I posted this elsewhere: It fits in perfectly here.

I give you this regarding one of the greatest Linebackers to ever put on the pads for the Chicago Bears, Wilbur Marshall and one Buddy Ryan (courtesy of John Mullin):

"Marshall was a special pick. He had been a frightening impact player at Florida who came in with an attitude that angered some. Marshall thought he was a superstar, a stud, and the rest of the locker room ought to feel lucky to have him. He’d come to the right place. He got the RIGHT COACH!

Ryan broke him down to a buck private even though he was so much better physically than anyone the Bears had at that moment, easily beating out Jerry Muckensturm, who had a dead nerve in his shoulder.

Knowing Marshall was an Academic All-American, Ryan got under his hide by addressing him as "STUPID." But then, slowly but surely, when Marshall started doing what he was supposed to, Ryan rewarded him with recognition that was not easily earned.

Quickly, Marshall figured out, as Otis Wilson and others had, that Ryan was not impressed at all with college clippings or stats and did not respect someone unless they respected what he was trying to do aas was part of the team. That was the key to Ryan as a great coach and aleader of men."

Moral of the story: Maybe if Marshall had been coached by more of a "nice guy" coach, he would have relied on his athletic ability and pompous attitude to end up being nowhere near the great and dominating player that he became under Buddy Ryan.

Coaching matters.