I woke up to this tweet from Texans reserve DT Frank Okam this morning.
Well, that just about says it all, doesn't it?
You look at Frank Okam and notice how talented and physically gifted he is. You see flashes of talent here and there that make you think, "How did this guy fall to the fifth round of the NFL Draft? How is he not yet a starter in this league?" And then you're reminded, whether it's on the field or off it, as evidenced above.
Frank Okam has yet to (and perhaps never will) "get it."
The title of the red flag hung above Okam ever since he emerged at the University of Texas? Motor. Did he have one? Yes, at times. But on many plays, Okam would take a break and wait until a better opportunity arose. His weight, his enthusiasm, his conditioning - they've always been in question. Perhaps his tweet can serve as an explanation.
Okam continued his thoughts later in response to a follower's inquiry.
my point exactly... In anything in life I've done in hindsight I feel I could have always done a little more
I feel that if you look at life... U can always do a lil more
On these accounts, I totally agree. There are plenty of situations where I think back and wonder if I could have performed better or at a higher level. But sooner or later, "hindsight" becomes too easy an excuse. Look at the true stars of the NFL, or even the basic overachievers. Perhaps they use hindsight to evaluate tape and fix technique, but rarely will their hindsight focus on their effort. The difference between the two doesn't appear to be clear to Okam just yet.
Okam isn't a lost cause by any means, and I really don't want to over-analyze single thought that he decided to randomly share with the world. He's still only 24 years old. It's possible that he could wake up one morning and suddenly understand what he needs to do to get better. But for now, Okam is merely a blip on the radar, an expectation rather than a realization. For him, playing anywhere beneath 100% isn't going to get it done.
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