(10-17-2019, 10:36 AM)Last42min Wrote: I think this is a good assessment. I have suggested something similar before.

It's not that Ramsey disrespected players, it's that he had a certain gravitas that influenced other players. Instead of the prevailing attitude being one towards collective growth, the attitude was one of individual gain. I think Ramsey wanted to see the team do well, but in his mind, he has to look out for number one. That means playing how he plays, and demanding money and respect. If other players adopt that attitude, it changes the culture. If on the other hand, you contrast that with a Poz or Cambell approach, you see people focused on the game and the team. Campbell is literally looking for gatorade to take to Fournette on breaks. He knows the offense needs to do well. He knows the young guys needs to do well. You're not going to get every player on the team to think like that, but if the culture is closer to the latter than the former, you will have better team dynamics.

Truth be told, it's my opinion that Ramsey has contributed to the ineffectiveness of the defense. There's been multiple reports of him refusing to play zone, which I think has created trust issues and encouraged everyone to try to do more than they should to compensate. I am curious if the team will gel more without him here. If they just do their jobs and think as a unit, I think our defense will improve. It may not be elite, but it should be solid. I'd like to try to replace Herndon, though. I'd be open to trading one of those first round picks for a good CB.

Great post, I completely agree.

The funny thing is that, even in '17 when the good times were rolling, many of us probably had a sneaking suspicion that there was something unstable about the culture around the team. Nobody mentioned it much because we were rightly enjoying the success, but it was clear that the team was a bit too brash and bold. It was all very enjoyable when things were going well, but there was the nagging thought that the atmosphere could turn a bit negative if things started to go wrong, and that's exactly what happened. The last two years of lack of discipline and players seeming disconnected from the team have shown that.

It remains to be seen how much this will really be a turning point in turns of culture, but they should absolutely try to make it a point of emphasis. We need to see Campbell be the unquestioned leader of this defense now.

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