Player exodus due to lack of leadership

[DocBar]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

Wow...... sounds like Connor is willing to throw his friends (Cody) under the bus to defend Kubaik & Schaub.

That's got to count for something.




Jj Watt was a beast. If they can't get behind that guy, I don't know what to tell you.

If anything, sounds like he was saying they missed Brian back there.

If you can't get your sacks playing next to a beast like JJ, the next best thing is trashing the team and moving on. I was not among the ones wanting to keep Barwin. His production was atrocious last year. The biggest loss we had this offseason was Quin. He will be missed. Barwin is as good of a loss as MW was. Wasted money on both of them.

[TheMatrix31]

He's right. The team was completely different once Cushing went down.


That said, **** him.

[michaelm]

My hunch is that the FO realized they needed less of the class clown guys like Barwin and Cody, and more serious professionals like Ed Reed.

That, to me, is the main motivation for bringing Reed in. Change the culture.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by michaelm

My hunch is that the FO realized they needed less of the class clown guys like Barwin and Cody, and more serious professionals like Ed Reed.

That, to me, is the main motivation for bringing Reed in. Change the culture.

Must admit, I hadn't consciously thought of it in those terms but you could have a point here.

[GP]

Originally Posted by michaelm

My hunch is that the FO realized they needed less of the class clown guys like Barwin and Cody, and more serious professionals like Ed Reed.

That, to me, is the main motivation for bringing Reed in. Change the culture.

Absolutely plausible. Agreed.

Wade played lip service when he said nice things about Barwin (during the time leading up to his Eagles deal).

One thing I love about our owner is that he's established a Huge Cultural Attitude within the organization that it's a mortal sin to ever speak negatively about a player once he leaves the team, for whatever reason. Look back on how many times asshats like Carr, Dunta, Mario, players who can afford to have manners when leaving...but no, they run their mouths about us. Now look back and how many times have we heard about Bob or Gary or Rick or any coach saying negative, spiteful things about an ex-player? I can think of one only, and I think it was a positional coach.

Barwin is nothing more than David Carr when it comes down to it. Have waited for him to be gone for two years now, and very happy the Texans didn't sign him back.

[houstonspartan]

Originally Posted by michaelm

My hunch is that the FO realized they needed less of the class clown guys like Barwin and Cody, and more serious professionals like Ed Reed.

That, to me, is the main motivation for bringing Reed in. Change the culture.

I see your point, but, I'm not quite so sure. If Barwin had had a great year, he likely would have been extended an offer. Yes, Reed does bring a more professional, less "frat-boy-like" attitude, but, I don't think we can equate the signing of Reed to the non-signing of Barwin. Two different situations, IMO.

Having said that, I do believe that Reed would have put a stop to the Letterman Jacket fiasco the minute Barwin and Reed brought it up.

[GP]

I really would have thought that Antonio Smith, when presented with his own letterman jacket, would NOT have been "down with that sweet stuff."

Really surprised me that he sported his in a photo with Barwin.

Ninja, what the hell were you thinking???

It's like Connor Barwin had some sort of hipster spell cast over this team. Letterman jackets, Foster's segway gifts to the OL, Bulls On Parade nickname. Connor Barwin set this team back a few years. Bastard.

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by GP

I really would have thought that Antonio Smith, when presented with his own letterman jacket, would NOT have been "down with that sweet stuff."

Really surprised me that he sported his in a photo with Barwin.

Ninja, what the hell were you thinking???

It's like Connor Barwin had some sort of hipster spell cast over this team. Letterman jackets, Foster's segway gifts to the OL, Bulls On Parade nickname. Connor Barwin set this team back a few years. Bastard.

I never really liked Barwin being on this team, for those reasons. Regarding his play, he's a guy who can get to the QB when things are all leaning his way, but you lose a good coverage guy (good everything guy) like Cushing, watch Watt turn the team into a our-DLs-can-get-there-on-there-own type of D, and Barwin can't get there those fewer times he's asked to. Now, in typical fashion that, IMHO, goes right along with his letterman-jacket-&-Bulls-On-Parade effect on the team, he is blaming his own ineffectiveness on the team. It is the team's fault that we didn't have somebody besides Cushing at LB who could cover, but maybe Barwin is part of that problem, AND he is ultimately blaming Smith, Kubiak, & Phillips for drafting Watt, who gets to the QB, almost regardless of the situation (needing no help) and makes Barwin's mediocre abilities unnecessary.

[The Pencil Neck]

I didn't have any problem with the letterman jackets when they did them and I don't have a problem with the letterman jackets now. I don't see that as some massively unprofessional or frivolous thing; I would have been surprised if Ed Reed wouldn't have joined in with it. It was all in good fun.

It just happened to be tainted by what came after that.

[Norg]

u know what I say to the leadership factor FUDGE IT


YOUR A GROWN ASS MAN and should be a professional Football player and shouldn't need someone to hold your hand

what does bill say " Just do your JOB "

[Goldensilence]

I just can't imagine the production on defense NOT declining when you lose a guy like Cushing. He's the kind of guy that not only is athletic enough to do special things at ILB, but the team feeds off his intensity.

Lack of player leadership? I guess if you can't get behind guys like Watt, Smith and Joseph...then really what are you doing on the team? Good luck in Philly and those fans when your lack of production vs your pay comes to haunt you. Those aren't good time fans up there.

Aside from Cushing the offense stalled constantly in the last few games of the season and that put a lot of pressure on the defense.

[TexanSam]

Originally Posted by GP

It's like Connor Barwin had some sort of hipster spell cast over this team. Letterman jackets, Foster's segway gifts to the OL, Bulls On Parade nickname. Connor Barwin set this team back a few years. Bastard.

If one player set this team back a few years, then this team is screwed even without him here. Barwin wasn't the leader in the locker room. He was just a guy that enjoyed himself.

I don't understand what Barwin's role was in Foster buying segway's for the OL? Lots of running backs (and QBs) buy their linemen gifts. I highly doubt Foster being nice to his teammates had any effect on their play on the field. I don't think the nickname did either. Neither did the letterman jackets. If we didn't have the jackets or the nickname, chances are we still would have flamed out and lost. Barwin's role on this team was minor, so to think he had some large influence in them playing poorly down the stretch because he wears jean shorts and white t-shirts and likes to go to dive bars is a crazy idea.