Hey Jason Hatcher! Leadership Doesn’t Win Superbowls

There has been alot of  talk about the comments made by Dallas Cowboy defensive end Jason Hatcher. The six year veteran out of Grambling State had some negative things to say when it came to team leadership. Here’s Hatcher’s exact quote from his radio interview on ESPN Dallas 103.3, after he was asked the question “Who are the leaders on the Dallas Cowboys?”:

"“Dude. I gotta be honest with you: That’s a good question. That’s a good question. I really don’t know. It’s just another thing we really need … like the Ravens, we don’t have that. We’ve got the talent. We’ve got everything we need. I think we get like a Ray Lewis-type. Everybody buys into him. When Ray Lewis speaks, everybody listens to him. A guy like that. We really don’t got that. I think we definitely need somebody like that.”"

According to Hatcher’s logic, the Cowboys lack of a true “Ray Lewis” type leader is keeping them from winning a Superbowl. Well, to be frank, his logic is flawed.

First off, there are many different types of leaders. Some leaders earn that respect over time (Tony Romo). Some leaders are just given it through title or position (Jason Garrett). Some lead through words (Rob Ryan). And others through actions (DeMarcus Ware). But having great leaders doesn’t ensure success.

Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith are all consider great leaders. But they won their Superbowl very early on in their careers. Were they not better leaders as they got older? Ofcourse they were. But winning isn’t determined by how much of a leader your star players are. It’s how they play and the talent around them.

What about Ray Lewis? He won his  Superbowl back in 2001. Is he not a better leader now? If he’s such a great leader, why hasn’t he won more Superbowls? How about Eli Manning. Tiki Barber all but said he was a terrible leader and he’s walking around with two Superbowl rings.

The best example may be Tim Tebow. For most fans, Tebow’s leadership is the only reason the Denver Broncos made it to the playoffs. But at the end of the day, it was Tebow’s lack of ability and the lack of talent around him that ended their season. Leadership can only go so far.

Bottom line: Leaders don’t win championships. Plays that players make do. And the Dallas Cowboys failed to make the right plays at the right times. Whether Tony Romo or DeMarcus Ware dance during their pre-game entrance  or stand on tables screaming about “leaving it all on the field”, the Cowboys’ issues go beyond simple leadership.  And I’d like to think that if Ray Lewis was a Cowboy, he’d pop Hatcher on the head for making such idiotic statements.

And Hatcher, one more thing.  If you think the team lacks a true leader, maybe you should step up a be one instead of crying about it on the local radio station. You have been on the team for seven years!

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