Case may be closed for you Columbo, but just because people don't agree with your way of thinking does not make them a non-leader.

Well, you can take a look at what Leonard has stated himself publicly.

He has stated that prior to this year, he hasn't really focused on being a leader. He + the defense relied on Anthony Walker to fill that role.

So he may need some time to develop those skills.

Okay, I have played sports all the way through college. Can someone explain to me what being a leader on a sports team is. Being vocal? Something else?

Just asking?

Leonard basically equated it to being a coach on the field.

He stated that Walker did a ton of film study before games and would come to meetings prepared to ask the coaches questions about the game plan for about every single position.

He also said that when players had questions about assignments while out on the practice field, that they went to Walker as often as the coaches.

And he also stated that Walker would hold each player accountable - that was something that Leonard said he would need to work on instead of only worrying about himself.

Okay, thank you ASII.

Nope, facts.

Nope, your opiniated facts. Not actual facts..

As has been said - a combination of his own words and, yes, his vax stance. I think his comments on Walker are self explanatory. You are free to disagree on his vax stance being a lack of leadership, but to me it obviously was. Being vaxed was a competitive advantage. The rules were designed to make it so. Not sure how anyone can argue otherwise. A leader models the way to win and helps get others to follow suit through actions and, often, words. Leonard did the opposite of that. His actions and words promoted a disadvantage. Was it coincidence the team fell apart once it was hit with Covid? Maybe. But a few of us said the teams vax status demonstrated a lack of commitment and leadership. Watching this team at the end of the season it sure seems like that was the case. Teams with good leadership don’t fall apart like that, they don’t become complacent and miss the playoffs. It wasn’t one bad game, they lost two games they should have won.

I’ll also add this interview reinforces my opinion. Every time he talks about the negative stuff of being complacent he says “guys” or “people”, not “we”. “Guys” start believing we can’t lose. “People” get a little complacent. He hopes “guys” use the loss as motivation and “guys” learn that nothing is given to you. Very few “we’s” and never in the right context. The way I hear that is Leonard wasn’t part of the issue - it was the other “guys”. Funny, I don’t really remember him playing well in those two games. Regardless his words admit there was a leadership problem and he is supposed to be one of the leaders. I’m sure it was the other “guys” though, just don’t include him in the group.

The funny thing is if I had made the same comment about Wentz it would have received a ton of likes and a bunch of agreement. You wouldn’t question how I would know. But because it’s Leonard and not Wentz the defenders come out in force. Leonard is a great player, but that doesn’t make him a leader.

Well a real leader, or at least a good one, wouldn't have let his team shit the bed against the worst team in the NFL with a playoff spot on the line.

I guess that depends on if where they are leading someone matters. In this context I was generically saying “leader” when I meant leading in a positive direction, not a negative one. I don’t see having conviction in something as a commendable trait by itself. Some racists have conviction. Many terrorists have conviction. Jim Jones had conviction. I’ll concede Leonard “led” his team towards a competitive disadvantage, and he “led” many in his community to a higher death rate (among other issues). I really don’t see either of those two things as debatable. And I’ll agree he did it based on his strongly held beliefs. But again, I used “leader” in reference to a positive direction. My apologies for the confusion.