Thinking Skins Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 Frerotte believes he can make difference Veteran backup quarterback Gus Frerotte wants to start for rebuilding Miami. By Harvey Fialkov | Miami Bureau Posted July 24, 2005 http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/orl-sptdolphins24072405jul24,0,4568110.story?coll=orl-dolphins DAVIE -- It's been nearly eight years since then-Washington Redskins starting quarterback Gus Frerotte celebrated a rare rushing touchdown by head-butting the end zone wall at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in a nationally televised game against the Giants. ESPN's SportsCenter had a field day with the oft-repeated blooper shot of a groggy Frerotte, who literally knocked himself from a 7-7 game. Frerotte started the next week with a concussion before breaking his hip. Ever since that ignominious act, it seems as if Frerotte has been figuratively banging his head against the wall trying to shake the "backup quarterback" label that has been attached to him like a summer camper's sewed-on name tag. Playing for his sixth team in the past eight years, Frerotte handpicked the 4-12 Miami Dolphins last March, passing up an offer from his hometown Denver Broncos simply because he knew that he'd never have a more ideal situation to reclaim a starting job. "Obviously, it was the best place for me to go and compete and hopefully compete to play," said Frerotte, who has started six games in the past four seasons after starting 40 games from 1995-97. "I wasn't satisfied just standing there, watching and putting my hat backwards and headphones on and calling the plays in. That, to me, is not what I do this for. "A lot of guys are satisfied with saying, man, I'm third string, I just made the NFL, that's good.' But after being in the NFL for so long, I want to get back to doing." Frerotte realizes that incumbent quarterback A.J. Feeley has already forged a rapport with the players in the locker room, but his familiarity with the offense, a vertical passing attack guided by his former coordinator (Scott Linehan) and receivers coach (Charlie Baggett) while at Minnesota, gives him a built-in edge. "Gus is a little more familiar with this offense so his learning curve is a little bit less, so I think he feels a little more comfortable a little more quickly," said Dolphins Coach Nick Saban. "I would bet, not that I'm a gambling man, that at some point in time we're going to need both these guys to play well during the season." Surely, Saban doesn't want a repeat of last year's quarterback fiasco, in which former coach Dave Wannstedt waffled between Feeley and Jay Fiedler. While Linehan is careful not to hand the job to Frerotte, he realizes that familiarity breeds success in the NFL. "Regardless of whether one quarterback plays or the other, it's the one who executes and manages the game the best who is going to play. Certainly, you're going to have familiarity with the person you have been around longer," Linehan said. "There are no favorites in coaching." Feeley, who did show guts behind a horrific offensive line last season, has praised Frerotte for sharing his knowledge of a complex system. But after push comes to shove at training camp, Frerotte wants the ball on opening day against the Broncos, so his three growing children can watch more fitting ESPN highlights of their dad. "I'm going to be on ESPN until I'm dead," laughed Frerotte. "I just laugh about it and stay away from walls now." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 He wouldn't have been bad to have traded for last season instead of Brunell. Somehow in 1998 he lost his confidence completely, and the players lost confidence in him as was demonstrated by Marvcus Patton yelling at him on the sidelines in the season opener at the NY Giants. Who knows what could have been if the opening drive 30 yard TD pass to Leslie Shepard would have stood rather then called back because of an unneccessary holding by Shar Pourdanesh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thStBully Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 i liked gus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCS Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Happy feet was alright. My favorite memory being the catch. 2 guys connecting in a brief glimpse of what could have been. Sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 I expect Frerotte to win the starting job, and to actually do quite well in Miami. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXREDSKINS44 Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Originally posted by Riggo-toni I expect Frerotte to win the starting job, and to actually do quite well in Miami. Same here, I would not be suprised to see him win the starting job!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denverdan Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Frerotte wasn't even the biggest moron on that night, still I will never forgive him for all the grief I had to take from giant fans. And, I'm still pissed off at him for beating us when he was playing for detroit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[[ghost]] Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Originally posted by Riggo-toni I expect Frerotte to win the starting job, and to actually do quite well in Miami. i agree. i doubt he'll face the same pressure, since the fins finished so bad lsat year, they can't really get worse. plus, all the attentions gonna go toward ricky williams, so i doubt he'll be fazed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Prime Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 I liked Gus, he was a good guy and average player.. I'm really rooting for him. . I wish we had him now, I think Gibbs could do something great with him. But I'm happier with PR to be honest ;p.. Hoping these years sitting on the bench has been good for him, I remember watching him in Minny in relief of culpepper and the boy was on fire.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 P-O-I-S-E Gus had poise for a young QB. I think he'll be an OK starter for that team. I always liked the guy, he's just nothing special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Originally posted by denverdan Frerotte wasn't even the biggest moron on that night, still I will never forgive him for all the grief I had to take from giant fans. And, I'm still pissed off at him for beating us when he was playing for detroit. I am almost 100 percent certain he wasn't starting that game for Detroit in Detroit during the 1999 season where they beat us. I do know we crushed him at FedEx Field though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimster Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Originally posted by SkinsHokieFan I am almost 100 percent certain he wasn't starting that game for Detroit in Detroit during the 1999 season where they beat us. I do know we crushed him at FedEx Field though. I think he was playing that game. - That was the first time the 'Skins lost to Detroit in 40 years. - They still have never beaten us at home though. I was at that playoff game. - Shawn Barber sacked Ferotte on the first play of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsfan080 Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Originally posted by jimster I think he was playing that game. - That was the first time the 'Skins lost to Detroit in 40 years. - They still have never beaten us at home though. I was at that playoff game. - Shawn Barber sacked Ferotte on the first play of the game. I'm 100% positive that Scott Mitchell started that game for the Lions. I dont know, however, if Ferotte played at all or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denverdan Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Originally posted by skinsfan080 I'm 100% positive that Scott Mitchell started that game for the Lions. I dont know, however, if Ferotte played at all or not. I think Mitchell got knocked out. Frerotte definitely threw a TD to Herman Moore in that game: Scoring Summary: First Quarter Was--FG B.Conway 42 yards, 8:38. Second Quarter Det--FG J.Hanson 50 yards, 8:58. Was--TD J.Thrash 95 kickoff return (B.Conway kick), 9:13. Det--TD H.Moore 23 pass from G.Frerotte (J.Hanson kick), 11:37. Det--TD D.Howard 68 punt return (J.Hanson kick), 13:26. Det--FG J.Hanson 45 yards, 14:55. Third Quarter Was--TD M.Westbrook 39 pass from B.Johnson (B.Conway kick), 2:39. Fourth Quarter Det--FG J.Hanson 37 yards, 0:04. Det--FG J.Hanson 52 yards, 6:37. Det--TD L.Elliss 11 fumble return (J.Hanson kick), 6:51. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denverdan Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 It wasn't Mitchell he wasn't on the team in '99, either Charlie Batch started and got knocked out or Gus started, I remember it as Gus starting but I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denverdan Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?cont_id=108780 December 5, 1999 - Detroit broke its 16-game losing streak against the Redskins and maintained a share of the NFC Central division lead with a 33-17 win over Washington at a sold-out Silverdome. Gus Frerotte, facing his old team, started his fourth consecutive game for the injured Charlie Batch and completed 21-of-32 passes for 280 yards and a TD. And another former Redskin, KR Desmond Howard, sparked the Lions’ special teams with a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown less than 24 hours after signing with the club. Washington struck first, elapsing almost nine minutes off the clock on the first drive of the game, which ended in a 42-yard Brett Conway field goal. Jason Hanson made his first of four field goals on the day midway through the second quarter with a 50-yard boot. Washington took a brief 10-3 lead when James Thrash returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a TD, but the Lions answered on their next drive to tie the game once again as Herman Moore caught his first scoring pass of the year (23 yards). Howard’s punt return and a 45-yard Hanson effort with five seconds remaining in the second quarter to give the Lions a 20-10 halftime advantage. The Redskins trimmed the lead to 20-17 on a Michael Westbrook 39-yard TD catch from Brad Johnson early in the third quarter, but 13 straight Lions’ points in the fourth quarter clinched the Detroit win. Hanson added field goals of 37 and 52 yards and Luther Elliss scored his first career touchdown on an 11-yard fumble recovery (James Jones with the sack) on the first play after Hanson’s fourth field goal to give the Lions their 33-17 bulge. The game marked the tenth occasion in his career Hanson kicked four-or-more field goals and with the two 50+-yard field goals in the same game, he became only the second player in NFL history to accomplish that feat twice in his career (also November 23, 1997 vs. Indianapolis). Uggggg, I had conviently forgotten about that Desmond Howard TD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[[ghost]] Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 ... i never did like the lions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCnDaHouse Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 I hope Frerotte does well. I always liked him. MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. S Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 haha, we seem to like Frerotte just as much as the league likes Doug Flutie. Always a guy to like it seems, and I wont complain, I hope he does well in Miami also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Great attitude on his part after all the bouncing around he's done. Go get em Gus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofer Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 I thought his home town was near Pittsburgh? I remember seeing a story about it on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Mexico Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Gus was one of the nicest guys I have ever met. He used to live down the street from me when he was here. I went to his house on halloween one year and he talked to me and some friends for like 30 min. about football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
36SKINS56 Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 All the best to him. He has been my favorite QB since i've been a skins fan (not that I have had many to choose from) just for the simple fact that he was an underdog who played with heart...and becuase they benched Shuler for him. He played good for Minnesota when Daunte went down, and I think he's gonna flourish with Miami.,....um...well as much as a QB could possibly flourish on that team in this rebuilding stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stupidsuck Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Originally posted by Ron Mexico Gus was one of the nicest guys I have ever met. He used to live down the street from me when he was here. I went to his house on halloween one year and he talked to me and some friends for like 30 min. about football. good to see Gus has a sense of humor about the whole head-butt thing. Like my old Valtrex friend here, I have fond memories of Gus and those halloweens which he was kind to us. Darrell Green also used to live on Gus' street and he was very nice to us as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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