(Photo by Lloyd Vance)
One look in Vince Young’s eyes and you can tell that he is no quitter. Taking It to the House’s Lloyd Vance weighs in on the Vince Young melodrama
(Philadelphia, PA) — All week I have been hearing talk that NFL 2006 Rookie of the Year Vince Young is everything from suicidal to depressed to a quitter since he went AWOL earlier this week . Sure Young has had his struggles with passing and maturity at times in his short NFL career, but I thoroughly believe the dual-threat quarterback is mentally tough enough to win in the NFL for years to come.
In talking to many successful quarterbacks over the years, everyone of them expressed that they had doubts and hard feelings regarding their play after bad losses. However the main thing that every successful quarterback said they possessed was a knack to put negative plays behind them. Because these QB’s knew they had to “be the man” when the game was on the line.
I truly believe that Young possesses they successful characteristics and when I talked to him way back in December of 2005 at the Heisman Trophy presentation, I saw the competitor in the former University of Texas star. In looking in his eyes after he felt USC’s Reggie Bush won his award, you could see that a fire burned in his heart. That fire turned into an inferno weeks later in the 2006 Rose Bowl as the Longhorns brought home the 2005 National Championship by beating USC 41-38. In the game Young sprinted 8 yards for the winning touchdown with 19 seconds left finishing with 200 yards and three touchdowns and completing 30 of 40 passes for 267 yards without an interception.
I only bring up all this past history to show Young has the character and guts to be a winning quarterback in the NFL. Sure he had a bad game (12-22, 110, 1 TD, 2 INT) against the Jaguars in week 1 (a 17-10 win, no less). But he is not alone in second-guessing himself after fans “booed” him. Hall Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw said that in his first few years in Pittsburgh before he started winning, he wouldn’t even leave his house due to the “non-love” he felt from fans as they called him a dumb hillbilly and many other dastardly things. Bradshaw said that he was depressed and didn’t realize it until his playing days were over. But Bradshaw was given the confidence and time by the Steelers organization to grow into a mature, heady, and most importantly a winning quarterback.
Young needs to get the same treatment from the Titans family as he is their meal ticket as shown by him putting this organization back on the map after some down years when Steve McNair got old. Young will have 2 to 4 weeks to heal his sprained knee and his ego, so I fully expect a vindicated V.Y to return to the NFL as a leader-first quarterback.
Taking it to the House 
Vince Young will NOT make a comback b/c he is too emotional. You can’t combine these two. Being thick skinned is part of the game. Clearly, VY is a very sensitive football player. His feelings get hurt when fans BOO him. My prediction is that the titans need a new QB.
Vince young is a victim of racism that is happening against the black quarterback. He is a good young talent. For years it has been stated that a successful quarterback needs great players around him to be great. Vince has does not have this. This is the same situation that hurt Steve McNair. Kerry Collins is a known drunk and failure in the NFL. He has been given chance after chance to do better. Why is this? You know the answer!!
I have serious questions with VY and his leadership skills. My 1st issue is when he was very critical of McNabb on the topic that “Black QB’s get scrutinized more than white QB’s do.” According to VY if you can’t take the pressure of being an NFL QB you should find another job? Way to be supportive of your african-american brethren VY. How’s that pressure working out for ya now?!?!? Also missing the plane to goto a NFL football game?
The true sign of a leader is how many times you can face adversity and get through it. This is his 1st test so we have to wait and see. But sorry ever since his comment and ignorance to Donavan’s comment and the history of the Black Quarterback, VY proves he still has alot to learn in all aspects.