Just a note its interesting how people cite racism towards black QB's to argue that blacks are racist towards Yao.
Vince was the first QB (picked ahead of several white QB's) and the 3rd overall player selected in the draft. If Vince had fallen to the bottom of the first round, I think you'd have a point. Hell, if he had fallen to the middle of the 1st round (like Leinart, who is white), you'd have a point. The NFL DID have a stereotype with regards to black QB's several years ago, no doubt. But there have been too many examples of that stereotype being wrong and really not existing anymore.
I think there may still be a subtle racist element involved but it is rather slight these days. It does seem that a lot of people are more inclined to compare black QB prospects with black QBs who didn't pan out in the NFL rather than the ones who did. There have been some very athletic white QB's that have not been drafted high either. Two that come to mind are Scott Frost and Eric Crouch. Obviously VY is a LOT better than those guys though.
Are we suggesting here that had VY scored a 20 on the Wonderlic he would have been THE #1 pick? What if he had been white and every other detail was identical?
Uhhh........no. If that's what you think then I suggest you go back and watch. He was 30-40 for 267 yards with 0 ints that game , while leading the nation in pass efficiency that year. The Rose Bowl in 2005 was more about his running. The Rose Bowl in 2006 was about the most incredible display that dual threat QB has ever put on of both rushing and receiving on that kind of stage. Rather than cementing him as a great runner, it did the opposite, it showed that he wasn't just a runner, he was the total package. That's why he was the first QB selected. More importantly, that's why he won the game.
He had a decent passing game but the plays that won the game were either designed QB draws or broken plays where Vince Young ran over SC defenders. Anyway were talking reputation and for better or worse the media raved about his running and his athleticism after that game as opposed to his great passing. If anything Matt Leinert got much more praise for passing.
Actually I don't think racism was involved with VY. I don't even think prejudice played any part at all in his evaluations. (that would be a conscience act of evaluation based upon race- I don't think that happened) My point is that if a white QB came along with his skills, his accomplishments, his dramatic impact and his record including the undefeated season and championship MVP- I believe if they were exactly identical (pretending there was no Vince Young) then that white QB would have been evaluated and hyped much more than Vince already was hyped. I believe he would have eclipsed even Bush in the ESPN hype. He would have been compared to Elway, Montana, Staubach etc etc. I just was thinking what all VY accomplished, looked at his skill set, led the nation in passing, was a huge play maker and thought why isn't he a no brainer top pick prospect? Why is he being compared to other black QB's, why isn't he being hyped as the next John Elway or Joe Montana? I think it is baloney to watch him lead the nation in passing, beat several teams with his arm and come away saying he might not be able to pass against NFL defenses. They never say that about white QB's who lead the nation in passing. Call it a bias. Steve McNair - great passer small school- questions whether it will translate to the NFL David Carr- great passer small school- questions whether his side arm delivery will hinder him Nobody questions if Carr can read an NFL defense. They question whether McNair and Yound can do it. Not racism- subconscience bias???
Carr played in a pro-style offense at Fresno State where he threw the ball a lot. VY played in a VY-styled offense at UT; he had virtually no experience in reading pass coverages. To play Devil's Advocate: where did Carr finish in the Heisman Trophy voting his junior and senior years? How gaudy were his stats in those two seasons? Where was his hype? Did it just roll in when it came time for him to be picked over by the pro scouts?
Broken plays and draws worked because the defense was playing back....because he was carving them up through the air. Seriously, go back and watch the game. I think he completed something like his first 9 passes.
LOL dude, stop it. he had a great passing game and he is a great passer. because he is an incredible weapon on the ground, you want to hold that against him? VY is the greatest quarterback to ever walk on water, you might as well accept it.
That's not news to me. <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mAwVIZDAUF0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mAwVIZDAUF0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
vince young does not have a below average arm. the annoucer during the giants game was raving about his arm, how the ball comes out so quickly. that is one criticism I never understood about him.
