Tony Softli: ‘You can’t win with a bunch of choir boys’

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.

Lesson

Oh, really?
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
2,104
I disagree with Softli. You can win with a team that does have players with a spotty past, BUT, it takes more time to assemble a roster like that. Spags was doing that,however, he strayed away from his philosophy of the Four Pillars in drafting Quinn(again, I don't have a problem with the selection of Quinn, but if you are going to build a team with a certain philosophy, stick to it) and help fill the roster with young players, which he originally did but then both he and Billy D. brought in vets on 1 year deals to cover their rear ends in order to not suffer from the lockout.

Since the previous regime strayed away from their philosophy, Fisher and Snead are now here and bringing in talent while sticking to their philosophy.
 

Mojo Ram

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Messages
22,979
Name
mojo
I dont know about the NFL(i think it may be true) .... but you definately can't win in David Sterns NBA with a bunch of choir boys...and i wouldn't even try.
:cool:
 

albefree69

Hall of Fame
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
4,512
Name
Alan
I think his premise is nonsensical. That's the kind of thing you say when you don't actually have anything to say.

But then I don't particularly like Softli so there's that.

GO RAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Thordaddy

Binding you with ancient logic
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
10,462
Name
Rich
albefree69 said:
I think his premise is nonsensical. That's the kind of thing you say when you don't actually have anything to say.

But then I don't particularly like Softli so there's that.

GO RAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well sorry to disappoint you but I agree with him,if you insist on the four pillars thing ,you'll miss out on way too many talented players,it's like mojo sez, it's even more evident in the NBA.

Now that is not to say if you have two players ranked the same you don't go for the Boy Scout,certainly if he's got talent and character , but face it the last three Presidents of the United States have smoked pot and snorted some blow,it's not the damned kiss of death so many of these "problems" are random chance.
I'd bet well over half the players drafted this year have at least smoked pot so the diff. is who got caught.
 

albefree69

Hall of Fame
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
4,512
Name
Alan
Thordaddy wrote:
Well sorry to disappoint you but I agree with him,if you insist on the four pillars thing ,you'll miss out on way too many talented players,it's like mojo sez, it's even more evident in the NBA.

Now that is not to say if you have two players ranked the same you don't go for the Boy Scout,certainly if he's got talent and character , but face it the last three Presidents of the United States have smoked pot and snorted some blow,it's not the damned kiss of death so many of these "problems" are random chance.
I'd bet well over half the players drafted this year have at least smoked pot so the diff. is who got caught.

I'm in agreement with most of what you said. Just because I think his premise is stupid doesn't mean I don't think the opposite isn't stupid too. The whole question of being a good boy or a bad boy is immaterial. Having talent and playing as a team is what's needed for success IMO. That can be done with a mixture of both types or teams comprising predominantly bad guys or good guys.

I think the teams that have a lot of bad guys are going to have better parties though. :sure:

GO RAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

-X-

Medium-sized Lebowski
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
35,576
Name
The Dude
Hmmmmmm.

So you can't win with Bradford, Long (both of them), Laurinaitis, Quinn, Saffold, Tavon, Pettis, Finnegan (never been in trouble), Richardson and Pead?

Or with Warner, Bruce, Holt, Faulk, Proehl, Hakim, Pace, et al?

Well, alright then.
Pack it up boys.
We're outta here.
 

albefree69

Hall of Fame
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
4,512
Name
Alan
X trying to leave early:
Hmmmmmm.

Well, alright then.
Pack it up boys.
We're outta here.

So you're not staying for the party?

Can I have your share?

GO RAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

LesBaker

Mr. Savant
Joined
Aug 23, 2012
Messages
17,460
Name
Les
mojorizen7 said:
I dont know about the NFL(i think it may be true) .... but you definately can't win in David Sterns NBA with a bunch of choir boys...and i wouldn't even try.
:cool:

San Antonio Spurs.

Miami Heat.

And there are others....Plenty.
 

-X-

Medium-sized Lebowski
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
35,576
Name
The Dude
Albe mooching off of X:
So you're not staying for the party?

Can I have your share?

GO RAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sbug8Jq.jpg
 

Warner4Prez

Hall of Fame
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
2,266
Name
Benny
X said:
Hmmmmmm.

So you can't win with Bradford, Long (both of them), Laurinaitis, Quinn, Saffold, Tavon, Pettis, Finnegan (never been in trouble), Richardson and Pead?

Or with Warner, Bruce, Holt, Faulk, Proehl, Hakim, Pace, et al?

Well, alright then.
Pack it up boys.
We're outta here.

That's just it! People are so quick to overlook the fact that there is an extremely solid leadership base here. I find it unlikely that Long, Laurinaitis or Bradford would sit back idly and let the team go to shit after getting their asses kicked a few years for nothing.

Jenkins claims to have put his past behind him, Pead and Watkins will miss one game for supposed weed smoking. Ogeltree found trouble before the draft and saw his stock drop subsequently. Lessons learned? I hope so, but a bunch of thugs/criminals? They are not.
 

Mojo Ram

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Messages
22,979
Name
mojo
LesBaker said:
mojorizen7 said:
I dont know about the NFL(i think it may be true) .... but you definately can't win in David Sterns NBA with a bunch of choir boys...and i wouldn't even try.
:cool:

San Antonio Spurs.

Miami Heat.

And there are others....Plenty.
Plenty? Who?
Choir boys = soft,clean and friendly no?
I admire strong,tough basketball teams with a nice mix of superstars,role players and thugs. Thats what you need IMO.

Popovich teams have never been either,and you can make an argument for Miami....but i'll just strawman the debate to include teams with marquee appeal only :ww:
:cool:

Since 1980 only NINE different teams have won the NBA championship. Thats nine different teams in 33 years. That includes a one time title from Dallas and Miami both. So,if you were to exclude those 2 teams amongst the past 33 yrs you're looking at only 7 different championship teams in 31 years. RIDICULOUS

David Stern has been commissioner since 1984. He is responsible for the success,the popularity,the wealth,the predictability and the corruption of that league.

Stern is a crook IMO. I dont know how he survived the referee scandal of 2007. It was swept under the rug almost as cleanly as Spygate.
He has announced he will step down next February 2014. It might be interesting again...IDK

The NBA is a garbage league. Corrupt, without parity and IMO a foregone conclusion every year. Pfft...

Started watching in 1981 and stopped watching in 2009.

Sorry for the tangent Les...i'm quite passionate about a sport i used to love years ago.
 

Selassie I

H. I. M.
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
17,717
Name
Haole
While I don't often agree with Softli, I share his thoughts on this one.

The most important ingredient for an NFL player is talent. There are many other qualities that help, but talent tops them all if you ask me. Pick your players on some other trait first and let me know how that turns out for ya.

Even though commandante goodell is trying to make it otherwise,,, the NFL is a gladiator sport. You need some "BAD MEN" to come out on top,,, and I mean BAD in the BAD sense of the word.
 

nighttrain

Legend
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
9,216
albefree69 said:
Thordaddy wrote:
Well sorry to disappoint you but I agree with him,if you insist on the four pillars thing ,you'll miss out on way too many talented players,it's like mojo sez, it's even more evident in the NBA.

Now that is not to say if you have two players ranked the same you don't go for the Boy Scout,certainly if he's got talent and character , but face it the last three Presidents of the United States have smoked pot and snorted some blow,it's not the damned kiss of death so many of these "problems" are random chance.
I'd bet well over half the players drafted this year have at least smoked pot so the diff. is who got caught.

I'm in agreement with most of what you said. Just because I think his premise is stupid doesn't mean I don't think the opposite isn't stupid too. The whole question of being a good boy or a bad boy is immaterial. Having talent and playing as a team is what's needed for success IMO. That can be done with a mixture of both types or teams comprising predominantly bad guys or good guys.

I think the teams that have a lot of bad guys are going to have better parties though. :sure:

GO RAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:twisted:
Bad Boys that don't get caught have a talent that cant be taught, it's inherent, and a really cool attribute.
train
 

Thordaddy

Binding you with ancient logic
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
10,462
Name
Rich
Lemme say this: When the wrestling season was over we used to have a kids league ,four teams drafted out of a pool of kids sorted by age and weight into brackets, using their sign up sheets.
No tryouts just draft em blind and try to coach em up for a month and have a tournament.

I'd look at the sheets and draft kids from the toughest neighborhoods and they generally lived up to expectations ,my team finished first every year. JMO the edge it takes to play football and wrestling makes those who do more prone to some issues especially in the war on drugs era which IMO has done nothing to really solve a problem and only exponentially expanded the criminal class.

Now it didn't come at no cost ,I had plenty of run ins with parents, had to discipline the kids more often than other coaches but I got results.
 

EastRam

Pro Bowler
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
1,994
Selassie I said:
While I don't often agree with Softli, I share his thoughts on this one.

The most important ingredient for an NFL player is talent. There are many other qualities that help, but talent tops them all if you ask me. Pick your players on some other trait first and let me know how that turns out for ya.

Even though commandante goodell is trying to make it otherwise,,, the NFL is a gladiator sport. You need some "BAD MEN" to come out on top,,, and I mean BAD in the BAD sense of the word.

I'm gonna have to disagree just awhittle bit..

HEART is the most important. JMO. :p
 

LesBaker

Mr. Savant
Joined
Aug 23, 2012
Messages
17,460
Name
Les
mojorizen7 said:
LesBaker said:
mojorizen7 said:
I dont know about the NFL(i think it may be true) .... but you definately can't win in David Sterns NBA with a bunch of choir boys...and i wouldn't even try.
:cool:

San Antonio Spurs.

Miami Heat.

And there are others....Plenty.
Plenty? Who?
Choir boys = soft,clean and friendly no?
I admire strong,tough basketball teams with a nice mix of superstars,role players and thugs. Thats what you need IMO.

Popovich teams have never been either,and you can make an argument for Miami....but i'll just strawman the debate to include teams with marquee appeal only :ww:
:cool:

Since 1980 only NINE different teams have won the NBA championship. Thats nine different teams in 33 years. That includes a one time title from Dallas and Miami both. So,if you were to exclude those 2 teams amongst the past 33 yrs you're looking at only 7 different championship teams in 31 years. RIDICULOUS

David Stern has been commissioner since 1984. He is responsible for the success,the popularity,the wealth,the predictability and the corruption of that league.

Stern is a crook IMO. I dont know how he survived the referee scandal of 2007. It was swept under the rug almost as cleanly as Spygate.
He has announced he will step down next February 2014. It might be interesting again...IDK

The NBA is a garbage league. Corrupt, without parity and IMO a foregone conclusion every year. Pfft...

Started watching in 1981 and stopped watching in 2009.

Sorry for the tangent Les...i'm quite passionate about a sport i used to love years ago.

Nice rant! Some of it I agree with and some I don't. Personally I still love hoops, it's second the football. I don't pay any attention to the rest of the pro sports anymore.

You're point about the number of teams over the last 3 decades winning titles was addressed by luxury tax changes. It's harder and much more expensive to buy yourself a title contender, so we'll see more Indiana's and Memphis's challenging for trips to the finals.

It's a different game than it was when you first started watching. Like all sports it's evolved and rules have created a different style of play. The guys playing are IMO the best athletes in the world. I've seen tons of NBA games live, including seeing LBJ about 15 or so times when I was still living in Cleveland.

As far as a live sport to watch it's the most exciting for me. Its more fun than anything else even though I like football more.

You're missing out on some great stuff and you should give the game a second chance.

By the way Tim Doneghy was on a local sports talk show here. He was directly asked about "the fix being in" since of course he was theref who cheated. He said the refs make a huge difference and he predicted that the guys who handled last nights game 7 would call it tight early and loose later. His opinion, and I agree, is that guys who are quick on the whistle can change a game and take it away from a team like the Pacers. He also predicted Hibbert would be in early foul trouble.
 

Selassie I

H. I. M.
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
17,717
Name
Haole
I feel that I should also mention something I have found to be true through my years of playing in various sports leagues...

Some of the most absolute dirtiest players I've personally had to compete against were members of Church teams. I have no idea if they were members of the choir however.