Deja Vu
You'd think I'd learn. I've spent the last 30 months or so in cyclical love-hate affair with Vince Young. I continually doubt him, specifically his ability to make smart decisions as a QB, and he continues to win football games with an efficiency and a flair unlike any other player I've ever seen. Finally, after the Ohio State win in September, I promised myself that I was 100% converted - that VY was the college football equivalent of Michael Jordan - that I would never doubt him again until he proved that doubt was rightfully deserved. And yet, I picked against him against last night, showing no respect to VY and too much respect to the almighty Trojans.
I will not go into great detail about my thoughts on last night's game because I will not be able to shed any great light that any fan who watched the game would not already have observed. I will simply say that Vince Young is the most amazing college football player that I have ever seen.
A couple of other thoughts:
- In his postgame interview, Reggie Bush personnified class, sounding disappointed yet gracious in defeat. And according to Vince, Bush made a quick personal appearance in the UT locker room after the game to congratulate the Horns. Matt Leinart and Pete Carroll could stand to take a lesson in professionalism and class from #5, sounding like the spoiled brats (that many Longhorn fans believed them to be prior to the Rose Bowl) in their postgame interviews, refusing to grant the Horns the respect that they unquestionably earned on the field. For Leinart to say in the immediate aftermath of the game that he believed USC to still be the better team, to me, was immature and disrespectful. Maybe that's what winning 34 games in a row does to you, though. Look what it did to ESPN.
- From the perspective of a guy who thinks that the Texans should not pick Reggie Bush with the #1 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, last night was a sensational turn of events. I imagine that there is little likelihood of this because of McNair's apparent undying commitment to David Carr, but I have to think that the majority of the country will shake their heads if the Texans keep the #1 pick and do not take the guy who is (a) the best player on the board, (b) an opposing defensive coordinator's biggest nightmare and (c) both a statewide and hometown hero. Hopefully, if the Texans decide to keep Carr and pass on Young, last night's performance will motivate a couple of teams to do whatever it takes to get to the top of the draft board to take VY, allowing the Texans to reap a rich return for their top pick. Personally, I believe that while David Carr is not the sole root of the problem in Texans-land, he is not likely going to be a large factor in the solution (assuming one is found), such that now would be an absolutely perfect time for the Texans to change directions and take The Chosen One to lead his hometown franchise into the future. There is no question in my mind that I would rather have a dynamic, driven competitor whose leadership skills have become legendary than a laidback guy like Carr whose teammates, when questioned directly, do not call him the leader of their offensive unit.
- I do not understand how anyone can question Pete Carroll's decision to go for the 1st down on 4th and 2 from the UT 45 late in the fourth quarter. The Trojans ran the ball between the tackles at will for nearly the entire second half, and they knew that whether the Horns' offense had to go 55 or 85 yards, their chances of keeping them out of the end zone were not too good. The only sure way to seal up the victory was to simply gain two yards, which they were not able to do, but none of the blame for that should necessarily go on Carroll for his decision not to punt. I do believe, however, that for being such a dynamic talent and multi-faceted threat, Reggie Bush sure spent a lot of time standing idly on the sideline. Even if you are not going to give Reggie the ball on the 4th-and-2 play, which is understandable considering LenDale White's performance, it seems that your best player should be on the field, if only to give the defense something to worry about as a decoy.
I will not go into great detail about my thoughts on last night's game because I will not be able to shed any great light that any fan who watched the game would not already have observed. I will simply say that Vince Young is the most amazing college football player that I have ever seen.
A couple of other thoughts:
- In his postgame interview, Reggie Bush personnified class, sounding disappointed yet gracious in defeat. And according to Vince, Bush made a quick personal appearance in the UT locker room after the game to congratulate the Horns. Matt Leinart and Pete Carroll could stand to take a lesson in professionalism and class from #5, sounding like the spoiled brats (that many Longhorn fans believed them to be prior to the Rose Bowl) in their postgame interviews, refusing to grant the Horns the respect that they unquestionably earned on the field. For Leinart to say in the immediate aftermath of the game that he believed USC to still be the better team, to me, was immature and disrespectful. Maybe that's what winning 34 games in a row does to you, though. Look what it did to ESPN.
- From the perspective of a guy who thinks that the Texans should not pick Reggie Bush with the #1 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, last night was a sensational turn of events. I imagine that there is little likelihood of this because of McNair's apparent undying commitment to David Carr, but I have to think that the majority of the country will shake their heads if the Texans keep the #1 pick and do not take the guy who is (a) the best player on the board, (b) an opposing defensive coordinator's biggest nightmare and (c) both a statewide and hometown hero. Hopefully, if the Texans decide to keep Carr and pass on Young, last night's performance will motivate a couple of teams to do whatever it takes to get to the top of the draft board to take VY, allowing the Texans to reap a rich return for their top pick. Personally, I believe that while David Carr is not the sole root of the problem in Texans-land, he is not likely going to be a large factor in the solution (assuming one is found), such that now would be an absolutely perfect time for the Texans to change directions and take The Chosen One to lead his hometown franchise into the future. There is no question in my mind that I would rather have a dynamic, driven competitor whose leadership skills have become legendary than a laidback guy like Carr whose teammates, when questioned directly, do not call him the leader of their offensive unit.
- I do not understand how anyone can question Pete Carroll's decision to go for the 1st down on 4th and 2 from the UT 45 late in the fourth quarter. The Trojans ran the ball between the tackles at will for nearly the entire second half, and they knew that whether the Horns' offense had to go 55 or 85 yards, their chances of keeping them out of the end zone were not too good. The only sure way to seal up the victory was to simply gain two yards, which they were not able to do, but none of the blame for that should necessarily go on Carroll for his decision not to punt. I do believe, however, that for being such a dynamic talent and multi-faceted threat, Reggie Bush sure spent a lot of time standing idly on the sideline. Even if you are not going to give Reggie the ball on the 4th-and-2 play, which is understandable considering LenDale White's performance, it seems that your best player should be on the field, if only to give the defense something to worry about as a decoy.
posted by Scott | 8:22 AM
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