The NFL: A Lens of Analysis

After the Saints won the NFC championship the TV feed went down to the on the field cameras just like every other big game, and there were the Saints, hooping and hollering. At one point they were circled up, bobbing left and right, up and down in unison like a tribal dance, and in the middle of the circle Drew Brees leading the chants.

Juxtapose that image with the one of Peyton Manning after beating the New York Jets. He trots onto the field to shake the hand of Mark Sanchez, smiles casually. Peyton looks like he expected to win, that this was business as usual, and business isn't done yet. The Saints have too much of that we are just happy to be here vibe. Based on that alone, I would bet the farm on Peyton.

The point is this dichotomy of personalities is the same that I see between players like Kobe and Wade compared to LeBron and Shaq. LeBron and Shaq are Hall of Famers, and I have no doubt LeBron will break records and be one of the greatest players in the modern era of basketball. But, it does concern me when LeBron says things like, "I have to learn to have that killer instinct" and when he dances on the sideline against the Bulls. It worries me almost more that he says that he wants to be the first sports billionaire. To me, that is too many things that are superfluous to the game. Too many distractions. It's also not the attitude of a guy who wants to win 6 rings before he's done. Listen, I love to watch Shaq dance, the Big Jaberwocky; hell I love to bust a move now and then, but that's not what I want to see DURING a game. I don't like the whole chalk thing. That's all about the individual.

Now I have to backtrack, I don't want to be harsh on LeBron. I don't think the dancing or chalk makes him a jerk or a prima donna. I admire the fact that he wants to be so business savvy. I just can't help but see these as signs of a lack of seriousness, a lack of a drive, but really a lack of something I can't define. Let me throw in one more qualifier. LeBron can and probably will win at least one ring, just because his personality is different doesn't mean he can't win it all. I likened his attitude to that of Shaq, and we all know the Big Diesel is a proven winner.

Kobe on the other hand is more like Peyton (a more somber, reclusive Peyton), and part of that is simply experience and having won a championship. But you have to appreciate the drive that Kobe shows, the business like demeanor. As one of my friends said, the Lakers need Kobe's drive to motivate all the softies he plays with. To be honest, the best word to describe Kobe is obsessed. He is obsessed with the the ins and outs of the game, the mechanics, but most of all with winning. I might add that you could very much argue he is obsessed to a fault, most of us regular folk like to have balance in our lives. He is manic about winning, everything is a competition. At practices he bets ballboys that he can make outrageous shots, wagering shoes and cash for pushups and situps. Kobe brings to the table a manner of professionalism, an attitude that winning is expected. But notice that there aren't those signs that LeBron has. Kobe keeps a low profile, all you hear about him is in relation to basketball, there is nothing else on his radar. (This section sounds a lot like I am a huge Kobe fanboy. I like Kobe, I respect his skill and his approach to the game, but he most definitely has his faults. This includes sometimes losing his resolve that I so admire, his ability to be a good team mate and being able make those around him better).

This is not about who is better, this is about addressing the difference in the approach to the game that both players have. I am biased. I want to have someone on my team who cannot stand to lose (maybe to the point of throwing up?), is obsessed with basketball and winning, and brings a high level of seriousness and competitiveness to my team. But that's just me.