DeMarcus Ware possibly spent more time than any other defender in the NFL invading opposing teams backfields in 2008. He had a stellar season in the one area of pass rushing, which is primarily his only duty assigned by the team. Though Ware is inconsistent against the run, and would have a hard time covering a offensive tackle going out on a pass route, he still ended up being second in voting for the 2008 NFL Defensive Player Of The Year. One would think that is the end of this story, but it is just the beginning.
You see, Ware spent his time the past few weeks politicking for the award. Instead of focusing on the fact his team came up short, he focused on himself alone. A familiar theme in the Cowboys camp in 2008. Some may call it "The TO Syndrome", but this diva type of behavior is more prevalent in todays sports world than ever before. It comes off as more than self promotion, ignorance and insecurity in hopes of more cash for their pockets. The timing of Ware's grandstanding happens to fall in line with the fact he is negotiating for more money over a longer period of time. His actions are planned, and he is playing the teams simpleton owner like a fiddle on their way to the vault.
After seeing Brett Favre cash in an over rated career with the help of his media friends, Ware is now going this easy route. He is telling his media buddies that he plans on winning the 2009 Defensive Player Of The Year Award, which should add more zeros to the contract he gets from Jerry Jones. Of course Jerry has no other option but to give this guy all the cash Ware desires, because there are 31 other teams in the NFL who would get in line with blank checks in their hands. The main culprit is the media, which has become more of a P.R. department than journalistic environment. Many of them feel is necessary to suck up to and coddle the modern day athlete in order to get more inane quotes to justify their paycheck to their employers. It is lazy work that falls in line with the paparazzi that sucks on the teat of the Hollywood scene.
The hope that guys like Ware put the teams goals ahead of their own seems more folly than reality. Todays athlete is more concerned with his wallet than the love for the game. The store bought ring means more to them than the one earned through winning a championship. But, in these dire economic times in our nation, can one really blame them too much? Philadelphia Eagles Hall Of Fame Running Back Steve Van Buren once said, "Money never meant anything to me when it came to playing football. I was stupid. That's why." So, get ready for more actions like Ware from more players on every team in all professional sports. Ware also benefits from the fact that the NFL did not recognize sacks as a statistic until 1982, so his 20 sacks almost ended up breaking the recognized record. Yet this is a tainted record, because the NFL does acknowledge players like Deacon Jones, Coy Bacon, Norm Willey, and many more, had seasons where their sack totals easily surpassed the recognized record of 22.5 by Michael Strahan. All you have to do is look at this years finalists for the NFL Hall Of Fame to see how inferior players are on the cusp of induction while old timers fade into the dust of forgotten memory. One reason I created Crazy Canton Cuts. Though todays players like DeMarcus Ware most likely have no idea who paved the road they now travel in luxury, there will always be some fantastical hope that guys like him adopt more of the old school values rather than continue to wallow in their pitiful attempts of self grandeur.
1 comment:
He had a whole four sacks more than Harrison. That's a lot, but 16 Sacks is darn good. Throw in 100 tackles and a key cog in a GREAT defense. There was no debate who should be DPOY.
Way to call out Ware.
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