DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!

[Texasgal]

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/index.html

:cry:



Vince to announce today that he’s leaving
By Staff | Sunday, January 8, 2006, 12:59 PM

Longhorn quarterback Vince Young will hold a press conference this afternoon to announce that he is forgoing his senior year at Texas and enter the NFL draft, a family friend said.

The team confirmed that a press conference is scheduled.

Young will be the first player with eligibility remaining to declare for the NFL draft during Mack Brown’s tenure at Texas. His departure comes four days after he led Texas to the national championship in a 41-38 victory over USC in the Rose Bowl.

Without Young, Texas will have no experience at quarterback next season. Young’s backup, Matt Nordgren, was a senior this season.

[alarimer]

1. I guess he's going for the bucks

Money over team loyalty. Guess they won't repeat.

[Texasgal]

2. It'll be another 30 YEARS NOW!!!

:cry:

[jobycom]

15. Hey, Texas wasn't all Vince Young, you know!!!

Who am I kidding, yes it was.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

17. If you had a son who could make tens of millions through salary and

endorsements, but, by returning for a fifth year at UT could get injured and ruin all that (maybe salvage a couple few mil through insurance), would you advocate that they stay for the fifth year?

I'm a big Univ. of MD fan (Bball), and I remember when Joe Smith was one of the best big men in the country, came out as a sophomore, and all the MD boosters were crying and calling in to the sports shows about "he should finish his education". If THEY had a kid who could sign a contract guaranteeing at least 10 million dollars etc., I think they'd be crazy NOT to recommend that their kid do this, and figure out the education part later.

I think the number of TRUE scholar athletes in big time division I sports is small.

My answer to the hypothetical is, of course, to take the money and get a degree when you can. Unless the actual prospects of getting a lucrative signing are doubtful, which is not the case for Vince Young.

Examples where this is a bad idea is the large number of high school kids who are really NOT surefire lottery picks and bamboozled by unscrupulous agents or friends into skipping college entirely and then don't even get drafted...

[alarimer]

20. I guess he is doing the right thing for HIM

But it is sort of sad for all those other players who won't get the chance he has and will probably never see another championship.

[johnnie]

3. That's pretty stupid

Oh well, good luck to him. I would be interested to see how he does with the big boys.

[Flying Dream Blues]

4. I'm sorry to see him leave but I wish him all the best.

I think it was a matter of conflicting loyalties. I think he'll do great in the NFL. I love him forever!

[Mutley]

5. To me, the degree would be more important.

Can't play football forever. But that's just me.

[Flying Dream Blues]

6. He will definitely get his degree, he said in the press conference. nt

[Mutley]

7. Oh well, that's good.

[GOPisEvil]

8. Why? He'll be a multi-millionaire when he signs his first contract.

As long as he is smart with his money, he's set for life. I'd trade my degree for $10 million.

[Mutley]

9. I suppose you're right about that.

But people who get rich quick that way don't always know how to keep it. I think I'd still want my degree just in case. If he's still good when he graduates next year the NFL will still want him.

[GOPisEvil]

11. It's easy to go back and finish, if that's what he wants to do.

Shaquille O'Neal and Juwan Howard both did. I know there are others, but those are the two I can think of. Vince seems like a pretty level-headed guy, so I think he'll end up ok. Living here in Austin I got to watch his press conference, and it seems like he made this decision with lots of good input.

[Mutley]

12. I'm sure he made the decision best for him...

I'm just going by what I'd do... not that the NFL would want me to play for them :P

[Flying Dream Blues]

25. Ricky Williams went back and finished, too (he was a few credits short

after his senior year.)

[southlandshari]

10. ....

:hug:

I immediately thought of you when I read that earlier.

Have another, sweets...

:hug:

[Mutley]

14. Hi southlandshari!

:hug:

Okay, thread-jacking is now over.

[southlandshari]

16. Oh crap!

:spray:


:hi: and :hug: back atcha!!



Ok....NOW the thread-jack is over!


:rofl:

[Mutley]

21. LOL!

:rofl:

No, NOW the thread-jack is over. :D

[southlandshari]

23. Stop that!

:rofl:


What are you, drunk or something?


:P


No more thread jacking. None. I promise.


:hide:

[jobycom]

13. Good for him, bad for Texas. Would you advise him to do otherwise?

He could play another year for free, risk career ending injury, and not prove anything. He could lead Texas to another championship and win a Heismann, but neither would earn him a cent more than he'll get now. He could blow out his knee on the last play of the last game of next year and get a job working on the dock of a Walmart distribution warehouse just so he could earn UT more prestige and money that he'll never get any of.

He made the right choice. Sadly.

[southlandshari]

18. You are right, darlin'.

:hi:

Still sucks for UT.

And for my gal, Texasgal.

:cry: in solidarity with her.

[Wapsie B]

19. Good for him.

He's got some skills. I wish him well. He stays healthy he'll end up in Canton.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

22. Yeah it's funny all the people who rag on him because of his funky

throwing motion, or the fact that he's a "running QB" etc.

I haven't watched a lot of their games. But what I saw in that (USC) game, is that this guy is a WINNER, and a LEADER. Rare qualities.

Dude had a calm, SERENE smile leading the final two drives. Some tension, but mainly enjoying the game and the challenge. A colleague told me that made him feel the game was fixed, but I had a totaly different reaction. It gave me a feeling that, I'm watching a great leader in action. THIS is the kind of guy you'd give your left arm to play with and for, if you were a lineman, a receiver, whatever. What a privilege.

There are plenty of guys who have picture perfect throwing mechanics, classic pocket passer etc. who really sucked in the pros. Heath Shuler and Ryan Leaf are two huge examples that immediately come to mind, considering as how they were drafted by my two favorite teams LOL.

The other thing is that people make a big deal about the fact that the modern "running QB" has pretty much not won the Super Bowl. If that defines success then most QBs including Dan Marino and Jim Kelly were not successful. On the other hand, a guy like Michael Vick who is definitely much more a runner (I think) than a passer, has made a crappy team into a playoff team (until this year). That's pretty darn good. Would the Philly Eagles have preferred complete obscurity the last several years instead of 4 NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl loss?

Bottom line, Vince moves his team down the field, and he seems "game smart" enough that I'm reasonably confident that he can adapt to the realities of the NFL, improve his passing game even more than he did the last year, etc.

I was instantly a total fan of this guy after this game, and not just because of the gaudy numbers he put up and all the running TD's.

[rateyes]

24. I'm a UT fan...

University of Tennessee that is! Got a brother doing his PhD at Texas in Austin, though, so I guess he's happy about the championship and upset about V. Young...but, me---I just hope the Cowboys don't get him. Can't stand the Cowboys.

[bluestateguy]

26. I can't criticize him for this

He's certainly ready for the NFL, and seems to be mature enough to handle the pro's, as well. He's a born leader. Sure, as a Longhorn fan, I wanted him back, but he had to leave someday. He wants to buy his mother a house (she lives in a dinky apartment), and in this business one injury can ruin your career. If he were to get hurt, better to have that injury under a pro contract, then while still in college.