Maybe Vince Young understands McNabb more than he says

by JasonB on Sep 25, 2007 10:04 AM EDT in News Comment 9 comments

Last night Vince Young and the Tennessee Titans took apart what seems like a hapless Saints team. By the way I did predict the Saints would struggle this year... That's beside the point though. Vince Young after the game found himself talking about how he felt he needed to prove he can throw the ball not just run. And this is a guy who felt McNabb was wrong when he said black QBs have more to prove than white QBs. Think again Vince.

First, here's a refresher on what McNabb had to say.

"Nobody ever talked to Steve Young about the running quarterback situation and Jake Plummer," he said.

McNabb has always been sensitive about being labeled a running quarterback. He considers himself someone who passes first and runs only out of necessity.

"You wouldn't ask somebody else the questions we get asked," McNabb said, declining to reveal those questions.

"I bet Fran Tarkenton, Steve Young, Jake Plummer, and Doug Flutie have never been told by a member of any racial consciousness organization that they don't play the quarterback position white enough," McNabb wrote.

When asked if he's felt the same criticism or issues Vince Young had this today.

"Black or white quarterbacks, we all go through something because that's the life of a quarterback," Vince Young said Wednesday after Titans practice. "You've got to be able to handle all the pressure. You've got to be able to handle the losses. You've got to be able to handle the media. If you can't handle it, you've got to get off that position and go play something else."

Ok fair enough. I agree, all QBs do have to deal with criticism. But if the criticism you face isn't any different than any white QB, why did you have to say things like this?

"I wanted to show the world that I can throw the ball," Young told reporters.

On ESPN after the game he was asked, "What were you trying to prove out there tonight Vince?"

He answered,

That I can throw the ball down the field... That's what I wanted to show the world that I can thrown the ball. It's not all about Vince Young is a mobile quarterback... Vince Young is a quart-er-back, that's it.

Watching that really is like dejavu. It's the same type of stuff McNabb used to say early in his career when he was trying to shake the moniker of the "running QB." Frankly, it's not fair that he should have to do that.

Check out this article by Mike Celzic of MSNBC where he lists all the doubts about whether Young was just a running QB and praises him for staying in the pocket last night. This AM on ESPN's Mike & Mike in the morning Mark Schlereth was talking about how there was so many comparisons to Mike Vick coming out of college as far as running, but there was questions as to whether Young could throw the ball. Ron Jaworski after the game said "I love the way he embraces the pocket first, he'll take those running opportunities as an option... he's not looking for them the minute he drops back."

Sometimes it's subtle, and I'm not saying that these media types are racist or anything like that... But if Vince Young doesn't think he faces different questions than white QBs then he's just not paying attention. Honestly this is something I hate writing about, I take no joy in it's whatsoever but the subject was so apparent to me in the post game coverage I just couldn't help.

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Black QB's

Just thinking about this, why is it that just a handful of teams have employed the vast majority of the Black QB's?

Oilers/Titans - Moon, McNair, Young
Eagles - Cunningham, Peete, McNabb
Vikings - Moon, Cunningham, Culpepper, Jackson
Redskins - Williams, Campbell
Jaguars - Leftwich, Garrard
Bucs - Williams, King

The only others not on this list of any signifcance (i.e. more than 1 full year as a starter) are Harris, Blake, Brooks, Carter, and Vick.

Is it coincidental that the above teams have fairly large black fanbases (as do New Orleans and Atlanta, who employed Brooks and Vick)? Why do just three teams especially - the Oilers/Titans, Eagles, and Vikings seem to keep coming back to the well here?

by Andrew on Sep 25, 2007 10:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Jeff Blake

Speaking of him... he was also an Eagle.

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by JasonB on Sep 25, 2007 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You hit the nail on the head

Young should know what McNabb was talking about.

by Blackacre on Sep 25, 2007 3:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry Bleedgreen

but your take on this is off. . . All of Vince Young's quotes that you mentioned had nothing to do with race and the fact that he is a "black quarterback". . .but you chose to read into the quotes that Vince has a chip on his shoulder because of racial stereotypes from the media. . .
I've followed Vince for a long time . . the criticism of Vince's passing game has everything to do with his peculiar throwing motion and nothing to do with is race. . . Vince has had to listen to people question his throwing motion ever since after the Rose Bowl victory over USC (well, he probably heard criticism before that but not as much). . .The fact is - - Vince IS a damn good running quarterback, and again that fact has nothing to do with racial stereotype, he simply is a damn good running quarterback, end of story. . . but to insinuate that Vince's comments after Monday's game had anything to do with race, well that is just flat wrong.

BTW, i did enjoy the Youtube video of the guy referring to white quarterbacks as leaders and black quarterbacks as athletes. . .I agree that their is a tendency to hear from the media that black QBs are "good athletes". But you know what,if you follow the Titans and Texas Longhorns as closely as I do, you'd know that when referring to VY, the word "leader" gets thrown around more often than I've heard about any QB possiby ever. . . I do have some bias there, but the fact is, people recognize that all his teammates love to be around him, want to find a way to win for him, and KNOW that he is gonna find a way to lead the team to victory.

Sorry the post is so long. . .I love the Eagles, they are my favorite team (Titan's are #2 cuz of my love for VY). . . keep up the good work on this site.

by texaslonghorn on Sep 25, 2007 4:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I can respect that

I certainly don't know if Vince feels like he's perceived as a mobile QB only because he's black or not. He said he doesn't, and I have no reason to doubt him. In fact, I admire the fact that he has said he doesn't feel he's treated differently. I don't think there was any racial motivation behind what he said. I do however suspect that at least some of the criticism leveled at him as a "just a running QB" may well have some racial undertones to it. Coming out of school no one questioned whether McNabb had the arm or throwing motion to make it in the NFL, yet he got the same "he's just a mobile QB" criticism. Same for Mike Vick, although in his case it may well be true.

There is no doubt however, that the media has been beating the drums all day about how mobile and athletic he is and what a surprise it was that he can stay in the pocket and throw. They've never said that about Leinart or Cutler or any other white QB I can remember. Weird delivery or not, I haven't heard that doubt cast over any white QB. There's no doubt that he's incredibly mobile and there's nothing wrong with pointing that out, but he's no more mobile than he was in college... just like he's no more prolific in the pocket now than he was in college. He could put up big numbers through the air then also!

Vince specifically said that he wanted to show he wasn't just a mobile QB, that he could throw the ball as well. Like I said I believe him when he says he doesn't think that the criticism is racially motivated, I just happen to partially disagree with him. I think that some of it, subtle as it may be, is.

I do agree with you though that no matter how racist a person may be, there's no way they can say the guy is not a leader. If he's anything, he's a leader.

Also don't apologize for long post. I fully encourage this kind of discussion. I am by no means right on everything and this is clearly a subject that can be seen from several different sides. I appreciate the contrary views. Between the two of is, I'm sure we got the right answer somewhere.

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by JasonB on Sep 25, 2007 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

team looking at McNabb different?

McNabb definitely had to come out and perform the way he did this week and show that the first two weeks where not the new McNabb, and because of those first two weeks he was booed, but the rest of the team seemed to rally behind him. Also there have been some reports that the team didn't look to him as a team player but a company man alla T.O. but this week some team members (Dawk, Brown) seem to publically defend him and question the fans boo's. Now what i'm thinking is that maybe the HBO interview helped some on the team to look at McNabb in a different light and now are ralling behind him because he isn't really a company man but will say what he thinks this year and the found a new respect for him.

by Buckwampum Birds Fan on Sep 25, 2007 8:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Westbrook

The interesting guy after this game was Westbrook. He was the one big time player on the team who I actually questioned whether he was behind McNabb or not. I know in the offseason when McNabb was proclaiming himself the leader of the team, Westbrook seemed to want to make it clear that he was a leader also... But he was celebrating with McNabb during the game and said afterward that the rest of team felt they need to "rally around him" after everything that happened this week. It was a very encouraging sign.

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by JasonB on Sep 25, 2007 9:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree

I love McNabb. . .always have. . .

I think part of the difference in McNabb's perception and VY's perception is the era we are in. . .We're only talking about around a 10 year difference, but I think even in just the last 10 years a black quarterback is a lot more accepted and people really don't look at them any differently now (obviously, there are still racists and bigots in the world who look at people stereotypically, but I think the average sports fan and commentator does not)

My love of the Eagles has been at a distance for the last 15 years unfortunately (haven't lived near Philly since graduating high school)so I did not get much of the local media take on Donovan coming into the NFL and to the Eagles. I know on a national sense people did question him. . . I'm sure a lot of the questions at the time may have been racially motivated. So I understand where Donovan is coming from. I just don't think much of that kind of racial stereotyping exists anymore in the NFL. And I don't understand why people like Mike Wilbon were quick to criticize VY for not supporting Donovan more.

Go Eagles!

by texaslonghorn on Sep 25, 2007 8:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Just look at how many black QBs there are in the league now compared to when McNabb came in. If I remember right, there may have been no starting black QBs. Maybe Jeff Blake was starting at the time, but I can't think of anyone else. He and Culpepper(along with Akili Smith for a short time) may have been the only ones.

Now, it's totally different.

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by JasonB on Sep 25, 2007 9:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs