"A Tale of Two...." Quarterbacks???

If you, or somebody close to you, follow sports, then you know that there are two NFL quarterbacks in the news right now. Together, these two men account for 13 trips to the Pro Bowl, 5 NFC player of the year honors, a Big East rookie of the year, a Big East offensive player of the year, one ESPY for being the best college football player, one ESPY for being the best NFL player, two Madden covers, an Associated Press Most Valuable Player award, and one Super Bowl title. What’s so interesting is that both of these men were drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, but one was the first overall pick in the draft while the other quarterback was drafted 33rd.

Though these two quarterbacks are currently sharing the spotlight, their stories couldn’t be more different. One was a collegiate superstar while the other wasn’t even known outside the state of Mississippi. One had the athleticism to run for a 20+ yard gain on any given snap while the other had to be one of the toughest players in the history of football to attain significantly less rushing yards. One man was the most prolific passer in the game, while the other has the third most rushing yards for a quarterback in the NFL. One player is black while the other is white. One of these men can’t stand the idea of leaving the game, while the other has no choice, but to play because he owes too many people too much money. One will be a first ballot hall of famer while the other is currently on parole from federal prison.

I’m willing to bet that you could walk into any sports bar or turn to any sports radio station and you’ll either hear heated conversation about Michael Vick or Brett Favre. You’ll have discussions about whether Vick deserves another chance and will he ever be as good as he was before prison or you’ll hear about whether Brett Favre should play for the Vikings or hang it up for good. Hiding in the shadows of the bar, you’ll notice a few guys arguing vehemently, but practically inaudibly. You’ll notice that they’re looking over their shoulders a little more than usual and they’re very careful not to let anybody else know what they’re discussing. As you get a little closer to their table, without being detected, you’ll start to hear a conversation with players like Vick AND Favre, Manning, Brady, and Vince Young.

Those folks are so careful as not to be overheard because they’ve moved past the “X’s and O’s.” They aren’t talking about slant routes, post routes, dives, or counters. They are trying to delicately discuss the best “color” for a quarterback in the NFL. That’s right, they’re talking about race. Is there a difference between black quarterbacks and white quarterbacks? Why aren’t there many black quarterbacks in the hall of fame and why has only one African American quarterback won a Super Bowl? They’ll use IQ scores to insist that white quarterbacks are smarter and have better field presence. Many times, sports fans attempt to talk as if they aren’t talking about race by saying that pocket passers are more successful than quarterbacks that like to scramble out of the pocket.

I can understand why many can look at the success of white quarterbacks in the NFL and generalize, but they would be wrong. My problem is that I have no way to prove it. In following his career and watching him play when I can, I strongly believe that Michael Vick is the best quarterback to play the position, but his numbers will never bear that out. His completion percentage is no good, his touchdown to interception ratio is dreadful, no NFC titles to his credit, no Super Bowl titles, he’s now a convicted felon; but he is the most exciting player on the football field. He’s faster and stronger than 99 percent of the quarterbacks in the NFL, but felony or not, I would never put him on my roster if I were the general manager of a football team.

I feel that there is a better explanation than race. I believe it’s because no teenager really knows how to be a hero, let alone a professional hero. See, in high school and college football, skill isn’t as important as natural ability. If you’re a high school or college star, you’re one of the fastest, strongest players on the field. When a friend in high school was being scouted by colleges they just wanted to know two things: how fast he could run and what he looked like with his shirt off. They didn’t care about his tackles, sacks, or what he did on game film, but could he fill a roll.

See, the best team in college football is inferior, talent wise, to the worst team in the NFL. NFL receivers are better, their blockers are stronger, and their defenders are faster. I would venture to say that Brett Favre couldn’t quarterback any NCAA top 25 team to a national title. He wouldn’t have anybody to block long enough for him to get set and there are no receivers capable enough to catch the bullets that he throws. So, colleges recruit the fastest kids they can find for the quarterback position and if they can outrun the linebackers, then they’re going to a bowl game. Why does this happen? Because Division I coaches and athletic directors have absolutely no interest in developing talented quarterbacks. So, they recruit talent like Michael Vick and Vince Young, market the hell out of them, and them set them free in front of millions of TV viewers around the world and expect them to perform.

All the while, the next Brett Favre is getting the hell beaten out of him at Southern Mississippi, in front of a few thousand fans, as he learns how to fight to .500 with inferior talent, hard work, devotion, and concussion after concussion. Because of his ability, Michael Vick has been allowed, if not encouraged, to coast since he was probably 17 years old, while Brett Favre had to work inhuman hours under incredible circumstances for his shot at glory.

Being a superstar, a hero, is the most difficult thing a human being can possibly endure. Dennis Rodman never figured it out during the span of his entire NBA career and Charles Barkley still hasn’t! What made Larry Bird a legend, instead of just a pro, was his time with the Indiana State Sycamores. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. The greatest stories and performers in athletics, as well as life, experience “No!” much more than they experience “Yes!”

Among the past 20 Heisman Trophy winners, only two of them have Super Bowl rings. That’s one in ten of the college game’s all-time greats that went on to become elite professionals. With this knowledge in mind, if I were Gator quarterback and most recent Heisman winner Tim Tebow, I’d get the best agent I could and most importantly the best financial advisor I could find and get as much money out of the gate as I possibly could. I’d live in an efficiency apartment and drive a Volvo, fulfill my duties under my contract, and then retire on easy street when that first big contract is up, because they next contract will be miniscule in comparison. Dwayne Wade will always win more than Lebron James because Dwayne spent time at Marquette, with Coach Tom Crean, learning what it takes to win, while Lebron was on ESPN 2 in high school and went straight to the pro’s. Kevin Garnett would never have won an NBA title without Ray Allen and Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant wouldn’t have learned how to win without Shaquille O’Neal.

In an episode of the West Wing, a candidate is running for President and he hired this consultant to teach him the “Presidential voice.” So, the candidate practices and practices with this consultant for hours before his chief advisor, who was the former deputy chief of staff to the current President, came in and scolded the candidate because the only way to have the “Presidential voice” is to actually be President!

You can practice your skills as much as you want, but you’re never going to be on a championship team until you, as an individual, learn how to win on a team. The New York Yankees have been buying the best talent in major league baseball, but haven’t won a World Series in years. It’s the teams that have the most players who know how to win that will beat the more talented teams 9 times out of 10. That’s why players like Mike Vick, Lebron James, and Tim Tebow are going to be sulking at home when it time to celebrate another championship in their respective sports. It’s too bad for the amount of money spent on them, but winning is a skill that greatly surpasses talent.