Tennessee Titans Running Back Chris Johnson is a remarkable athlete, as his astounding and almost inhuman 4.24 second 40 yard dash time clearly demonstrates.
Johnson is also an even better football player, as he proved when he burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2008, putting up 1488 total yards and 10 total touchdowns en route to the first Pro Bowl appearance of his very young and illustrious career.
But unfortunately, Johnson realizes all too well that he possesses these rare gifts and extraordinary attributes, and that, therein, may lie the root of his ultimate undoing.
For after lovingly being referred to as one half of the “Smash and Dash” duo, one of the league’s leading rushing attacks last year, along with his teammate and backfield partner Lendale White, Johnson is now demanding a spotlight all his own.
No longer will he settle for merely sharing a moniker with a player that he feels is inferior to himself. And trust me, from the readily apparent arrogance associated with his comments, there’s likley to be quite a few players that he feels are inferior to himself.
Instead, he’s now anointed himself with the new and individual title of “Every Coach’s Dream.” Or just “Dream” if you’re one of the cool kids.
Unfortunately, he didn’t feel the need to inform his teammate and partner White, or get Head Coach Jeff Fisher’s validation, reaffirmation, or approval of this ego-inflated and self-infatuated description.
Johnson just assumed, drawing from his vast wealth of talent and unending pool of overconfidence, that the self-proclaimed title was obvious and true and acceptable to all (whether they liked it or not).
Yet experience has taught us that players whose unassailable egos and dismissals of their teammate’s roles and contributions to their respective teams tend not to be locker room darlings or coach’s favorites.
In fact, a me-first attitude and desperate desire for individual accolades and recognition usually ends up being an actual detriment to the cohesion of a team (Terrell Owens doing sit-ups in his driveway while complaining about not getting the ball enough, anyone?).
When it comes down to it, Johnson’s youthful brashness and overstated arrogance will be tolerated and even celebrated as long as he continues to make good by consistently producing remarkable achievements on the field of play.
But as we’ve learned in the past, in the NFL, “Dream” players can quickly devolve into nightmares, and the youth, potential, and talent that they possess can almost instantly fade into oblivion in one fell swoop.
Leaving the coach’s truly invaluable players as the ones who go all-out every down, every day, and give everything they’ve got for the betterment of the team.
They succeed with class, contribute with humility, and quietly personify the dream elements of the game rather than boisterously boast about them.
Little dreams that live as legends in the hearts and minds and football lore of countless rabid fans.
Never self-appointed. Never self-annointed. Never nightmares.
