Bear-Arms,
NFL teams are notoriously inconsistent in their treatment of young QBs,
but no QB in recent memory flashed as much potential in as little
playing time as Cade McNown. This guy had 275 yards passing in one half
against the Redskins in his first extensive playing time as a rookie.
In one of his first starts (might have been his first, can't remember),
he threw for over 300 yards and 4 TDs. Then, when he started the first
game of his second season (despite the constant negative publlicity
towards him by EVERYONE in the sports media), he threw for 290 yards
and ran for 90 yards, in a close loss to the Vikings. This incredible
performance was barely noted, and not a single jock-sniffer in the
media said a word about this fantastic rushing-passing combined
yardage. Matt Millen-who was then still doing his lame John Madden
impersonation as a commentator-told audiences that he couldn't
understand why the Bears weren't starting mediocre journeyman Jim
Miller. This was right after McNown's incredible opening game! Then,
things hit rock bottom when Joe Theismann-for the first and only time
in his announcing career-came out and criticized an NFL player during a
Sunday night telecast. I remember vividly that McNown was driving the
Bears downfield, in a game they already led 7-0, and he was 8-10 for
over 100 yards passing at the time, when Theismann suddenly said, "You
have to wonder how much longer the Bears are going to wait until they
bring Jim Miller in at QB." Here you have a guy who thinks that every
player in the league is great, every draft pick every team has ever
made was great, and that every coach in the league is a genius, yet he
picks this young QB, who had shown much more potential than just about
any of his peers at a similar stage in their careers, to
unfairly criticize.
I know that McNown was said to be brash and *******y, but in interviews he
certainly seemed pretty polite to me. Compare his attitude, and
whatever small problems they presented to his team, with the attitude
of virtually any black player in the league. Compare the patience teams
have had with savage criminals like Lawrence Phillips, who not only was
a violent repeat offender, he was a complete bust and absolute poison
in the clubhouse, to that exhibited towards McNown, who probably didn't
even start a full season worth of games during his tenure with the
Bears. Compare the performances of McNown and McNabb as rookies; their
stats were about the same, except that McNabb showed none of the
potential for greatness (except in running the ball) that McNown did.
Yet, no one questioned the future of McNabb or booed his many, many
ridiculous passes. Even Akili Smith, who always looked terrible on the
field, was given more starts than McNown was.
McNown may have been immature, but like Ryan Leaf, Jeff George, Brian
Bosworth, or any other less than meek white player, his behavior
was much better than most of the black players in the league, who are
rarely said to be "troubled." . It's a complete travesty that a super
talent like Cade McNown is not even playing in a league with so many
horrible QBs.
