The Dallas Morning News
Staff writer
bgeorge@dallasnews.com
Published: 21 February 2012 08:55 PM
ARLINGTON - It was a rare, unbiased, unscripted moment of truth for a professional football player late last week when defensive end Jason Hatcher answered a question pointedly about who the leaders of the Cowboys are.
"Dude, I got to be honest with you. That's a good question. That's a good question," Hatcher said during a radio interview on KESN-FM 103.3. "I really don’t know."
Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, who was co-hosting the show, jumped in to say, "That's a heck of an answer."
"Yeah," Hatcher continued, "I really don't know. That's another thing we need. We need like a Ray Lewis. We don't have that. We have talent and everything we need, but if we get like a Ray Lewis, everybody buys into him. When Ray Lewis speaks everybody listens to him, a guy like that. You really don't got that. I think we definitely need somebody like that."
The issue of whether the Cowboys have leaders or not is an interesting subject.
It'd be easy to rationalize a team that finishes 8-8 against one of the NFL's easiest schedules as one that doesn't have proper leadership among its players.
However, the more likely rationalization is that the Cowboys have some leaders on their team but just not a rah-rah guy like Lewis. And, is that really necessary for a team?
"The rah-rah speech is not going to win games for you," three-time Super Bowl champion safety Darren Woodson said Tuesday on KESN-FM 103.3. "And I don't care who’s giving it to you. You can bring Knute Rockne back. No one is going to motivate you between the lines. I wasn't a rah-rah guy. I told guys the truth. I also told guys, 'You don't have to love me, but you're going to respect me because of my actions.' I think that's what they need."
Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware said the team doesn't have any leadership issues.
"The thing is on our team, there's not a guy who is just a straight up, solitary leader. I think it comes as a whole," Ware said Saturday night while representing Red Bull at the Supercross event at Cowboys Stadium . "You got to look at it as we have [Tony] Romo, we have [Jason] Witten, you have me, Bradie James , Sean Lee. Everybody has their role and they take on that leadership role when it's needed. Every team doesn't need just a one-time guy who is like the leader of that team. If everybody is checking everybody, that's all you need. There comes a time to step up when it's time to step up and get the job done."
Somewhere on Friday, Romo was likely rolling his eyes when he heard Hatcher's comments.
Certainly, Romo showed leadership last off-season when he e-mailed players to organize workouts at a local high school during the NFL lockout. Romo showed leadership on the field last season by playing despite a punctured lung and broken rib he suffered at San Francisco.
Other Cowboys players stayed on the field last season and played through injuries.
Veteran inside linebackers Keith Brooking and Bradie James – a team captain – had their playing time decreased dramatically last season but still came to the coaches and volunteered to play special teams. That's certainly leadership.
Hatcher said he feels like a player such as Lewis better helps hold players accountable.
"With a leader like that, everybody is held accountable. Guys aren't doing their own thing. Everybody is going in one direction," Hatcher said. "Once you have that, you'll be good. We're still looking for it."
Maybe that's true. The fact that Hatcher feels that way – and likely isn't alone among Cowboys players – is concerning enough.
Staff writer
bgeorge@dallasnews.com
Published: 21 February 2012 08:55 PM
ARLINGTON - It was a rare, unbiased, unscripted moment of truth for a professional football player late last week when defensive end Jason Hatcher answered a question pointedly about who the leaders of the Cowboys are.
"Dude, I got to be honest with you. That's a good question. That's a good question," Hatcher said during a radio interview on KESN-FM 103.3. "I really don’t know."
Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, who was co-hosting the show, jumped in to say, "That's a heck of an answer."
"Yeah," Hatcher continued, "I really don't know. That's another thing we need. We need like a Ray Lewis. We don't have that. We have talent and everything we need, but if we get like a Ray Lewis, everybody buys into him. When Ray Lewis speaks everybody listens to him, a guy like that. You really don't got that. I think we definitely need somebody like that."
The issue of whether the Cowboys have leaders or not is an interesting subject.
It'd be easy to rationalize a team that finishes 8-8 against one of the NFL's easiest schedules as one that doesn't have proper leadership among its players.
However, the more likely rationalization is that the Cowboys have some leaders on their team but just not a rah-rah guy like Lewis. And, is that really necessary for a team?
"The rah-rah speech is not going to win games for you," three-time Super Bowl champion safety Darren Woodson said Tuesday on KESN-FM 103.3. "And I don't care who’s giving it to you. You can bring Knute Rockne back. No one is going to motivate you between the lines. I wasn't a rah-rah guy. I told guys the truth. I also told guys, 'You don't have to love me, but you're going to respect me because of my actions.' I think that's what they need."
Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware said the team doesn't have any leadership issues.
"The thing is on our team, there's not a guy who is just a straight up, solitary leader. I think it comes as a whole," Ware said Saturday night while representing Red Bull at the Supercross event at Cowboys Stadium . "You got to look at it as we have [Tony] Romo, we have [Jason] Witten, you have me, Bradie James , Sean Lee. Everybody has their role and they take on that leadership role when it's needed. Every team doesn't need just a one-time guy who is like the leader of that team. If everybody is checking everybody, that's all you need. There comes a time to step up when it's time to step up and get the job done."
Somewhere on Friday, Romo was likely rolling his eyes when he heard Hatcher's comments.
Certainly, Romo showed leadership last off-season when he e-mailed players to organize workouts at a local high school during the NFL lockout. Romo showed leadership on the field last season by playing despite a punctured lung and broken rib he suffered at San Francisco.
Other Cowboys players stayed on the field last season and played through injuries.
Veteran inside linebackers Keith Brooking and Bradie James – a team captain – had their playing time decreased dramatically last season but still came to the coaches and volunteered to play special teams. That's certainly leadership.
Hatcher said he feels like a player such as Lewis better helps hold players accountable.
"With a leader like that, everybody is held accountable. Guys aren't doing their own thing. Everybody is going in one direction," Hatcher said. "Once you have that, you'll be good. We're still looking for it."
Maybe that's true. The fact that Hatcher feels that way – and likely isn't alone among Cowboys players – is concerning enough.
