Coaches Sent to Babysit Kirkland

From the Trib Review: "Cowher said conditioning coach Chet Fuhrman and player development coordinator Anthony Griggs have traveled to linebacker Levon Kirkland's South Carolina home to monitor his off-season conditioning. Kirkland was overweight at last year's minicamp."

It's pretty sad that the team has to send a couple coaches to mollycoddle a supposed All Pro player who is ALSO a team captain. Or course, it's equally sad that it's taken Bill Cowhead this LONG to do SOMETHING --- anything --- to address this outrageous situation, since Kirkland has reported to the LAST TWO camps as bloated as a pregnant whale, and then had the audacity to LAUGH about it to reporters, basically saying that "Coach tells me to come in at a certain weight each year, and I basically shrug it off and show up at whatever. Ha ha".

Keep in mind, of course, that Kirland is not alone in the Doughboy department. Bettis is another rolly-polly chowhound, and judging from the poor conditioning and dearth of speed on this roster, at least a dozen other lardboys should be enrolled in Jenny Craig.

As for leadership, Kirk does NOT have to be a fiery, vocal leader. As a captain, however, he SHOULD be leading BY EXAMPLE. Showing up to camp looking like Shamoo the Whale is NOT Leading by example. I read about Alstott pushing Jeeps back and forth in a parking lot, and I read about Fat Jerome Bettis bowling. I read about other teams' players running up mountains and rugged terrain, and I read about Steelers chowing down tacos and burritos like there ain't no tomorrow.

Teams finish 6-10, and then REMAIN 6-10, when they accept mediocrity and low standards. If -- and this is a big "if" --- Kirkland can pull his head of his his bloated butt and set some higher standards for his teammates to emulate, it could help right this sinking ship.