Pack93z
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14 years ago
Freaking refreshing words from this young man.. beyond his play on the field.. it would be awesome to have this kid on our team.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/nnamdi_asomugha/06/14/mmqb.nnamdi/index.html?eref=sihp 

It's a serious business being a rookie in the NFL. Your teammates expect a lot from you. Your coaches expect even more. And hopefully you expect the most from yourself.

When I was a rookie in 2003, I was not only making the transition from college to the NFL, but also being asked to make the move from safety to cornerback. It took time for me to get comfortable, and realistically, it wasn't until my third season that I began to feel at home.

Players often get a bad rap during their first or second year if they struggle with this transition, especially if they are high draft picks. I think it's important to look at a young player's work ethic, his football intelligence, and his desire to become great. Even if a player gets off to a slow start, it is those traits that will allow him to eventually become successful in his career.

So for all you rookies out there, here are a few tips of advice to help give you a smoother transition into the league:

Set your alarm for a reasonable time. If you're five minutes early, you're late. If you're late, you're fired.

Be confident in your ability to play the game. I learned from my position coach, Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown, that confidence is more than half of the battle. He told me before my very first game as a starter, "If you don't believe you're the best, you'll never be the best." No matter the situation, no matter the circumstance, when you believe in yourself and can fully understand that you made it to the NFL because you have an ability that is rare, you will conquer many of your fears before they even manifest.

Be smarter than you were the day before. This is where the mental part of the game comes into play. The tendency for young players is to rely solely on their athletic ability. Big ... Huge ... Enormous mistake. Understanding your role and the role of others around you will be extremely beneficial to your development as a player. Make it a point to learn something new with each day. The game will slow down for you, I promise. I didn't immediately grasp this concept, but once I did, I felt like I was playing a completely different game. Like I had the cheat code that my opponents couldn't figure out.

Don't limit your exposure. I believe that success is like a roll of film. In order to develop, you need exposure. Try to be as versatile as possible. Let the coaches see you in different spots on the field. It may seem like a headache in the beginning, but not only will it give you a better shot at making the team, but also it will make you a much better player. Versatility increases value. Value gives you job security. Make Special Teams your best friend in the entire world. We have all gone through the gauntlet of Special Teams at one point in our careers and many of us have made a wonderful living off it. If you wait until the last week of training camp to ask your Special Teams coach where you can help, you may be on the next bus out.

Stay out of the training room as much as you can. Sometimes you can't help it, and that's fine. Basically, do all of your necessary stretching and stay hydrated because an injury can make things very tricky. If one comes, shift your focus to getting better as soon as you can. As they say, "You can't make the club in the tub."

Don't count heads. By that I mean when teams are cutting players, don't try to figure out if you are next on the chopping block. Heck, don't even try to figure out where you will be on the depth chart. Try as hard as you can to keep from comparing yourself to others. You can only control your performance. If your teammate is doing well and you're having a bad day, the common thing to do is start comparing. "Well, he did well today, that must mean they like him more now. People are going to think I shouldn't be here. I wish I was doing better than he is doing." Don't let that be your thought. It will cloud your focus and your performance will suffer because you start to lose your confidence. Just go out there and be the best player you can possibly be and let the stuff you can't control work itself out. It always does.

Finally, I leave you with this piece of advice. Don't be afraid of the moment, because it doesn't last forever.


"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
djcubez
14 years ago
Wow, that was actually an amazing article. The fact that an NFL player can actually articulate that well is phenomenal. Now I just can't wait for nonstop to dissect it.
Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago
I read the article this morning and I was quite impressed with it. The cynical side of me wanted to ask who ghost wrote it for him, but I forbore. 😉
UserPostedImage
Formo
14 years ago

I read the article this morning and I was quite impressed with it. The cynical side of me wanted to ask who ghost wrote it for him, but I forbore. ;)

"Nonstopdrivel" wrote:



Honestly, that's what I thought.. lol I just find it REALLY hard to imagine a tough as nails NFL player sitting behind a monitor pluckin' keys on a keyboard and making his own edits, etc. Heh.
UserPostedImage
Thanks to TheViking88 for the sig!!
Dexter_Sinister
14 years ago
I could see someone like William Henderson doing it. He always struck me as an articulate and well educated knuckle dragger.
I want to go out like my Grandpa did. Peacefully in his sleep.
Not screaming in terror like his passengers.
doddpower
14 years ago

I read the article this morning and I was quite impressed with it. The cynical side of me wanted to ask who ghost wrote it for him, but I forbore. ;)

"Nonstopdrivel" wrote:



Of course it was edited by someone, but if you listen to this guy speak, you will be quite impressed, relatively speaking of course.

He's surprisingly articulate and intelligent.
Fan Shout
beast (14m) : It's not official until I'm dead! I have a chance still! (Not really)
Mucky Tundra (9h) : I could feel my body decomposing in real time when I read that
Mucky Tundra (9h) : @MIKEYSAINRISTIL Tyler Shough will officially be the last person drafted to the NFL born in the 1900’s
Mucky Tundra (19h) : saw the tweet, he meant the city
Mucky Tundra (19h) : Was that for the team or the city?
Zero2Cool (19h) : Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter · 3m Draft grade is in: Green Bay gets an A. The people, the city, the venue were all superb. NFL Draft’s next
Zero2Cool (19h) : Matt LaFleur says Jaire Alexander is participating in #Packers offseason program, which has been conducted virtually during this first week
Zero2Cool (19h) : ✅ ...
buckeyepackfan (20h) : Check
Zero2Cool (22h) : Matthew Golden cahanged 81 to 22??
TheKanataThrilla (26-Apr) : Sam Howell to Vikings...guess no Aaron
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : 1 round 7 min, with one extra minute if there is a trade. 2nd round 4 minutes, 3rd -3, 2 thereafter IMO
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : Agree
dfosterf (26-Apr) : Great idea imo
dfosterf (26-Apr) : 1st round to 7 minutes with one extension
dfosterf (26-Apr) : NFL comissioner wants to shorten the 2st
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : @jalenreagors They’re discussing if Sheduer can go back to college on NFL Network LMFAOOOOO
beast (26-Apr) : Great point Martha
beast (26-Apr) : Buddy Ryan used to say if a candy bar goes missing, there are two to blame, Rex and Rob 🤪 jk 😁
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : Bum Phillips used to say there are two ways to get better. Get better players or get players to play better. We have a new DL coach
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Yes. Look at the losses last year. They can win.
beast (26-Apr) : Can Packers win with their current DL?
bboystyle (26-Apr) : waiting for a pass rusher.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes between picks in the 3rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 3rd. Hate this phone
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 4rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes in the 4
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 7 minutes between picks in the 2nd round
Martha Careful (25-Apr) : Sorry to bitch, but the headline writers in that section absolutely mislead, or don't know how to read. It is maddening
Martha Careful (25-Apr) : No thanks. Not a dependable guy to be in the right place and run the right route. Dumb as a box of rocks.
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : Losing 2nd round pick for a one year rental, not ideal. Especially a headcase.
TheKanataThrilla (25-Apr) : Pickens for Jaire may be interesting. Definitely not sure we want Pickens long term.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : No.Absolutely not
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : NO NO NO NO NO NO!!1 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
dhazer (25-Apr) : scenario: Our main prospects are off the board when our pick comes around, do we just throw a 2nd round pick at Pittsburgh for Pickens
TheKanataThrilla (25-Apr) : Hopefully she had some comfort that her son will be live his dream when she passed away. Sad news.
Mucky Tundra (25-Apr) : Damn that sucks
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : News about Derrick Harmon mom, saddening.
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : Mark Murphy: "I predict we will trade up once and down twice."
beast (25-Apr) : Rip the Packers and getting the fans yelling and booing him
beast (25-Apr) : Super competitive Bears fan and WWE "superstar" wrestler, Seth Rollins is supposed to announce a Bears pick and absolutely rip Packers
packerfanoutwest (25-Apr) : Golden
beast (25-Apr) : I want DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Mucky Tundra (25-Apr) : And I can't be looking at my phone
Mucky Tundra (25-Apr) : Hey I'm at work lol
Zero2Cool (24-Apr) : btw, new site chat won't delete auto like
Zero2Cool (24-Apr) : because everyone left like wimps
TheKanataThrilla (24-Apr) : I am wondering if there is some type of autoclear when there isn't activity after a certain amount of time.
Mucky Tundra (24-Apr) : What happened in the chat? Me and Zero posted a few things earlier and they're all gone
dfosterf (24-Apr) : 10-15 min bs plus flyover
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