Leadership

On the way home from the game on Sunday I heard one of the players talking about Torry Holt's speech to the team before the final drive, and now I see this item at the top of the site. I can't tell you how happy this makes me. Almost as happy as the look on Jerry Jones' face when he lost the inaugural game in his new monument to himself.

For a long time I've been concerned  about the lack of leadership among the players. As a season ticket holder since Day One I go back to the Brunell-Boselli axis, and while I am all for Christian beliefs, I'm not sure quoting the Bible gets it done at crunch time. Even during the years I defended Byron, I quietly wished he was less laid back and a more vocal leader. David Garrard is the same way ... low key, and maybe just too nice a guy to get in someone's face the way it needs to be done.

On defense I know Mike Peterson tried to fill the leadership role, just not sure players responded to him as he would have liked. You can't force it on people. Donovan Darius led by example with his hitting but was basically a quiet guy. I think Stroud had some leadership skills, and he and big John together certainly set a tone with just their presence. But Marcus is gone now. So who will be our Ray Lewis? Who will demonstrate the spit-in-your-face intensity of a Bill Cowher? 

Bringing in Torry Holt was a huge benefit for this team, not just for his skills on the field, which were so evident on Sunday, and not just so he can teach a young receiving corps to run routes properly. I want some of the young players on this team to watch him lead, see his passion, understand that he knows what it takes to be a champion in this league, and gto learn from him. I seem to remember that 4 or 5 of our nine rookies were captains of their college teams, so clearly the leadership potential is there. If Torry can help a new generation of leaders emerge, he will be one of the most valuable additions in the history of this franchise.

How do you guys feel about it?