I was taking a look at the West Point class profile ......

A1Janitor said:
I actually wasn’t.
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Well....when you say things like this:


A1Janitor said:
Do you know any midshipmen that had the academics … and also were great athletes but weren’t D1 athletes that became great leaders?

I know of midshipmen that have top grades, top scores on the marine fitness test, and leadership positions at the academy. I hope they have a chance at being great leaders despite not playing D1.
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It sure sounded like you being sarcastic!
 
FiveByFive said:
Well....when you say things like this:




It sure sounded like you being sarcastic!
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I guess the last sentence is sarcastic. I didn’t mean to be.

The overall point wasn’t sarcastic. I don’t think playing a D1 sport automatically qualifies someone to be a better leader. (For instance, ones who cheated on calculus at West Point or Physics at USNA). The same way I don’t think high gpas mean any advantage.
 
A1Janitor said:
I guess the last sentence is sarcastic. I didn’t mean to be.

The overall point wasn’t sarcastic. I don’t think playing a D1 sport automatically qualifies someone to be a better leader. (For instance, ones who cheated on calculus at West Point or Physics at USNA). The same way I don’t think high gpas mean any advantage.
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No one absolutely no one has said any thing “automatic qualifies “ anyone to be a better leader or anything else..The term automatic qualifies is being used only by you and to argue against valid points :)

Saying something automatically makes you a better ground combat leader would be a crazy statement for anyone to make.

And that includes sports, not cheating, cheating , attending a SA or never attending college in the first place.


More likely is not nearly the same as anything being automatic.
 
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Here's what we do know FOR SURE:
You don't make yourself better by putting down another group.

Spots not for my DD:
Recruited athlete
Prior enlisted
Prep
Internationals
Turnbacks
Diversity, excluding my DD's possible diversity.
Principal noms on everyone else's slate.

End of story.

You treat everyone with respect and understand they all fit for a reason. They made NO MISTAKE accepting my DD. SO therefore, I believe every candidate was also selected with no mistake.
 
HCopter said:
Here's what we do know FOR SURE:
You don't make yourself better by putting down another group.

Spots not for my DD:
Recruited athlete
Prior enlisted
Prep
Internationals
Turnbacks
Diversity, excluding my DD's possible diversity.
Principal noms on everyone else's slate.

End of story.

You treat everyone with respect and understand they all fit for a reason. They made NO MISTAKE accepting my DD. SO therefore, I believe every candidate was also selected with no mistake.
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And I believe most midshipmen and cadets agrees with this.

And an honor to be a part of the team.
 
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jl123 said:
Alejandro Villanueva, Left Tackle Baltimore Ravens
Height: 6′ 9″
Weight: 320 lbs

View attachment 10354
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This entire discussion concerning D1 athletes and athletes seems to revolve around the word "leadership". There is an aspect of team sports that is related, but wholly separate. Knowing how to integrate into a team: knowing when to lead and when to follow, knowing when to express one's ego and when to subsume it, IMHO these are the building blocks of effective leadership. I looked at Villanueva's wiki page and I ran across this:

National anthem controversy[edit]​

On September 24, 2017, prior to a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, the Steelers did not take the field for the national anthem in order to avoid getting caught up in the controversy related to players kneeling or displaying other signs of racial protest around the NFL started by Colin Kaepernick.[27]

Villanueva was the lone member of the Steelers to appear publicly for the national anthem, standing in front of the entrance tunnel for the performance while the rest of the team remained in the tunnel. Head coach Mike Tomlin stated a wish to simply play the game and not allow for any show of support one way or the other on the issue. Likely as a result of this, Villanueva's jersey became the top selling jersey on the NFL's official store in the 24-hour period after Sunday's games started. The move caught some of his teammates and coach Tomlin by surprise. Later, Villanueva apologized for his appearance saying, "I see that picture of me standing by myself and I'm embarrassed to a degree, because unintentionally I left my teammates behind." At a press conference the day after, he said, "Unfortunately, I threw my teammates under the bus, unintentionally... Every single time I see that picture of me, standing by myself, I feel embarrassed.”

In additional comments, he said, "It wasn't me stepping forward. I never planned to boycott the plan that the Steelers came up with. I just thought there would be some middle ground where I could stand in the tunnel, nobody would see me."
 
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A1Janitor said:
I don’t think playing a D1 sport automatically qualifies someone to be a better leader.
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Although I believe that Captain Villanueva is the rule rather than the exception, being a D1 athlete makes one more likely to ask for special consideration in fulfilling their service obligation...the opposite of leadership
 
cb7893 said:
This entire discussion concerning D1 athletes and athletes seems to revolve around the word "leadership". There is an aspect of team sports that is related, but wholly separate. Knowing how to integrate into a team: knowing when to lead and when to follow, knowing when to express one's ego and when to subsume it, IMHO these are the building blocks of effective leadership. I looked at Villanueva's wiki page and I ran across this:

National anthem controversy[edit]​

On September 24, 2017, prior to a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, the Steelers did not take the field for the national anthem in order to avoid getting caught up in the controversy related to players kneeling or displaying other signs of racial protest around the NFL started by Colin Kaepernick.[27]

Villanueva was the lone member of the Steelers to appear publicly for the national anthem, standing in front of the entrance tunnel for the performance while the rest of the team remained in the tunnel. Head coach Mike Tomlin stated a wish to simply play the game and not allow for any show of support one way or the other on the issue. Likely as a result of this, Villanueva's jersey became the top selling jersey on the NFL's official store in the 24-hour period after Sunday's games started. The move caught some of his teammates and coach Tomlin by surprise. Later, Villanueva apologized for his appearance saying, "I see that picture of me standing by myself and I'm embarrassed to a degree, because unintentionally I left my teammates behind." At a press conference the day after, he said, "Unfortunately, I threw my teammates under the bus, unintentionally... Every single time I see that picture of me, standing by myself, I feel embarrassed.”

In additional comments, he said, "It wasn't me stepping forward. I never planned to boycott the plan that the Steelers came up with. I just thought there would be some middle ground where I could stand in the tunnel, nobody would see me."
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I suspect that he was being diplomatic in order to quell any public controversy. He clearly did not expect to be photographed in the tunnel and took responsibility for his decision.

The following year when the team decided to wear a name on the back of their helmets, Villanueva instead chose to honor African-American war hero Alwyn Cashe by wearing his name instead. The team's choice was made hastily and without due diligence, as their selection was later found to be highly questionable.

To my knowledge no teammate or NFL official has ever questioned Villanueva's character and integrity.
 
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