About Leadership

[calfoxwc]

It's a given that criticism is all over the place. The Browns are disappointed in their record, fans are. But about Baker Mayfield....

Leadership is truly being who you are, truly believing in the right things, and living as you believe them. It's having the courage to stand up for what you believe, and live it. Leadership is the willingness to lay it on the line when that time comes, and truly being dedicated to the right things. And never, ever quitting...and being 100% certain about the things you believe in. It's also giving it every bit of effort because you are real.

Leadership is by example - leadership is EARNED. Authority is granted. Respect is EARNED.

Baker has 100% leadership. He inspires his teammates.

   When someone shows that leadership, it inspires people around them. Pro qb's- Baker is certain at the top of that list. It isn't every qb in the NFL that has it - as I see it. Most of us could probably name a group of pro qb's that don't have it.

Baker - hell yes.  Sam Darnold - nope. ....Josh Rosen, NOPE. Josh Allen, YEP. right down the list.

Who can argue that Baker doesn't have that leadership?

However.... he is hurt. and he is getting hurt worse. Baker won't quit - it isn't in his dna. He has always risen to roadblock occasions, when doubters didn't think he could...but he goes out and wins.

But he's injured - and will go out there with a pair of crutches if he has to. It isn't ego - it's confidence, daring, and courage.....

and basic contrariness. I get it. But it's past the point of letting Baker be himself and defeat the odds.

   It's a team game, Keenum knows what he's doing, he isn't injured...what is the point of not letting him play?

But, I suppose if the Browns coaches had taken Baker out and played the squealers with Keenum and still lost....all hell would break loose that the coaches overreacted and put the backup in there...etc.

   No, I was never allowed to play sports. But I do know, after my knee was reconstructed in the summer after the ninth grade, it took a few years to get back to where I was. And, though I they sent me home from the military draft process because of my knee, I enlisted 2 1/2 years later for good reasons - after basic, which my knee barely made it through... my knee was a lot worse off. lol. I never had a good knee til after a friend got upset at how painfully I walked, and my Wife had tears in her eyes at the grocery store when my worn out knee went out on me, and she helped me from falling. So, I went and got a bionic knee. If I could only have had two bionic knees in hs...never mind.

  But it is time for Stefanski and the rest of the committee of coaches to give Baker some time to heal. Let Keenum start. Or, at least, put Keenum in at halftime, like should have been done vs Detroit. Baker's teammates will be just as inspired by his spirit and courage etc on the sideline at this point.

   If the Browns had a trio of outstanding get open dynamic wr's, and Baker could just get the ball to them enough times, maybe ok. But they don't, and he can't consistently right now. I would have kept him on the sidelines when they played the Steelers, but whatever.

  My point is, nobody is going to stop believing in Baker Mayfield with injures on the sideline. But, let him keep struggling with his injuries and going out there.... I'm just sayin......

  It's in Baker's DNA. He will lay in on the line every time. He has incredible courage, toughness, desire, work ethic, desire to win.....but It's time, actually, past time, for Stefanski to put Keenum in. At this point, Baker's career could be in jeopardy - and I'm fascinated by some of the plays he can still make. But he is unable to make plays he could always make before. However it turns out, put Keenum in.