, and Steelers. These teams are always in the playoff hunt or favorites to win it all because they have the same thing in common. Continuity. They have a core set of players that have been there and know each other enough that they can rely on each other. Look at there O-Lines, D-lines, coaching staff, QB's and other skill positions. They all have been playing with each other for a long time. So to be bummed out or even disappointed is an understatement. But look at what Cooley has done. He has acted as a professional and never pointed the finger at anyone else to say"He is the problem." He even takes some of the blame for his lack of leadership but he is right in the sense that so much turnover isn't good for the team. That makes everyone a little edgy and worried if they mess up that they will be gone. The only thing that Cooley is guilty of is lack of leadership and not his lack of talent. He is still one of the top 5 TE's in the league and everyone knows that he is being underutilized by the team. Opposing players, especially LB's and safeties know they will have a hard time covering him. So I say again if he annoys you that much then stop listening and go to some other place to get your information.

[Skinsinparadise]

I think the constant drone of "we're not talented enough" is total bull****! There's much less talented teams in the league winning football games, Bills anyone?

Redskins have been in just about every game aside from the Eagles one -- beat some teams that are playoff contenders like Greenbay and Chicago. Tennessee beat all the other NFC East opponents, we beat them on the road with a gazillion players out on the sidelines, where we almost had the TE play O line. so it really depends on how you spin things. I could easily be a Buffalo fan and say look they won twice the games we have this season -- even though they have no offensive line, only one decent receiver, and undrafted/unreleased scrubs as their running backs. We should look at the Skins for inspiration... Personally, I don't think either the Redskins or Buffalo are teams to look up to. But to your point, yeah i don't see Buffalo as inspiration IMO. With Keiland Williams starting as RB, and arguably our best player Landry out for the season, are we really that more talented than the Bills?

Anyway, there seems to be a problem with this team that's been a constant for quite sometime and since I'm not a player inside Redskin Park I don't know what the culture is like so of course I can't speak to what exactly it is. However, even when Gibbs was back there seems to be a disconnect inside the locker and with the coaches. Every single year you hear grumblings about how people aren't playing together as a team, making mistakes, lack of communication from coaches to players and between the players themselves. You know, there's a hell of a lot of super smart people in the world who can't lead and a lot of really stupid people in the world who are good leaders. We need leaders in key positions within the organization, coaches, players, freaking water boys, something.

That seems to be true. And Cooley's refrain about there being no leadership on offense has been going on for a long time. Portis clearly wasn't a leader. Moss seems to be quiet. Cooley confessed that he isn't a leader. I recall reading that McNabb has leadership qualities, but i also read that its not really the case but that he's a loose jokey guy that keeps the players relaxed. On defense, L. Fletcher is a clear leader.

Is this the main problem? I don't know. Many say games are won in the trenches. We've seen the trenches work in our favor in the 80s where the hogs would just take over a game. We've on the other hand been the hogs in reverse for a long time. When things get tough it seems like the opposing D lines can manhandle our weak O lines. I'd figure it would have to be demoralizing to get pushed around like that And no I don't think i am underestimating our talent on O line. I haven't heard his comment on our O line this season but last season Kiper said it was the worst O line in the league. Greg Cousel who watches tape for NFL films said on Czaben's show that this season the worst performance by any O line in the league was the Redskins in the game against Green Bay.

I agree that the Redskins have some talent but if their O line is one of the worst if not the worst in the league isn't that one heck of a weakness, some would say the O line is the most important component of an NFL team.

Look at the past several seasons, what has the constant been? "I don't know why I'm not on the field", "I don't know why I'm not getting targeted more", "I haven't really talked to anybody on the team", defensive players have separate meetings, talent sitting on the bench to rot. WTF goes on inside the locker room? Jason Taylor is having a decent season, Brandon Lloyd has blown up, yet they were labled as busts here. There has to be a culture within Redskin park that demotivates people, WTF can it be?

A lot of teams have drama IMO even within our own division -- Coughlin with his players, Osi with the d coordinator, Eagles with Deshaun, Cowboys with a myriad of stuff. but when you lose it becomes a bigger deal. As for players doing bad here and excelling elsewhere Lloyd is really an exception to the rule. First of all Lloyd was a bust with the Bears after us and the season after too. all of a sudden he woke up. How did Archuleta do after he left? How about Rod Gardner? How about Taylor Jacobs? Michael Westbrook? Patrick Ramsey? TJ Duckett? Many of the Skins' discarded players aren't even picked up by anybody, they just have to retire.

You know I tell Airmen fresh out of basic trainig something every week. I tell them "your greatest asset to the Air Force is being a good Airman, of course I want you to be extremely good at your job but being a good Airman is all heart and you can't teach that". The same thing is true in football, you can be the fastest, strongest, most talented suma**** on the field but if 53 guys can't go out on gameday, play with heart, as a team, then all the talent in the world will not put W's on the scoreboard. Look at the teams around the league that have suddenly had success with no apparent change in personnel, did all of these guys suddenly become superstars? Look at the coaches who are successful, besides maybe Bellicheck who is simply just a mastermind of coaching, look at the teams that are successful; Jets, Pittsburgh, Ravens, Saints. They're coached by "football" guys. Not a bunch of pencil pushing X's and O's type guys, they're guys their players will strap up and go to battle for, they're leaders!

Talent is important, but it's not the answer, you need heart and someone who inspires their players to go against a more talented foe and play their guts out. Why don't our Redskins have this desire?

I would assume military types would like someone like Shanny. Some actually criticize him for being too much a hard nose military style disciplinarian. He has a good book about leadership which I read. He is very methodical about working the psychology of a team. I don't put it on Shanny for not having instant blockbuster success, they are doing OK. And yeah better then the Bills, the Bills big moments of the season beating the Lions but barely at home (Lions have lost on the road now every game for what three seasons in a row?) and then they beat perhaps the worst team in the NFL this season, the Bengals. OK the Bills played the Steelers tough. Well likewise we almost beat the Colts, does it matter?

Back to the Skins what they have like what the 5th hardest schedule in the in the NFL?

with if not the worst O line in the NFL, has to be IMO among the top 5 worst

without really a #1 receiver

without even a serviceable RB

with a defense missing their best player and cannot put pressure on the opposing QB.

Otherwise, all is OK talent wise, if only those dudes can be motivated better? Seriously when you watch sports show or reading player rankings in the NFL, noticed Redskins players are rarely if it all mentioned? I agree that motivation and culture change are needed. But I do think Shanny is the right guy for that. The skins went 4-12 last season with one of the easiest schedules in the NFL, if they go 8-8 or even 7-9 with one of the hardest schedules in the NFL within one season, that IMO is a decent improvement. But IMO if we convince ourselves looking at our division rivals and the elite teams that we are close to them talent wise and all we need is a culture change I think we'd be deluding ourselves.

I am not sure heart alone will let Keiland Williams run through Kevin Williams without a block setting him up. It's different I'd gather having a pro bowl guard like Chris Snee plow open a hole for you. Not sure heart will help Rodeyll Williams catch balls like Dez Bryant. I get your point but IMO its actually spooky to compare the young talent our division rivals have compared to us.

[Fred Jones]

I am not saying that roster turnover has not played a part in the progress of this team. I am not saying that leadership is not an issue with this team.

What I am saying is that Cooley is confusing talent with leadership in his comments in this thread. We simply don't have enough talent to consistently make plays. That is the primary reason for our record.

Cooley comments about being targeted 15 times a game. Well, there are other players on the team and I bet the coaches spread the ball around to confuse the defense. Teams would simply take Cooley away if we kept throwing to him.

I don't see a team lacking in talent or leadership. We have enough leaders, but leaders need good people or talented people under them to be successful. People mentioned Brady and others, well, put Brady behind our line and our receivers and I guarantee he won't be as successful as he is now. Brady can exert all the will power and leadership he wants, but it won't matter because you can't squeeze blood from a turnup. Of course, I will add that the offense would improve under Brady because he is a more talented QB than McNabb, but that is a different discussion.

[authentic]

I am not saying that roster turnover has not played a part in the progress of this team. I am not saying that leadership is not an issue with this team.

What I am saying is that Cooley is confusing talent with leadership in his comments in this thread. We simply don't have enough talent to consistently make plays. That is the primary reason for our record.

Cooley comments about being targeted 15 times a game. Well, there are other players on the team and I bet the coaches spread the ball around to confuse the defense. Teams would simply take Cooley away if we kept throwing to him.

I don't see a team lacking in talent or leadership. We have enough leaders, but leaders need good people or talented people under them to be successful. People mentioned Brady and others, well, put Brady behind our line and our receivers and I guarantee he won't be as successful as he is now. Brady can exert all the will power and leadership he wants, but it won't matter because you can't squeeze blood from a turnup. Of course, I will add that the offense would improve under Brady because he is a more talented QB than McNabb, but that is a different discussion.

Absolutely ^^, BTW anyone see the Colts on Sunday Night; with all of those tipped balls and dropped passes? Yeah, leadership and continuity is good, but you can't go far with subpar talent. Sorry, thats just how the NFL is.

[Conn]

The leadership talk is nonsense.

Yeah, its not like a player whose been here for 6 years would have an perspective on that. I'm sure you're right. :doh:

[ZoEd]

^^^^^I agree with what you're saying to an extent but a coach, team captains, team leaders; they have to find a way to inspire the very best out of everyone. I'm not delusional thinking that inspiration will turn Roydell Williams into Andre Johnson but inspiration will help them play up to their potential and sometimes even a little better. Hell, the Redskins won a damn Super Bowl with a bunch of "scrubs" and no names.

Bottom line, football is a team sport and people have to go out there on the field and go to battle together. If on almost every play one or two players is blowing an assignment their heads and hearts aren't in the game. They should be their own biggest critic and should settle for nothing less than 110% on every snap, every Sunday for 16+ games. Football is a tough sport and inspiration, motivation, leadership and guidance are needed. Who's givng these things to these players? When I watch Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Indy, the Pats, I get a sense of family, brothers in arms. When I watch the Redskins, I get a sense of a bunch of individuals going out there collecting a paycheck, minus a handful of course. There's no fire, no swagger, no sense of urgency. It's hard to get fired up week in and week out with the product being displayed on the field.

[Swift]

The mediocrity of this team has gone on for too long to think the problem is just talent or just leadership. In all likelihood, it's both. We lack talent at key positions, notably OL, WR, and DL. We also lack leadership and accountability. On offense, I don't see McNabb getting on receivers for dropping passes or OL for failing to block. On defense, I think we have leadership through guys like Fletcher, but that gets undermined when you have Haynesworth creating drama or Hall threatening to play outside the confines of the system.

We need an infusion of talent, we need guys who aren't afraid to call each other out, and overall we need a team that will critique itself in the mirror when it's losing and figure out how to get the job done.

[Boss_Hogg]

Is it just me or is Cooley starting to get annoying?

No, McNabb doesn't go to Cooley as frequently as Campbell did. However, Cooley's not as good as he used to be either.

In my opinion, don't complain about something not being done if you're not willing to do it yourself. He refers to leadership a lot... since he knows what it is, why doesn't he demonstrate some?

This is exactly what I was going to post.

Cooley's play has regressed; it's hard to say if its a result of injuries or poor scheming.

Why won't #47 step up and lead? He's one of the longest tenured players.

[OuterBanksTarHeel]

I think the constant drone of "we're not talented enough" is total bull****! There's much less talented teams in the league winning football games, Bills anyone?

Uh, the Bills are 2-9.

This team is not talented to be anything more than mediocre.

If your ceiling is a shot to sneak in as the 6th seed, then this is the perfect team for you.

Don't get me wrong--I'd love to see the Skins rattle off 5 wins in a row and make the playoffs.

But, big-picture wise, this roster is not good enough to be counted on to do much.

[OuterBanksTarHeel]

I'm a former Army Officer and I agree 100%. This is also the reason Gibbs 2.0 took a terrible team to the playoffs. Part of it IS the players though. Not talent necessarily, but picking up guys who have a unquenchable, unending, and obsessive desire for winning and will literally ball out until they collapse. Thats what we need. How many guys like that are on the team now (Fletcher? Maybe Cooley? Orakpo? Landry?)

Gibbs also finished 6-10 and 5-11 w/ the same group of players.

Sneaking into the playoffs at the last minute as a 6th seed every once and a while isn't an indicator that the team/franchise is primed for sustained, long-term success. Both of those teams also had to go on miracle runs at the end of the season just to grab the last seed. That's not exactly the best way to go about things.

The Redskins have been in the playoffs three times since 1993, despite the NFC sucking for most of that time period. The following teams have played in NFC Champ games during that time span: Arizona, St. Louis, Seattle, The Entire NFC South, NYG, Philly, Chicago, Green Bay, and Minnesota.

12 out of the 16 NFC teams have managed to play in an NFC Title game since 1993.

Saying that the Redskins issues aren't talented related is delusional. The Redskins have been one of the least talented teams for most of the last two decades. The sooner the fans and organizations accept this reality, the sooner steps can be taken to get better. Continuing to act delusional will get us right back to this same thread a year from now, and the year after.

[Ahmayzin]

I almost wanna cry for the team man. Interesting what Cooley said. Everyonce in a while, when I see guys out, they all have the same mind state.

When I used to see Chris Samuels out (random places) I would always say the same thing "Hey you still have a lot of fans, keep your heads up cause we all are rooting for y'all". Almost verbatim...everytime I see a player. Said the same thing to MArques Washington when he was stilll here. Early in the season when Trent Williams first go hurt I saw him out and told him the same thing. When I used to hang with Big Mike Sellar...same thing. They all reacted the same way...like scorned children. Like they had been beatin and abused and didn't feel like there was hope. What in the world goes on in those meetings and in the locker room? We have come a long way, despite Snyders screw ups of the past. I remember the days when I would go out and see Albert Connell and Michael Westbrook drunk at the club in DC....the night before a game. That crap has changed. They players are WAY more serious now, but there is some kind of lingering stinch that haunts these guys. I'm a softy for the B&G but still, I feel bad.

If any of them log on here secretly, I'll say it like I say it to the kids I coach: "Keep your heads up, I believe in you".

HAIL!! :logo:

[authentic]

The Redskins have been in the playoffs three times since 1993, despite the NFC sucking for most of that time period. The following teams have played in NFC Champ games during that time span: Arizona, St. Louis, Seattle, The Entire NFC South, NYG, Philly, Chicago, Green Bay, and Minnesota.

12 out of the 16 NFC teams have managed to play in an NFC Title game since 1993.

.

2 teams you're missing from your list (Dallas and San Fran.)...remember they won superbowls during that time span. So that makes it 14 out of 16...Guess what two teams are now left (Detroit & Washington).

[Mooka]

Bull**** Chris.

The offense has been built around Portis, Santana and yourself for the past 4-6 seasons. You all just aren't leaders. The only leader we had was Samuels whom we lost to injury.

[pokerhog]

I think there are a couple of interesting facets to this issue.

Snyder and Cerrato built the team around two things... Buying overpriced veterans whose careers were on the downside (aka Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith, Jason Taylor...etc,) , or whose value was tied to their former team (aka Dana Stubblefield, Brandon LLoyd, Adam Archuleta). Alot of our free agent aquisitions have eaten alot of our cap space and sometimes they have come by way of trade which has eaten away our draft picks. When you don't have cap space to devote to depth, you end up with brittle/overpaid Clinton Portis with a slew of undrafted players with unfortunate talent backing him up. Or you can't have a decent 3rd wide receiver, because you have spent all of your money on Albert Haynesworth.

The next part of the problem is that Snyder and Cerrato used their remaining draft picks very unwisely. The draft is the place you can get talent on the cheap, and there were far too many misses with far too few picks. No focus on offensive line for ten years and guess what? Our offensive line sucks. Drafting WRs like Devin Thomas, Desmond Howard, Rod Gardner, Malcolm Kelly, who never amounted to much? Our WRs suck.

There is another problem on this team that directly points to the leadership issue, and, surprise, Snyder and Cerrato are to blame...

Many will disagree with me on this, but I feel like we devoted TOO much leadership to University of Miami players. These are players who are so ****y that they decided to refer to their school as the "U". The mindset of the Hurricanes players that we drafted or traded for has always been a ****y, arrogant, me-first, entitled one. If you are filling your team with theses guys, who got by in college on pure talent, but not heart, then why do you think they are going to suddenly develop heart and teamwork and work ethic? At one point, the Redskins were like Miami North. Santana Moss, Clinton Portis, Sean Taylor, Rocky McIntosh, I'm leaving people out.... My point is, when everyone tells you your entire life that you are the best, that you are supremely gifted, that you alone can win games, then you don't need to WORK. You don't need your teammates. You don't need to listen to your coach. You don't need to practice or play in the pre-season (I'm looking at you Portis). We have too many players who believe they already have it, and not enough who believe they need to go get it! I don't think the problem at Redskins Park has ever been a lack of leadership ( Gibbs, Schottenheimer, Shanahan, hell even the old ballcoach is one of college football's greatest leaders), what has been lacking is players who respond to leadership! Players who want to be led. Players who listen to their team instead of their facebook friends.

Just my opinion...