Editorial. Photos by AP News
I wish I could say I make good decisions all the time.
In fact, I wish I could say I make them most of the time.
But at Logan Aiport this January - I know, of all places - that all changed. At least for one day. Because it was there that I decided to purchase a book called Moving the Chains: Tom Brady and the Pursuit of Everything, by Charles Pierce.
Now, it’s not every day you make a good choice involving the city of Las Vegas, and I wish I could say it was a string of similar decisions to be made that weekend.
But, it wasn’t. Just ask my wallet.
Anyway, I blew through the book, and finished it on the return flight; it was just one of those books you couldn’t put down. Now keep in mind, I'm very stingy when it comes to books. But not only was this one tremendously well written, I learned a lot from it as well - a lot about the game of football, what it takes to succeed in it and why a guy like Tom Brady has done so well.
The bottom line is football’s a tough game to understand. And fifteen long years ago, a young man named Tom Brady felt he had a pretty good grip on it. That was until he went to the University of Michigan, where his abilities were overlooked, his talents brushed under the carpet, and his collegiate career wasted in the worst coaching moves of the past 20 years; that was until Jim Zorn wittingly called this play in a game last year:
Four years after Michigan decided to wash away Brady’s talent, he found himself picked in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Why? Because he was slow, had an even slower release, didn’t have a sharp throwing motion, and to be quite honest, wasn’t even a sure thing to play quarterback in the NFL.
Sound familiar?
Tebow will be selected a lot higher than Brady was, for one. And the Florida quarterback has shown a lot more promise than Brady ever did in college – whether that’s Brady’s own fault or not.
Listen: I may not be the best person in the world to be giving dating advice. After all, the last relationship I was in ended in some sort of combination of the Cleveland Browns, Washington Nationals and Hiroshima.
7. People have become brainwashed
Take the great Bernie Kosar for example; he had an awkward three-quarter-angle throwing motion that makes Tim Tebow look like a freaking quarterback coach. Result? A Super Bowl 28 championship.
Jim Kelley’s awkward throw was nicknamed by critics “the high release,” because he let go of it at an unprecedentedly high angle. And? Four Pro Bowl selections, four Super Bowl appearances and if it weren’t for Scott Norwood, probably a few rings as well.
Bernard Pollard reminded us of that two seasons ago. I mean, let’s get real people; sure, he’s the Patriots savior, and he may even be the second coming of Jesus for all we know – but he won’t last forever.
I know they have more needs. I know that. But soon, quarterback will be one of them – and I promise you’ll be kicking yourself they didn’t grab Tebow.
Florida doesn’t exactly run a pro-like offense. Not many college teams do.
Few things are certain when it comes to the NFL Draft. In fact, the draft itself has become just as random as a holding penalty – or Al Davis’ thought process.
It’s actually become one of the most deceiving events in all of pro sports. Sure, vertical leap is great – but it’s not a box-jumping league. Agility is also nice, but the NFL isn’t a chicken-catching competition. Likewise, straight-line speed is flashy, but again, this isn’t track.
It’s the single most important category in the NFL, and it’s the one that’s the most impossible to measure. But Tim Tebow wears this statistic on his sleeve.
Bottom line is, a guy like Tebow doesn’t come around very often. And if the Pats don’t spend their first or second rounder on him, they might not get another chance.
Sound familiar?
Ten years later, Tim Tebow, a guy who has more SEC record than Jim Rome does fans, is being doubted by those very same scouts that shuffled Brady to the back of the deck. Now I’m not saying Tim Tebow and Tom Brady are one in the same, because they’re not. Far from it in fact.
Even so, the two do share a few things – for one, scouts, for some reason or another, don’t particularly care for them. No, they’d prefer a guy like Ryan Leaf or Jamarcus Russell any day of the week.
And they also share a few more things: grit, guts and the desire to win. That’s why Tom Brady hoisted the Lombardi trophy three times in four years, and that’s why the New England Patriots will select Tim Tebow come draft day in 2010.
Not convinced? Didn’t think so. So here are 10 more reasons why Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots will be calling Tim Tebow’s number on April 30.
10. Belichick trusts Urban Meyer more than God himself.
It seems that way anyway.
Over the past few years, Meyer (the head coach at the University of Florida) and Belichick have become extremely close friends, conversing back and forth about coaching, winning, being awesome – those sort of things. In fact, Bill actually makes an annual offseason pilgrimage to Gainesville, Fla., to meet with the guy and discuss plenty things football – including players he may or may not be interested in drafting.
Bottom line is Belichick doesn’t trust many people. But when those he does trust offer him information, he takes it to heart. And if you think Meyer has been filling Bill’s head with anything but praise for Tebow, you’re out of your mind.
9. Belichick took Tebow on a date in the North End
But I do know a thing or two about dining in the North End, where I happen to reside at the moment. It’s a wonderful place – complete with delicious food, classy restaurants and the finest of atmospheres.
Obviously, few questions here. Why did he do it? How was the date? Was it awkward? What did they order? Does Bill like his steak raw? What did they talk about? Is Bill a good kisser? Did he tip well?
And while the majority of those questions may never be answered (or rather could be answered by watching scenes from the 40-Year Old Virgin), one is a whole lot simpler than the rest: why he did it.
It’s easy: because he means business. This is serious, folks.
And we all know Bill does what he wants, when it wants; whether you like or not, whether it’s fourth and two or not. The only opinion that matters to this guy is his own – and he’s making it pretty clear what that is right now.
8. His girlfriend
The two think alike. ‘Nuff said.
The two think alike. ‘Nuff said.
7. People have become brainwashed
Since when did correct throwing motion become all the rage, anyway?
I mean, seriously – check out some old film of the all-time greats at quarterback – when did it become apparent you needed to throw like a robot to be good? I understand the wear and tear, and the worry, and all that. But to me, it’s not enough.
Take the great Bernie Kosar for example; he had an awkward three-quarter-angle throwing motion that makes Tim Tebow look like a freaking quarterback coach. Result? A Super Bowl 28 championship.Jim Kelley’s awkward throw was nicknamed by critics “the high release,” because he let go of it at an unprecedentedly high angle. And? Four Pro Bowl selections, four Super Bowl appearances and if it weren’t for Scott Norwood, probably a few rings as well.
Even Steve Young, San Francisco’s savior, will always be remembered for his slightly ‘off’ long-toss - just as much as he was for his tough running, seven Pro Bowls and three Super Bowl championships.
Heck, even today, Philip Rivers, third in the NFL in passer rating in 2009, throws the football like it’s a damn shot-put; and the reinvented Vince Young heaves the skin with an ‘I don’t care how I throw this thing, as long as it gets there’ attitude that would make Joe Montana weep.
All I’m saying is arm motion isn’t always the most important thing. And while the way he throws the ball is certainly reason for a slight downgrade in his stock, it’s hardly a reason to pass on the kid – after all, you can coach better technique. You can’t coach drive. And you can’t coach winning.
6. Brady isn’t indestructible
Realistically, he’s got about five-six more NFL seasons left in him (at best), and with that knee, it might even be less. The Patriots are going to need a backup quicker than you think, and as we’ve seen over the past few years, it usually takes a quarterback a few seasons before he’s NFL ready. Take Vince Young for example: he got thrown into the fire right away, blew up on the field, and was benched to a backup role his third year in the NFL. His fourth season? Eight games, eight wins.
And for every hot-starting Peyton Manning and Drew Brees you give me, I’ll give you a Matt Schaub – a guy who backed up three different squads before he made a starting role. Now, in his sixth NFL season, he’s the starter for the AFC Pro Bowl roster.
Factor those things into Brady’s five-six year timeline, and the time to draft the next heir is between now and two years from now.
I say now. They might not get another shot at a guy like this.
5. Good quarterbacks are hard to come by
You can tell me he’ll be useless for the next four years all you want. You can tell me they need cornerbacks. You can tell me they need receivers, tight ends, linebackers – I realize that. They need a lot of things - that much was made apparent by the Ravens.
But the fact remains, the Patriots have four picks in the first two rounds. Four. And aside from maybe Brandon Spikes (also Florida), there really isn’t a talent the Patriots can’t grab in the second round that they’d want in the first. Name me a cornerback they can’t miss on in round number one. And I’ll name you Brock Williams (2001) and Gus Scott (2003).
Name me a linebacker. And I’ll give you Shawn Crable (2008).
Over the past few years, drafts just haven’t worked out the Patriot’s way. So maybe they need to just bite the bullet here and take a guy who’s proven more than his worth in four years and college. Enough with the maneuvering, gem finding and trading picks. Just get your guy - a guy you’ll need down the road more than anything else.
After all, that 45-6 record Florida posted in Tebow’s four years in Gainesville speaks for itself.
Again, name me a 2010 NFL draftee that New England can’t miss on this year. And I’ll name you no one.
Except Tim Tebow.
4. The system is perfect for him
But they do run an offense that has a lot pro-like aspects to it. And again, both Belichick and Meyer talk a lot, which has even evolved into Belichick adapting a lot of Meyer’s offensive schemes, much like I’m sure it’s worked in the opposite direction.
For instance, before Brady took over the reigns, including the year where he won his first Super Bowl, New England ran a very closed scheme on offense. Even in the years that followed, New England remained relatively middle-of-the-road when it came to offense, ranking only as high as seventh in 2004, but hanging around the teens in the NFL for the majority of those years.
The very next season, however, the first year Belichick began conversing regularly with Meyer, the Patriots offense rose all the way to second in the NFL.
Not to mention during those few years Tebow inevitably spends as a backup, he’ll be behind Tom Brady and under Bill Belichick – not exactly the worst people to be learning the game from. To be quite honest, if he sponges up enough from the two of them, we could be looking at a Super-QB in a few years – I’m talking MegaZord from Power Rangers style.
And yes, before the combination, Maroney’s the pink ranger. The same Maroney who was their first round selection in 2006. Yet another reason I don’t exactly have all the trust in the world when it comes to New England and drafting. And that’s partly because…
3. The NFL draft is a crapshoot
3. The NFL draft is a crapshoot
For every Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning, there is an equal and opposite Ryan Leaf and Jamarcus Russell. And for every Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson, there’s a Blair Thomas and Ki-Jana Carter. (Who? Exactly.) Sometimes the flag falls, and sometimes it doesn’t – that’s the way it goes.
I’m not saying Tebow is a sure thing at quarterback. In fact, he’s far from it. But as we’ve seen with Russel, Leaf, Couch and about 80% of the other NFL quarterbacks drafted over the past decade, nothing is a sure thing - except what Tebow brings to the table: the intangibles.
And if you think for one second those things don’t matter in the NFL, stop thinking; because they’re everything in the NFL. Just ask former sixth round pick and three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.
Arm strength is nice. Throwing motion sure is pretty. But if you don’t have that it - that ‘something else’ - how far you can chuck a pigskin might not matter in the end. Isn’t that right Matt Leinert?
It just goes to show you…
2. You can’t measure everything in the combine
There’s so much more to football than just what can be recorded in a stat sheet or by a stopwatch. And the most important aspects of the game can’t be penned in seconds, inches or feet.
Things like heart, drive, will, smarts and desire. And this just in – Tebow’s got all of those.
No, his throwing motion may not be immaculate – but you can take Ryan Leaf, his was great. I’ll go ahead and take Tebow.
All those things Tebow has, they’re all something that can’t be measured. And they’re also something that can’t be missed. And you know Bill won’t miss it. Which brings me to my final point.
1. The kid wins
A lot of things about Tebow are up for argument at this point in time – but one of them is NOT his ability to win football games. And if we’ve learned anything from the NFL, it’s that if you want any hope at succeeding, it all starts at quarterback.
Look at the six division winning teams last year, which oddly enough, also include the two Super Bowl competitors: the Colts, the Saints, the Bengals, the Patriots, the Vikings, the Cowboys and the Cardinals. What do they each have? Strong quarterbacks who not only lead their teams in the stat chart, but also lead them on the field, in the locker room and into battle.
It’s so blatantly obvious it kills me. I mean look at the bottom-feeding teams: Oakland, Cleveland, St. Louis – what do they not have? Quarterbacks. I know there’s a lot more to a team than just a QB, but he damn near accounts for most of it.
And if we’ve learned anything about Tim Tebow over the last few years, it’s that he can win and do it often. He just finds a way. No matter what it takes, he’ll find a way to win it.
Sure, the Patriots might have more pressing needs than a backup quarterback. But they might never get a chance like this again. And kill me for saying I’d rather scoop up a Tebow than be stuck with another Chad Jackson (second round selection 2006) for three years.
Just like those 14 bucks I shelled out at Logan Airport back in January, sometimes you just have to cross your fingers and hope the reward is better than the risk.
Because every now and then, that decision turns out to be the right one – whether it’s surrounded by a week of poor Vegas choices or not.
You know the saying – what happens in LV, stays in LV. Except for a few unwanted exceptions. I’d rather not name them.
But at least now, you can add good, old-fashioned, plane-ride football knowledge to that exclusive list.
Thank god I came back with that, as opposed to the alternatives.
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