Both of those guys had very well connected fathers moving things along for them. Jack Elway and Archie Manning had enough clout to back their sons up and get things done. If the wrong team had been sitting at #1 last year Oliver Luck would have done the same thing.
Yea I agree with that too. I think racism in the world is overrated, but why do the top black QBs in 2 of the past 3 drafts get ripped? Seems a little fishy to me. And with Cam there was sort of a precedent of him having baggage. There were reports that his father sold his services to play to various schools. There has been nothing remotely close to that with Geno. It really doesn't make sense. Unless there are things that I don't know about him. But from everything I read he seems to be a hard working, smart, well rounded QB.
Nawrocki even criticized RG3's attitude, maturity and dedication last year I believe... So thats 3 for 3. I mean he really proved nothing about his attitude last year when he tried playing with one leg.
think it's 3 out of the last 3 black QBs ripped. RG3 didn't get it as bad as Cam Newton or Geno Smith but there were articles written about how anonymous NFL sources question how RG3 deals with people & his selfishness. When Tajh Boyd enters draft, I'm hoping his agents have him prepared to deal with unexpected criticism from anonymous sources attacking his character. ============== This link pulled some of the negative RG3 stuff which came up around draft day. http://www.sbnation.com/2012-nfl-dr...riffin-3-rg3-character-issues-baylor-redskins
He was obviously being an extremely selfish player and not thinking about his teammates one bit. Kirk Cousins was just STANDING there with puppy dog eyes waiting to get on the field. RGIII went over to him in a timeout and said 'This is my team, motherfucker. I'll fucking call snaps in a wheelchair before I see your skinny, white ass out there.' How can you even think of wanting someone like that on your team?
LOLOLOL 'takes sloppy notes late at night'. Is that really a criticism? I don't know if anyone can take neat notes when they're thinking about sleep. 'Doesn't look you in the eye' same as nearly half the adults out there and 75 percent of people my age. Wow..
Geno is going to be successful with an organization ran by John Idzik, an offense coached by MM and Rex's D giving him every chance to score
Here is an article from ESPN, way back in October, where the writer was gushing about his work ethic and how he's a football nerd who is also humble. http://espn.go.com/college-football...-quarterback-geno-smith-focus-solely-football Obviously, it's right after his biggest game, so I can understand them being wax poetic about it, but it contradicts a ton of accusations that came out after the Jets picked him.
Thats what I'm hoping for! accurate passes mixed with good decision making from our new guy, a decent run attack on the side and a good overall offensive scheme that gets us scores in tandem with a high pressure well covered Defense that makes the NFL think twice about being a "passing league". I call that the most optimistic result we can see. "If he's a bad guy, then the only people he's showed his true nature to are NFL scouts, like a movie villain who gives away his whole scheme once he's got the hero in a flimsy cage. Save us, NFL scouts!" Thats hilariously accurate. I think this all kind of shows how scouts can mis-read personalities. perhaps, while they are not actively racially biased or want to put down black players, they lack the ability to judge the mindset of a player due to certain features they carry. Preconceived notions of show offish and bad behavior from african americans who either get into trouble with the law or are loud mouth distractions plague the mind of how to properly judge a black athlete. He might have a dialect or certain tone of voice or a slightly grinning face that reminds them of the cocky smile they saw on some other bad character black athletes, or even rappers since they are the other big upfront face of young African american males. It could be a subconscious action made, and it might hurt their ability to get an accurate read on the likes of Cam, RGIII, or Geno. This is PURE SPECULATION mind you, i'm not saying this is true, but its a theory. seeing things repeat themselves like this is starting a pattern, but it needs more than 3 cases to be even the least bit confirmed. (Not to mention it needs Geno to not be a negative result, which i doubt he'd be.)
Great article today from Jamelle Hill at ESPN about how Geno is the product of his generation.. the criticisms (right and wrong) are not race-based but rather not unlike much of the criticism that the "trophy kids" generation recieve in society.
the problem with her article is two-fold. one, if that were the case it would be a criticism being hurled at all players, not just Gino Smith, unless we are to believe he is the only player in the draft that suffers the millennial attitude. where are the white millennial players that are being loudly criticized in the media for this attitude or behavior? obviously that can be countered with the argument that no other black athlete is being criticized for it, so it isn't an issue with race. but that is easily disputed when you look at what those criticisms have also been paired with in regards to Gino Smith -- other black QB's. so whether other black athletes are being singled out becomes irrelevant, because the millennial argument has no merit. this is about Gino Smith, and how Gino Smith is being attacked, and part of that has clearly been an attack that is relevant to his race.
While I agree that Jamelle Hill could've used more concrete examples to further back up her point, I don't all think it's just Geno or just black players that are criticized for this generational attitude at all. Listen to this scouting report - under the weaknesses section: "Arrogant - can come off as having all the answers and struggle to win a locker room. Still immature. Comes across as overly staged, scripted and disingenuous in interviews and does not have the type of presence desired in the face of a franchise. Is not a fan of the weight room." Jimmy Clauson Scouting Report 2010. Mark Sanchez, Cam Newton, Rob Gronkowski, Stevie Johnson... etc you can name lots of players that over the recent years have been criticized for this type of attitude/millenial behavior. Geno Smith or a certain race isn't being singled out - he's just next. It's not to say that he won't become a great football player or even a great leader, just that he has the characteristics that a lot of kids in this generation have. Entitled, thin-skinned, lazy. Now this might be exaggerated and unfair to a lot of these people, but it's just simply a maturity issue and at 22 years old, it's almost to be expected. Where Geno takes it from here is what will be the real test, not uncommon for most young men his age in the professional realm of their careers. Which is what was Hill's point.
The criticism of Geno is racially based. There I said it. Now let me explain. Most of the scouts and analysts are white. They have a different view of what appropriate behavior, attitude and posture are than a black analyst or scout would. They have a different bias when it comes to these things. If a white prospect comes across as cocky and self-confident that's exactly how he is described. Sometimes that description comes with approval. Sometimes it comes with a shrug of the shoulders. Sometimes there's a kind of "that guy has no idea what he's getting into" quality to it. There's almost never any venom or really hostile judgement associated with the cockiness and overall attitude. This is why Ryan Leaf went #2 in the NFL draft. Give those same qualities to a black prospect and you get things like "self-absorbed, promoter, won't listen, bad attitude" in the scouting reports. When a white prospect has an easy smile and tries to disarm people with humor or deflection the scouts and analysts take it at face value. When a black prospect has those same qualities it's all about him trying to get over on the people around him and using a "phony" smile and manner to get ahead. When a white prospect has a good set of legs on him and can run with the football it's a big plus in his game. When a black prospect has the same ability it defines his game. Maybe the thing that drives many white scouts and analysts right now is that they see the NFL becoming like the NBA, a sport dominated by black players with a few white players thrown into the mix. I think that more than anything else has caused the spike in racially tinged scouting reports and analysis. There are very few positions in the NFL where white players still form a solid part of the player base, QB, OL, LB, K and P. If black players begin to take over at QB, and there is a trend in that direction, it is going to change the way those scouts and analysts perceive the game as a whole.
I don't buy that scouts are generally biased against non-white players (don't forget hispanics and other minorities play the game as well) but I do feel that they are biased against non-white QBs. It seems that there is lots of support for non-white players in the league in general, IMO at every other position in game. But it seems like there is still that mentality among some people (not all, of course) when it comes to the QB that it's a "white man's position" and considering the QB is the most important position on the field by giving it up it seems like some feel that is the end of the game being a "white man's game" which, in reality, it isn't and that's a good thing. It's like the QB is the king and the other players are just pawns so as long as the QB is white then who cares about the pawns as the racist among us can just play it off as the white man dominating and that they non-white players wouldn't have been successful if not for the white QB...but as soon as it is a non-white QB it gets their back up.
THIS right here is a prime reason why I see this kid becoming something great: Rich Cimini Geno Smith addressed media. Not bothered by criticism. Spent time last night w/OL in hotel room, talking through plays. #Jets Guy just studies like you wouldn't believe.
