ultimately, the NFL draft. Choices obviously involved more than height, weight, time in the 40-yard dash and performance in motor coordination tasks. The players behavior, carefully studied on the field, in multiple camera angle game films, direct and collateral interviews and observations under game conditions constituted a high level of selective pressure that brought with it the emergence of characteristic personality types. Tens to hundreds of thousands of candidates are winnowed down to several hundred highly paid players in this selective process.
Distinctive personality patterns accompany success at a particular position. Structure loving, politically more conservative, choreographed in detail and repeatedly rehearsed, offensive players keep their lockers more organized and tidy. More rebellious, resentful of structure, politically more libertarian, thematically instructed but principally opportunistic, defensive players, particularly linemen and linebacker’s lockers had messy lockers. Defensive team players were most often in trouble with the law. Offensive lineman including centers, guards, tackles and some tight ends tend to be patiently enduring and tenacious, their aggression taking the form of stubbornness. This contrasts with the temperamental explosiveness of the defensive line and linebackers. We could speak of the volubility of centers, the loyal and caring kindness of offensive tackles, the narcissistic exhibitionism of wide receivers, the murderous rage of the defensive end, the sullen and paranoid depressiveness of the defensive back, the joyfully impulsive unpredictability of broken field running backs and the good citizenship egolessness of the blocking fullback. Some quarterbacks lead and play fearlessly in a religious state of grace, some are members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Others lead as fearlessly, but in the style of an unconscionably calm psychopathic bank robbing professional.
Influenced by our findings, the San Diego Chargers drafted the Hall of Fame quarterback and one time ABC Monday Night Football commentator, Dan Fouts. Skinny and hurt several times during his college years as a quarterback in Oregon, he was passed over in the NFL draft until the third round. The scouts “knock” on him was that they thought that he lacked psychological and physical toughness; the
ability to get up after a hit and to ignore the on coming tons of defensive linemen
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