Merril Hodge: Sam is better than Clowney

[SonnyCID]

That's simply not true. The vast majority don't have the talent to play at an elite level.

Maybe on your team.

 

[JDM]

On any team. It's not even close. Less than 5% of the league has th talent to play at an elite level, and that's absurdly generous.

 

[SonnyCID]

Detroit has a lot of elite talent. Seattle has a lot of grinders and film room junkies. Hard work wins.

 

[JDM]

Seattle, top to bottom, has a hell of a lot more talent than Detroit. Detroit simply has a few high profile talents, with no depth whatsoever.

 

[SonnyCID]

Seattle, top to bottom, has a hell of a lot more talent than Detroit. Detroit simply has a few high profile talents, with no depth whatsoever.

No, Seattle just develops players. They do so by finding grinders and hard workers and playing to their strengths. They're not just physically more talented than everyone else, if they were they would have more high draft picks on the team.

 

[JDM]

They are physically much more talented than Detroit. It's not even general ballpark.

 

[SonnyCID]

Well, hard work is a talent.

 

[JDM]

No, it isn't.

 

[SonnyCID]

No, it isn't.

Sure it is. And truly hard workers know it.

 

[JDM]

It's not. It's a trait, but absolutely not a talent, and most certainly not a physical talent.

That's as absurd as saying intelligence is a talent. It doesn't work.

 

[SonnyCID]

It's not. It's a trait, but absolutely not a talent, and most certainly not a physical talent.

That's as absurd as saying intelligence is a talent. It doesn't work.

OK fine, it's a trait. But when applied, it translates in to talent. Working hard at football, you can get stronger, quicker or have a better understanding of what your opponents are doing, thus improving your football talent.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Drive and the will to be the best counts for a lot in any line of work. I'd count it over some ones God given talent if that talent is coupled with a lack of drive and feeling entitled because they have talent.

 

[JDM]

If that was all that mattered, the NFL (and all kinds of other places) would look a hell of a lot different. Elite talent and above average work ethic blows away above average talent and elite work ethic. Every time.

 

[SonnyCID]

The game is so complex and competitive. If you're not working your ass off, you will fall behind and your talent will not carry you.

 

[JDM]

The NFL is the 99.99 percentile of talent, though. If you use the NFL average and elite levels as your benchmarks, the statement still stands. Elite talent wins out.

 

[Oldschool739]

Whatever Hodge say's think just the opposite. Why in the name of Sweet Baby Jesus he is allowed to analyze anything escapes me.

Wedge head Hodge is just looking for some ratings to keep from being sent back to little league where he belongs.....

 

[starbigd]

The NFL is the 99.99 percentile of talent, though. If you use the NFL average and elite levels as your benchmarks, the statement still stands. Elite talent wins out.

I don't agree. PLENTY of teams have won SBs without elite level talent, your Pats being one of them. Let's look at my team, the Cowboys.

People carry on about the OL, but only ONE of those guys was a first rounder, Larry Allen. Tuinei had been with the team 8 years before Emmitt Smith got drafted, and was never considered anything but an average player. Nate Newton was a second teamer for 5 years. Gesik, Donaldson, were over the hill when they played there. Erik Williams was a beast, then got his knee wrecked in a car accident. NONE of those guys outside of Larry Allen will EVER see the HOF. The reason they worked so well together was HARD WORK. Emmitt Smith gave them confidence by following his blocks, and he was ALSO not very talented.....he didn't have top end speed, jukes, or insane power. He just set up blocks, and had great balance and vision. In terms of talent he wasn't even CLOSE to Jim Brown, Walter Payton, or Barry Sanders......but he outrushed ALL of them with a make shift OL of guys nobody else wanted, or that otherwise never produced even a 700 yard rusher before him.

Hard work trumps talent 90% of the time.

 

[milker2324]

He basically said he would draft Sam before he draft Clowney

Im not trying to defend him but thats not exactly what he was saying. He wasnt saying he would draft sam in the 1st round, at least not in that segement. He said he wouldnt draft clowney at all, and would draft sam, but towards the end of the draft.

 

[bksballer89]

Im not trying to defend him but thats not exactly what he was saying. He wasnt saying he would draft sam in the 1st round, at least not in that segement. He said he wouldnt draft clowney at all, and would draft sam, but towards the end of the draft.

As I said he said he would draft Sam before Clowney....the guy is an asshole

 

[JDM]

I don't agree. PLENTY of teams have won SBs without elite level talent, your Pats being one of them. Let's look at my team, the Cowboys.

People carry on about the OL, but only ONE of those guys was a first rounder, Larry Allen. Tuinei had been with the team 8 years before Emmitt Smith got drafted, and was never considered anything but an average player. Nate Newton was a second teamer for 5 years. Gesik, Donaldson, were over the hill when they played there. Erik Williams was a beast, then got his knee wrecked in a car accident. NONE of those guys outside of Larry Allen will EVER see the HOF. The reason they worked so well together was HARD WORK. Emmitt Smith gave them confidence by following his blocks, and he was ALSO not very talented.....he didn't have top end speed, jukes, or insane power. He just set up blocks, and had great balance and vision. In terms of talent he wasn't even CLOSE to Jim Brown, Walter Payton, or Barry Sanders......but he outrushed ALL of them with a make shift OL of guys nobody else wanted, or that otherwise never produced even a 700 yard rusher before him.

Hard work trumps talent 90% of the time.

Teams are about depth as much as talent. But the patriots had plenty of elite players, as has every championship team ever.


I'm talking about on an individual basis, though. Talent outweighs hard work.