Posted on 09/11/2008 11:23:33 AM PDT by flowerplough
I told you before the 2006 draft that Vince Young was primed for NFL failure. He entered the league with an attitude, mindset and supporting cast totally unprepared to survive the pressure, challenge and responsibility that goes along with the most prestigious and difficult job in all of sports.
When I explained all of this in 2006, my naive and misguided critics called me an Uncle Tom. Yeah, they ripped me for attempting to issue a young black kid a warning about what awaited him in The League and the attitude he would need to cope and excel.
Some people foolishly think it's every black media member's job to assist in the mental and emotional crippling of black youth. We're supposed to blow rainbows up the asses of every black athlete who "makes it" and assure him/her that anyone who utters a word of criticism is a jealous bigot or irrational sellout.
( ... )
Too often we pave the road to failure for black boys by believing the cure for bigotry — and there is still plenty of bigotry in America — is the ability to recognize it in (and blame it for) everything. That cure has more negative side effects than most of the drugs trumpeted by the pharmaceutical companies in television commercials. That cure serves as a convenient crutch, and turns a talent such as Vince Young into a quitter the moment adversity strikes. That cure helped land Michael Vick in jail.
Everyone told Vince Young and Michael Vick the NFL would be easy. They'd revolutionize the QB position with their legs, and they could pop bottles, roll with a posse and pretend to be Jay-Z in their spare time
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
not “holied up”, but holed up. Derr.
I like Jason Whitlock. He’s almost like a sportswriter version of Thomas Sowell, although probably not quite as conservative.
...or run for President.
Have you seen this?
Didn’t Rush get bagged for saying virtually the same thing a few years ago?
There is no comparison between McNabb and Young.
McNabb faced much worse in Philly than Young ever has in Tennessee, but McNabb kept working to get better and he adjusted his game.
The main crux was, McNabb came from a two-parent family, as opposed to Young who didn’t have a father around.
“Didn’t Rush get bagged for saying virtually the same thing a few years ago?”
The thrust of Rush’s attack was on a liberal sports media that lionized a black quarterback...any black quarterback. He never said McNabb wasn’t a good QB, just an overrated one.
I read an analysis somewhere and the writer was asserting that he would never draft a player for the QB position that did not had a stable home life as a kid and a strong father.
In general the Titans' draft picks stink. Pac-Man Jones, anyone?
As Morgan Freeman said, "Stop talking about it!"
In a recent ESPN radio commercial, the pundit points out that there are dozens of great college and high school quarterbacks, but only about four in the NFL.
The failure rate is very high no matter what color.
http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/
Oops, turns out it was Jason Whitlock in “rumor” form..
“In general the Titans’ draft picks stink. Pac-Man Jones, anyone?”
I’ll see your PacMan Jones and raise you a Trung Candidate and Jacoby Shepard.
You ain’t seen bad NFL drafts until you’ve lived in St. Louis. First, the breathtakingly abysmal drafts of the worst professional sports franchise ever-Bill Bidwell’s St. Louis, now Arizona Cardinals, and now the annual clown show that is the St. Louis Rams draft.
I understand that the writer’s goal for this article was only to generate controversy, not to actually do any critical thinking, but nonetheless I feel compelled to comment.
I have watched Vince Young play since he was a freshman here at UT. The reason Young has had some problems in the NFL is because he is extremely competitive. He hates losing, and he puts tremendous pressure on himself to win.
Other than that, he is an excellent teammate. He constantly speaks well of his teammates and coaches. He has never once thrown his inept receivers under the bus (as Vick did) and blamed them, even when his own coaches have repeatedly noted that they need to step up.
He has not had a single incident I am aware of where he was even suspected of any crime, either in college or the NFL.
In fact, in two seasons he has helped take the Titans from 4-12 to 10-6 and the playoffs last year.
Perhaps the writer would prefer that all QB’s behave like Tony Romo and make it obvious that they could really care less whether they win or lose, as long as they get paid and have time to golf and visit Mexican beach resorts (and I am a Cowboys fan).
In fact, where are the articles like this about Alex Smith, a #1 overall draft pick who is now benched in favor of a previously unheard of backup QB. Perhaps there should be articles about Mormon QB’s in the NFL. What about Matt Leinart, the other supposedly great QB taken in the draft the same year as Young, who didn’t even win the starting job for his losing team.
I have followed VY for 6 years now, and I have not heard him mention his race once or ask for special treatment because of it one single time. Literally not once. Perhaps he did and I didn’t hear it, but it is certainly not a theme with him.
I’m usually the last person to cry racism, and I do understand that the author is black, but if Young isn’t bringing up his race, why should anyone else? Isn’t that what we always ask for as conservatives? That people succeed or fail independent of their skin color?
The mistake was made by drafting Young so high. Leading UT to the national championship over the greatest team in college football history(per ESPN) was an incredible feat. He is a great talent, but his strong suit is not passing!! He is not a first round pick, maybe late round and then backup duty then compete for starter.
Lineart was the qb Tennessee passed over and he’s having problems now also. OTHO, Brady was a 6th round pick!
The problem is, these guys have always been the BMOC in high school and college, and it’s still mostly a game (although that is changing)
The NFL is a BUSINESS. And you play against guys who were all BMOCs in their schools. And players who excelled only due to their athletic abilities, quickly find that it alone isn’t going to work in the NFL. So for the first time in their lives, they aren’t Number One, they aren’t going to be coddled and be the hero every week. And some never can make that adjustment. That’s what has happened here.
Yer kids on the internet already?
:>)
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