Thoughts on Rodgers Criticizing young WR's?

[red4tribe]

Rodgers' comments last week about the young WR's effort being "**** poor" has been discussed a lot by the media. How does everyone feel about Rodgers publicly calling out his teammates?

 

[Mondio]

My friend from MI asked me about it, said they were saying a lot about it in the media and over there. I was surprised because I don't listen to that stuff really at all anymore so i'm apparently missing out on it. My thoughts, who cares. If guys are being lazy in a practice like that and they had a bad practice, say it. It's not something he does daily, or after every play or in the media every week. He's always picked an important time to say something. At this point he can pick whatever he wants to say and say whenever he feels it's time to be said. There was nothing wrong with what he said at all in the first place. The man can certainly recognize good practice habits and poor ones. I believe he knows what it takes to make it in this league. The rest of the talk is done by guys getting paid for people to listen to them talk and they rarely have anything of substance to talk about. Including this.

 

[XPack]

How does everyone feel about Rodgers publicly calling out his teammates?

They are rookies. Many will probably be cut and not make final roster. It's not really Rodgers calling out Clay.

I like it. Shows we have fire to win and we don't mollycoddle youngsters.

 

[Wi. Mike now in Florida]

This sounds like a member of a sports writer being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
As fans, it's really none of our business on how a team prepares for their next opponent and who's says what.

Keep your dam microphones and camera's out of the players faces and underwear and write about the positive things.

 

[JK64]

My friend from MI asked me about it, said they were saying a lot about it in the media and over there. I was surprised because I don't listen to that stuff really at all anymore so i'm apparently missing out on it. My thoughts, who cares. If guys are being lazy in a practice like that and they had a bad practice, say it. It's not something he does daily, or after every play or in the media every week. He's always picked an important time to say something. At this point he can pick whatever he wants to say and say whenever he feels it's time to be said. There was nothing wrong with what he said at all in the first place. The man can certainly recognize good practice habits and poor ones. I believe he knows what it takes to make it in this league. The rest of the talk is done by guys getting paid for people to listen to them talk and they rarely have anything of substance to talk about. Including this.

Better said, than I could have said it.

 

[Firethorn1001]

If keeping it in house hoping guys get their stuff together isn't working, might as well try this. They got rid of Jordy, you can't coddle these guys. They need to step up ASAP.

 

[Poppa San]

Old news by now and really doesn't seem to be an issue. Probably needed to be said. More of a thing with the national media. Shows how slow the news is these days.

 

[weeds]

It's big amongst Vikings internet trolls on a lot of national sites. Frankly, I'm glad someone got on their s--t...receivers tend to be prima donnas

 

[OldSchool101]

It seems to have worked so far. Maybe he should turn to the QB group next

 

[rmontro]

It seems to have worked so far. Maybe he should turn to the QB group next

...Or put him in charge of the defense.

Sounds like Rodgers had a problem with the kids not doing their homework, not learning the plays and terminology. That would stick in Rodgers craw since he is notorious for being a good student and studying hard. I have no problem at all with him calling them on it. I'm not sure doing it publicly was the best idea, but we don't know all the facts. Like Firethorn1001 said, maybe he had already said something privately, without the desired effect.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

They are rookies. Many will probably be cut and not make final roster. It's not really Rodgers calling out Clay.

I like it. Shows we have fire to win and we don't mollycoddle youngsters.

Rodgers was specifically talking about the three rookie receivers being drafted this year. All of them have a decent chance to make the roster.

I would have been fine with him calling out Matthews as well if his effort level is poor.

 

[yooperpackfan]

write about the positive things.

If all you want to hear is "positive things" then you have no real perspective regarding what is really happening.

 

[Mondio]

yes, it was for the 3 rookie WR's specifically and their effort levels. Look, we've seen this team go high and thru some lows. When play wasn't great, Rodgers said as much, we have to do this better, that better etc. and there were times when things just weren't working well. and he didn't call anybody out because nobody needed to be. Sometimes you're working your ***** off, individually and collectively and **** just doesn't seem to work. and come back and do it again, and again and again. He felt the need to call people out then, because what was he going to say? hey look, I know you're working extremely hard every day with nothing to show for it, but this sucks? That will go far LOL He's a smart guy, he's not telling people their effort is poor because he wants to. We could be on a 6 game losing skid and if they were all busting their butts in practice, you know he wouldn't be saying anything about their effort. and if we were on a 10 game win streak and they were not running plays they just saw on a card with low effort, he probably would say something to them. His public statements aren't made without thought and intention. If he said it, I have the utmost confidence they absolutely needed to hear it and be put on notice.

 

[XPack]

Rodgers was specifically talking about the three rookie receivers being drafted this year. All of them have a decent chance to make the roster.

I would have been fine with him calling out Matthews as well if his effort level is poor.

Clay is a peer teammate, the 3 rookers are not. Rodgers calling out Clay will smell of lack of team spirit and flaws within the team and indication of wider issues. Nothing of that sort here.

 

[GBkrzygrl]

Geeez. Much ado about nothing. As Rodgers stated. He was asked a question by a reporter and he answered it. If any of the receivers got their feelings hurt, they are in the wrong business. Seems like MVS and St. Brown heard him. Hopefully they all show something tonight.

 

[OldSchool101]

I would have been fine with him calling out Matthews as well if his effort level is poor.

What’s crazy is at first that sounds a bit harsh. But #12 is the basically the Captain of this ship and the spokesperson and public scapegoat when things go bad regardless if the Offense or Defense responsible for losing. He has every right to take a jab IMO.
My guess is initially it might ruffle some feathers but long term? I think Mathews just might answer on the field and everyone benefits from it.

 

[sschind]

What’s crazy is at first that sounds a bit harsh. But #12 is the basically the Captain of this ship and the spokesperson and public scapegoat when things go bad regardless if the Offense or Defense responsible for losing. He has every right to take a jab IMO.
My guess is initially it might ruffle some feathers but long term? I think Mathews just might answer on the field and everyone benefits from it.

The thing is Rodgers is not the public scapegoat when things go bad. Its always someone else's fault. Not in his mind or his words as he often takes the blame but from fans and the media etc. Oline can't block, WR's can't get separation, RB's can't stay healthy backup QB sucks, D is atrocious etc. etc. I didn't read or listen to any of the comments because to me they don't matter. They were not meant for me. Rodgers wasn't telling us that the WRs were doing poorly he was trying to light a fire under them. Unfortunately comments that are meant to be inspiring are all too often not taken to heart by those for whom they are really intended. A thought came to me last night while watching a very lackluster performance of my nephew's JV game. Is it really the lack of leaders that is the problem or is the problem more that there are no followers. Let me explain.

Through a three year span with 2 nephews I have witness a group of friends who enjoy playing the game (whether its football, baseball, basketball, what have you) and winning and losing doesn't really seem to matter. They play to have fun and of course they want to win but if they lose its no big deal. All they want to do is figure out where we are eating after the game. All of us in the stands and even the coaches have been lamenting for 10 years " no one wants to be the leader in this group" The very few players who do try to get excited and try to lead by example and try to rally the team around them are often made fun of or shunned for being too over the top by their team mates and even some parents for being too competitive. So you have players trying to lead but no one wanting to follow. Kids are into their own things and no matter how much you try they are not interested in changing.

Now I realize its a huge step up from elementary and high school sports to the pros and we are talking levels of talent that can't be compared but for the most part personalities don't change. I also realize its a small sample from a very small part of the country but I do get a sense in talking to other fans from other schools that it is not strictly an isolated instance. Are, and I pose it as a question, young athletes today as influenced by the vocal, on the field, in your face leaders as they once were or as we all seem to think they were. Or do comments like the ones Aaron Rodgers made roll off their backs without so much as an afterthought. Sure their may be a blip of improvement for a short time but is it ever sustained?

Its not just in athletics either. In this day and age I just don't think people are as motivated by external forces any more. If they have the drive to succeed it comes from within and no one else is going to make them want to get better. Are any of these Rookie Wr's going to take AR's comments and think "holy crap Aaron Rodgers is not happy with the way I played so I had better get my act together" or are they going to think "who the heck does he think he is telling me the way I need to play" I'm sure if you asked them they would each tell you they agree with Rodgers assessment but that's what they would say ... what will they do about it.

Leaders are fine and they are important but to paraphrase a line from one of my favorite movies "the world need followers too"

 

[GleefulGary]

I’m glad he called them out. And you better believe when the best QB in the league is telling some of his WR’s that their effort was ****-poor, they’re gonna listen. If they can’t handle that, they won’t make it.

Can’t believe people are making an issue of this. We’re soft.

 

[Dantés]

I’m glad he called them out. And you better believe when the best QB in the league is telling some of his WR’s that their effort was ****-poor, they’re gonna listen. If they can’t handle that, they won’t make it.

Can’t believe people are making an issue of this. We’re soft.

I'm just surprised that it didn't come up for a full week after it all went down. Should we start a new thread on "R-E-L-A-X"?

 

[XPack]

hould we start a new thread on "R-E-L-A-X"?

If any of those WRs posted R-E-L-A-X, I'm sure they'd be looking for a new team by now

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Clay is a peer teammate, the 3 rookers are not. Rodgers calling out Clay will smell of lack of team spirit and flaws within the team and indication of wider issues. Nothing of that sort here.

Once again, I would be absolutely fine with the franchise quarterback calling out a veteran for a poor effort level as well. All players on the roster should be held accountable.

 

[Pack-12]

I think a lock Hall of Fame QB calling out young WRs effort at the end of practice for SCOUT team is a good wake up call to the competitive level of the NFL. I also think it's hilarious and awesome that Rodgers cares that much about how his scout team performs.

 

[rmontro]

Rodgers wasn't telling us that the WRs were doing poorly he was trying to light a fire under them.

True. He was saying they need to work harder, that "I don't know what kind of effort you were used to in college, but if you want to make it in the pros, you're going to have to do better".

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

I'm on the fence here with this: I love the leadership aspect of it, letting the rookies know 'hey you better be better if you wanna make it here'. The problem I have is, could it be Aaron's diva/whiney side? If that's the case then 12 needs to shut up and play.

 

[rmontro]

I love the leadership aspect of it, letting the rookies know 'hey you better be better if you wanna make it here'. The problem I have is, could it be Aaron's diva/whiney side?

They're not necessarily mutually exclusive.