Pat Chung @ NFL Career Development Symposium
Posted: Wed May 08, 2013 10:48 am
http://www.phillymag.com/eagles/2013/05 ... all-may-7/
Troy Vincent was looking for a player who properly represented today’s athletes.
As the NFL’s vice president of player engagement, Vincent needed someone who would be open and honest in front of a room full of coaches, scouts and executives. So he gave the Eagles a call and came up with safety Patrick Chung.
“I didn’t want the typical guy that’s doing all the community outreach,” Vincent said. “I needed a real modern… I needed an edge kind of player. He’s an edge kind of player. He came in here with his golf shirt that he just got from the facility on his way over here. He had his earrings in. But that’s the reality.”
Chung spoke on a panel with Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain. The discussion took place at Wharton School of Business and was part of the NFL’s Career Development Symposium, a workshop for assistant coaches and personnel people.
Chung’s 75-minute session (which was closed to the media) had a singular focus: Managing and coaching today’s players.
“They want truth and honesty,” Vincent said. “Players don’t mind being coached hard. They just want to be respected. And you heard that theme throughout that hour, 15 minutes. I think Patrick said it best. It is what we see in this modern day athlete: I don’t mind you getting on me. Just don’t get on me in front of my peers. You can say whatever you want to say about me, take me behind the woodshed, you can do whatever you want. Just don’t embarrass me in front of my peer group.”
Chung, who played at Oregon while Chip Kelly was the offensive coordinator, was asked to compare the new Eagles’ head coach with Bill Belichick, the only NFL head coach he’d ever played for before this season.
“They want to win,” he said. “They’re almost the same. They want to win. And they’re going to do everything possible to win.
“They’re going to bring the best out of their players. They’re going to make sure you’re mentally first, and physically tough. And then we’re going to go from there. Good group of guys in the locker room. Not a bunch of prima donnas with egos. Just some good guys, and they love to have fun and play ball.”
As for Vincent, he was thrilled with the way the new Eagles’ safety opened up during the conference.
“At the end of the day, he said, ‘Just tell me the way it is. Don’t cut any corners. Don’t beat around the bush. If I can’t play, I can’t play. Don’t blame it on somebody else while I’m out on the field,’” Vincent said. “He was just honest, and that’s what we needed.”