Meet a man who is "doubt repellant."

I would like to introduce a professional football player to all of you. He's a starting quarterback in the NFL, but has endured a rough-and-tumble road to get to where he is. His name is Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson is a 25-year-old quarterback out of Mongtomery, Alabama, and is currently the starter for the Minnesota Vikings. Jackson was drafted by the Vikings with the last pick of the 2nd round in the 2006 NFL Draft. Jackson played his college ball at Alabama State. You may be thinking, Where the hell is that? Exactly. He originally signed to play at the University of Arkansas, but he soon found out that he would never have much of a chance to get any playing time. So he transferred to Alabama State, a Div. I-AA school. He was a superstar at Alabama State, so much so that the Vikings were willing to take him in the 2nd round of the draft when most teams had Jackson ranked as a 6th or 7th-round talent. Jackson was used sparingly in his rookie season, but was given the chance to start for the Vikings in 2007. He played well, but not spectacular. And I won't rip him for that. The last time he was a starter was for Alabama State, a school that doesn't exactly line up premier competition. The criticism was undoubtedly harsh, with fans and radio hosts and "experts" saying Jackson wasn't qualified to be a starter in the NFL. Enter the year 2008. Jackson outplays 14-year veteran Gus Frerotte and rookie John David Booty in training camp to once again enter the season as the Vikings starter. The Vikings entered the season as a favorite to win the NFC's North division. However, the season didn't start so well for the team in purple. Two games, two losses. And Jackson didn't play well. He completed just 50% of his passes with one touchdown and one interception in those two games. Not surprisingly, Jackson was pulled in favor of the veteran Frerotte. Chalk that up as a victory in the fans' minds. Frerotte played well, leading the Vikings to seven wins in their next 10 games. Week 14 rolls around and the Frerotte-led Vikings play the winless, hopeless Detroit Lions. Frerotte plays horribly in the first half, throwing two interceptions, and in the process injures his lower back. And who is waiting in the wings? Tarvaris Jackson. All that time, 11 weeks after being pulled, when most people would have given up hope, Jackson was standing there ready. According to players and coaches on the Vikings team, Jackson still prepared more than any other player during his time on the bench. His coach called him a "piece of clay," always searching for talented hands to mold him. So what did Jackson do in his return performance? He completed eight out of 10 passes for 105 yards, one touchdown toss and zero interceptions. And he led the Vikings to a 20-16 comeback win. The following week, against the playoff-bound Arizona Cardinals, Jackson led the Vikings to a very impressive 35-14 thumping over their NFC foes. And how did Jackson fare? 11-of-17, 163 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs. You've just gotta love this guy. This is a guy who was told he wasn't good enough to play at the University of Arkansas, and was eventually good enough to be a second-round draft pick out of Alabama State. Oh, and here's a fun side note: Arkansas hasn't had a quarterback drafted (in any round) in over 10 years. Take that, Razorbacks. Jackson's road from college obscurity to NFL starter has been challenging, to put it lightly. Terms like defiant, trial-filled, or confrontational are probably more appropriate. And when all seemed lost, when Jackson was pulled to much delight from the fans, he just kept working. This is a guy to root for. With all the troublesome pro athletes making more headlines in the "Jail Intake" section of the newspaper rather than "Sports," Tarvaris Jackson is a guy kids should be encouraged to watch. A guy who plays the game with a smile on his face. A guy who plays the game with kid-like enthusiasm. A guy who wants to learn, who wants to be better. A guy who is doubt repellant. Meet Mr. Tarvaris Jackson. And for those of you who don't like him? Tell him. Then I'll bet on him to make the Pro Bowl next year.

Beware the fall of the Titans.

I'm worried about the Titans. Seriously, people. The signs are right in front of our faces. Arguably, the two worst franchises in the NFL are the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions. There are a few things that have to happen to your franchise before it falls apart and all the accomplishments from seasons past go down the drain. Here are three steps that signal a franchise is falling apart. All three of these steps have already been completed by the Lions and Bengals. Looks like the Titans are on their way next. Ready for this?

Step #1: Draft poorly. In the 2005 NFL Draft, the Titans held the 6th overall pick, needing a top cornerback to solidify their defense. To EVERYONE's surprise, the Titans selected West Virginia product Adam "Pacman" Jones, a diminutive player with a knack for returning punts and beating up women. Still waiting to be drafted was Antrel Rolle, a superb talent out of the "U" (that's Miami, FL, for the sports-illiterate). Rolle was selected 8th overall by the Arizona Cardinals, and has developed into one of the top cornerbacks in the League. Selected 9th overall was Carlos Rogers, another top cornerback prospect out of Auburn, who is now a star defensive player for the Washington Redskins. Then in the 2006 Draft, the Titans went in needing a QB. This has to be my favorite Titans' pick of all time. With the USC-groomed Matt Leinart sitting nearby and local hero Jay Cutler waiting patiently, the Titans went beyond all logic to take over-hyped Texas star Vince Young (Refer to my post from Sept.10 to see just how well that has gone). Leinart was selected 10th overall by the Cardinals and Cutler was selected 11th by the Denver Broncos. And one more question here: What the hell ever happened to the Titans 2007 first-round pick, Chris Henry? Oh yeah! He was such a bust that the Titans drafted another running back in the first round of the 2008 Draft. Also from the 2008 Draft, the Titans drafted LB Stanley Keglar out of Purdue, even though Keglar had three (3!) pending misdemeanors hanging around his neck (for disorderly conduct, rioting, and interfering with officials), which brings us to Step #2...

Step #2: Have a reasonable percentage of your roster get arrested. Adam "Pacman" Jones is the new NFL poster-child for players who have absolutely zero idea how to handle their own celebrity status. Defensive Tackle Albert Haynesworth was suspended 5 games in 2006 for stomping on the head of a helmet-less Dallas Cowboys player. Defensive End Jevon Kearse got a DUI in June. Wide Receiver Brandon Jones was arrested in June for unlawful possession of a firearm. And while this year Vince Young didn't get arrested, he did find himself in the middle of a controversy when he went on a hiatus many observers feared would end in suicide. Even assistant coach Chuck Cecil got into the fray this past March, pleading guilty to reckless driving.

Step #3: Have your coach lose control of the team. In the 2006 Draft, Coach Jeff Fisher (USC graduate) and Offensive Coordinator Norm Chow (USC graduate) got muscled around and were forced to deal with the selection of Texas Longhorn Vince Young, not USC's prototype Matt Leinart. The entire "Pacman Jones Saga" showed exactly how much control Fisher had over this team. Not only did he allow Jones to continue playing before the NFL commissioner stepped in and suspended him from the League, he was going to allow him back on the Titans' roster before a trade offer from the Cowboys came calling. Last week, the Titans suffered their first loss of the season. And I'm not going to knock Fisher for losing a game. I am, however, going to knock him for losing control of his locker room. After the 34-13 thumping by the New York Jets, running back LenDale White whined to reporters about his lack of involvement in the game. He went so far as to say he stopped paying attention to the game. He "didn't care." Then yesterday, when the Titans drummed the hapless Lions 47-10, White was a key figure in the Titans' offense. My sister said it best yesterday: the squeaky wheel gets oiled first. I hope I'm not the only one who sees the major problem with this. This sends a wonderful message (albeit wrong, in case you didn't pick up on my sarcasm) to the rest of the Titans players and kids who aspire to one day play pro football: complain like a child and you'll get exactly what you want! Congrats, Fisher, on that wonderful coaching decision.

So there we have it. There's the list. The list above has severely plagued the Lions and Bengals organizations over the past few years. And for a point of reference, the Bengals' problems really got started in 2005, when they finished with a record of 11-5, their best in more than a decade. The Titans are currently enjoying their best season in franchise history. Since the Bengals' 11-5 record in '05, their record has fallen to 8-8 in 2006, and 7-9 in 2007. And so far this year, the Bengals are dismal 1-9-1. And, by the way, the Lions are 0-12. Are the Titans headed in this direction??

Ask them whom they admire.

Since this is a sports-based blog, the title listed above could have varying meanings. But this statement is actually geared toward kids. You see, I have a “Life’s Little Instruction” daily tear-off calendar in my room that I make a point to read every morning. It contains little haikus and/or motivational sayings that are designed to help you through your day. Every once in a while, one of the messages strikes a chord in me and I’ll keep it. I’ll tape it to my bathroom mirror or put it in a drawer so I’ll come across it again one day, instead of just wadding it up into a ball and throwing it so my cat can play with it. On 7 June this year, the message read, “Instead of asking young people what they someday want to do, ask them whom they admire.” For some reason, I kept it. I’m still not sure why. Maybe it’s because I’m not really sure what I want to do with the rest of my life. Maybe I was designed to read it that morning in June for the sole purpose of keeping it as a subject for this blog. Who knows? But it got me thinking (which is sometimes more frightening than productive)... Who are some people in the sporting world that I could suggest for kids and teenagers to look up to and aspire to emulate? And off we go…

I’ll start with a guy whom I support every day without even talking about him… Lance Armstrong. I wear a LIVESTRONG bracelet every day and will continue to do so. His life story is so incredible and inspirational that I think it will be many, many years from now before we sit back and realize just how much he accomplished and endured. And he’s still going strong! Less than two weeks ago, he announced he will ride in the 2009 Tour de France. His last Tour de France was in 2005 and was the closing bookend of seven consecutive titles. SEVEN! And remember, this is a guy who in the mid-nineties was immobile in a hospital bed with testicular, lung and brain cancer, the latter of which left him with a 20% chance of survival. But he fought through it… and started pedaling. He is everything that is right about sports, and a man whom all people (not just kids) should admire.

Next in line is Tony Dungy, head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. This is a man who has touched the absolute extremes of human emotions, and has never wavered in his determination to put Christ first in everything he does. While accepting the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning the Super Bowl with the Colts in 2007, Dungy deferred praise from himself to his Lord and Savior and the effort of his team. One of the emotions Dungy admitted he felt strongest after winning the Super Bowl was grief, because his good friend and former assistant, Lovie Smith, was the head coach of the Chicago Bears, whom the Colts defeated. Dungy is first-class in every way. On cut day in training camp, Dungy individually talks to each player about why they’ve been cut and what they can do to improve, instead of just taping a red card in their lockers. And in the days immediately following his eldest son’s suicide, when most people would be cursing and searching for answers, Dungy simply said he didn’t know why his son took his own life and that he was jealous because he knew his son was now sitting at the right hand of God. Does anything else need to be said?

Even though football is well-known as a “big man’s game,” it’s a “little guy” who finds his way onto my list. Warrick Dunn is a running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s not hard to see why he’s called a little man when you look at his measurables: 5’9” and only 187 pounds… diminutive by NFL standards. Yet Dunn has averaged 925 yards rushing over his first 11 seasons in the NFL. A lot of questions followed Dunn out of college at Florida State about his size. And he has answered them all with some big games for both the Atlanta Falcons and the Buccaneers. But the fact that he is a little man thriving in a big man’s world is only part of the reason why Dunn is on this list. Dunn grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his single mother worked several jobs to provide for young Warrick and his siblings. Dunn grew up witnessing first-hand the sacrifices made by his mother as he tried to develop as a young man and a football player. Since becoming a professional in the NFL, Dunn has started the Warrick Dunn Foundation, which builds homes for single-parent families. The mission statement for the Foundation is, “Dedicated to providing opportunities for economically-disadvantaged single parents and children who have demonstrated a commitment to achieve financial independence and stability.” Warrick Dunn knows that it’s not just what you do on the field that defines you as a true professional. What you do off the field is just as important. He is a walking definition of “knowing what it means to give back” as well as “remember where you come from.”

These three are just a few of many who could have been listed. The “honorable mention” list could include names such as Ed Hochuli, Philip Shadowens, Jim Tressel, Teddy Atlas, Michael Phelps, and many others. And these are just guys from the sporting world! There are so many positive influences in and around children’s lives. They just may not know where to look. With guys like Michael Vick, Roger Clemens, and Barry Bonds snatching media attention in negative ways these days, kids are longing for someone to look up to. So instead of asking youngsters what they someday want to do, ask them whom they admire. And if they come up blank, maybe now you can give some suggestions.

Excuse me, Sissy-- I mean-- Coach.

Has anyone heard the latest news out of Lexington, Kentucky? Rich Brooks, head coach of the Kentucky Wildcat football team, accused MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill and his staff of "stealing signals" last Saturday in Kentcuky's heart-stopping 20-14 win over the Blue Raiders. Are you kidding me?? Didn't he win?? What happened to "class" and "dignity" in sports? This sounds like elementary school antics. Accusing Stockstill of cheating must be a way for Brooks to get detractors off his back for nearly losing to such an inferior program like Middle Tennessee. Give me a break. I see two big problems with all of this, at least from my viewpoint. No. 1... If Stockstill and company really did cheat this past Saturday, this would have been made a big deal as early as Sunday morning. But it wasn't. Brooks didn't mention it until TUESDAY. Hmm... Like I said, this sounds like a guy who is trying desperately to please university boosters who expected the mighty (ha) Wildcats to embarrass the lowly MTSU team. No. 2... if Stockstill really did cheat, why did he not win?! If Stockstill stole signals and still lost, he really needs to practice his cheating skills. Cause he's not any good at it. He should practice his cheating this Saturday against Arkansas State so when the Blue Raiders face Florida Atlantic in an ESPN2 televised game on Sept. 30, he can cheat effectively. Why couldn't Coach Brooks just congratulate the hard effort put forth by the Blue Raiders? There would have been absolutely nothing wrong with stepping up after the game and saying, "MTSU came into this game inspired and motivated and our team had to fight to come away with a win. A win like this in a tough, close, hard-fought game is something that can make our team grow stronger." Then media and fans alike would compliment him for his decency and his respect for the Blue Raiders' hard effort and persistence. But no, Brooks instead decided to act like a child and throw out a disclaimer. And remember, HE WON ANYWAY. I just don't understand it. Think about this, too... Rich Brooks is known as a "coach." The word "coach" derives from a Latin word that loosely translates into "teacher." So therefore the words "coach" and "teacher" should be synonymous. So if Rich Brooks is considered a coach and a teacher, then (forgive me) what in the hell is he teaching the players on his team and kids who aspire to be coaches one day? What kind of message is he sending? There are coaches in the sporting world who exemplify class. Tony Dungy has class. Doc Rivers has class. Mike Krzyzewski has class. Jim Valvano, Teddy Atlas... the list goes on and on. Rich Brooks, however, is not in the league of those coaches. And since coaches like to take notes from another, I have an idea! Rich Brooks should get out his notebook and pencil, sit Indian style like the rest of the elementary school kids, and learn a lesson from one of the coaches listed above. Otherwise, if I were a parent of a promising high school athlete, I would have a hard time sending my child off to Lexington to LEARN from a coach such as Rich Brooks.

Why "VY" is anything but "inVINCEable"

How bad of a weekend did Vince Young have? After trying everything in his power to lose a close game to the Jaguars on Sunday, where he threw two foolish interceptions and had to be coaxed back out onto the field in the 4th quarter by head coach Jeff Fisher, he suffered a knee injury allowing Kerry Collins to come in and seal a win for the Titans. After throwing his second interception of the game (the first play following a Titans INT), the crowd booed Young to the point where he sat on the bench with his head in his hands, refusing to go back out onto the field. There he sat, the supposed "leader" of the team, the guy wearing a big "C" on his chest signifying his captaincy and importance to the team, sulking on the sideline, needing the support of his teammates and coaches to get off the bench and back into the game. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the "Captain" supposed to be the guy rallying his team, leading them to victory?? There are problems in Music City. Then on Monday night, the 8th of September, he leaves his home without telling his friends and family where he is going, leading them to believe he may hurt himself in some way. His friends called Fisher, who tried to reach Young unsuccessfully. Shortly thereafter, Fisher contacted Metro Police and crisis negotiators to find Young and calm him down. He was found around midnight, where Fisher and psychologists spoke with Young before sending him home. Once again, correct me if I'm wrong, but if I leave my house unannounced, I don't think my sister is going to panic to the point that she calls the police thinking I should be placed on "suicide watch." Everybody see where I'm going here? This isn't a one-time thing. Sounds to me like this is something they've encountered before. Yikes. $30 million for a guy who has his mother publicly denounce Titans fans for their criticism of her son. Hmm... sounds like someone can't handle the rigors of the quarterback position in the NFL (Remind you of anyone?). And just how bad is it? I'm the first to admit that Vince Young's performance in the Rose Bowl game against USC is one of the greatest physical performances I have ever seen. But he was drafted 3rd overall in 2005 on that game alone, with everyone in the Titans organization expecting him to play the "USC game" over and over and over, every Sunday. We let things slide because we all carry the memory of Young torching the once impregnable USC defense on the biggest stage of collegiate sports. His performance and progression in the NFL so far, though, has been downright disappointing. I'm not the first guy to say this, but when are we going to start using the word "bust" with the name "Vince Young?" Here's a stat for you... Ryan Leaf, the quintessential "bust," the guy all "busts" are compared to, played only three seasons in the NFL before washing out. In his three seasons, he threw a total of 36 interceptions. Ouch. Through two full seasons plus the first game of his third season, anyone want to take a guess at how many INTs Vince Young has thrown? 32. So Ryan Leaf, the guy whose picture is in the dictionary beside the word "bust," threw 36 picks in three seasons. Young is one game into his third season, and he has already thrown 32. Those are just facts. Are we lenient with Young because the Titans didn't use as high a draft pick on him as the Chargers did with Ryan Leaf way back in 1998? (Leaf was drafter #2 overall, Young #3) These are just some things to consider. And while we're talking about the 2005 NFL Entry Draft, do you think anyone besides fans are regretting the Titans not drafting Jay Cutler? In college, Cutler played for a far worse team (Vanderbilt) than Young's Texas Longhorns, in a far tougher conference (SEC) than the Big 12 in which Young played. Yet Cutler was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and just happened to beat Tennessee (IN KNOXVILLE) in the process. And did you know that Vanderbilt University just happens to be in the same city as the Tennessee Titans?? Interesting. And let's compare the evenings of Young and Cutler on Monday, 8 September. While Young was on "suicide watch" and being chased all over Davidson County by Metro Police and psychologists, Cutler was torching a very talented Oakland Raider defense for 300 yards passing, 2 touchdowns, and ZERO INTERCEPTIONS!!! Once again, I'm just throwing all this out there for people to ponder. Maybe once Young gets back from his knee injury, he'll prove me to be all wrong about him and he'll become the quarterback he was expected to be when he was drafted so high in 2005. But I'm not going to hold my breath.