I'm pretty sure he has a good laugh at some of the responses as well because some folks take themselves way to seriously around here
I would define 'talent' in the context of college football players is athletic ability (bigger, stronger, faster, more coordinated, smoother, quicker, natural ability). To be a talented footbally player, one has natural born physical athletic ability and then develops and hones those skills. Some players are simply better athletes and as such are naturally going to be better football players or better hockey players or better baseball players or better boxers. Surely you are not suggesting that some people are not more athletic than others 'naturally' (they were born that way). People are gentically slightly different and some people are taller, shorter, etc. Sure, people can make themselves stronger but there are natural limits. A 5'-2" tall, slender build woman is not going to ever be able to become a NBA center for the LA Lakers, no matter how hard she works out and how determined she may be. She is not physically able. She might be the world's greatest female gymnast but is not going to be a power lifter or the right offensive tackle for the Huskers. Similarly not every 6-2" high school senior can simply make up his mind to walk on to the Nebraska football team and become the next great I Back. He can run around the world twice ala Forest Gump and most (99%) won't ever become fast enough and quick enough and strong enough to run 4.4 second 40s and become the starting running back.
This is the biggest pile of crap I have seen typed out in quite a while. No amount of drive, desire, effort or coaching is going to transform a 5'6" 140# 18 year old into a 5* college player. I get what you are trying to say, but you took it about 10x too far. If you are trying to say drive, effort, desire and want-to separates an average player from a great player that is well documented but the simple fact is most amazing athletes combined essentially winning the genetic lottery with basically near insane amounts of dedication and obsession for their sport, that is what makes them special.What exactly is meant by this "talent" of which everybody speaks?
If one player is better than another, it is undeniably because of better coaching, conditioning, drive, effort, or skills, all which are obtainable by anyone now playing college football. "Talent" is not something with which a person is born, like a birthmark or an extra toe on each foot. Yes, some are better football players than others, but that is because they mastered their trade. Roger Craig didn't have the "talent" to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in a season, he had the drive to want it and put in the effort to obtain it. His training regimen was legendary.
And another thing: I sincerely believe that great teams don't win because they have more four and five star recruits. Four and five star recruits go to the great teams where they will receive superior coaching and are imbued with a winning mindset and expectations to work hard. When they succeed, then it is credited to the "talent", and not the effort. Exhibit A would be the Texas Longhorns recruiting classes vs. their record for the last four years. Exhibit B would be Bill Snyder's recruiting classes vs. what he has been able to do over the years at Kansas State.
This sort of deeply flawed "talent" theory isn't limited to football fans, by the way. Deer hunters try to buy marksmanship skills with a new rifle or bass anglers try to catch bigger fish with a faster boat. In all three cases (football, deer hunting, bass fishing) it is usually the ones who work at it and put in the time that end up succeeding. Don't even get me started about golfers!
I don't know about anyone else, but I just love when one member starts their reply to another member's post like this...you can just feel the loveThis is the biggest pile of crap I have seen typed out in quite a while. No amount of drive, desire, effort or coaching is going to transform a 5'6" 140# 18 year old into a 5* college player. I get what you are trying to say, but you took it about 10x too far. If you are trying to say drive, effort, desire and want-to separates an average player from a great player that is well documented but the simple fact is most amazing athletes combined essentially winning the genetic lottery with basically near insane amounts of dedication and obsession for their sport, that is what makes them special.What exactly is meant by this "talent" of which everybody speaks?
If one player is better than another, it is undeniably because of better coaching, conditioning, drive, effort, or skills, all which are obtainable by anyone now playing college football. "Talent" is not something with which a person is born, like a birthmark or an extra toe on each foot. Yes, some are better football players than others, but that is because they mastered their trade. Roger Craig didn't have the "talent" to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in a season, he had the drive to want it and put in the effort to obtain it. His training regimen was legendary.
And another thing: I sincerely believe that great teams don't win because they have more four and five star recruits. Four and five star recruits go to the great teams where they will receive superior coaching and are imbued with a winning mindset and expectations to work hard. When they succeed, then it is credited to the "talent", and not the effort. Exhibit A would be the Texas Longhorns recruiting classes vs. their record for the last four years. Exhibit B would be Bill Snyder's recruiting classes vs. what he has been able to do over the years at Kansas State.
This sort of deeply flawed "talent" theory isn't limited to football fans, by the way. Deer hunters try to buy marksmanship skills with a new rifle or bass anglers try to catch bigger fish with a faster boat. In all three cases (football, deer hunting, bass fishing) it is usually the ones who work at it and put in the time that end up succeeding. Don't even get me started about golfers!
Michael Jordan isn't famous if he doesn't have that exact genetic makeup and whatever weird psychological disorder his parents imbued him with to cause him to have such dedication to pursuing perfection. If he doesn't have both the genetics and the dedication nobody even knows his name, but you are kidding yourself if you think that all it takes is hard work and dedication. There are thousands of athletes that had just as much if not more dedication, drive and desire than (name your favorite athlete) but just didn't have the god given gifts (genes). Plenty of them became coaches.
Amazing...historical, even. And it's going to be more kindling to the fire under Riley's chair next season if it comes to pass.
