Why Wahle?

by Andy Little

When Mike Wahle called a players only meeting last week, some fans were a bit puzzled as to why it was him that called it.  Shouldn’t Delhomme?  Peppers?  Steve Smith? 

The fact is that Wahle was the perfect player to call this meeting for several reasons:

1.  Mike Wahle has respect and is down to earth.  Wahle has the personality type that makes everyone else around him feel comfortable.  He is friendly and approachable and well liked by his peers.  He is sensible, doesn’t grandstand, and is very level headed.

2.  Wahle doesn’t make waves with the media.  When Kris Jenkins didn’t show up for June mini-camp, every reporter tried to discuss it with the other players.  Mike Wahle sternly explained that he would not comment on the situation.  You will rarely catch him saying something to the media that he would regret later and is one of the players who says all the right things.

3.  Mike Wahle is a veteran who has been to the Pro Bowl.  He has ten years in the league and has played at the highest level.  He has experience on another team besides the Panthers, is mature, and is one of the higher paid players on this team.  All of this contributes to his reputation on the team and means he is respected.

4.  Mike Wahle is a quiet leader.  In the same mold as Brad Hoover, he doesn’t say a lot but when he speaks everybody listens.  Leaders don’t always have to be saying something.  Leaders don’t always have to be talking.  Sometimes that does more harm than good.  Just because a player doesn’t have a ‘C’ on their jersey doesn’t mean they aren’t a leader.  Leadership can come from anywhere on the team.