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Michael Vick on RGIII: His style originates from me


truskinsfan18

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You know I thought that for awhile but the more I think on some of the things I've seen RG3 do, just escaping to the perimeter with ease, even Vick could be caught from behind, etc. Vick's lethality was in his agility and shiftiness while being really fast.

But do you remember than game...I think it was overtime against the Vikings a while back...where Vick ran so fast he made two defenders trying to tackle him from both sides run into each other? RGIII is fast, but not that fast.

In any case, I still say its a shame because if Vick wanted to, he could have been a lot better than he was.

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Ever hear of Bobby Douglass? He was probably the first to have an offense designed around his abilities in the modern era.

http://chicago.sbnation.com/2010/8/31/1657421/bears-quarterback-controversy-jay-cutler-bobby-douglass

More than 40 years ago, the Bears turned to another young, mobile, tall, blond quarterback to lead them back to the glory that seemed to be seeping away with the aging of George Halas and injuries to key players. After the 1968 season, the Bears needed a QB. They had dispatched the talented Virgil Carter to Cincinnati after he called Halas "chicken****", abbreviated to "chicken-bleep" in the newspapers of the time; Rudy Bukich was ancient (36 was considered ancient in those pre-Brett Favre days), and Jack Concannon was erratic.

So the Bears spent a second-round draft pick in 1969 on a 6-4, blond hard thrower out of the University of Kansas, Bobby Douglass. Douglass had led Kansas to its first Big Eight title in 20 years and was one of the tallest QB's in his era.

He was also lefthanded. At the time Douglass was drafted, a lefthanded QB was viewed like a lefthanded catcher in baseball would be -- a freak, a rarity. Since then, of course, men like Steve Young, Boomer Esaison and Ken Stabler have become stars and thrown from the left side, but only four of them had played in the league before Douglass. The best-known of those was Allie Sherman, who later became coach of the New York Giants in the early 1960's. Offensive sets weren't drawn up for lefthanded quarterbacks... and the Bears, who were changing coaches in 1969, didn't really have anything for Douglass, who didn't play until the season's sixth game and whose only win that year wound up costing the Bears. On November 9, 1969 at Wrigley Field, Douglass threw a pair of touchdown passes and led the Bears to a 38-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was the Bears' only win of the year; they wound up tied with the Steelers at 1-13 for the league's worst record. In those years, a coin flip was the tiebreaker. The Steelers won it and drafted Terry Bradshaw. The Bears traded the #2 pick to the Packers for three guys who had zero impact.

Douglass, at 6-4, 225, was a big guy with a strong arm. Too strong, said most of his receivers; they kept complaining they'd get open and he'd overthrow them anyway. Coach Jim Dooley and his successor, Abe Gibron, had no idea what to do with him. Big and strong, he was eager to learn but failed to mind any of his lessons. At one point Dooley actually had Douglass, then a bachelor, move into his house during the season so he could better absorb his teaching. It didn't work; in 1971 Douglass threw five TD passes -- and 15 interceptions.

Bears management thought up wilder schemes; they considered making Douglass a tight end (presaging a similar idea which they tried, and failed, with a future QB who also wore #10, Kordell Stewart). They actually considered changing their helmet color to orange, so Douglass could better spot his receivers. That didn't happen, but it was during Douglass' tenure at QB when the Bears put the orange "C" within the white "C" that had been the helmet logo before the early 1970's.

And then they realized Douglass could run. And run, and run, and run. In 1972, when the Bears were awful and finished 4-9-1, Douglass scrambled and ran and dodged his way to 968 rushing yards. That set a record for rushing by a quarterback in a single season which stood for 34 years until Michael Vick broke it in 2006 -- by 71 yards, and Vick had two more games in a 16-game season. To put it in better perspective, Douglass finished 11th among all rushers that year and led the league with 6.9 yards per carry. Vick's total of 1039 yards in 2006 was almost 200 yards behind the top ten

Bobby Douglass, to the white phone please.

Im not being obtuse, but it seems like the Bears just told Douglass to run because of how awful of a passer he was. With Vick, they actually created schemes and plays for him to run some read-option plays with Dunn and Duckett in the backfield. Also, the Falcons had a winning record with Vick under center and went to 2 playoffs, which showed that the style of play could work and lead to coaches building schemes to highlight that ability. Bobby Douglass seemed like a faster Tebow, and no one wanted to work with a player like that.

I mean Im looking at the rest of his career and he did not start regularly.

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You know I thought that for awhile but the more I think on some of the things I've seen RG3 do, just escaping to the perimeter with ease, even Vick could be caught from behind, etc. Vick's lethality was in his agility and shiftiness while being really fast.

Agree totally. Vick was "quicker" but straight line speed is RGIII all day. You need to go look at RGIII's track numbers sometime. He can blaze and his hurdle times were in the top 20 in the WORLD.

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I mean Im looking at the rest of his career and he did not start regularly.

Yeah, it seems Douglass was a terrible QB on a terrible team who discovered later in his career that he could run. Vick was drafted for that very reason. So, you may be right (which means Vick is right). Man, I hate that. :mad:

Either way, RG3 is a way better QB. He's smarter, he can read defenses way better, & his accuracy is awe-inspiring. I can't believe some of the throws he makes. In the pocket, out of the pocket, on the run. Doesn't seem to matter, he can thread a needle from seemingly 50 yards away. RG3 is a mature young man who seems to "get it" when it comes to his off-field life.

I know all these things we know, but it makes me feel better to know that I can say all these things (& more) about RG3, & not Michael Vick.

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"I'm a big RGIII fan," Vick told USA Today before the game. "He reminds me of what I do. I'm the originator of everything that's transpired in the league with the style of quarterback. It makes it gratifying to me."

I have one name the MV, Randall Cunningham,or Warren Moon, Hell Fran Tarkenton was Mike Vick before Mike Vick

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Vick needs to think before he speaks, but then again he's never been known for his intelligence.
Actually...it's all those 'cussions that has him speaking like this; please, don't blame the man for what comes out of his mouth. There, there Michael... you just lay right there on comfy couch, and videos of your NFL career high-lights will start soon.
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  • 2 weeks later...
Something that I've been thinking about a lot latelty....

Just a year ago we were all making fun of how Vick is injury prone. Is RG3 now MORE injury prone than Vick, who is the most injury prone QB in the NFL?

Scary thought because RG3 is only 22

1 pro game and 9 college games, all down to the same type of injury. Out of a possible 17 pro, and 48 college games. 2 injury's. And I think he had to come out of a Baylor game once due to concussion.

Come on man, let's not get dramatic on a player who's proved one tough ass SOB through his career and far from injury prone.

Hail.

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