Sad to say, but Young's problems were predictable By Jason Whitlock Updated: September 11, 2008, 11:55 AM EST
I'm going to do my best to avoid turning this into an I-told-you-so column. But the truth is, 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.
So, no, I'm not surprised Vince Young tried to quit in the middle of Sunday's game after throwing a second interception and hearing boos from Titans fans frustrated by his inability to read a defense or throw accurately. I'm not all that shocked that two days later Jeff Fisher called the police and asked them to hunt down his inconsistent quarterback. I'm not surprised the Titans team psychologist is apparently worried that Vince Young is suffering depression.
And I'm really not surprised that Vince Young's mother told The Tennessean that her baby boy needs a little space and a lot of love and support.
The question is, when Young rebounds from his emotional abyss and recovers from his knee injury, what kind of love and support are we going to give him? Are the people who already love Young going to replant their heads in Young's rear end and their hands in his wallet? Or will a few people within Team Vince do the right thing and level with him about what he needs to do to make it in the NFL as a quarterback?
Vince Young, like a lot of young African-American men, desperately needs to hear the truth from the people who love him. 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.
It just doesn't work. Not for Young or Vick. Not for Matt Leinart. Not for anyone who wants to star at the position and avoid the boo-birds.
No one revolutionizes the starting quarterback position. The position revolutionizes the person playing it. Just ask Donovan McNabb. He figured it out and changed his game. Over the objection of idiots, McNabb developed his skills as a pocket passer. He concentrated on becoming a student of the game. If he can stay healthy over the next three or four years, McNabb will surpass Warren Moon as the best black quarterback ever to play the game.
Unfortunately, there are still people, especially black people, who don't appreciate McNabb. They think he let "us" down by de-emphasizing his athleticism, and they criticize him for being cozy with his organization the way Peyton Manning is with the Colts and Brady is with the Patriots.
McNabb doesn't get to enjoy the luxury of being a company man the way other franchise QBs in their prime do.
But McNabb has never threatened to quit or asked out of a game because the Philly fans were too rough. McNabb understands that in some instances the scrutiny of a black quarterback might be a tad more intense than that of a white one. He also understands that the best way to combat it isn't whining. It's performance. It's work ethic. It's professionalism.
It's not a coincidence that McNabb comes from a supportive, two-parent household.
I bring that up not to castigate Vince Young and his mother. I don't even know the story of Young's upbringing.
I raise the issue to point out that in modern professional sports — with the astronomical players' salaries — ownership and management examine the upbringing of the athletes and factor that into their decision-making.
Vick's failure, Young's potential failure and the guaranteed money they were given will make ownership more reluctant to anoint another kid from the 'hood a franchise quarterback straight out of college.
It's not about color. It's about fitting the profile of someone who can handle all that goes along with being an NFL quarterback. If I'm an owner, I spend my quarterback dollars on young men who were raised by strong fathers. It wouldn't be an infallible system, but on average I bet I'd hit more winners than if I turned over the leadership of my team to a kid who isn't used to having a strong male authority figure.
As black people, we need to ask ourselves whether we are doing a good job preparing our boys for positions of immense leadership, responsibility and scrutiny.
You are going to get criticized playing quarterback. If your instinct is to dismiss the criticism as racist, maybe you shouldn't play the position. If you are surrounded by people who spend every waking minute telling you that you can do no wrong and that everyone who criticizes you is a bigot, then maybe you shouldn't play quarterback.
The position requires thick skin and genuine self-confidence. If you need four or five male groupies with you at all times, a half million dollars of jewelry around your neck and wrists and a dozen tattoos to feel confident, then maybe you should play wide receiver or start rapping.
The average NFL fan has no idea how much time a franchise spends working on self-esteem issues with a typical player. You think these guys are self-assured. Many of them are not. They self-medicate with booze, drugs, steroids, bling, women and attention-getting stunts such as name changes.
Remember when Terrell Owens' assistant claimed he had 25 million reasons to live? It was an accidental moment of clarity and honesty. Too many players have their whole sense of self-worth tied up in their contracts.
It doesn't take much to crack a man with no real identity, especially if he's grown accustomed to having all of his shortcomings rationalized.
Post subject: Re: Vince Young scores a 6 on the Wunderlik
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:13 pm
AnalLog
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:15 pm Posts: 25452 Location: Under my wing like Sanford & Son Gender: Male
That's a good article. Vince Young did indeed grow up without a father, and I think a big reason that he was so successful at UT was that Mack Brown filled in that role for those three years. I think the guy's kind of off-base with the off-the-field insinuations, as I've never heard of Vince being a big partier, but I guess that comes with the territory. Maybe the guy can't cut it in the NFL, if so, so be it.
_________________ Now that god no longer exists, the desire for another world still remains.
Post subject: Re: Vince Young scores a 6 on the Wunderlik
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:59 pm
AnalLog
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:15 pm Posts: 25452 Location: Under my wing like Sanford & Son Gender: Male
dogbelly wrote:
The University of Texas sure can produce some nutjob football players.
Ramonce is really the worst one. Ricky should have never gotten kicked out of the league (and is back in, nice going NFL) and Vince is no different than someone like Ryan Leaf. He's just a much bigger name.
_________________ Now that god no longer exists, the desire for another world still remains.
Post subject: Re: Vince Young scores a 6 on the Wunderlik
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 8:21 pm
Yeah Yeah Yeah
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:36 pm Posts: 3150 Location: PJ's 2nd home Gender: Male
how timely with the article above - from espn
Terrell Owens -- wearing one of his custom T-shirts that said "iLove" on the front and "Me some me" on the back -- spoke in the Cowboys' locker room Thursday, often about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and the reasons for their failed relationship.
Post subject: Re: Vince Young scores a 6 on the Wunderlik
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 1:30 pm
Unthought Known
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:47 pm Posts: 9282 Location: Atlanta Gender: Male
bostonlou wrote:
how timely with the article above - from espn
Terrell Owens -- wearing one of his custom T-shirts that said "iLove" on the front and "Me some me" on the back -- spoke in the Cowboys' locker room Thursday, often about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and the reasons for their failed relationship.
I'd love to have one of those shirts though. I love me some me on the front and Strait Cash Homey on the back.
Post subject: Re: Vince Young scores a 6 on the Wunderlik
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:54 pm
Yeah Yeah Yeah
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 5:55 am Posts: 4213 Location: Austin TX Gender: Male
i think most of this crap has been completely overblown. VY needs to grow up and learn how to deal with criticism better, that much is obvious. i think these 4 weeks might turn out to be a pretty good thing for him. this is the first time in his life where he hasn't been able to do just about whatever he wanted on a football field, and he's clearly having trouble dealing with it. i think he'll get past it.
_________________ Pour the sun upon the ground stand to throw a shadow watch it grow into a night and fill the spinnin' sky
Post subject: Re: Vince Young scores a 6 on the Wunderlik
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:39 pm
Yeah Yeah Yeah
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:36 pm Posts: 3150 Location: PJ's 2nd home Gender: Male
Electromatic wrote:
bostonlou wrote:
how timely with the article above - from espn
Terrell Owens -- wearing one of his custom T-shirts that said "iLove" on the front and "Me some me" on the back -- spoke in the Cowboys' locker room Thursday, often about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and the reasons for their failed relationship.
I'd love to have one of those shirts though. I love me some me on the front and Strait Cash Homey on the back.
Post subject: Re: Vince Young scores a 6 on the Wunderlik
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:17 pm
High Roller
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 2:47 pm Posts: 13660 Location: Long Island Gender: Male
Young obviously has some mental condition that has to get taken care of. Good thing he doesn't play for the Eagles, he would have offed himself already.
Post subject: Re: Vince Young scores a 6 on the Wunderlik
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:49 pm
Landry
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:50 am Posts: 11842
Electromatic wrote:
bostonlou wrote:
how timely with the article above - from espn
Terrell Owens -- wearing one of his custom T-shirts that said "iLove" on the front and "Me some me" on the back -- spoke in the Cowboys' locker room Thursday, often about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and the reasons for their failed relationship.
I'd love to have one of those shirts though. I love me some me on the front and Strait Cash Homey on the back.
Post subject: Re: Vince Young scores a 6 on the Wunderlik
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 7:32 pm
Administrator
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:53 pm Posts: 20537 Location: The City Of Trees
likeatab wrote:
i think most of this crap has been completely overblown. VY needs to grow up and learn how to deal with criticism better, that much is obvious. i think these 4 weeks might turn out to be a pretty good thing for him. this is the first time in his life where he hasn't been able to do just about whatever he wanted on a football field, and he's clearly having trouble dealing with it. i think he'll get past it.
I agree with you--I think the media is creating a lot of the fuzz, unintentionally or not.
Post subject: Re: Vince Young scores a 6 on the Wunderlik
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:07 pm
Stone's Bitch
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 2:47 am Posts: 2169 Location: W.MA Gender: Male
Electromatic wrote:
bostonlou wrote:
how timely with the article above - from espn
Terrell Owens -- wearing one of his custom T-shirts that said "iLove" on the front and "Me some me" on the back -- spoke in the Cowboys' locker room Thursday, often about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and the reasons for their failed relationship.
I'd love to have one of those shirts though. I love me some me on the front and Strait Cash Homey on the back.
Wasn't Randy Moss who coined the phrase "Straight Cash Homey" after a traffic violation
_________________ PJ: Albany 04-29-2003 / 2008- MSG, Hartford, Mansfield 06-24,25,27,28,30 / 2009- Philly 10-27,28,30,31 EV: 2008- Montreal Aug-09, 10; 2009- Albany Jun-08, 09(met Eddie after show, shook his hand. YEEEAAAA!!!!)
If the reports were true, Young's draft stock stands to be significantly affected, especially with Cutler continuing to skyrocket up most teams' draft boards. When I asked one scout from the AFC if he thought Young would still be a top-five draft pick if the rumor turns out to be true, he answered, "Sure … as a wide receiver, though."
This was in John Clayton's article on ESPN.com. This is kind of how I've felt about Young all along. I would draft him with the number one overall pick if he agreed to play WR, he would be a lot like Terrell Owens playing WR, with his speed, size and athleticism he would be unstoppable in the open field. Lining up behind center, reading defenses and trying to get the ball to guys that are worse athletes than himself is a dumb idea.
This was my quote from 2 years ago.
And it's still wrong.
Maybe I should re post this every two years. Anyway, the Titans are finished with him. Wonder who else will be desperate enough to try to continue letting him try to be a QB?
_________________ "Relaxed, but Edgy" - Ed, Raleigh, NC April, 2003
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