Broncos Need More Character, Not Characters

[chaz]

KRIEGER: More character, not characters, needed
By Dave Krieger, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Thursday, February 21, 2008

The NFL began its annual weeklong religious holiday in Indianapolis on Wednesday. No, not Super Bowl week. That's its annual weeklong orgy of excess. The religious holiday is the festival of weights and measures, also known as the scouting combine.

It has taken on a certain theological quality because it allows people to think they can make objective judgments about a player's chances of success. This is nonsense, but the certitude of numbers is addictive, especially in football, where a lot of positions don't lend themselves to helpful statistics. So important have these weights and measures become, something like 400 wretches are on hand to chronicle them this year.

The trend toward greater emphasis on the numbers - which accounts for a number of the Broncos' failed draft picks in this decade - comes despite the objections of two-time NFL executive of the year Scott Pioli, the Patriots' vice president of player personnel. You may recall that during Super Bowl week, Pioli said overreliance on numbers is the single biggest mistake personnel people make.

The reason for this is pretty obvious. It's much harder to measure instincts, work ethic, selflessness, responsibility, accountability and dependability with a stopwatch or tape measure.

These and other intangible traits - which the Patriots consider so important they don't allow their scouts to call them intangibles - are often aggregated under the heading "character." It's not a word you hear much out of the mouths of Broncos officials these days. Which may have something to do with the team's recent struggles.

In fairness, very few people in football talk about character anymore. There have been so many off-field incidents that a silent consensus seems to have taken hold: Football is a violent sport requiring uncommon aggression. You're going to get some sketchy characters.

Mike Shanahan has been taking his chances on sketchy characters for some time. In fact, enough of these risks have blown up in his face that it will be hard for any player to break into the top three on his flawed character hit parade: Dale Carter, Daryl Gardener and Maurice Clarett.

But when you hear players talk vaguely about qualities missing from the locker room last year, about a lack of commitment, you begin to wonder if Shanahan's gambles on athletic talent over character are sabotaging his team.

Take Todd Sauerbrun. Sauerbrun has a great leg and a roster of personal issues. This is no secret. When Shanahan signed him, he signed a punter with serious baggage. Normally, a punter couldn't get away with any baggage, but Sauerbrun had that leg.

You could measure how far the ball traveled. Shanahan wanted the leg, and he didn't much care about the rest.

So Sauerbrun gets drunk, goes off on a cabbie and a cop, embarrasses himself, embarrasses the Broncos and forces Shanahan to replace him when replacements are hardest to find.

Take Travis Henry. Shanahan was aware Henry had child-support issues. He claims he didn't know to what extent. It turned out to be nine children by nine women, which came out at a Georgia child-support court proceeding. Henry never expressed any regret. He just complained too big a deal was made of this. I was surprised how little a deal was made of it.

When healthy, Henry is a talented running back. This is what Shanahan cared about. I don't know how difficult it would have been to assemble the records the Georgia court assembled, but I didn't get the impression the Broncos tried very hard.

Does irresponsibility in one's personal life correlate to irresponsibility in a group, as a teammate? I'm guessing it varies with the case, but as part of an employee risk assessment, I would have to think it's not a trait you're looking for.

Take Javon Walker, although his only crime seems to be self-absorption. There was a time, early in Shanahan's tenure as head coach, when he got rid of high-maintenance, self-involved wide receivers and brought in low-maintenance character replacements. Couple guys named Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey. They never wowed anybody at a scouting combine, but they worked out OK.

At the press conference last month where the Dolphins introduced their new coach, Tony Sparano, he mentioned he wants players with "character" five times. It made me try to recollect the last time Shanahan made a point of this as a factor in player selection. I couldn't.

The Patriots have found stars among players with pedestrian measurements by NFL standards, from Tom Brady to Tedy Bruschi. By contrast, the Broncos have found disappointment in a series of top draft picks with marvelous weights and measures. Every team is going to have some of both over time, but it is worth considering that if you don't emphasize character in the personnel selection process, you may not end up with as much of it as you need.

It's not just that the Broncos need to get away from a reliance on numbers that has produced too many disappointments since 2000. It's also that they have to care more about measuring the immeasurable. If you want intangibles in your locker room when the going gets tough, now is the time to look for them.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/21/krieger-more-character-not-characters-needed/

[-Slap-]

The Broncos haven't placed any importance on character since the Dale Carter signing. Pretty much every season since then, we bring in some overrated egomaniac on the downside of his career because we can get them at a discount. The Simeon Rice panic move last year was a textbook example.

[Gcver2ver3]

i was one of the biggest supporters of bringing Simeon Rice to Denver...

he was a fan favorite here locally and even had his own radio show...

with that said, he sucked here and it was indeed a terrible idea to bring him in...

hindsight is 20/20 but we do need to learn from our mistakes...

anyone that brings baggage (including the simeon rice move) should have been avoided...and should be avoided moving forward...

i will say though, had simeon performed we would be singing a different tune about the guy...but even still i would like to see us place a higher premiuim on character guys...

[montrose]

I think its easy to point at Denver as a team that doesn't look at character, but in all honesty - many teams have brought in suspect character guys. It's all about cost vs. value - if the player's character drops his cost below what is value is - it's a great move. Look at NE picking up Dillon and Moss, both with questionable character. They got both at a bargain and both turned out well for them.

Since Carter and Gardener the Broncos have brought on guys with character issues but how many were huge investments? Marcus Thomas was a 1st round talent in the 4th round. Simeon Rice was a former premier pass rusher at a bargain price. As bad as the Clarett pick looks now, Bobby Turner really believed the kid was the best back in the league. For a supplemental 3rd rounder, and don't forget a contract that wisely included NO bonus money, it was an ok risk. Some of these players worked out well, some didn't - but it's about getting the most bang for your buck. Everyone wants to play Monday Morning QB, but you've got to evaluate each player on his value vs. cost. Henry is the one name that comes to my mind who was a recent signing with character issues who received a big deal, even then so he was signed coming off a great year when the only "issue" was he kids thing. And as of today, we're getting the guy on the cheap.

Character counts, no question. But I get tired of hearing about how the Broncos just turn their head to it. Every team has them, Rod Smith's are one in a million. I do think character should be given more credence in the value department, but you're going to have a hard time convincing me Denver is this haven of bad nuts.

[-Slap-]

Shanahan should have told Bobby Turner to sit down and shut up. The only bad character pickup that has worked out for us was Chet McGlockton and he wasn't much more than a slightly above average DT during his time in Denver.

[Gcver2ver3]

Shanahan should have told Bobby Turner to sit down and shut up. The only bad character pickup that has worked out for us was Chet McGlockton and he wasn't much more than a slightly above average DT during his time in Denver.

I'd throw Romo in there too...

Dude was a jerk and a half, but played his guts out for us....

[-Slap-]

Since Carter and Gardener the Broncos have brought on guys with character issues but how many were huge investments?

The true cost is not exacted on the salary cap. It took the Broncos a good five years to purge the lockerroom of Carter's negative influence. People don't understand there are two kinds of leaders. The positive kind and the kind like Carter who teach kids like Darrius Johnson all the wrong things.

We went from a back to back champion to a team that sits quietly in the lockerroom in Tampa Bay after a devastating loss while Dale Carter throws a nearly psychotic hissy fit because his after game hotdog was cold.

[CBF1]

I'd throw Romo in there too...

Dude was a jerk and a half, but played his guts out for us....


From this comment, I would bet the farm that you NEVER met the guy. Romo always had time to talk to the fans after every game and was very nice in doing so. :thumbsup:

[-Slap-]

I'd throw Romo in there too...

Dude was a jerk and a half, but played his guts out for us....

At the time we signed Romo, his reputation was primarily as a super intense guy who was totally consumed with football. It wasn't until he got to Denver that his wild man reputation took hold. That prime time loogie at JJ Stokes mouthpiece was when the spotlight landed on him. Our biggest problem was keeping him around after the League quite plainly targeted him for punishment.

[Florida_Bronco]

The true cost is not exacted on the salary cap. It took the Broncos a good five years to purge the lockerroom of Carter's negative influence. People don't understand there are two kinds of leaders. The positive kind and the kind like Carter who teach kids like Darrius Johnson all the wrong things.

We went from a back to back champion to a team that sits quietly in the lockerroom in Tampa Bay after a devastating loss while Dale Carter throws a nearly psychotic hissy fit because his after game hotdog was cold.

Geez I never knew he pulled that stunt. What else did he do besides getting suspended and the hotdog trip?

[chickennob2]

This is stupid. He's collecting a group of things ("instincts, work ethic, selflessness, responsibility, accountability and dependability"), addressing a few of them, and acting like what applies to one applies to the others. Instincts and work ethic are by far the most important things on the list as far as on-field performance. A player with ****ty work ethic will never be great. A player with poor instincts and great numbers will always underperform expectations. But a guy who has unprotected sex can run the ball just as well as one who is a virgin.

I don't give a **** about the guys family life. If he can perform on the field, that's what you're looking for. A few of the things in that category "character" are valid indicators of a player's performance. But trying to lump all of them together is asinine.

[alkemical]

This is stupid. He's collecting a group of things ("instincts, work ethic, selflessness, responsibility, accountability and dependability"), addressing a few of them, and acting like what applies to one applies to the others. Instincts and work ethic are by far the most important things on the list as far as on-field performance. A player with ****ty work ethic will never be great. A player with poor instincts and great numbers will always underperform expectations. But a guy who has unprotected sex can run the ball just as well as one who is a virgin.

I don't give a **** about the guys family life. If he can perform on the field, that's what you're looking for. A few of the things in that category "character" are valid indicators of a player's performance. But trying to lump all of them together is asinine.


That's an interesting point:

Would we want our employers to hire us because we can do the job, or would/should we expect to be thoroughly investigated before we can be hired. We sort of have accepted being guilty before innocent (background checks, drug testing, etc).

[Gcver2ver3]

From this comment, I would bet the farm that you NEVER met the guy. Romo always had time to talk to the fans after every game and was very nice in doing so. :thumbsup:

no i never met him...

when i say jerk i don't mean it like it sounds so maybe i should retract...

i LOVE Romo...when i say jerk i just mean the way he would treat his opponents on the field... like when he was beating his head as Kordell Stewart walked away after throwing a bone headed pick...and of course the spitting incident...

i as well as my friends would always laugh when he would pull his antics on the field of taunting the opponents or shoving them around...and we'd joke, "what a jerk"...then i'd say "yeah that's what i love about him"

he would always go above and beyond to degrade his opponents and i loved him for it...but as you mention it, he always seemed genuine off the field...

Romo has had his issues regarding character, but i will always be a big fan of his...

[telluride]

I'm going to get flamed for this, but what the heck. Teams reflect the character of their coaches, and, for the last few seasons at minimum, Shanny's character has been very suspect. The lying about -- and to -- players, the erratic and seemingly spiteful personnel moves, the thin-skinned outbursts and paranoia and bizarre reliance on things like lie detectors. It all adds up to a not very stable, not very appealing package, which colors the whole organization.

[Gcver2ver3]

I'm going to get flamed for this, but what the heck. Teams reflect the character of their coaches, and, for the last few seasons at minimum, Shanny's character has been very suspect. The lying about -- and to -- players, the erratic and seemingly spiteful personnel moves, the thin-skinned outbursts and paranoia and bizarre reliance on things like lie detectors. It all adds up to a not very stable, not very appealing package, which colors the whole organization.

i couldn't disagree with a take more...

[~Crash~]

Todd Sauerbrun were did we sign him from this year ? was that not NE ? KRIEGER also should think before he Wrights . Moss was a bad apple before he signed so................................................ .........!

[Atlas]

i was one of the biggest supporters of bringing Simeon Rice to Denver...

he was a fan favorite here locally and even had his own radio show...

with that said, he sucked here and it was indeed a terrible idea to bring him in...

hindsight is 20/20 but we do need to learn from our mistakes...

anyone that brings baggage (including the simeon rice move) should have been avoided...and should be avoided moving forward...

i will say though, had simeon performed we would be singing a different tune about the guy...but even still i would like to see us place a higher premiuim on character guys...

I don't think Rice was as much a character problem as he was just simply washed up. If he could have played better he would have fit in fine. The problems didn't start until he wasn't producing on the field and was benched.

[Gcver2ver3]

I don't think Rice was as much a character problem as he was just simply washed up. If he could have played better he would have fit in fine. The problems didn't start until he wasn't producing on the field and was benched.

true...

[bowtown]

I'm going to get flamed for this, but what the heck. Teams reflect the character of their coaches, and, for the last few seasons at minimum, Shanny's character has been very suspect. The lying about -- and to -- players, the erratic and seemingly spiteful personnel moves, the thin-skinned outbursts and paranoia and bizarre reliance on things like lie detectors. It all adds up to a not very stable, not very appealing package, which colors the whole organization.

So then how do you explain the Patriots?

[rovolution]

no i never met him...

when i say jerk i don't mean it like it sounds so maybe i should retract...

i LOVE Romo...when i say jerk i just mean the way he would treat his opponents on the field... like when he was beating his head as Kordell Stewart walked away after throwing a bone headed pick...and of course the spitting incident...

i as well as my friends would always laugh when he would pull his antics on the field of taunting the opponents or shoving them around...and we'd joke, "what a jerk"...then i'd say "yeah that's what i love about him"

he would always go above and beyond to degrade his opponents and i loved him for it...but as you mention it, he always seemed genuine off the field...

Romo has had his issues regarding character, but i will always be a big fan of his...

i loved Romo when he was in Denver but you go back and look at some of the stuff he did, i mean holy toledo!

the spitting at JJ Stokes

Shattering Kerry Collins jaw in a PRESEASON game

Taunting Kordell and Dan Marino


Boy was he a jerk, but he was OUR jerk.

[telluride]

So then how do you explain the Patriots?

Actually, the example kinda makes my point. Setting aside the Spy-gate stuff for a moment, it's pretty clear that Belichick values loyal, no-nonsense, versatile, hard-working players who buy completely into his system. His bunker mentality obviously colors the character of his team, which is why they always have an us vs. them swagger to them.

But, all that said, the key to that team's success is Scott Pioli.

[broncosteven]

I'm going to get flamed for this, but what the heck. Teams reflect the character of their coaches, and, for the last few seasons at minimum, Shanny's character has been very suspect. The lying about -- and to -- players, the erratic and seemingly spiteful personnel moves, the thin-skinned outbursts and paranoia and bizarre reliance on things like lie detectors. It all adds up to a not very stable, not very appealing package, which colors the whole organization.

Can I start the flames? You are "hte Suck"...or something...

[ohiobronco2]

Character is very important when selecting a player. It doesn't matter how great your instincts and work ethic happen to be when you can't play due to a drug suspension or other legal matters. I'd rather have a guy who runs a little bit slower 40 and has no character issues, than a guy with tons of athletic ability but is always in trouble with authority.

[bowtown]

Actually, the example kinda makes my point. Setting aside the Spy-gate stuff for a moment, it's pretty clear that Belichick values loyal, no-nonsense, versatile, hard-working players who buy completely into his system. His bunker mentality obviously colors the character of his team, which is why they always have an us vs. them swagger to them.

But, all that said, the key to that team's success is Scott Pioli.

I'm sorry, what do you mean "setting aside the spy-gate stuff," so you get to now choose and pick the qualities in other coaches that make your arguments, and set aside the ones that don't? Belicheck is a slime ball in his personal life, in his media interactions (much more so that Shanahan), and on his on the field antics and cheating. So it really doesn't prove your point at all.

[Gcver2ver3]

i loved Romo when he was in Denver but you go back and look at some of the stuff he did, i mean holy toledo!

the spitting at JJ Stokes

Shattering Kerry Collins jaw in a PRESEASON game

Taunting Kordell and Dan Marino


Boy was he a jerk, but he was OUR jerk.

yeah his antics would crack me up...

when he spit on Stokes that was uncool...but i never once figured it racially motivated like some people tried to make into...

you put it best...Romo was a jerk...but our jerk...;)

[chaz]

From this comment, I would bet the farm that you NEVER met the guy. Romo always had time to talk to the fans after every game and was very nice in doing so. :thumbsup:

I met him when I was in middle school...the guy was a complete ass. I drove from St. Paul MN to Kansas City for my first ever Broncos game and as he was walking in to the hotel he stopped to talk to a friend and as their conversation ended I went up, scared to death, and said "Mr. Romanowski will you please sign my football?" and he gave me the dirtiest look, but then looked around at his friend and everyone else watching and finally signed the ball, although not before getting mad at me for not having the cap off the marker already...God forbid a bigtime athlete like him have to take the cap of a marker...how straining. I'll never forget it.

[Gcver2ver3]

I met him when I was in middle school...the guy was a complete ass. I drove from St. Paul MN to Kansas City for my first ever Broncos game and as he was walking in to the hotel he stopped to talk to a friend and as their conversation ended I went up, scared to death, and said "Mr. Romanowski will you please sign my football?" and he gave me the dirtiest look, but then looked around at his friend and everyone else watching and finally signed the ball, although not before getting mad at me for not having the cap off the marker already...God forbid a bigtime athlete like him have to take the cap of a marker...how straining. I'll never forget it.

that's hilarious...

well turns out i was right...

he's a jerk and a half...

but i love him anyway...

[chaz]

that's hilarious...

well turns out i was right...

he's a jerk and a half...

but i love him anyway...

yup, can't say i didn't cheer for him every second he was on the field...it's very fun to watch someone who goes so hard every time he's out on the field.