Right Kind of Guy (RKG)

A “Right Kind of Guy” (RKG) is a player who has good character and a genuine love of the game. College football coach Brian Kelly used “RKG” at the University of Cincinnati in June 2009, and then later in December 2009 when he became the head coach at Notre Dame.
   
Dallas Cowboys head football coach Jason Garrett has used “Right Kind of Guy” (and “Wrong Kind of Guy”) since May 2011, when he discussed his philosophy about selecting players in the NFL draft. “RKG” (and “WKG” to a lesser extent) has been used frequently in the Dallas Cowboys blog, Blogging the Boys.
   
A similar acronym is “JAG” (“Just A Guy”).
     
     
Bearcat Banter (University of Cincinnati)
clinton
06-16-2009 04:05 PM
Kelly man about town with Bearcat agenda
By Bill Koch • .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) • June 13, 2009
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“At the University of Cincinnati what we look for is not the fastest guy or the strongest guy. We want what we call RKGs. We want the right kind of guys. And do you know what the right kind of guys are? What we just talked about, those guys that go to class, those guys that pay attention to detail, those guys that are wide-eyed about being here.”
   
Chicago (IL) Tribune
Brian Kelly fleshes out plans for Notre Dame
New Irish coach hitting the ground running
December 23, 2009|By Brian Hamilton, Tribune reporter
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In less than two weeks on the job at Notre Dame, every atom of Brian Kelly and his background has been dissected, vetted and debated.
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On his ability to recruit: “They’re all 18- to 21-year-olds. Some of them are a little bit taller, and maybe their 40 time is a little bit better. But they all have the same wants, needs and desires. They have to have their priorities in order. If they’re more interested in their future recording contracts or what car they drive, then regardless of where they are, they’re probably not going to be the right kind of guy for me.”
 
WNDU.com (South Bend, IN)
Irish coach Brian Kelly addresses Michiana’s top HS football Scholar-Athletes
By: Angelo Di Carlo
Updated: Wed 9:26 PM, May 12, 2010
Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly was the keynote speaker at the 36th Annual Moose Krause Memorial Scholar-Athlete Dinner Wednesday night at St. Hedwig’s in South Bend.
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When Kelly arrived at Notre Dame, he talked about bringing the ‘RKG’ player—-“Right kind of Guy.”
   
Blogging the Boys (Dallas Cowboys)
Jason Garrett: Cowboys Draft Philosophy All About Drafting The “Right Kind Of Guy”
By One.Cool.Customer  @OCC44 on May 1 2011, 10:30a
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In a segment on ESPN, Trey Wingo asked Jason Garrett what the Cowboys philosophy was in this draft:
 
Jason Garrett: “The most important thing is we talk about what it means to be a Dallas Cowboy, the kind of guys we want on our football team. If you look at the guys we’ve selected, each of these six guys represents that. They’re good football players. The top three guys are from big schools. They’re prominent players at that school, they have production at a high level. And then as we’ve gotten a little further down in the draft we’ve been able to take some guys who we think can fit a particular role for us. At least to create some competition on our football team. Again, they have the right measurables, they’re the Right Kind Of Guys, we think they’re good football players.”
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Q: You called J.T. Thomas “the right kind of guy”. What is your “Right Kind Of Guy” with you as the head coach?
 
Jason Garrett: “We have a lot of “The Right Kind Of Guys” on our football team right now. Whenever we acquire a player, through the draft, through free agency, in any way, we want to have “The Right Kind Of Guys”. Obviously they have to have the physical requirements to play this game. The measurables, the talent, the aptitude to play. Part of that is being “The Right Kind Of Guy”. You want guys who love to play football and show you that they love it each and every day. Passion, enthusiasm, emotion, all of those things come into it.”
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Q: Is there a “Wrong Kind Of Guy”?
 
Jason Garrett: “Sure. And you know what those guys are. The guys who don’t love to play football. Guys who don’t love to work. The guys who don’t love to be around their teammates. The guys who aren’t trying to be the best they can be. All those things.”
 
Blogging the Boys (Dallas Cowboys)
2012 Dallas Cowboys Draft: What Exactly Is A “Right Kind Of Guy?”
By One.Cool.Customer  @OCC44 on Jan 6 2012, 3:23p
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And one of the interesting early dynamics among Cowboys fans is the use of the “Right Kind Of Guy” label to advocate or categorically rule out certain players. Right now, potential first rounders Janoris Jenkins and Vontaze Burfict seem to get the “Wrong Kind Of Guy” label attached the most often. This worries me. Not because I’m a particular proponent of either player, but because I always get highly nervous and downright angry when, in a world that is dominated by shades of gray, the discussion is reduced to black and white.
 
Twitter
TheIrishWon‏
@TheIrishWon  
The #NotreDame fan base is as annoying with Kelly’s Right Kind of Guy (RKG) phrase as they were with Weis’ “Nasty”
10:00 AM - 6 Feb 13
 
Blogging the Boys (Dallas Cowboys)
Dallas Cowboys And The Concept Of The “Right Kind Of Guy”
By Tom Ryle  @TomRyleBTB on Jun 22 2013, 9:00a
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That is not the way the Dallas Cowboys under Jason Garrett do business. They look only for those RKGs.