Vince Young Gone (Reaction Thread)

You like this line, huh...

At least vary it a bit the NEXT time you use it.

 

I was a Titans fan long before a Vince fan, I just think the wrong decision was made. We shall see.

 

I really appreciate this kind of post from Titans fans, of which there are many on this board (though still probably in the minority). As a die-hard Vince Young fan who owes my university's only national championship in my lifetime to VY, I'm appreciative of objective fans who don't "hate" Vince. It makes me happy when people not affiliated with Texas appreciate and admire VY's dynamic leadership and winning competitiveness. Unfortunately, too many among the public at large harbor intense, almost irrational disdain for the man, and I've never understood why.

(Let me just say that I 100% agree that Vince needs to mature further- though I think he has matured a lot since the '08 Jaguars game and subsequent death of McNair a year later- his handling of the Fisher situation left a lot to be desired, and he can not afford to show up late to anything the rest of his career.)

While Vince is by no means faultless, it is clear to me that Fisher never wanted nor supported VY. A poster on here (Creeping Cruds, I believe) even reiterated the firm rumor of Fisher saying "he will never be my guy" a few years back. Even the media, which buys the Fisher spin coming out of his front office politburo and Baptist Sports Kremlin understands that Fisher never wanted nor trusted VY. Yes, a more mature and eloquent QB would have diplomatically handled the situation better than Vince did. But in place of glossy P.R. and media ability, what does Vince bring to the table? A galvanizing presence that causes the team to play better, regardless of circumstance. Outside of '08, which was an anomaly and a very good team that Vince would have thrived with, every year the Titans have played MUCH better with Vince Young on the field. Some of it is because of the plays he makes, but MOST of it is because of the leader he is. Disparage it all you want, but he is a winner, and he gets others to play above themselves. I'm not in the huddle and don't know why, but sometimes there are such competitive and dynamic personalities on teams that the teammates would rather die than let their leader down. CJ, Britt, Washington, D. Williams, Hawkins, much of the defense, and of course all the ex-Longhorns understand this about VY. Bullock, Tulloch, Marks, they all get it too. This quality is a constant with Vince Young, whereas his performance has been a variable, one which has consistently been on a positive trajectory, especially since the '08 fiasco with Jacksonville.

But I guess you could say the biggest issues with Vince are that his electric, dynamic, infectious leadership qualities do have to be nurtured. Vince feeds off positive interaction with his teammates and reinforcement from his coaches. The best thing Mack Brown ever did was just tell Vince to be Vince and clap it up a lot while his superstar shined. Obviously the NFL is a different animal and Fisher was never going to be that guy (although there were glimpses of positive Fisher support of VY on the field, they were fleeting), but I really believe there is a happy medium somewhere in the middle of Vince growing up more and handling criticism better AND a coach who buys in from the start and gets behind Vince all the way and encourages Vince to be who he is as a leader and warrior. Someone like Pete Carroll or Leslie Frazier immediately comes to mind.

The second biggest issue is injuries. Something sour happens to VY when he's hurt, as if he's so depressed that he can't play tat he gets moody and reclusive, and both of his transgressions (Jax '08, Wash '10) are a result of his being frustrated at being hurt and then acting immaturely and handling a situation poorly. Vince does need to prove he can play 16 games without injury, and I honestly believe that he can. The bulk of his injuries have been flukes, right? Both of the bad injuries this season were extremely unlucky, and I'd argue he just has to guard against the hamstring pulls and getting those long limbs tangled up and he'll be fine.

Anyway, sure you guys are sick of me already, but I wanted to say my piece in defense of Vince. I don't wish the Titans or its fans ill, but I do hope you get rid of Fisher after next season, so I can really pull for the Titans again (I was a true blue Oilers fan who is still haunted by the Frank Reich game). I will follow Vince to his new team though and pull for him forever. VY til i die. Go Titans.

 

:sad2: :wave2:

 

Typical Bud/Typical Titans Move

Well, not surprised, nor all that upset about the decision made to cut ties with Young. I felt from the beginning Vince was getting a raw deal from Fisher in particular this year, but in the end he had enough time to show that he could be a leader and team player and not just an athletic "winner" against average teams.

However, I will laugh my a** off if (and yes it's a big if I know) somewhere down road Vince gets an opportunity to QB a different team and makes it to the Super Bowl... Fisher's football IQ and "brilliance" as a coach certainly should make for good sports talk show fodder if that would ever happen...

Here is the only major problem I have with all this...

Once again Mr. Joe Average coach appears to be getting another pass, another opportunity to reach for the mediocrity that his presence in TN has become synonymous with. Yeah sure Bud has said he hasn't made a decision on Fisher and the coaching staff yet, but we all know da*n well that by doing nothing to this point he has made the decision, and my gut tells me it's because he has to pay the guy 6.25 mil and cutting Vince was a whole lot more financially expedient than getting rid of Fishface in the end.

I suppose there is a legitimate argument that with the whole lockout issue looming Reinfeldt and Underwood likely convinced Bud that this was the safer way to go and that if Fish underperforms in 2011 (assuming there is a season and I believe there will be), then Fish's contract is up and he can dump him and move on, but as usual this shows the lack of creativity and dedication to actually trying to win and bring a championship to TN. There is no way you can convince me that Bud actually feels Fisher is capable of getting it done any longer in this league, but as a businessman he is taking the easy way out yet again...

I honestly have to say I have grown to hate Fisher (yeah I know that is a strong word) as the coach of this team and really felt Bud was going to make the change, but once again this owner and this franchise has left me down. Yeah I am only one lone lowly Titans fan who doesn't even live in the city so I obviously can't put the kind of cash resource into it that many of you on here who live there do, but I did buy the swag, did travel down there two years ago to attend the playoff game, and have been a fan since before they moved to TN, but I think I may be done now...

We all know pretty much what is coming next year, another 4-12 to 7-9 season at best under Fisher and some retread QB (my money is on Collins again...), just don't know if I can deal with it... Guess I'll have t see how I fell in September, but as of now until Fisher is out on his a** I don't think I am going to watch this team flounder around again in September as we know they are likely going to. Time to go jump on the Patriots bandwagon and ride with a winner for once... Such a shame, then again, I guess it's better than being a Panthers fan at the moment or is it ?

 

Fisher could still be fired.

 

Ive lived in MA my whole life, and i would rather brush my teeth with a chainsaw than support the pats

 

Care to explain why? Is it because they're a well run franchise? Is it because their coach knows what he's doing? Or because their GM consistently makes great trades and drafts well?

Oh that's right, they're good and their QB is dating a supermodel so everyone has to hate on them.

I respect the Patriots and Belicheck more than any franchise in the league. They are like the Steelers minus the dirty players and rapists.

 

go change your tampon PorcupineTree . your post smells.

 

Pats and Belichick are cheaters in my book, always will be.