Friday, March 23, 2012

At Least I'm Not An NFL Quarterback!




I have been amazed at how the mainstream media has had so much to report lately regarding quarterback's in the National Football League. Quarterback controversies continue in the NFL and currently they are on the front page.

Peyton Manning has been the franchise hero for years in Indianapolis, successfully leading the Colts to a Super Bowl Championship. But injuries and surgeries that resulted in his having to sit out a full year last season also resulted in the Indy management cutting ties with not just their hero, but arguably the hero of the entire city.

I found the move fascinating. How many games did the Colts win last season with Peyton? Not many - that's for sure! Let's see - they win with Peyton, they lose without Peyton, so they trade Peyton. Interesting! I understand that it is questionable as to if Manning will be the same QB he was before the injuries and surgeries, but I for one would take Peyton Manning at 80% of what he was over most current quarterbacks at 100% today.

So Peyton goes to Denver. I am in no way a Broncos fan, but I personally think it was a good move on the part of Elway (that really pains me to say that!). I greatly admire Tim Tebow as a person and as a Christian. He is amazingly genuine with a powerful testimony. And now that he is no longer playing for Denver, I can root for him to do well! But honestly, I just do not see him as a franchise quarterback. If I had to chose Manning or Tebow - I too would go with Manning.

But some ask, "Why trade Tebow?" Couldn't Tebow learn a great deal tutoring under a star like Peyton Manning? Yes, he could. But an NFL head coach needs a quarterback controversy like he needs a whole in the head. What would happen the first game in which Manning threw a couple of interceptions in the Mile High city? The fans would start chanting "Tebow! Tebow!" and the sports radio circuit in Denver would chat non-stop about if it were time to pull the teacher and put in the student. That is not healthy for any football team.

So Tebow goes to the New York Jets. To be honest, I don't get it. The Jets had just extended their QB's contract (Mark Sanchez) to the tune of $40,000,000! Through this trade they lost two very important early round daft picks and what did they get in return? They received a guaranteed quarterback controversy in the big market of New York.

And then aside from the Petyon Manning-Tim Tebow-Mark Sanchez saga, another NFL quarterback is heading into a very rough season come this fall. Drew Breeze is one of the best QB's in the game today playing in New Orleans. But how can he cope with the major distraction of a head coach being suspended for the entire upcoming season because it came out bounties of sorts were being put on opposing players resulting in some form of bonus for the "saint" ballplayer who caused their opponent's injury? How in the world can a quarterback play well in the middle of the year long distraction of that controversy?

So as I wrap my week up and head into the weekend I do so with this thought in my mind, "At least I am not an NFL quarterback!" And as you read this posting your thought is probably, "At least your not a sports writer either!"

No comments: