Black QBs and Short QBs

[RLflutie7]

I watched the show third and a mile on NFL Network. It's also been played on ESPN. I think the show has a lot of merit that black QBs were not welcome in the NFL at a certain period in time.

 

But the show also calls into question if that's the only reason. In other words, a lot of the QBs in the show were too short by NFL standards.

 

Those include Marlin Briscoe (5-8 or 5-9), Marcus Allen's brother, Damon Allen, a CFL star and Warren Moon.

 

If you watch the show and look for how short some of these guys really are, it really calls into question if skin color was the only reason they didn't make it in the NFL (Moon did).

 

--Marlin Briscoe -as a matter of fact Lou Saben (spelling) said Briscoe was too short. Briscoe was a starting QB for the Broncos at one point and still holds the rookie record for TD passes for a Bronco QB. But Briscoe got the job because of injuries to the starter. Kind of an emergency situation.

 

He was later traded to the Bills and played wide receiver with the Bills and Dolphins as you all probably know.

 

--Damon Allen holds the record for the most passing yards in pro football and still plays at 43 years old. But when he went to the scouting combine he was 150 lbs and they asked him to play another position.

 

Plus in the show, he's standing next Warren Moon and his brother Marcus and Marcus is a lot taller than both Damon and Warren Moon.

 

I watched Damon Allen play in the CFL when Flutie played up there and the guy can really throw the ball. He probably still could play in the NFL on arm strength alone but he's still short. He's says if they'd call he'd go to the NFL.

 

--Warren Moon said they told him he didn't have a good enough arm (which was BS) and that he was too short. And if you watch the show and look at Warren Moon, he looks short.

 

They had video of him at the hall of fame and he's standing next to Lee Steinberg (his agent) and uncovering his bust at the hall of fame inductions and Moon is not that much taller. I don't know hall tall Steinberg is, but he looks short me.

 

--Finally, If you think about the QBs that are black and NFL teams that gave them an elite position with their teams . . . Most all fit the elite big and tall QB mold. i.e.

 

1. James Harris, 2. Doug Williams, 3. Randell Cunningham, 4. Steve McNair, 5. Daunte Culpepper, 6. Vince Young, 7. Jason Campbell (Redskins), 8. Tony Banks, 9. Donavan McNabb, 10. Byron Leftwich.

 

The one that doesn't fit this mold is Michael Vick.

 

 

The ones that didn't fit that the big and tall mold that were passed by i.e.

 

1. Shaun King, 2. Andre Ware, 3. Kordell Stewart, 4. Seneca Wallace, 5. Anthony Wright, 6. Michael Bishop, 7. Jarious Jackson, etc etc.

 

And this pattern is at the scouting combine. Leak and Smith are too short and JaMarcus Russell is the top pick in the draft.

[CCLXXIX]

Just as a point of reference, Warren Moon is 6-3.

[Orton's Arm]

The ones that didn't fit that the big and tall mold that were passed by i.e.

 

1. Shaun King, 2. Andre Ware, 3. Kordell Stewart, 4. Seneca Wallace, 5. Anthony Wright, 6. Michael Bishop, 7. Jarious Jackson, etc etc.

 

And this pattern is at the scouting combine. Leak and Smith are too short and JaMarcus Russell is the top pick in the draft.

Your overall premise may well have merit. That said, Kordell Stewart was hardly "passed by." TD used a second round pick on him; and later allowed Neil O'Donnell to walk in free agency so that Stewart could be the starter. Stewart was given all the tools he needed to succeed, yet he failed in Pittsburgh and later Chicago.

[RLflutie7]

Just as a point of reference, Warren Moon is 6-3.

 

 

I'm thinking that's not true. I think his agent inflated that number. He's probably 6-0 to 6-1 which isn't bad . . . the guy had a great arm.

[Cynical]

I'm thinking that's not true. I think his agent inflated that number. He's probably 6-0 to 6-1 which isn't bad . . . the guy had a great arm.

 

And I'm thinking you are wrong. I sat in Rich Stadium and watched Warren Moon play against the Bills. In comparing him to other players on the field at that time, he never struck me as being "short".

[RLflutie7]

And I'm thinking you are wrong. I sat in Rich Stadium and watched Warren Moon play against the Bills. In comparing him to other players on the field at that time, he never struck me as being "short".

 

 

I may be wrong. I never thought he was short until I watched that show. If anything he probably weighs more and he just looks shorter than he really is.