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Cowboys' Butler learning his crafts
By Tom Orsborn - Express-News
Web Posted: 08/18/2010 12:00 CDT
OXNARD, Calif. — One of Jack Scharf's fondest memories of this summer was the week he and his wife hosted Dallas Cowboys linebacker Victor Butler at their home in The Dominion just before the start of training camp.
“Every night, he'd sit in the backyard with his playbook,” Scharf said.
And when Butler wasn't poring over the intricacies of Wade Phillips' version of the 3-4 defense, he was questioning Scharf about the ins and outs of being a sports agent.
Scharf, a San Antonio-based partner at Impact Sports Management, has represented Butler ever since Butler finished his career at Oregon State as one of the Beavers' greatest pass rushers. With Butler hoping to someday attend law school and become a sports attorney/agent, he and Scharf have grown close.
“I'm always picking his brain, asking him questions about the business,” Butler said. “He's like family. I love him.”
Likewise, Scharf says he's “blessed” to have Butler in his life.
“He's extremely cognizant of the business, and we have a wonderful relationship and talk often,” Scharf said. “He constantly wants to be educated on the union and the benefits he's entitled to. As articulate and intelligent as he is, he'll make a wonderful attorney. He's got what it takes to do this job. We just hope it's not for another 12 years.”
Judging by the way he's played at training camp and in the first two preseason games, Butler likely won't be changing careers anytime soon.
After an up-and-down rookie season in which he struggled at times with the difficult transition from hand-on-the-ground defensive end in college to stand-up outside linebacker, Butler is playing with a level of consistency that has earned praise from Phillips.
In fact, the coach said Butler has played the best of the team's large collection of young backup linebackers, showing significant growth as a pass rusher, against the run and in coverage.
“All of those areas, he's really gotten stronger and more consistent,” Phillips said. “He's really stepped up. He's becoming a pretty solid pass rusher.”
It pleased Butler, who recorded three sacks last season in spot duty, to know he's got a fan in Phillips.
“To hear somebody say all the hard work you've put in is coming to light, it feels good,” said Butler, 23. “When you get the footwork down, the coverages down and the understanding of the defense, you play a lot faster. That's what's happening to me.”
Butler hit the quarterback twice in last week's game against Oakland, a performance that helped him seemingly pull ahead of fellow second-year player and Texas Tech-ex Brandon Williams in the battle for the No. 3 outside linebacker spot.
“I'm not thinking. I'm reacting now,” said Butler, a fourth-round pick in 2009.
He credits much of his improvement to daily study of starting outside linebackers Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware, one of the NFL's top tandems.
“He's in their back pocket, morning, noon and night,” Scharf said.
Said Butler: “They don't know it, but I steal from them all the time.”
Butler and his seven siblings grew up in the Southern California town of Rialto, where his stepfather, Elvester Strong, worked as a truck driver and his mother, Janis, as a social worker. At Eisenhower High School, Butler played football, basketball, baseball, soccer, track, and volleyball while carrying a 3.50 grade-point average.
While at Oregon State, he had a 3.2 GPA and an internship with California Assemblywoman Wilmer Amina Carter. He hopes to study law at Cornell or possibly a school closer to home in California.
“Education is extremely important to him,” Scharf said. “The thing about Vic is he's highly motivated. Whatever he puts his mind to, he's going to be successful at it.”
By Tom Orsborn - Express-News
Web Posted: 08/18/2010 12:00 CDT
OXNARD, Calif. — One of Jack Scharf's fondest memories of this summer was the week he and his wife hosted Dallas Cowboys linebacker Victor Butler at their home in The Dominion just before the start of training camp.
“Every night, he'd sit in the backyard with his playbook,” Scharf said.
And when Butler wasn't poring over the intricacies of Wade Phillips' version of the 3-4 defense, he was questioning Scharf about the ins and outs of being a sports agent.
Scharf, a San Antonio-based partner at Impact Sports Management, has represented Butler ever since Butler finished his career at Oregon State as one of the Beavers' greatest pass rushers. With Butler hoping to someday attend law school and become a sports attorney/agent, he and Scharf have grown close.
“I'm always picking his brain, asking him questions about the business,” Butler said. “He's like family. I love him.”
Likewise, Scharf says he's “blessed” to have Butler in his life.
“He's extremely cognizant of the business, and we have a wonderful relationship and talk often,” Scharf said. “He constantly wants to be educated on the union and the benefits he's entitled to. As articulate and intelligent as he is, he'll make a wonderful attorney. He's got what it takes to do this job. We just hope it's not for another 12 years.”
Judging by the way he's played at training camp and in the first two preseason games, Butler likely won't be changing careers anytime soon.
After an up-and-down rookie season in which he struggled at times with the difficult transition from hand-on-the-ground defensive end in college to stand-up outside linebacker, Butler is playing with a level of consistency that has earned praise from Phillips.
In fact, the coach said Butler has played the best of the team's large collection of young backup linebackers, showing significant growth as a pass rusher, against the run and in coverage.
“All of those areas, he's really gotten stronger and more consistent,” Phillips said. “He's really stepped up. He's becoming a pretty solid pass rusher.”
It pleased Butler, who recorded three sacks last season in spot duty, to know he's got a fan in Phillips.
“To hear somebody say all the hard work you've put in is coming to light, it feels good,” said Butler, 23. “When you get the footwork down, the coverages down and the understanding of the defense, you play a lot faster. That's what's happening to me.”
Butler hit the quarterback twice in last week's game against Oakland, a performance that helped him seemingly pull ahead of fellow second-year player and Texas Tech-ex Brandon Williams in the battle for the No. 3 outside linebacker spot.
“I'm not thinking. I'm reacting now,” said Butler, a fourth-round pick in 2009.
He credits much of his improvement to daily study of starting outside linebackers Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware, one of the NFL's top tandems.
“He's in their back pocket, morning, noon and night,” Scharf said.
Said Butler: “They don't know it, but I steal from them all the time.”
Butler and his seven siblings grew up in the Southern California town of Rialto, where his stepfather, Elvester Strong, worked as a truck driver and his mother, Janis, as a social worker. At Eisenhower High School, Butler played football, basketball, baseball, soccer, track, and volleyball while carrying a 3.50 grade-point average.
While at Oregon State, he had a 3.2 GPA and an internship with California Assemblywoman Wilmer Amina Carter. He hopes to study law at Cornell or possibly a school closer to home in California.
“Education is extremely important to him,” Scharf said. “The thing about Vic is he's highly motivated. Whatever he puts his mind to, he's going to be successful at it.”