Ricky Proehl

nj816 · Dec 26, 2005

Was suprised to see that Proehlhasn't been the subject of a topic on this site. I know his name has been mentioned on numerous posts, butnever the subject of a topic.

Proehl is argubly the most successful white skill position player in the NFL since Largent retired. What is truly mind-boggling is thathe has lasted for 16 years at a position that few whites even get the opportunity to play in the NFL.

Proehl has amassed over 8800 receiving yards to go along with his 663 catches, ranking him 27th on the all-time reception list.He still remains productive as evidenced by his performance this weekend. Hehas been a truly big time player to boot. WithTD catches in two different Super Bowls, and of course his touchdown catchto win the 1999NFC Championship Game for the Ramsthat led to their Super Bowl win.

Proehl has accomplished all this while being a third or even fourth receiver for most of his career. One can only imagine the stats he could have racked up if the playing field in the NFLwas equal .Andhe wasastarter instead of the typical possession, slot receiver that the few white wide outs are relegated to in the NFL. There is no doubt inmymind that he would have been a hall of famer, he had that kind of talent.

Given the current state of the NFL, it is hard to imagine we will see another white skill playerhave anything close to the career of Ricky Proehl.

jaxvid · Dec 26, 2005

Good points about Proehl. He has been the subject of discussion a few times, in one thread he was labeled the "white Jerry Rice". The site board has only been around about 2 years and Rickey has been injured a lot of that time. You are dead on about all you wrote though. I think Don Wassall is a big fan and has wrote about him a lot in his football reviews.

Spooge · Dec 26, 2005

In an effort to the keep the white players down by playing them
less, relegating them to third string, blocking assignments, etc.
the Caste system has actually worked to keep some players in the game
longer. Hard to get injured when your sitting on the bench.

Freedom · Dec 26, 2005

I never watched the young Ricky Proehl. When I
watch him, he seems like a great possesion receiver without blazing
speed. He runs great routes, has good moves, and catches the
ball. I've read articles about how he has dealt with anti-white
stereotypes and was fast in his day.

I've never heard any comments about his athleticism in his younger years.

In the 3 Super Bowls I saw him in, he looked good.

This year, penalties have taken at least 200 yards from his stats.

I think Proehl's career shows something. The
caliber of play hasn't gone up since 1990. Since this Caste
System has been implemented, no progress has been made at the skill
positions. Players have gotten bigger on the line but that's it.

Edited by: Freedom

Don Wassall · Dec 26, 2005

Freedom said:
I never watched the young Ricky Proehl. When I watch him, he seems like a great possesion receiver without blazing speed. He runs great routes, has good moves, and catches the ball. I've read articles about how he has dealt with anti-white stereotypes and was fast in his day.

I think Proehl's career shows something. The caliber of play hasn't gone up since 1990. Since this Caste System has been implemented, no progress has been made at the skill positions. Players have gotten bigger on the line but that's it.

That's a good description of both Proehl and the level of play in the NFL. Proehl never had more than average speed, but he knew how to use it, when to go all-out and when not to, in order to find open space. He's obviously smart, another great white advantage in athletics that is not mentioned anywhere but here.

There was an article in ESPN The Magazine a couple of years ago, when Dane Looker was being used a fair amount by the Rams. The article of course made fun of Looker's alleged lack of speed (though he has average speed), but what I remember is that Looker said that Proehl had taught him how to get open and find areas for the QB to throw to rather than just trying to run as fast as possible all the time.

The NFL is filled with laughably bad black receivers. Bad hands, bad route running, bad attitudes, masters of avoiding contact. IMO the wide receiver position in the NFL should be just as overwhelmingly white as is the quarterback position.

Colonel_Reb · Dec 26, 2005

Don, you are right. It would be that way if logic and common sense prevailed in the NFL. Unfortunately very few seem to have those qualities these days, hence the current situation. I think white receivers are more highly thought of now than they were 10 years ago though.

sport historian · Dec 26, 2005

Don's comment that the WR position should be "as overwhelmingly white as is the quarterback position," has some historical basis. I posted the following several months ago, but I will do so again.

In 1964, Jim Brown put out a book titled Off My Chest. At one point, Brown listed four top NFL receivers of the 1963 season, "such flankers as Tommy MacDonald, Buddy Dial, Red Phillips, Sonny Randle. These are lightning quick men." All four were white men.

At a time when most leading rushers, led by Brown, were black, the leading receivers were still white. These receivers were fast, smart, got open, and held onto the ball.

Bart · Dec 26, 2005

sport historian said:
"such flankers as Tommy MacDonald, Buddy Dial, Red Phillips, Sonny Randle. These are lightning quick men." All four were white men.

When former defensive back Irv Cross ( black) was doing network commentary for CBS, he interviewd Tommy McDonald. They were on the same Philadelphia team but when Tommy was traded Cross had to cover him. He said McDonald was one of the best, impossible to cover one on one and that Tommy had beaten him several times for big plays.

McDonalds receiving yards on right half of chart.Notice these were 12 and 14 games per seasontotals.

+----------+-----+--------------------------+--------------- ----------+
| Year TM | G | Att Yards Y/A TD | Rec Yards Y/R TD |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+--------------- ----------+
| 1957 phi | 12 | 12 36 3.0 0 | 9 228 25.3 3 |
| 1958 phi | 10 | 3 -4 -1.3 0 | 29 603 20.8 9 |
| 1959 phi | 12 | 2 -10 -5.0 0 | 47 846 18.0 10 |
| 1960 phi | 12 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 39 801 20.5 13 |
| 1961 phi | 14 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 64 1144 17.9 13 |
| 1962 phi | 14 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 58 1146 19.8 10 |
| 1963 phi | 14 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 41 731 17.8 8 |
| 1964 dal | 14 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 46 612 13.3 2 |
| 1965 ram | 14 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 67 1036 15.5 9 |
| 1966 ram | 13 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 55 714 13.0 2 |
| 1967 atl | 14 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 33 436 13.2 4 |
| 1968 cle | 9 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 7 113 16.1 1 |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+--------------- ----------+
| TOTAL | 152 | 17 22 1.3 0 | 495 8410 17.0 84 |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+--------------- ----------+

bigman · Dec 26, 2005

There is one name conspicuously missing from that last... and it is one of the most dangerous speedsters of that era... Lance "Bambie" Alworth!!!./.. I trhink they called him bambie because he ran like a deer... (but Im not sure)

sport historian · Dec 27, 2005

The four players Brown mentioned were all in the NFL, while Lance Alworth played in the AFL. Alworth did get a lot of publicity in those years, the most publicized AFL player before Jow Namath. In that passage from his book, Brown was discussing his teammate Bernie Parrish, and how Parrish could cover fast receivers.

IceSpeed2 · Jan 1, 2006

Rickyy Proehl, you're Hall of Fame in my book.
Congratulations on a tremendous career.

Don Wassall · May 11, 2006

Up till now we had been led to believe that Ricky was ready to retire after last season even though he is still an excellent #3 or 4 receiver who hasn't lost his knack for making key plays. But "Whispers from around the NFL" from ESPN Insider currently has this tidbit:

- We hear that veteran free agents wide receiver Ricky Proehl and center Jeff Mitchell would like to return to the Panthers this season. But we're told the two longtime Panthers aren't wanted because the team wants to give playing time to their younger replacements.

If Proehl does want to play he could help a number of teams,not just as a clutch receiver butalso in the role of "mentor" which is ritually given to productive black players at the end of long careers. It would be great to see Ricky Proehl play a 17th NFL season in '06 The man who every single white college and pro receiver has been compared to all these yearsturns out to be one of the most durable and productive players at his position in league history. He wouldmost likely be over1,000receptions had he been used as a starter most of his career.

white is right · May 11, 2006

Wayne Chrebet could have amassed better stats if he was healthier. Also if McCafferey had started earlier in his career he would have cleared 10K yards......

white is right · May 11, 2006

Freedom said:
I never watched the young Ricky Proehl. When I
watch him, he seems like a great possesion receiver without blazing
speed. He runs great routes, has good moves, and catches the
ball. I've read articles about how he has dealt with anti-white
stereotypes and was fast in his day.
I've never heard any comments about his athleticism in his younger years.

In the 3 Super Bowls I saw him in, he looked good.

This year, penalties have taken at least 200 yards from his stats.

I think Proehl's career shows something. The
caliber of play hasn't gone up since 1990. Since this Caste
System has been implemented, no progress has been made at the skill
positions. Players have gotten bigger on the line but that's it.

Proel was a force when he came into the league as a Cardinal. Unfortunately for him he never had anybody to get him the ball. After he left Arizona he was labeled a possesion reciever and became a 3rd reciever type. Once he became long in the tooth he became the 4th. At this point he is slow for an NFL reciever, but when he broke into the league he had decent wheels.......

Colonel Callan · May 12, 2006

Proehl can't be a 'mentor' - he's white. The brainwashing has to continue
with all players looking up to wizened, veteran blacks, the fountains of all
knowledge because of their inherent magical abilities in any and all areas
of life as well as sports. At least, that's what TV tells me.

Seriously, even if Proehl went somewhere as a mentor, few if any black
players would listen to him. The few that did would use his knowledge
and probably never credit him.

An old Proehl is still much better than many of the prima donna clowns
pulling down big salaries throughout the league. Edited by: Colonel Callan

pt.guard2 · May 12, 2006

Not sure that's true. From what I have read, Proehl is well respected by his teammates. In fact, Marshall Falk was quoted as saying how, if at the end of his career, he could have as garnered as much respect as a player and as a man as Proehl, he would be very satisfied.

Deus Vult · May 12, 2006

Proehl may move to broadcasting. He was on NFL Network last week, commenting on the "young talent."

jaxvid · May 12, 2006

Proehl can be an announcer when he learns to demean white players and compare every white receiver to himself.

"Boy that Mike Hass reminds me of myself, a slow plodding possesion reciever that never was better then 4th on any teams depth chart"

or

"How about that Dave Anderson, I see some of myself in that kid, he's not the fastest guy out there, or very athletic, or good at getting open, or adding yards after the catch, or making big plays, but sometimes when 4 or 5 black receivers get hurt he can go in there and get lucky and make a catch or two."

robcat · May 13, 2006

jaxvid said:
Proehl can be an announcer when he learns to demean white players and compare every white receiver to himself.

"Boy that Mike Hass reminds me of myself, a slow plodding possesion reciever that never was better then 4th on any teams depth chart"

or

"How about that Dave Anderson, I see some of myself in that kid, he's not the fastest guy out there, or very athletic, or good at getting open, or adding yards after the catch, or making big plays, but sometimes when 4 or 5 black receivers get hurt he can go in there and get lucky and make a catch or two."

In a fitting scenario following Proehl's entry into broadcasting, all white receivers would be referred to simply as "Proehls" or better yet "proles," similar to the way the Munson character in the great comedy "kingpin" had his name become part of the language. To be "munsoned" was to be screwed over. To be a "prole" is to be screwed over as a wide receiver because of the inherent deficiencies all proles share.

Edited by: robcat

Colonel Callan · May 13, 2006

pt.guard2 said:
Not sure that's true. From what I have read, Proehl is
well respected by his teammates. In fact, Marshall Falk was quoted as saying
how, if at the end of his career, he could have as garnered as much respect
as a player and as a man as Proehl, he would be very satisfied.

Think about how 98% of the blacks in the NFL behave (never mind other
sports). Look at how management and the media treat white players. Proehl
would never be a mentor in the fawning sense so many overrated black
players are. Never.

devans · May 13, 2006

jaxvid said:
Proehl can be an announcer when he learns to demean white players and compare every white receiver to himself.
QUOTE]

I take your point about broadcasters attitudes jaxvid, but I don't think Proehl would play that game. He was reported as saying some very honest even contoversial things about 10 - 12 years ago about attitudes to him as a white wide receiver. This was in an article published around 1992 - 1994 I think, when he was one of only two or three white receivers left who could be considered starters in the NFL. The article was asking where had all the white receivers gone. Proehl was starting and Beebe, although 3rd receiver was considered a starter because of the K gun, and there may have been one more. Proehl was saying that he felt people had low expectations of him because of the colour of his skin, and that cornerbacks who had not played him before always pressed too close, under estimating his speed and were amazed when he beat them deep. I have the article on paper somewher and will try and dig it out and give you some quotes.

white is right · May 14, 2006

Yeah that was a snippet in Sports Illustrated. Where they said the starting white wideout was rarer than a bald eagle or some other rare bird. Basically poking fun of how white players hardly played the position.

devans · May 14, 2006

Can't find the magazine with the article, Sorry.
I did come across the Buffalo Bills roster for 1994. Wide receivers included Don Beebe, Chris Walsh, Brad Lamb, Steve Tasker and Barry Rose.

White Shogun · May 14, 2006

devans said:
I did come across the Buffalo Bills roster for 1994. Wide receivers included Don Beebe, Chris Walsh, Brad Lamb, Steve Tasker and Barry Rose.

All those white wide receivers on a Super Bowl team?? Whoda thunk it.

Guest · May 15, 2006

It's a little hard to make out, but Proehl's Topps rookie card appears to read: "Ricky possesses great leaping ability. He's a consistent performer who excels as a deep threat." Sounds like somebody mixed up Andre Rison's rookie caption with Ricky's.

I guess the copy editors at Topps didn't read their 1989 NFL memoranda on cultural sensitivity and appropriate terminology for player blurbs? I wonder what they had to say about Merril Hoge that year...

Ricky Proehl

Newbie

Hall of Famer

Guru

Mentor

Administrator

Hall of Famer

Master

Hall of Famer

Guru

Master

Guru

Administrator

Hall of Famer

Hall of Famer

Guru

Guru

Mentor

Hall of Famer

Guru

Guru

Mentor

Hall of Famer

Mentor

Hall of Famer

Guest

Guest