MLB (and others) interesting trend

[skinster]

Just thought I would share this. I was looking over some rosters when I found an interesting trend. IMO there are 3 great MLBs in this football era, ray lewis, brian urlacher, and patrick willis. All 3 of them have had a guy next to them step up huge respectively in bart scott, lance briggs, and navarro bowman. Is this a watch/learn/be taught thing? Is it that the other player is benefiting from them being watched? Or is it just an anomaly?

I thought about it and I can't think of any other position where this happens regularly with the great players. The closest there is, is QB where we have Matt Cassell (Brady), Steve Young (Montana), Aaron Rodgers (Favre), Matt Hasselback (Favre), Phillip Rivers (Brees), supposedly Matt Flynn (Rodgers), and sort of Eli Manning (sort of Warner). Hell even Vick backing up McNabb seemed to improve his game, but I'm not convinced that was the reason Vick improved so much, and I wouldn't say McNabb is a "great"

The next closest would be WR with TO behind Rice, Randy Moss behind Chris Carter, Reggie Wayne behind Harrison, but I don't see too much besides that.

I don't think there is a weak link at WR (and weaker one probably all other positions), I think there is a noticeable link at QB, and I think there is a strong link at MLB. I think playing alongside or behind a great player greatly improves your game.

I think that this concept relates to the colts situation right now. Obviously Peyton Manning didn't pay behind anyone and became arguably the greatest qb of all time, so its more than possible to accomplish. But I believe playing behind a great player increases the odd that you will be great. What's more valuable to the colts now? Getting a first for Manning, or increasing the odds that luck will do well in the future? I think luck will be great either way. I think both decisions would be good ones. I love how the favre fiasco played out for the packers, but then again the colts are in desperate need of talent, and a draft pick could make a huge difference. If I were the colts GM. I would probably keep manning, hope to draft really well the next couple of years, give luck the helm in year 3, and hope manning still wants to play/is good and trade him then, and be set up like the packers.