The Intangibles

So, i took a close look at the Rams 1999 season highlight film this morning. It was the first time in quite a few years; probably 6 years. One thing struck me immediately. Pay close attention to audio sound bite from Kurt Warner which opens this video:

Being a championship quarterback is not all about athleticism and size. There's a lot that comes straight from the heart and the head, and your desire to be a winner.

That is the quote straight out of Kurt Warner's mouth that opens up the highlight film of our magic 1999 season. I was nodding my head in total agreement. This is a very fitting way to open up the film. The intangibles folks. It's all about the intangibles. Speaking of intangibles, I happened to pass by the Rams site for the first time a week or so this morning. I was much dismayed to see that a piece had been posted about Bradford and Clausen. I guess it was necessary and unavoidable in this run up to the draft. The web guys had to do it.

However, my mood lightened up when I read this piece carefully. Check this lovely quote from GM Bill Devaney:

Devaney has been in the personnel game for a long time and has seen plenty in that time. So, what will he be looking for when he begins talking to prospects to fill that role for the future of the Rams?

“Kind of in my history with quarterbacks, the guys that I have been involved with that didn’t pan out, (it’s) the intangibles for me,” Devaney said. “I have come full circle. If you don’t have the intangible to play that position…to me the physical skills are almost the easy part for these kids. There’s so much that goes into being a quarterback in the NFL that the work ethic you have to have, the leadership, the time that you put in, the media scrutiny, if you can’t handle all of that stuff you are going to have a hard time performing on the field. It’s the intangibles as much as anything.”

YES! YES! It's all about the intangibles Goddam...! I know Tebow would be upset with me for blaspheming, but the scouts are really making me angry these days. I like what Bill Devaney is thinking right now. I like where his head is at.

Speaking of Tebow, did anybody watch the NFL combine on NFL Network? Of course, I don't want to talk about size and athleticism today, although it was on display in spades at the combine. Many wanted to talk about lining up under center and doing the 3-5-7 drop back. Jeeezz... put the emphasis on the wrong thing! I like what Devaney says about the physical skills being the easy part. Most kids in high school learn the 3-5-7. Why do you think this is such a big bugbear?

Did anybody notice any associations between the word intangibles and any particular player at the combine? I must have heard Mike Mayock, Mike Lombardi, Rich Eisen and Michael Irvin praise Tebow for having intangibles that are off the scale about three dozen times. They talked about his leadership, they talked about his work ethic, they talked about his competitive drive, they talked about his charisma, they talked about how the guys rally around Tebow.

Speaking of charisma, I am hoping that everyone has either seen or read excepts from D'Marco Farr's appearance on NFL Total access. This is the one where he attributed Marc Bulger's collapse in St. Louis to his total lack of charisma. This occurred shortly after Devaney gave that quote for the Rams' official website. The intangibles folks. It's the intangibles. Let us remember that D'Marco has one of those 1999 Super Bowl rings, and he remains connected to the organization. He is the color man for the radio broadcasts.

Speaking of leadership consider this quote from that very same article on the Rams' official website:

Among this year’s draft prospects, this is one area that seems to be most dominated by Florida’s Tim Tebow who by all accounts has intangibles to spare. Bradford and McCoy are thought of in similar ways.

Notice who gets the superlative in this quote? Bradford and McCoy are tossed in as after mentions. I do want to mention that I like all three of these QBs, but you know who I like best.

You can't measure leadership, charisma, will, drive, desire, or competitiveness with a scale or a stop watch, submersion tank, vertical jump, broad jump, X-Ray, MRI, or blood test. They are the intangibles. If you aren't stupid, you will know this greatness when you see it, but you have to be careful to actually get to know the kid.

Are we sensing a pattern here? Does anybody notice any dots lining up in a straight line? Do you see an arrow head pointing out some directionality here? Do you sense something in the wind right now?

I am very hopeful today that the things I have written won't actually amount to a pile of rubbish. I am optimistic that the Rams' leadership and I are on the same sheet of music these days. I think we are thinking along the same lines.