As I was going through this week's picks I came across several paragraphs that perhaps necessitate their own post. Seeing as I missed the entire picks section, figured that this could be one of those precious times when need, fact, and happenstance may in fact couple. Without further ado, the first of many “sorry I missed the picks” posts. We’ll start at the end.
Vince Young (goldenboy, hero of 9stabs) is a troublemaker. I’ll document document:
VY grew up a child prodigy in Texas, and like many prodigies in the Lone Star his athletic ability made it so that it would be conceivable (at the least) that his star shown so bright that it overwhelmed whatever problems may have existed within his championship-filled dome. He was the national player-of-the-year in high school and ranked as the #1 recruit in all the land so for a long time now he’s been the man and treated as such.
This is hard to label narrowly as a problem – if it is one it is certainly more so to the systematic deficiencies in the American psyche than to VY as an individual – but it should not be discounted that the man has been treated as a hero wherever he goes, and in large part rightly so. VY as an individual wins games, and VY as an individual should be judged on said ability to get the job done.
However, I couple that truefact with the separate truefact that If I – a young man with all the advantages advantage can buy and a support system that truly did (and does) support me – grew up loved by millions, needed by millions more I’m confident that my ego would be placed inappropriately above its pre-selected natural level (also abnormally high). If for the first twenty years of my life every last minute drive depended on me, every time a kitten was stuck in a tree I would be looked at, every time a cheerleader spun and jumped they did so for me me, every time a state that calls itself a nation needed a hero they would point their momentarily egalitarian eyes towards ME, and every time that happened I delivered I would make mistakes.
… but, as many a great prophet has spoken: “it be not the fuckupish that we must focus, but rather the fuckup him(or her … just kidding, its always him)self whose scorn our eyes focus hath earned.” With this is mind, arguably the greatest singular talent of my generation doesn’t get it.
Out of College Vince Young scored about 0 on the wonderlic. I’ve seen the wonderlic – you’ve seen the wonderlick – it doesn’t take a genius to understand that it doesn’t take a genius. A good score is an indication of a history of informed understanding; a bad score is an indication of a lack of understanding – the test is more about knowledge than it is about smarts. I have an academic history that suggests I’m passably smart and a basis of sports knowledge that (I hope) shows that I’m consciously knowledge, I know the difference. They aren’t testing one’s ability to learn as much as they are testing one’s ability to study. A good score is therefore a proper indication of proper study, with similar correlation stats in reverse.
Yet still, a man who reads defenses like Clinton reads polls failed the test. Someone who has an athletic history that suggests he’s not a moron – and holds a rhetorical sense of speech that suggests he cares – straight up failed. That’s a problem.
As I’ve mentioned before, the quarterback position in the National Football League is the most scrutinized place to play in the world. You’re my QB? Win. No exceptions. It’s a hard mandate.
A 6 on the wonderlic suggests that VY might not get this. Poor scores mean less about intelligence than it does his preparation and understanding of what his priorities need to be. QB1 is not just an athletic designation, it’s a life role. These roles require study and prep. 6 months ago I thought was tricked into thinking that skill was enough.
Then, this preseason, VY got suspended. The reason itself seemed trivial (he missed curfew, opting to sleep at a location of his choosing) but what it revealed said something – the Franchise who didn’t get that the media means something just gave a fuckyou to the franchise who pays the bills that the media is buying. The titans may have the briefcase, but VY pulled the shotgun.
Still, the young man can play ball, and the young man is a winner and if said young man is said “winner” it becomes a lot easier to ignore the injustice of sticking stick up boys. Afterall, the thug in question is our boy who took Leinhart’s illegitimate children’s first claim to fame (being conceived) and made it his own personal coming out party.
BUT and I capitalized that for a reason, MVP got cocky. This isn’t about that Madden – the curse that VY brought upon himself is the curse of ignorance. This young man, a smart, competent, capable young man with seemingly infinite talent has a weakness – he just can’t avoid those self-inflicted gun shots to the foot.
For years we avoided it – the wonderlic doesn’t matter, his USC win means more than an entire college career – and I’m certainly part of the “we” I bless – but that’s not where it ends.
When Donovan McNabb brought up race and Quarterbacking (if you care you see below for my analysis) VY was asked his thoughts and basically said “not an issue.” Young both showed disregard for the fact that his job as a black QB1 may be under less media scrutiny because of the increase in black professionals (like, say McNabb). His comments were insensitive to the subject but more than that they weren’t well thought out. With the controversy what it was at the time the question shouldn’t have come as a surprise, the fact that his comments suggested it did is troublesome.
Then, last week, after he goes down with an injury he pouts on the sideline away from his team (as they win!) and offers quotes after the game asking “why wouldn’t [he] have wanted to play?” Short answer: your team won, you shouldn’t have wanted to change anything.
We’re not at the point where any of this is a major problem yet, but with the recent Chad Johnson whining and needing out in mind we may be at the point were it would be wise to start documenting what could be the next great NFL head case.
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