Sports Columnists

By Bob in SF

April 26, 2006 12:05 PM | Link to this

Will Vince have Jerry Rice and Roger Craig in their primes too? (Please don’t even say Horn and McCallister could hold those guys jocks!) I’m not denying Vince’s talent, but if he gets drafted by the Saints he has a lot more chance of becoming the next Archie Manning; running for his life and getting pounded on for the next 10 years. Steve Young was handed the keys to a Rolls Royce running in perfect tune when he became the QB for the machine that the Niners where then. Now if you’re talking about the Steve Young who played for the Bucs, I might buy that.

By Longhorn fan

April 26, 2006 12:42 PM | Link to this

The most impressive things about Vince are his leadership, charisma, his will to win, and his drive to improve. His talent is obviously awe-inspiring, but as someone who watched every college game he ever played, I am far more impressed with the way he inspires those around him. As every sportswriter was so quick to point out, the Horns were a fragile team mentally, and Mack Brown was considered a classic choker. It might sound overly simplistic to credit Vince with changing all of that, but he did. Am I certain that he will be an Pro Bowl QB? No, few things are certain about the NFL. But a QB’s intangibles are always the hardest thing to assess (think of Leaf, Couch, Shuler, and countless other first round busts), and with Vince, there is no question he has the “It” factor.

By Moonlight Mile

April 26, 2006 12:58 PM | Link to this

Totally agree. There are no sure things but he is a player.

By chap

April 26, 2006 01:04 PM | Link to this

The next Steve Young??? A bold statement to say the least, to say the most, I think in a couple of years Vince will be a starting quarterback in the NFL. He brings alot to the table, but his throwing motion leaves alot to be desired and to be concerned about. He is a great leader and has so many of the other qualities that you want in a quarterback, but the NFL is a funny thing. Lots of great QBs have come and gone and there is no question it may be a 50-50 split for every quarter back that enterns the league as to weather he will be great or gone at the end of his contact. All QBs enterning the league have to have the right situation, the right coach, and has to have a few lucky breaks early in his career. Example!! Who would have ever thought on draft day a few years back that the next great quarterback to come into the NFL was a kid that split time while playing at Michigan.

By Bryan G.

April 26, 2006 01:08 PM | Link to this

I just don’t know that VY can cut it in the NFL. This past college season, he played against suspect defenses (yes, even you, USC) and his time had all-blue chip talent. Look at the Texas schedule…other than USC, they played a bunch of crappy teams (OU at the time was crappy).

I think if he does make it, he’ll be more like Randall Cunnigham and less like Steve Young. Being the next RC would still be a pretty good career, but I just don’t think Vince is going to be THAT great. I still think Leinart and probably Cutler are more of a sure thing in the NFL.

By dawgfacedboy

April 26, 2006 01:24 PM | Link to this

I honestly can say that I havn’t seen Vince Young play very much at all. Outside of the NC game and some highlights I havn’t seen him. I do know however that the teams they played were a joke! Heck, the only team that USC played that was worth a flip was ND! I’m not saying these kids aren’t good athletes but why don’t we see how they do against some actual “competition” before we put them in the Hall of Fame!

By Mike

April 26, 2006 01:54 PM | Link to this

Vince Young is the next Vick. A stiff that has no business running an offense.

By Ben Sutton

April 26, 2006 01:56 PM | Link to this

That’s a pretty bold statement considering he has never played a down in the NFL. I am tired of hearing about it. Who knows how good he will be. Only time will tell. The NFL and College Football are totally different.

By Speak Perkins

April 26, 2006 02:04 PM | Link to this

IQ, Psyc test, scouting combine, are all test that you can prepare for, almost to the level of a cheat sheet before an exam…. At the highest level it comes down to one thing… Who performs best under pressure. Two years running Vince Young has stepped up and performed beyound expection. On his way to the single greastest performance by a college quaterback in a National Championship game. Vince is a performer period. Expect next years(NFL) rookie of the year to give a Lebron James type of performance, in an Oakland Radier Uniform!

Speak Perkins

By Larry

April 26, 2006 02:17 PM | Link to this

Fear not Mr. Moore!

One of these days a “Black” Quarterback will come with superior physical skills married to superior intellectual skills and we’ll have the next great, paradigm shifting NFL quarterback. His skin will be dark enough to be called a “black man” but he’ll be secure enough not wear marble sized earrings, visit tattoo parlors, dress like a 15 year old “hip hop” artist, wear ball caps at 45 degrees, speak with basic language skills, and he’ll have been raised by parents that believed in education, character and professionalism (note Tiger Woods as an example).

Sorry, Mr. Moore, but this person wasn’t Randall Cunningham, isn’t Michael Vick and will not be Vince Young. These guys weren’t/aren’t/won’t be capable of the cerebral skills necessary to read sophisticated defenses and have a clue where to locate their 3rd & 4th receiver options. This is why these guys always look great in college and the “street ball” Pro Bowl but are exposed in the later rounds of the playoffs where they face the better defenses who easily shut them down.

Any one else out there with the courage to tell the truth?

By Phyuck Yiu

April 26, 2006 02:19 PM | Link to this

Vince Young will be a good NFL QB, will go to the Pro Bowl a couple of times, maybe even be in contention for the MVP once or twice, kinda like Steve McNair. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Young’s foot speed is really overrated from an NFL point of view, and the system he played in made it real easy for him to find open receivers since it was so spread out and since he took so many snaps out of the shotgun. Is he gonna ever complete 69.6% of his passes in the NFL? Hell no. He’ll be about as good as McNair, but that’s about it.

By CAS

April 26, 2006 02:21 PM | Link to this

Anyone has a projection where D.J. Shockley/Georgia Bulldog quarterback is going to go in the draft?

By Ben Sutton

April 26, 2006 02:24 PM | Link to this

Shockley… 2nd day pick 5th or 6th round pick

By Phyuck Yiu

April 26, 2006 02:25 PM | Link to this

Larry, if you really had any “courage”, you would go share your racist, illogical point of view with an educated black man face to face and see what his reaction would be, instead of posting it on an online weblog where you are completely anonymous. It takes a special breed of coward to do what you are doing.

By Mike

April 26, 2006 02:45 PM | Link to this

Actually I agree with Larry and had this same discussion with 5 other intelligent and raised properly Black men. They all agree while they shook their head in anger at how in Black culture it much more trendy and popular to be a “tough guy gangster” then it is to be educated. Tiger woods is a great role model for this sort of thing but how many people pay attention to that.

By Phyuck Yiu

April 26, 2006 03:39 PM | Link to this

Yeah, so I guess Peyton Manning should get rid of his tilted hat and earrings before he can win a Super Bowl too.

Please explain to me how wearing your hat a certain way, or wearing jewelry makes you a “gangster”. Last I checked, most of these so-called “gangstas” are too poor to afford jewelry.

According to Larry, your intelligence is dependent on the angle of your cap brim, the number of tattoos you have, and the amount of jewelry you wear. I guess someone should take Jake Plummer to a tattoo-removal service so his decision making will improve. Maybe Kerry Collins would complete more than 53% of his passes if he wore his hat properly. Who knows, maybe Ryan Leaf would have made it in the NFL if it wasn’t for his marble-sized earrings.

Give me a break. You fail to mention that Culpepper has finished 2nd in the league in quarterback rating, McNabb and McNair have been to the Super Bowl, and Doug Williams has won the Super Bowl. There’s a reason why black QBs haven’t won multiple Super Bowls yet — it’s because until about 10 years ago, black people were all but shut out from playing the QB position in the NFL because the white coaches and GMs wrongly assumed, like you, that their skin color, appearance or musical preference has anything to do with their on-field ability.

You say these black kids can’t speak with “basic language skills”, but I don’t see you complaining about people like Peyton Manning who sounds like a redneck every time he opens his mouth.

By Me

April 26, 2006 03:45 PM | Link to this

Intelligent, and properly raised? Talk about racist. When will people learn that intelligence, is not measured by scholastic endeavors.

Those intelligent and properly raised me, sound a little jeolous to me. Maybe because they spent a small fortune attending the best universities, only to make peanuts compared to their unintelligent thug counterparts. Vince has never come across as a thug, never been disrespectful to the media, but he gets lumped in with gangsters? Which wouldn’t have been an issue if the white kids in the suburbs weren’t emulating it huh?

By Ryder

April 26, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this

The issue isn’t about where he is raised, or his appearance to suit the mainstream, but it’s about whether or not he will pan out to be an NFL quarterback. Who knows? As mentioned yesterday, to make the Larrys of the world feel better, Alex Smith was regarded to be quite intelligent wasn’t he? It really didn’t matter as he was getting creamed on a weekly basis and only threw one touchdown the entire season. Also, I think too many people forget the elements of a great QB:

Ability to adjust on the fly in case protection breaks down (Manning didn’t do too good a job of that against Pittsburgh in the playoffs)

Ability to throw the touch pass as well as display great clock management down the stretch (Tom Brady is really good at this, and so is Roethlisberger, who won a Super Bowl despite a 22 QB rating)

Great receiver corps (Jake Delhomme owes much of Carolina’s success to Steve Smith, maybe once Atlanta’s receivers grow Vick will have the same success)

Offensive line (Switch up Vick’s O-line with Brady’s “Five Layers of Protection” and see how good he becomes)

Finally, the intangible factor (leadership skills, does the team follow him) Carson Palmer is a great example of how the team rallies around him. Those are the factors you can’t measure, regardless of background education or appearance.

By Ryder

April 26, 2006 04:49 PM | Link to this

Me, whether it’s fair or unfair, anything that is done within the confines of black culture is considered ok as long as other races do not bring those elements into their own culture. Then it is defined as a “problem”.

By Ed

April 26, 2006 05:46 PM | Link to this

i don’t think he is going to make it in the nfl as a starter, he likes to take off and run to much. He is a great athlete but in the nfl he is going to take off running and get planted like a tree, he will spend to much time on injured reserve

By Larry

April 26, 2006 06:49 PM | Link to this

Phy_ Yiu (classy name for all the ladies and youngsters to see here),

The truth is the truth: Intelligent, secure, confident, mature men just simply do not wear earrings, braids, tattoos and crooked caps! Can’t you just envision the thought leaders and innovators of the world dressed like this?

I know you must think your “females” like your earrings but trust me, man, a professional, secure, intelligent, moral, “lady” that will remain loyal to their husband and raise their children properly you will never land until you stop piercing your ears, comb out those braids and wash your hair on a daily basis.

Real women like real men, and real men don’t wear earrings!

By ATLborn

April 27, 2006 12:03 AM | Link to this

Larry obviously you never saw Doug Williams or Warren Moon play. Both of these guys could read defenses very well. Moon is a hall of famer and is one of the top QBs in the history of the NFL in passing yardage. Counting his yardage in the CFL he is number one all time in passing yards. Although Moon never won a Super Bowl, he still is one of the best QBs to ever play the sport. Doug Williams was a great QB and he won the big game.

As someone mentioned, Peyton Manning has pathetic language skills. When the most sophisticated sentence one can muster involves “justa dumb liquored kicker”, clearly that person isn’t a phenomenal linguist. Yet Peyton is regarded as a very intelligent QB.

Our President can hardly string two coherent sentences together, yet he is the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth. Just because Vick and some other black QBs may not choose to speak as if their favorite literary piece is a dictionary does not mean they’re stupid.

Also, who cares about the jewelry and the way someone wears their hat anyway. Many of today’s top corp. execs wore dingy clothes and blazed more grass than a California wild fire back in the 60s and 70s but no one is complaining about them. Just let it go man. Most black folks don’t give a dayum about trying to live up to white people’s social standards.

By Phyuck Yiu

April 27, 2006 01:14 AM | Link to this

Larry, truly intelligent, secure, confident, mature men don’t judge people based on what they wear or what they look like. Insecure closet racists who post on internet message boards to take advantage of being anonymous do.

For the record, I don’t have a single tattoo, I don’t wear hats or earrings, and I DON’T EVEN HAVE CURLY HAIR, SO I DON’T WEAR BRAIDS!! Nice try, better luck next time.

The name “Phyuck Yiu” is a reference to Chappelle’s Show, which was one of the most insightful, intelligent shows on television. But you were probably waiting for it to get over so you could watch Larry the Cable Guy, so I’m not surprised you don’t recognize it.

By Larry

April 27, 2006 07:47 AM | Link to this

P-Y (I refuse to write vulgar synonyms),

Your use of comical, adult vulgarity—especially in a public forum—exemplifies such an extreme lack of class and moral standards that henceforth I choose not to debate with you. Your diction is way too telling and I would actually recommend a tattoo and an earring or two for you to circumvent contradiction.

ATLborn,

I tell it like it is! Vick is an athlete with a below average IQ and this is why, now entering his SIXTH NFL season, he has actually regressed as a complete NFL quarterback. Doug Williams is also dumb as a box of rocks but was fortunate to be plugged into a great system and the best defense in the NFL under Gibbs who also won with the dumb Mark Rypien and bright Joe Thiesman with the same. Yes, even Vick could POSSIBLY win a SB with a perfect system but his height would be a handicap.

For the record, I have said that a great NFL QB—like Brady, Aikman, Montana and Starr—usually couples both athletic skills and the cerebral skills to get better and better. Another example of a QB with possibly the greatest natural passing ability with the least amount of wits is a guy we saw right here in Atlanta—Jeff George. I spoke with George at Chop’s Steakhouse one night and I new immediately he had a very low ceiling. This is why he hit the same plateau as Vick. Gotta be smart enough to get better and Randall Cunningham, George and Ryan Leaf couldn’t, and Vick and Young won’t either.

You can get away with this in the NBA, MLB and NHL but you can’t as an NFL quarterback, the most intellectually demanding position in professional team sports.

You guys can play that race card in another game. I tell it like it is without regard to the skin tone!

By John

April 27, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this

Terence, you are so right. The FBI ought to investigate what is almost a criminal conspriacy to devalue Young. His worth has been seriously diminished by all the doubts being cast on his ability, to such an extent that the Chattering Class has in effect cost this kid millions. He should be the first or second draft pick. Absolutely the most outstanding college player of the year, a brilliant and brave leader, a two-time Rose Bowl MVP, a better quarterback than Leinart. And he’s not good enough, smart enough? People forget that 50 years ago the Pittsburgh Steelers passed on Johnny Unitas because the word was, he was dumb. Some dummy. The Texans should make this hometown hero their first choice. I cannot believe the bad press he has suddenly gotten since the season ended — it’s almost criminal. Terence, I’m checking back with you in 5 years and if Vince Young is not a bona fide NFL star by then, well my name’s Tim Couch.

By Luke

April 27, 2006 11:12 AM | Link to this

Larry,

A synonym is a word that sound different but has the same meaning. I believe the word you were looking for was homophone.

Sincerely,

Luke

By John

April 27, 2006 11:19 AM | Link to this

Luke, don’t call Larry a homophone; it’ll just make matters worse.

By BP

April 27, 2006 04:53 PM | Link to this

TM…I cannot believe how much of a freaking idiot you sound like. Please tell me that in your non-newspaper life you actually make sense. If Vinnie Testaverde were black, you would consider him the second coming. why don’t you stop writing for the AJC and start pumping sewage since that seems to be what you are good at. By the way…take cynthia op-ed idiot with you to.

By Tee

April 27, 2006 04:58 PM | Link to this

You guys can play that race card in another game. I tell it like it is without regard to the skin tone! Larry, this was your quote.

However in your first blog, the first thing that you said was, and I quote, *”One of these days a “Black” Quarterback will come with superior physical skills married to superior intellectual skills and we’ll have the next great, paradigm shifting NFL quarterback. His skin will be dark enough to be called a “black man”.

You never use someone’s skintone right? If you’re a racist, that’s ok. But don’t bring that up in this forum. We don’t need it here and don’t wish to see it here either. Now you “seem” to be an intellignet guy. Use your powers for good instead of evil.

Thanks