Young, Vick have little in common

[Gabbal]

Young, Vick have little in common

 

Peter Schrager / FOXSports.com

Posted: 7 hours ago

 

In Hollywood, you're supposed to strike while the iron is hot.

 

Rachel McAdams knows it. Fresh off her performance in "chick flick Hall of Fame inductee" The Notebook, the Canadian actress starred in an estimated 86 movies in 2005. Kristy Swanson, on the other hand, is currently starring in FOX's Skating With the Celebrities. Enough said.

 

Hot and not. It's the way of the world. You're either sizzling or sinking.

 

Consider Texas' Vince Young to be college football's version of Rachel McAdams. Virginia Tech's Marcus Vick? He might as well be doing triple lutzes alongside Uncle Joey.

 

Over the past weekend, the two junior quarterbacks each declared for the NFL draft. Only, they did so under completely different circumstances. While one man's stock is rising faster than Google, the other's is about as sought after as a piece of Enron.

 

After discussions with his parents and his pastor, Vince Young declared for the NFL draft on Sunday. The decision was a logical one. Only four days earlier, the junior quarterback stole the nation's hearts. In front of a record-breaking national audience, Young accounted for 467 yards of offense against top-ranked USC in the Rose Bowl. His last-second, eight-yard dash for the end zone capped off one of the greatest individual performances in college football history.

 

The Tonight Show came calling; the draft experts bumped him up six to eight pegs, and the rest was history. Young leaves Texas with a 30-2 career record and as Mack Brown's first player to ever leave Texas early. Soon, he'll be starring in Red Eye, Wedding Crashers and a film with Sarah Jessica Parker and Craig T. Nelson.

 

Marcus Vick announced he was entering the NFL draft this weekend as well. Needless to say, it was under some different circumstances. While Young was with his pastor and family on Sunday evening, Michael's little brother was at a McDonald's, allegedly waving a gun at a 17-year-old kid during an altercation. Early Monday, Vick was charged with three misdemeanor counts of brandishing a firearm, and was released on $10,000 bond.

 

It hasn't been the best week for the guy. On Thursday afternoon, Vick was dismissed from the Virginia Tech football team. Two days prior to Vince Young's All-World performance at the Rose Bowl, the Virginia Tech quarterback had a pretty nice game of his own at the Gator Bowl. Down 17-10 at the half to No. 15 Louisville, the Hokies scored on three consecutive possessions in the second half. Tack on a defensive touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Virginia Tech came all the way back to defeat the Cardinals 35-24. Judging by the numbers, the younger Vick brother put on a nearly flawless performance: 11-21, 203 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions. On paper, it seemed like a stellar performance.

 

On film, it was a nightmare.

 

If you didn't see the clip running three times an hour, every hour this weekend, you weren't watching any of the sports networks. It was as gruesome a shot as they come. Worse than Napoleon McCallum's knee twisting; worse than Moises Alou's leg contorting; worse than any football to the groin on America's Funniest Home Videos. In one of the more savage acts you'll ever see, Vick viciously stomped on the back of NCAA sack leader Elvis Dumervil's leg just before halftime. Vulnerable and completely defenseless, Dumervil squirmed in angst, writhing in pain. It was bad.

 

Though the play went unseen and un-flagged by officials during the actual game, America was graced with the clip all weekend. Sickening stuff.

 

It would prove to be the proverbial nail in the coffin (or spike to the calf) in Vick's career at Virginia Tech. School officials couldn't get rid of the guy quicker. His rap sheet is arguably worse than any draft prospect's in the history of character research. He makes Lawrence Phillips look like a choir boy. Whereas many potential NFL players have had their problems with the law, few players have had as much "on the field" baggage as Vick.

 

On October 1, with his team handing the eventual Sugar Bowl champion West Virginia Mountaineers their only loss of the season, Vick was caught by cameras giving the middle finger to Mountaineers fans. Classy move, right? Add this to the Dumervil stomp job, and you have a guy that most players who have ever suited up for a football game — on any level — would never want to call "teammate."

 

After both chump moves, Vick offered his apologies ... sort of. With the latter, Vick claimed he went to the Louisville locker room after the game to apologize to Dumervil. The All-American defensive end said no such effort was made. Marcus Vick's early entry to the pros has been marked with rolled eyes and disgust. His stock couldn't be much lower. That is, of course, until you add on the whole sticking a gun in a 17-year-old kid's face thing.

 

Back in 2002, Street and Smith's listed Young and Vick as two of their top 10 high school quarterback prospects. While Young went on to be the greatest signal caller in Texas Longhorns history, Vick's career was about as checkered as a game board. His career numbers are impressive — 2,868 yards, 19 touchdowns and 15 interceptions over 24 career games. He also ran 184 times for 492 yards and six TDs. But the arrests, the middle fingers, the suspensions, the brutal stomping of legs and the questionable apologies — they cast a major cloud on whatever passes Vick's completed over the past three seasons.

 

Draft experts have Vince Young going as early as No. 2 overall in April's draft. The jury's still out on Vick. From what I gather, however, he should be a fifth-to-sixth round draft pick. But should he be drafted at all?

 

Who wants to go to battle with the guy? Who wants to take play calls from a man who stomps on other men's legs after a play?

 

Come to think of it, I should apologize to Swanson. She doesn't deserve to be put in the same breath as Marcus Vick. And as far as kicking a man while he's down, I have no problem doing it now.

 

It's just the sort of thing Vick would do himself.

 

In fact, he already has.

 

You can e-mail FOXSports.com contributor Peter Schrager at PeterSchrager@gmail.com.

[Baluug]

Marcus Vick will be lucky if he gets drafted, the way he's getting into trouble already.

[Jaylaani]

Marcus has a brother by the name of Michael with whole lot of cash. I don’t think he has the same drive and motivation as Young does. Marcus reminds me of this guy by the name of Christ Carter. When Carter came to the league, he was spoiled brat who didn’t care about playing football just because his brother was playing in the NBA and he wasn’t desperate for cash. He started doing drugs and slept through team meetings among other things. He was eventually cut from the Eagles and signed with the Vikings. With some maturity and tough love he became one of the best receivers in the history of the NFL. I think Marcus Vick will be in the NFL and will be fine few years down the road. The guy has amazing talent.

 

 

P.S. Whuz up with the niggers in the south talking to their pastors when making personal decisions?

[Gabbal]

^When you say the N word like that, it's not cool. Personally I don't like Vick and I especially don't like his sneering confidence, but it sure looks like he will get drafted.

[Jaylaani]

Why, you don't like the word Nigger?

 

It’s ok my nigger, I’m not trying to be politically correct.

[Castro]

^ The 'nigga' talks to his pastor for spiritual guidance. Specifically which part of that is bothersome to you?

[Jaylaani]

Castro,

 

I understand the reason but why? What is so spiritual about going to the NFL? Talking to your parents and your coach should be enough. Like I said those niggers in down South need to wake up and stop singing gospel songs to white Jesus that doesn’t exist.

[Castro]

^ Saaxib faith is an amazing thing. These people are no more fanatical than some of our own Muslim brethren. This may be a black people issue where we are more Muslim than Arabs and more christian than whites. Who knows.

 

Vince Young is the man, though.

[Jaylaani]

^^I agree with you bro.

[Gabbal]

Why, you don't like the word Nigger?

If you wanted to use it to put down African Americans, it wasn't cool. Period. You used it in a manner befitting a former slave own dude. That's not cool. If you want to say niggah or my nig, waa caadi, because alot of my Black friends do not take offense at that and majority of other black people do not become offended by that. Anyways it's not a big deal, but sxb think about how you use phrases like that.

[PlayMaker]

Jay,

When you use the word that way it sounds hatefull, and to be honest with you i've seen you made some similar commnets like that before and it just makes you wonder.