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Is Crankier Better?

What NFL players look for in their leaders

There are many ways to motivate 53 well-fed men, and the NFL coaching ranks, like Gaul, can be divided into three parts: on one end you have sourpusses like the Cowboys' Bill Parcells and the Giants' Tom Coughlin. (Terry Bradshaw on Coughlin: "He is mean and hateful.")  At the other you have sweethearts like the Panthers' John Fox and the Colts' Tony Dungy. (Indy tight end Marcus Pollard: "After games we've lost... he basically give us the same speech as if we had won.") And you have a lot of guys in between, like the Packers' Mike Sherman.Whom would you rather play for? Some NFL veterans weigh in.  

TIM BROWN, Buccaneers Wide Receiver
"I personally don't like to hear coaches yelling and screaming. I can remember my second year in the league [1989]. It was Fred Biletnikoff's first year as receivers coach of the Raiders; I ran the wrong route, and I knew I ran the wrong route. He dog cursed me like you couldn't believe. I had tears in my eyes, man. I didn't say anything for the rest of the practice. Then afterward I went up to him very kindly and said, If you ever want to get anything out of me, don't talk to me like that. My daddy doesn't talk to me that way. What I'm saying to you is, If we're going to work together, I cannot deal with that kind of treatment. That's the first and only time it ever happened. It's just a matter of respect."

JEREMY SHOCKEY, Giants Tight End
"I had a tough coach in college [at Miami], so I learned what boundaries to cross and when to cross them. When you have a tough coach, you go about your business the same way, you prepare the same way. People might be walking on eggshells or something, but they learn to adjust."

TERRY GLENN, Cowboys Wide Receiver
"A younger guy might need a Coach Parcells-type to get the best out of you. When you've got somebody on you all the time the way Coach Parcells is, it makes you feel gratified. He makes you feel like you do stuff bad so much that when you do something good and he praises you, you feel excited like a little kid."

JEFF HARTINGS, Steelers Center
"You have to coach like you have 53 sons in the locker room. Would you scream and yell at your son all day? You won't have a good relationship. But if you don't discipline him at all, you won't have a good relationship either. He'll take advantage of you. You have to know when to be hard on the players and when to be their friend."

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KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/AP (FOX)

MR. NICE GUY

 JOHN FOX

Carolina Panthers

Career Record:24-22

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PIERRE DUCHARME/REUTERS (SHERMAN)

MOOD CHANGER

 MIKE SHERMAN

Green Bay Packers

Career Record:51-28

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TONY GUTIERREZ/AP (PARCELLS)

MEANIE!

 BILL PARCELLS

Dallas Cowboys

Career Record:162-120-1

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KIRBY LEE/WIREIMAGE.COM (BROWN)

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JERALD PINKUS/WIREIMAGE.COM (SHOCKEY)

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JAMES D. SMITH/ICON SMI (GLENN)

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G. NEWMAN LOWRANCE/WIREIMAGE.COM (HARTINGS)