Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Time Pieces: The return of the veteran NFL QB and what it means for the youth movement at the position



Photo above Via Picapp-"hey Vince, you like Country Music, right?? you know i have an album coming out right? Oh,..we're losing?

Time Pieces: The return of the veteran NFL QB and what it means for the youth movement at the position-By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Managing Partner-Football Reporters Online

We have recently seen the trend of veteran QB’s who revive NFL teams when and where they arrive as free agents. Currently two players are having success at the QB position.

Kurt Warner took over for 2006 1st round draft pick Matt Leinart in Arizona. Suddenly Arizona wins their division for the first time in 33 years. Is it the success of the new coaching staff? The change in the running game personnel due to the switch from Edgerrin James to rookie Tim Hightower? The two star wide outs who were just wasting away under the last coaches’ system (ok, maybe not “Wasting” away, but surely they we less productive)?

No, it’s a combination of all three, coupled with Warner’s maturity and experience. He gained that experience under four different coaching staffs. First with Dick Vermeil and Mike Martz in St. Louis, then briefly with Jim Fassel and Sean Peyton in NY, and now in Arizona through two coaching staffs. Warner seemed lost at first in Arizona under Dennis Green. When Matt Leinart was drafted it was with the understanding that he would be “the QB” of the future. His constant struggles and maturity issues have left Owner Bill Bidwell and GM Rod Graves disenchanted with their high profile #1 Selection. Warner has used that backdrop to resurrect his career and, at 37, looks every bit as good as he did at 29 & 30. Most importantly, his team is hosting the NFC Title game this weekend. So while Leinart ponders a movie career( I hear he and Nick Lachey are remaking Ronald Regans’ Hit Movie “Bedtime for Bonzo”) Kurt Warner will just keep on Throwing the rock to whomever the Cardinals have catching it.

Kerry Collins is also proving father time isn’t always on time so to speak. Many thought his last great throw was the loaf of bread into a basket in the NY United Way commercial several years back. Yet when Vince Young had his meltdown. There was Ol’ Kerry, ready to put down his acoustic guitar and pick up the football again. He led the Titans to the #1 Seed in the AFC and, with the exception of this past weekend’s loss to the Ravens, he had every bit as good a season as he did in 2000 in New York. Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher has already stated that he wants Collins back in Nashville next year. So what happens to Vince Young? Does he wait his turn again (or until Kerry throws 6 int’s in a game)? Or does he seek employment elsewhere? I personally think Vince will wait it out, because Kerry’s got a Country Music album coming out in a few months, and as soon as he sees how much cash he can make without subjecting his body to constant punishment, he’ll pack it in and start touring as the opener for Brooks and Dunn or Billy Ray Cyrus.

(note: I was actually going to put Brett “the Farveulous one(sm)” Farve in this article as well, until he held up true to form, and led the J_E-T-S-S-S into another late season Swan Dive like all those Asian high divers at the summer Olympics)

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