NavyDave Posted July 21, 2001 Share Posted July 21, 2001 Show opened with Darrell Green at the ribbon cutting ceremonfr th new Skins store. He looks buff too. He has ben working out in Texas with Vernon Dean. He mentions how when he was a rookie he was in awe err in fear of all the vets espeially Dave Butz whom he sat next to on a flight. He ran off a list of his admired skins and said Marty's style of conditioning is normal to him. They showed the out of control skins of last year featuring A Connells explosion and T Robiske beng held back. Everyone knows A Connell wasn't on T Robs case he was p!ssed off and exploding at Norval which norval didnt acknowledge until pack out time . You should always expect to work hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted July 22, 2001 Share Posted July 22, 2001 . . .and said Marty's style of conditioning is normal to him. I remember an interview with Walter Payton. The interviewer asked how he'd managed to have such a long carreer. He said it was due to working out every day, not just a few months before the season, and occasionally in the spring. I remember mentioning on a thread about Shade, that I don't see how a guy can get from "I'm a professional athlete" to "I don't need to work out today". That's the one thing I learned during my athletic career (cross country in High School): It's a lot easier to stay in shape than it is to get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brave Posted July 22, 2001 Share Posted July 22, 2001 Larry - I think it's the difference between having a genuine love for the game as opposed to having natural ability to play at a high level and using that to attain big checks, fame, etc. Guys like Payton and Green are a rare breed these days. They would have played for 100K. Hell, they probably would have PAID to play outside of a full-time job if that was their only option. That's why they spent great amounts of time to gain the slightest edge. They know how fortunate they are to be playing, much less making a very comfortable living at it. I ran Track and Cross Country in high shool as well. You are absolutely right about staying in shape vs. getting in shape. I stopped at the collegiate level when it became obvious I didn't have the dedication or motivation to compete at that level. I have much respect for those who do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted July 23, 2001 Share Posted July 23, 2001 The Redskins roster for the last few years has been polluted with classic underachievers, guys who have achieved something somewhere else and just retired while still being on an active roster. Or even players that just have had college success or have been high picks and NOT produced at an NFL level commensurate with their paychecks. That includes Stubblefield and Wilkinson and a host of players we have finally shed as Norv left. Whatever NFL people say about players having to motivate themselves and coaches being responsible for "putting players in a position to succeed", the truth is the tone is set from the top and everything else follows. Darrell Green is a model player, esp. in the community. And Norv recognized this and appreciated his value to the team. But, teams also need VOCAL players, guys with the ability to cajole, persuade even THREATEN other players at times. The Redskins have lacked that kind of physical presence. It is what we used to call the "tough customer" in high school and college athletics. Guys like Mat Millen and Wilber Marshall. Joe Jacoby. Gary Clark. A player such as Dana Stubblefield could never have come onto a team like the mid-80's Redskins and survived with the way he played the first two years of his contract here. The culture of the team would have eventually forced him to play his way into shape and stay there. But under Norv, he was allowed to come into his first camp 25 pounds overweight with no repercussions. When I look at this year's camp I see no sacred cows. That is the first hopeful sign you need to see for the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMP Posted July 23, 2001 Share Posted July 23, 2001 There's a reason Darrell Green, at the age of 41, is still playing for the team that drafted him some 18 years ago. It's called class. Darrell more than any other Redskin exemplifies a trait rarely seen in professional sports these days. It will be my pleasure to travel up to Canton to bear witness to Darrell Green's induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I just hope we can push the induction date back a few years. ------------------ <IMG SRC="http://www.joegibbsracing.com/joe_gibbs/joegibbs_images/driver_prof_joe.jpg" border=0><IMG SRC="http://www.joegibbsracing.com/current_season/jgr_wc_18/jgr_wc_18_images/car/bobby_car_race.gif" border=0><IMG SRC="http://www.joegibbsracing.com/current_season/jgr_wc_20/jgr_wc_20_images/car/drive_pontiac_tony.gif" border=0> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted July 23, 2001 Share Posted July 23, 2001 If you'll notice KMP, the Gibbs and Beathard Redskins seemed to play forever. Darrell Green for 19 seasons. Raleigh McKenzie for 16. Art Monk for 14. Mark Schlereth for 13. Joe Jacoby for 13. Monte Coleman for 15. Earnest Byner for 14. Don Warren for 14. Heck, Ray Brown is still going strong in San Francisco at 37. The longevity and work ethic of these players was simply amazing. I remember running into Earnest Byner at Sam & Harry's downtown DC in 1990. This was the nicest guy you ever wanted to meet. Spoke with my then girlfriend and I for about 5 minutes before others in his party arrived. Compare that to the jerks like Deion that pollute the NFL today. With the salary cap as it is, it has become even MORE important to acquire players that have a good work ethic and work to maintain themselves. These multiyear, multimillion dollar contracts demand it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Diggler Posted July 23, 2001 Share Posted July 23, 2001 Met a girl in NYC New Year's Eve from the DC area who claims Champ Bailey hit on her at a bar. I'm like "and then what?" She's like "and then nothing...he wasn't my type." I'm like "a Pro-Bowl corner should be every girl's type." She laughed and the rest was New Years History. That's about the only thing I have on Champ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Matt Kyriacou Posted July 23, 2001 Share Posted July 23, 2001 I'm glad that you use the word "claims" when relating the story. Although it is certainly possible, everything that I have read about Champ indicates that he is on par with Darrell Green off of the field. I would certainly hate to have my hopes for a "true" changing of the guard dashed by less than perfect behavior on Champ's part off the field. Although Champ won't die from hitting on a woman, it would likely cause me to suffer nightmares of 1984 when Len Bias was my complete and utter hero. I was a stupid kid just out of high school at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Diggler Posted July 24, 2001 Share Posted July 24, 2001 Champ had a kid when he was 15 so although quiet, I'm sure he's no saint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted July 24, 2001 Author Share Posted July 24, 2001 Matt I can sympathize especially when his family lived only a few blocks away from my mom. Hopefully he will land a Ms Right and settle down ala Darrell Green 15 and a Dad? Those rolls in the hay just are the way they used to be. ------------------ Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.