Talent

Recently, local columnist and resident crochety old guy Sid Hartman has become raised an interesting argument in regards to the Vikings from last year. He was of the belief that it is talent and players alone that lead to winning ball games and disregarded the role that a lack of discipline had on the Vikings last year. In essence, he doesn’t think that the transition from Mike Tice to Brad Childress will not affect the team next year.
Professional sports are like any other line of employment. To do your best job you need to remain focused. Sometimes, you need a disciplinarian to direct you to keep your eye on the prize. You can’t possibly claim that Daunte Culpepper is less talented than Brad Johnson, but Johnson led the squad to a more successful record after Culpepper’s injury last year. Johnson, however, was not a party to many of the liscivious acts that the rest of the team was. Both had the same coach, but Johnson, more veteran, is self-disciplined.
Culpepper made it clear he wanted to leave the team after his easy going coach (the second of his career) departed. The party was over. Of course, Culpepper is going to a team led by noted martinet Nick Saban. And I really think that he’ll be better for it. Daunte Culpepper has too much talent to fail in this league if he is put in the proper environment. Look forward to an excellent year from him in Miami, assuming his knee holds up.
But to say that coaching and discipline have no bearing on a team’s fortunes is a dangerous misrepresentation of the facts. Even more laid back coaches, such as Andy Reid, for example, elicit respect, which is it’s own form of discipline. Having players follow the teams gameplan, following team rules helps to develop camaraderie and team chemistry. That is the benefit Mike Tice would have got by having a spine and not trying to make friends on the team.
This next season, Brad Childress will be without the talent Tice had available to him, but he should be able to do more with it. In short, he’ll run a tighter ship than last year’s “Love Boat”. – Ryan