Tuesday, September 13
T.J. Young
Here’s some food for thought as we continue to soak in Saturday’s victory. Vince Young is starting to remind me of my favorite UT athlete of all time, T.J. Ford. It’s not just their ability to dominate, and it’s not a perfect comparison, as T.J. Ford meant more as a recruit to the Texas program than Vince Young did. Ford put Texas basketball on the map. Texas football’s been around for a little longer.
Still, besides being amazing athletes at the most important position in their respective games, they share another characteristic that I admire greatly and see in so many championship caliber athletes: the ability to have fun while they play. I absolutely loved watching T.J. grin and laugh throughout the most pressure-packed games of the year. He played with a certain ease, knowing that he was the best player on the court and that no game was unwinnable.
You see that same looseness in Vince Young these days. He’s having fun out there. He’s relaxed. He has the ability to bounce back from mistakes. And, also like T.J., he makes those around him better. He’s a natural leader and it’s the reason that, despite having fewer weapons at his disposal, he’s been more successful than Chris Simms. Simms was as talented a thrower as we’ve seen at Texas in our lifetimes, with two top tier receivers at his disposal, and NFL caliber running backs to support him. But he didn’t have that intangible leadership ability that championship players do, and it’s the reason he was merely a great quarterback, and not the best.
It says something when your star player, at the most important position on the field, is having more fun than you are as you watch from your living room. I can barely handle the pressure. Vince Young, like T.J. Ford, thrives on it.
--PB--
Still, besides being amazing athletes at the most important position in their respective games, they share another characteristic that I admire greatly and see in so many championship caliber athletes: the ability to have fun while they play. I absolutely loved watching T.J. grin and laugh throughout the most pressure-packed games of the year. He played with a certain ease, knowing that he was the best player on the court and that no game was unwinnable.
You see that same looseness in Vince Young these days. He’s having fun out there. He’s relaxed. He has the ability to bounce back from mistakes. And, also like T.J., he makes those around him better. He’s a natural leader and it’s the reason that, despite having fewer weapons at his disposal, he’s been more successful than Chris Simms. Simms was as talented a thrower as we’ve seen at Texas in our lifetimes, with two top tier receivers at his disposal, and NFL caliber running backs to support him. But he didn’t have that intangible leadership ability that championship players do, and it’s the reason he was merely a great quarterback, and not the best.
It says something when your star player, at the most important position on the field, is having more fun than you are as you watch from your living room. I can barely handle the pressure. Vince Young, like T.J. Ford, thrives on it.
--PB--
