Team Leader Now That Bettis Is Gone..

[83-Steelers-43]

Smizik: Steelers won't lack leadership
Sunday, July 30, 2006

By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


The dictionary definition of leadership -- "the ability to guide, direct or influence people'' -- doesn't begin to describe the role Jerome Bettis had in the locker room and on the field with the Steelers.

The dictionary presents a cold grouping of words, as it should, that doesn't even put leadership in a positive light. In truth, leadership can be a negative, although when it exists in such a form it usually has other designations. For example, a negative leader on a baseball team would never be accused of leadership but rather would be a "cancer in the clubhouse.''

Bettis, by contrast, was an antidote that could wipe out any bad feelings that might infect a team. He had a personality that engulfed the room. It not only spread cheer but sent out a message of what it took to be a winner.

Some men lead by word, others by deed. Bettis led by both. In that respect, he brings to mind two great leaders of Pittsburgh's past, Joe Greene and Willie Stargell. Other great leaders, Roberto Clemente and Mario Lemieux come to mind, led more by deed than word.

Bettis was even more rare than Stargell and Greene. So powerful were his leadership genes that unlike so many others he still led when his skills had faded.

Invariably, a leader must perform to get others to follow. In his final season, last year, Bettis certainly had his moments, but he was a backup, in no uncertain terms, to Willie Parker. But he had been such a force on the team for so long, that his status on the depth chart was irrelevant. He was not only a man that players looked to, he also was a man for whom they played.

If there's a picture in the dictionary beside leadership, it should be one of Bettis.

Which means there will be a gaping leadership void within the Steelers, one so large it could jeopardize their chances of repeating as Super Bowl champion.

Not really.

Leadership and the positive chemistry it can help generate within a team are important, but are secondary to talent.

There's a belief in sports that chemistry, which good leadership helps build, is the key ingredient in winning. That's not so. It's actually the other way around. Winning builds good chemistry.

Be it a pickup basketball game at the YMCA or the highest level of professional sports, winning makes the participants feel good. The more they win, the better they feel, the more they like their teammates, the more they're willing to sacrifice for the good of the team. That's good chemistry.

Losing generates the opposite feelings. It makes players unhappy. It causes them to think more of their own personal goals than those of the team. It makes them want to be part of another team. That's bad chemistry.

For all of the immense leadership skills Bettis possessed, it didn't mean a thing when the Steelers, a 15-1 team in the regular season, played the superior and equally leadership-laden, New England Patriots in the AFC title game.

Better yet, Bettis was a key leader for the Steelers in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The team was a combined 22-26 those seasons and never made the playoffs. His leadership could not overcome a lack of talent.

In any event, the Steelers hardly will be devoid of leadership this season. In any professional locker room, there is an abundance of leadership. These men didn't achieve their status on the athletic totem pole by being locker room wallflowers in their climb to the top. Almost all were key leaders at one time or another in their athletic careers.

As they moved up the ladder, just as they found there were players as good or better, they found there were leaders as good or better. When that happens, the lesser leader steps back and becomes a follower. But the leadership skills remain.

There are many qualified leaders ready to fill the void left by Bettis. None might have all the qualities of Bettis, but there will be no absence of leadership on this team.

Even when Bettis was with the team, other players emerged as leaders. Certainly, Hines Ward aspired to that role and filled it admirably. He'll probably step up even more this season. So will offensive linemen Alan Faneca and Jeff Hartings, men who lead by action more than word.

Like Ward, Joey Porter already has exhibited leadership skills with the defensive unit. He's a verbal leader, who backs up his trash-talking with his play on the field. The defense will miss the elder-statesman leadership of Kimo von Oelhoffen, but others will fill his place.

The Steelers have a chance to repeat as Super Bowl champion. Whether they do or not, depends more on how they play rather than how they lead.

[SteelerzGirl]

Originally Posted by Black and Gold Forever 32

Well I always like for the QB to be the leader of the team. But when Jerome was here. No question he was the leader of the Steelers. I was thinking Ben was going to be the leader of this team when Jerome retired. He very well may be. But I went with Hines Ward. Reading recently how he is taking Santonio Holmes under his wing reminded me how Jerome took Willie Parker under his wing. So thats why I voted for Hines.

But the Steelers have alot of players who can step up and fill the leadership role that Jerome left when he retired.

I also voted for Hines because he took a leadership role by taking Santonio under his wing, however, I do think that Ben will be a dynamic presence as well.

[CantStop85]

Of course Ben will be leading the offense on the field, but at this point in his career I don't see him as a guy who can step up and be THE leader in the locker room. I would undoubtedly go with Hines Ward for the off-the-field leader.

[BIGBENFASTWILLIE]

I think its improtant for ben to step up and be a leader this year

[Polamalu43]

Originally Posted by NobodyBelievedInUsButUs

What do you think?

thats a no brainer man, hines ward.

[tony hipchest]

Originally Posted by 83-Steelers-43

Smizik: Steelers won't lack leadership
Sunday, July 30, 2006

By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


The dictionary definition of leadership -- "the ability to guide, direct or influence people'' -- doesn't begin to describe the role Jerome Bettis had in the locker room and on the field with the Steelers.

The dictionary presents a cold grouping of words, as it should, that doesn't even put leadership in a positive light. In truth, leadership can be a negative, although when it exists in such a form it usually has other designations. For example, a negative leader on a baseball team would never be accused of leadership but rather would be a "cancer in the clubhouse.''

Bettis, by contrast, was an antidote that could wipe out any bad feelings that might infect a team. He had a personality that engulfed the room. It not only spread cheer but sent out a message of what it took to be a winner.

Some men lead by word, others by deed. Bettis led by both. In that respect, he brings to mind two great leaders of Pittsburgh's past, Joe Greene and Willie Stargell. Other great leaders, Roberto Clemente and Mario Lemieux come to mind, led more by deed than word.

Bettis was even more rare than Stargell and Greene. So powerful were his leadership genes that unlike so many others he still led when his skills had faded.

Invariably, a leader must perform to get others to follow. In his final season, last year, Bettis certainly had his moments, but he was a backup, in no uncertain terms, to Willie Parker. But he had been such a force on the team for so long, that his status on the depth chart was irrelevant. He was not only a man that players looked to, he also was a man for whom they played.

If there's a picture in the dictionary beside leadership, it should be one of Bettis.

Which means there will be a gaping leadership void within the Steelers, one so large it could jeopardize their chances of repeating as Super Bowl champion.

Not really.

Leadership and the positive chemistry it can help generate within a team are important, but are secondary to talent.

There's a belief in sports that chemistry, which good leadership helps build, is the key ingredient in winning. That's not so. It's actually the other way around. Winning builds good chemistry.

Be it a pickup basketball game at the YMCA or the highest level of professional sports, winning makes the participants feel good. The more they win, the better they feel, the more they like their teammates, the more they're willing to sacrifice for the good of the team. That's good chemistry.

Losing generates the opposite feelings. It makes players unhappy. It causes them to think more of their own personal goals than those of the team. It makes them want to be part of another team. That's bad chemistry.

For all of the immense leadership skills Bettis possessed, it didn't mean a thing when the Steelers, a 15-1 team in the regular season, played the superior and equally leadership-laden, New England Patriots in the AFC title game.

Better yet, Bettis was a key leader for the Steelers in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The team was a combined 22-26 those seasons and never made the playoffs. His leadership could not overcome a lack of talent.

In any event, the Steelers hardly will be devoid of leadership this season. In any professional locker room, there is an abundance of leadership. These men didn't achieve their status on the athletic totem pole by being locker room wallflowers in their climb to the top. Almost all were key leaders at one time or another in their athletic careers.

As they moved up the ladder, just as they found there were players as good or better, they found there were leaders as good or better. When that happens, the lesser leader steps back and becomes a follower. But the leadership skills remain.

There are many qualified leaders ready to fill the void left by Bettis. None might have all the qualities of Bettis, but there will be no absence of leadership on this team.

Even when Bettis was with the team, other players emerged as leaders. Certainly, Hines Ward aspired to that role and filled it admirably. He'll probably step up even more this season. So will offensive linemen Alan Faneca and Jeff Hartings, men who lead by action more than word.

Like Ward, Joey Porter already has exhibited leadership skills with the defensive unit. He's a verbal leader, who backs up his trash-talking with his play on the field. The defense will miss the elder-statesman leadership of Kimo von Oelhoffen, but others will fill his place.

The Steelers have a chance to repeat as Super Bowl champion. Whether they do or not, depends more on how they play rather than how they lead.

i could say most articles from the post gazette are really good articles, cause that is some of the most in depth steelers opinions i am subjected to other than this forum, but that is one hell of an article. i check the ppg sports just about every day. im suprised i missed that. thanks.

[tony hipchest]

ben will be the leader cause he has more on field maturity than somebody like david carr, carson palmer, or eli manning. he is the one the WHOLE TEAM will be looking to to lead them where they want to go. and he was jeromes understudy. he thrived on every word jerome said and dedicated himself to learning how to lead and be a leader, probably more than he dedicated himself to the playbook and motorcycle safety courses.

great thing is that the steelers arent in desperate need of leadership, as much as the media would like to make you believe. jerome is gone, yet the band marches on.

[SuperBowlChamps]

Hines Ward or Joey Porter...but probably Hines. Those two will probably be 2006 Offensive & Defensive Captains too.