04/19/24
November 15, 2009
Tarkenton doesn't-like these newfangled quarterbacks: Former Viking Quarterback speaks his piece on today's (and yesterday's) quarterbacks.
What's the point here? The writer asks a man what he thinks, then blasts him for it. It's not like Fran was going around taking shots at Cutler and Favre.
Tarkenton earned the right to have an opinion about the game of football, and I don't think he said anything out of line.
Now, that could be a guy who once had a poster of Tarkenton hanging on his wall speaking, so maybe my opinion needs to be discounted!
That being said, Favre will take Fran's old team to 8-1 today! (I personally forgive them both for any sins, past, current, future)
posted by dviking at 01:08 PM on November 15, 2009
Tarkenton is certainly entitled to his opinion, and he doesn't come off as crotchety as Chuck Bednarik, although Chuck would probably let Tark join his grumpy old men's club.
But I spent a good deal of my formative years watching Tarkenton run for his life with that deer on the interstate look in his eyes, both with the Giants and the Vikings. He was not one to stand in the pocket and hold the ball until a receiver came open at the last possible moment and then make the throw, knowing he was going to get hit.
The announcers always described Tarkenton's scrambling in wholly positive terms, and made it sound as though Tarkenton was in full control of the moment on each play, which was hardly the case. They always said he was driving the defense crazy without mentioning that he was also driving his own offensive line nuts as well, trying to figure out how to block for him and keep plays alive as he roamed around as though he were playing flag football.
So I'm not entirely convinced that Tarkenton is in a legitimate position to say who is a worthy man and who ain't. Even though I largely agree with him on Favre and Cutler.
posted by beaverboard at 01:17 PM on November 15, 2009
Wait, Tarkenton was a coward?
posted by rumple at 02:04 PM on November 15, 2009
"...watching Tarkenton run for his life with that deer on the interstate look in his eyes..."
Marc Wilson always looked like that to me. I don't recall Tarkenton that way.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 09:42 PM on November 15, 2009
There's a difference between being elusive and having happy feet. Fran Tarkenton is a nine-time Pro Bowler, 1975 league MVP and Hall of Fame inductee who threw for 47,000 yards and reached three Super Bowls. The "deer and the headlights" and "flag football" digs are wholly undeserved.
posted by rcade at 07:58 AM on November 16, 2009
Tarkenton earned the right to have an opinion about the game of football..
Don't most football players whether Hall of Famer or not, earn the right to have an opinion about the game of football?
posted by BornIcon at 08:38 AM on November 16, 2009
Maybe. Except Deion.
posted by fabulon7 at 08:54 AM on November 16, 2009
Don't most football players whether Hall of Famer or not, earn the right to have an opinion about the game of football?
Well, I suppose we all have the right to have an opinion about the game, but I don't think someone like Brian Bosworth has earned the right to speak his mind without being criticized....Tarkenton has (at least in my purple hazed mind).
I give H.O.F.er's a bit of slack that a typical player doesn't necessarily get.
posted by dviking at 10:24 AM on November 16, 2009
Who's opinion matter's to me more here: Doug Farrarrarrarr or Fran Friggin' Tarkenton.
Umm, yeah, I'm going to say Fran. But I admit to being completely biased. Before Seattle had a team, my heart bled Puple and Gold. Tarkenton was my childhood hero. If someone told me he was running buddies with Maddux I would still put him on a pedestal.
posted by THX-1138 at 11:31 AM on November 16, 2009
I don't know what Doug Farrar's problem with Fran Tarkenton is, aside from cracks about Tarkenton being old and crotchety. Cutler is playing terrible football and Favre was disloyal to the Packers. Why shouldn't Tarkenton speak his mind?