Cam Newton or Michael Vick?

I just want to say that I hope football never goes away.

God, I love this sport.

 

It's Vick and it's not even close (Mizzou was a little harsh in his first post, but not really surprising, either).

-The hot trend was that your team HAD to have the mobile, running, double-threat quarterback, and Vick was faster and more elusive on his feet as anyone before - or since. Fans and even the media were led to believe that everyone needed a mobile quarterback or they were going to watch the parade go by. Obviously, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees have since proven that dropback QBs can still get the job done.
-His accuracy was questionable - still is - but anyone who didn't see the strength in that arm was either nuts or in complete denial. Let's put it this way, as Mizzou and shockey have already done in essence: Scouts, coaches and other NFL execs knew his accuracy was a question mark, but still coveted him.
-Chargers management was fielding calls by the bunch. Think Marty Hurney has the same options with the No. 1 pick looming? We don't know, of course, but I just don't think that Call Waiting will be necessary.
-For those saying "Newton" because of his size, JaMarcus Russell was bigger and could throw the ball a mile. How did that work out for him?

 

no, there wasn't. 'cause if atlanta hadn't ponied up, a.j. smith would've taken vick no. 1 without hesiation. again, qb-needy team made deal with another qb-DESPERATE team. smith played it beautifully.

this year, there are, what, 8-10 'qb-needy' teams? yet we about any of 'em calling the panthers to trade up for cam. for the umpteenth time, this is not to say he won't turn out to make all of 'em regret not doing so. but the fact is they haven't.

and why is that? 'cause he's not the 'slam-dunk' sort of qb prospect you mortgage the house on. if he falls to you and you like him, great. not all the 'slam-dunk' qbs end up being all that, but any time a team makes a trade to get a qb no. 1 it means they're convinced he's a slam dunk.

just sayin' i don't see where anyone has put there money where their mouth is 'cause they're so convinced cam is one of those 'slam dunks.' but this is the great thing about the draft -- we're all gonna find out eventually whi was right and who was wrong...

 

Right. In five years we could all be laughing about how much better Christian Ponder is than Gabbert, Newton etc...

It is interesting that when a team trades a boatload of picks to move up to No. 1, it usually winds up being worth it. (I know you can debate Eli Manning vs. Philip Rivers, but Manning certainly hasn't disappointed). Legal problems aside, Vick has delivered.

Jeff George didn't, but that was quite awhile ago...

 

No, you really can't debate Manning vs. Rivers. Rivers is much better and Manning certainly wasn't worth him and the other picks the Giants had to give up.

And it is very questionable to say Vick delivered. He was an erratic player at best during his time with the Falcons, then dealt the franchise a huge hit with his legal problems. He didn't really deliver until last season, and that wasn't for the team that drafted him.

 

Manning gave the Giants a Super Bowl. If that doesn't scream "it was worth it", I'm not sure what does.

Vick has been far from a bust. But he hasn't exactly built a HOF career either. He's somewhere in between.

 

So, I guess Trent Dilfer wasn't a complete bust, either.

 

Hard to question anything a team does prior to winning Lombardi or two. That's just being greedy.

 

Was it worth it for the Giants to trade what they did to get Manning? We'll call those apples.

Is an obviously mediocre player who happened to win a Super Bowl just as good as an obviously great player without a ring? We'll call those oranges.

 

Greed is good. The Giants won a Super Bowl in spite of making a deal that they got the worst end of to get Manning. The same goes for the Steelers settling for Timmons rather than moving up to get Revis.

 

In the regular season, Rivers is a much better QB than Eli.

The postseason is a completely different story.

 

no, he was a bust for the team that drafted him, when, 6th overall? yeah, he was a bust as a draft pick. the giants gave up a king's ransom for manning but by any measure he's been faaaar from a 'bust,' even if you believe rivers is the better qb. manning's won a ring, has been a quality starter for and remains the face of the franchise.

so, yeah, the giants got bang for the huge bucks they gave up. i understand that some folks like to bust on eli but that doesn't make him a 'bust.'