San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Let’s rule out quarterback comparisons
Sez Me …
If Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time, much of it is by accident of birth date.
He’s terrific, the No. 1 winner since Bill Russell. But he wouldn’t be my choice. Because he was born too late, and for today’s signal callers, that’s an incredible advantage over those who came into this world before the NFL went soft.
It’s not close. It’s totally different. You can’t compare. And not because of talent.
Go ahead and snap verbal towels at me all you want. Get your own column — if you can take it. Me, I’ve learned to pass on all the garbage served at my dinner table. I eat what I want. I believe in Christmas. And Santa.
One of my biggest problems as a sportswriter is that I’ve been around too long. So I bend like a sequoia in a zephyr.
The only two people who haven’t looked into or cared about the good old days one way or another were Adam and Eve.
Millennials seemingly don’t care about anything that happened prior to Christmas Day.
History doesn’t matter. We tear down monuments and attempt to forget our horrors, believing it will make the bad that happened in our past go away.
But we are molded and forged from that clay, and it doesn’t simply crumble and blow away.
Brady is going on 45 years of age. Including playoffs, he has attempted to pass around a thousand-dozen times. Can anyone who’s been watching the NFL since the 1960s, 1970s — even the 1980s — tell me Brady, mobile as a Himalaya, would be playing if the old rules were still in place?
Not a chance. He’d get hammered and be in the broadcast booth at least 10 years.
Nothing against Tom. It’s not his fault. He’s played brilliantly this long for one reason: The rules have allowed him to — not to mention the advancements in medicine, training and nutrition.
Brady missed nearly 100 percent of the 2008 season in New England due to a torn ACL. As late as the 1960s, ACLS were difficult to diagnose and surgeries weren’t performed. Could he have played 13 more seasons with it?
Modern quarterbacks are placed alongside the Crown Jewels and inside suits of armor in the Tower of London.
It’s easy to see where The League is coming from. QBS are butter for the owners’ bread. It just took them close to a century to realize it.
QBS are handled like the Holy Grail. Out of the pocket, they can intentionally ground the ball simply by throwing it past the line of scrimmage. They slide when they’re runners. I hate the slide. Oh, and it used to be receivers were manhandled by DBS down the field.
I was a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011 when linebacker Chris Hamburger got in as a senior candidate. We were treated to a short film highlighting about five or six of his sacks. Every single one featured a tremendous blow to the quarterback’s head. Today he’d be hauled into court.
I’d love to have a time machine that would allow Don Coryell and Ernie Zampese to fool with these rules babying Dan Fouts and his squadron. I only can imagine Unitas, Namath, Bradshaw, Stabler, Montana, Young and so many others playing in delicate surroundings.
And vice versa.
There are too many fools to stop fooling ourselves. No question, the best quarterbacks of the 2000s easily could play in the good old days.
Just not as long. …
It’s surprising the Saints tried to get Drew Brees to come out of retirement and not Archie Manning, father of Jughead .…
The Bucs may win the Super Bowl (which I doubt), but Brady lost MVP last Sunday night. …
Ryan Clark, on Cowboys’ “Boy Wonder” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore: “Right now, boy, I wonder where the hell you are.” …
Visiting players are starting to gather on the home team’s logo prior to NFL games. This is a bad trend. This is bush league. And it doesn’t work. …
Say, Roger Goodell. Is that not taunting? …
If survival of the fittest really applies to the human race, the Super Bowl finalists will be a test case. …
I figure the Judases beat the Chiefs five times and still got beat. …
Stink O’ The Week Sezment: Bitchy Tweeters who complain about their fantasy football teams. If given a choice between knowing about your fantasy team and a colonoscopy, I’d say: “Just give me a smooth ride, Doc.” …
You know which college players don’t come out early or skip bowl games? Those attending military academies. …
The last time an Army team came back like that to win was Patton’s Third at the Bulge. …
Since I’ve been watching Aztecs football — and Kern Carson was running around — this had to be the craziest season since Coryell walked on campus wearing golf shoes and a tucked-in velour shirt. …
But, my, the Aztecs were as disciplined as a litter of puppies their final few games. …
Where was this Aztecs offense during what seemed like an excruciating eight-month football season? …
Guessing Matt Araiza has a tired leg after 10,000 punts. …
Pro Football Focus ranks USC’S 2021 offensive line No. 1 in the country. Pro Football Focus should focus on pro football. …
We don’t know who will be NFL Man of the Year. No voting necessary for Fool of the Year.
Cole Beasley .…
Good players shouldn’t gripe about not making the Pro Bowl. Enough guys will bail for them to be a part of the stupidity. …
I’m no doctor, but if Anthony Davis is ready to play in three weeks, I’m either Robert Kerlan or Frank Jobe .…
Padres staff finished as
Melvin re-gathers his old band, the Blue Notes. …
No surprise. Buck Showalter’s first act as Mets manager was ordering a sartorial shift to cotton uniforms. ..
Just because a film takes place at Christmastime doesn’t make it a Christmas movie. “It’s a Wonderful Life” is considered one of the great ones, but it’s not about Christmas — until the last few minutes of its 130. …
Best Christmas movies: 1. Original “Miracle on 34th Street.” 2. Original “The Bishop’s Wife.” I will accept no substitutes. …
Amazing. Ronaldo has 95.5 million Twitter followers. And he communicates with every one. …
Joe Burrow says the reason the Bengals are relatively COVID-FREE is the lack of nightlife in the Queen City. If the players can stomach Cincinnati chili, that could be the antidote — possibly for the world. …
Football players should not be allowed to wear necklaces on the field. Maybe if Mr. T played the game, we’d make an exception. …
As the great boxing writer Ed Schuyler said: “Cross Mr. T and he’ll dot both your i’s.” …
A Japanese professor has developed a lickable TV screen that can imitate the flavor of food. Tried the plant-based burger and Jerry Springer came on. Not bueno. …
Too many Americans have a natural immunity to common sense. …
If we all wore a name tag maybe we’d get along. …
This is my rookie year celebrating Festivus. How long do I leave up the aluminum pole?
sezme.godfather@gmail.com Twitter: @sdutcanepa