Whitlock thinks RG3's speed is a curse

[Hammock Parties]

Excellent article.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/R...nalysis-022712

My professors at Ball State warned me that my good looks, perfectly sculpted body and high intellect might impede my career as a journalist. They feared my seemingly endless physical and intellectual gifts would prevent me from developing a singular focus.

I have similar fears when assessing Robert Griffin III’s NFL prospects. Abundant talent can be a curse.

The biggest news of the NFL Combine was RG3’s blazing 40-yard dash time. He covered 40 yards like a shutdown corner, clocking a 4.41. The instant-Twitter analysis of NFL experts was that Griffin’s show of speed increased the value of the Rams’ pick, the one right after the pick the Colts are expected to use on Stanford QB Andrew Luck.

In my opinion, Griffin’s speed doesn’t enhance his draft stock. It damages it.

I am not a Robert Griffin hater. I love RG3. In all likelihood, he will be my favorite NFL player next season. He could quickly become my favorite active athlete, ahead of Tiger Woods, Ray Lewis and Jeff George (has yet to file his retirement paperwork).

But I’m worried about Griffin. He’s blessed with too many tools. Oftentimes, the greatest athletes are physically limited, which strengthens their focus. Bill Russell could never match Wilt Chamberlain’s size and limitless athleticism. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson weren’t the greatest leapers or the quickest on their feet.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are relatively immobile. They play from the pocket because they have no choice. They mastered the art of playing from the pocket because they had no other choice.

NFL games are won most consistently by quarterbacks who play from the pocket. If a quarterback leaves the pocket, he’s going to get hit. If a quarterback gets hit regularly, he’s going to get hurt. If a franchise quarterback gets injured, his team has little chance of winning the Super Bowl.

NFL teams are looking for the next Manning or Brady. Or the next Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger. A little mobility is good, especially if the quarterback moves in the pocket in an effort to throw downfield. Rodgers and Big Ben are terrific at moving to throw. Is that how Griffin will use his athleticism?

Or does Griffin have so much speed that he’ll channel Michael Vick?

Vick had too much talent early in his career. The game was too easy. The temptation to fix problems with his feet was too great for him to master QB play from the pocket. He’s just now attempting to play the game from the pocket. Even now, he gives in to his blazing speed and exits the pocket prematurely.

OK, we know RG3 is vastly different from the young Michael Vick. But it took Donovan McNabb a few years to commit to pocket play. Steve Young had to sit behind Joe Montana in San Francisco to learn to fully appreciate the pocket.

NFL fans are going to want to see Griffin run. When you’re faster than everyone on the field, it makes sense to run. Griffin is going to be fighting common sense and his natural instincts.

And what if he gets paired with the wrong head coach, a coach who is looking for a quick-fix rather than Griffin’s long-term success?

There is talk that the Redskins might want to move up in the draft to get RG3. Mike Shanahan is under pressure in Washington. He needs to win right away to ease the public pressure and prevent Daniel Snyder from firing him. Shanahan could play Griffin as a rookie and allow him to run because his legs might produce eight or nine victories quicker than his arm.

All coaches prefer to win now. It’s the only way to guarantee another season. Is there a proven, confident coach in a stable organization willing to properly support Griffin’s development?

Environment and fit are the keys to Griffin’s success. That’s why Luck is the better prospect. Luck is extremely gifted, but he won’t be tempted to outrun James Harrison or Terrell Suggs. The only way for Luck to consistently avoid big hits will be with quick reads and a quicker release. He’ll be forced to play QB the “right” way.

That is not to say Luck will be a better NFL quarterback than Griffin. My money is on Griffin being the second coming of Steve Young. But I’m just a fan. It won’t be my job to teach him to shy away from his God-given talent.

[Mojo Jojo]

Originally Posted by Tuckdaddy

Why does everyone call him that? Young had one great running TD.

So did Steve Bono.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Setsuna

Don't tell Guardian that. He'll ****ing blow up on your ass.

That's just his roid rage.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by SNR

With the exception of Andrew Luck, RGIII has potentially the best arm of any QB drafted since Jay Cutler.

THAT'S why you draft him. He's a smart kid, he's a leader, he works his ass off, and he's got every possible tool imaginable that you want in a QB.

Is it that you don't think he can learn a pro offense? I didn't see your qualms about Sam Bradford in 2010. Just because he's a gifted runner that means Sam Bradford can make the transition but Griffin can't?

Do you think football teams are seriously going to say, "Robert, we don't want you to throw from the pocket. We're not going to teach you how to do that. Learn on your own if you want, but not on company time. We have no desire whatsoever for you to adapt to the game inside the pocket in a pro offense."

I remember hearing how Vick was going to change the QB position, and that "you don't pass up drafting Michael Jordan".

Like I said, this board was full of ass clowns that wanted to draft Clausen in the first round last year. Every year there are sheep here who want to draft a QB just for the sake of it.

You can talk all you want about RGIII, but the guy has the knock of being a running QB coming out of a spread offense against him. These two things do not bode well for becoming a franchise quarterback.

Now you can insult me all you want, but it doesn't change the god damn facts.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

I remember hearing how Vick was going to change the QB position, and that "you don't pass up drafting Michael Jordan".

Like I said, this board was full of ass clowns that wanted to draft Clausen in the first round last year. Every year there are sheep here who want to draft a QB just for the sake of it.

You can talk all you want about RGIII, but the guy has the knock of being a running QB coming out of a spread offense against him. These two things do not bode well for becoming a franchise quarterback.

Now you can insult me all you want, but it doesn't change the god damn facts.

A running QB runs because that's what he does best. His ability to run is superior to his ability to pass. That's what Michael Vick was.

As great of a runner RGIII is, he's equally as great of a thrower. I would say he's even better at throwing than he is running. He's got a damn fine arm that will serve him well in the pros.

That's not the same ****ing thing as drafting Tim Tebow or Eric Crouch, dipshit.

[Psyko Tek]

Originally Posted by Zeke

yeah, but how long was he a black quarterback?

[RealSNR]

Let's get philosophical for a moment.

Why do QBs sometimes run? What makes a QB a "running QB"? Can you describe what Plato would call the QBness of a QB? All QBs run, after all. The fact that we have these two terms seems to be that there's a certain amount of "run" you can add to the QB formula to turn him into a "running QB"?

An option QB is clearly a running QB, right? Marques Haggans is a running QB. Michael Bishop is a running QB. Eric Crouch is a running QB.

Some people called Donovan McNabb a running QB when he entered the league. Is he a running QB? Did he stop being a running QB? When?

Is RGIII doomed to be a running QB for the rest of his life if he ran too much in his youth? Is being a running QB like having diabetes?

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

I knew someone would bring up Steve Young.

1. There is always going to be an exception to every rule. But Steve Young was just very mobile, he wasn't a run around QB like RGIII is. Mike Vick, Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb, Vince Young, etc. None of these guys ever won a championship.

2. Steve Young could win from the pocket and did.

3. Run around QB's don't win championships.

It's not really even a debate. Someone can try, but list me the last 20 SB winning QB's and tell me if they are considered pocket passers or mobile QB's.

Explain to me how McNabb is a running QB?

He's had 3 seasons in his entire career where he went over 400 yards rushing.

You're confusing rushing QBs with QBs who extend plays with their mobility ala McNabb and Roethlisberger.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by SNR

A running QB runs because that's what he does best. His ability to run is superior to his ability to pass. That's what Michael Vick was.

As great of a runner RGIII is, he's equally as great of a thrower. I would say he's even better at throwing than he is running. He's got a damn fine arm that will serve him well in the pros.

That's not the same ****ing thing as drafting Tim Tebow or Eric Crouch, dipshit.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Berry OR Clausen.

It's dumb as ****. I mean dumb to a degree that is hard to get your mind around. Jimmy Clausen that early in the first. JFC........

Most of us that wanted to draft Clausen gave the kid a little more value to us than other teams due to his history with Charlie Weis knowing his ins and outs as a player...what types of plays he runs best, what to stay away from, how to coach him, etc.

Just because he didn't do very well in Carolina, doesn't mean the same result would have happened here under completely different circumstances.

Would he have succeeded in KC?...I doubt it, but nobody really knows because we had a completely unique situation here that the kid might have done well in.

Who knows?

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Most of us that wanted to draft Clausen gave the kid a little more value to us than other teams due to his history with Charlie Weis knowing his ins and outs as a player...what types of plays he runs best, what to stay away from, how to coach him, etc.

Just because he didn't do very well in Carolina, doesn't mean the same result would have happened here under completely different circumstances.

Would he have succeeded in KC?...I doubt it, but nobody really knows because we had a completely unique situation here that the kid might have done well in.

Who knows?

No we know that Clausen sucks.

Case closed.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Most of us that wanted to draft Clausen gave the kid a little more value to us than other teams due to his history with Charlie Weis knowing his ins and outs as a player...what types of plays he runs best, what to stay away from, how to coach him, etc.

Just because he didn't do very well in Carolina, doesn't mean the same result would have happened here under completely different circumstances.

Would he have succeeded in KC?...I doubt it, but nobody really knows because we had a completely unique situation here that the kid might have done well in.

Who knows?

TheGuardian knows. He knows everything.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

I remember hearing how Vick was going to change the QB position, and that "you don't pass up drafting Michael Jordan".

Like I said, this board was full of ass clowns that wanted to draft Clausen in the first round last year. Every year there are sheep here who want to draft a QB just for the sake of it.

You can talk all you want about RGIII, but the guy has the knock of being a running QB coming out of a spread offense against him. These two things do not bode well for becoming a franchise quarterback.

Now you can insult me all you want, but it doesn't change the god damn facts.

So, basically you wouldn't draft him because of the way his coaches Called games?

That's a little foolish, don't ya think?

His skill set and mental makeup add up to a quarterback with limitless potential at the next level.

There isn't a single tool you look for in franchise quarterbacks that this kid doesn't possess.

Not one.

But, he is black.

So, yeah...he is just another Vick.

Cmon, man.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

No we know that Clausen sucks.

Case closed.

Go look at the last 10 hall of fame quarterbacks rookie years and get back to me.

And don't go off in some tangent on how I called Jimmy Clausen a HOF quarterback, I didn't.

I'm just saying that almost every single one of them looked terrible their rookie year.

Peyton lead the whole league in picks
Aikman went 0-11 and looked terrible only completing 53% and threw twice as many picks as TDs
Elway Completed 47% and threw twice as many picks as TDs

I do agree though, Clausen didnt show much to be excited about as a rookie and mist likely would have never amounted to anything and Berry was absolutely the better pick.

No question.

[BossChief]

Haha did I chase him off?

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

If this thread is one giant troll job by you, then good for you. You got me.

If you're actually serious about the shit you've been writing about RGIII and running QBs, then you're a goddamn reerun, and Jesus hates you.