Last year’s Heisman Trophy runner-up was Standford QB Andrew Luck. As a red shirt junior at Stanford, he threw for 3332 yds, 32 td and 8 int, while completing an amazing 70.7% of his passes. He was so good on the field and in the minds of scouts that he secured himself the guaranteed number one overall selection in the 2011 NFL draft. Than in early 2011 he shocked the world by deciding to return to Stanford and finish his degree, rather than enter the NFL. Luck turned down millions of dollars in guaranteed money for another chance to win the Heisman, win the National Championship and finish his degree (because college is important kids!). He also extended hope for NFL franchises weak at the QB position, that weren’t the Carolina Panthers, for one more year.
Now with the 2012 NFL season under way and prized college QB Andrew Luck a little closer to being available, many franchises are starting to see their hope of snagging him turn into a reality. Fans all across the NFL, including those in Seattle, have started Suck for Luck campaigns. The fans that are part of these campaigns are rooting for their teams to lose for the chance at drafting Andrew Luck first overall in the 2012 NFL draft. These supposed loyal and supporting fans are turning their backs on the present in hopes of a brighter future. The theory goes suffering through one really bad season would be worth the agony in order to get the best available player in the NFL draft. A player many think is the best and most NFL ready QB sense John Elway.
Luck has been described by many NFL scouts and experts as a can’t miss pick. However, over the many years of NFL football, there have been lots of other can’t miss top end QB prospects. Guys like Ryan Leaf, Joey Harrington and JaMarcus Russell (or Aaron Curry if you leave the QB position) were all pegged as future NFL stars. They were all supposed to be franchise savers. Yet, none of them turned out to be quality players.
The point is a draft pick, no matter how good the player was in college, is never a sure thing. The football played in the NFL is much faster and hard hitting than that played in college. There are not division two opponents to pick on and walk on CB to burn. Not everyone can make the transition from the NCAA to the NFL.
Even if Luck can make the transition into an NFL star, there is always the injury bug to worry about. In a sport as violent as professional football, injuries can ruin the career of even the most promising player. Even top draft picks are not protected from susceptibility to injury.
Take for example the case of the 2008 Lions, who went 0-16, which is the worst season record ever. For that miserable season they were reward with the first overall pick, which they used to select Matt Stafford. During the few games he has played Stafford has looked good. The problem is he has only played in 17 games of the potential 36 during his 3 year career. Stafford career has so far been struck by the injury bug. During the span of Stafford's career the Lions have won 12 games is 36 chances. It is still early in his career and it might all turn out good, but the Lion’s fans suffering through an 0-16 season didn't suddenly turn them into contenders.
I am sure the Lions fans, the real fans, would have rather the Lions won a few games. The joy brought from your team winning a game now in the present is worth more than the potential that they might win a game in the future. Think about last year and the Seahawk’s win over the Chargers where Leonnnnnnnnn Washington returned two kicks for TD, or the win over the Saints in the playoffs and how you felt watching those games. Would you have traded those wins for a chance to draft a QB who might turn into something special? Most fans wouldn’t. You watch your team’s games to see them win and experience the emotions that come with those wins.
So, to all the Suck for Luck promoters out there I ask, what is the point of even having a team if you can’t ever enjoy the present and have to look towards the future?
Sources: ESPN.com, Yahoo Sports
You also forget to mention that the NFL isn't by any means short on success stories of QBs that aren't drafted in the early round. Tom Brady, Joe Montana, etc. Say what you want about Tony Romo, but even he went undrafted in 2003. Aaron Rodgers was drafted #24 behind the number #1 overall Alex Smith that year.
ReplyDeleteI remain convinced that the probability between a successful QB drafted within the first few picks and one drafted anywhere later in the 1st round is so negligible that its ridiculous. Was there the same absurd hype and talk about intentionally losing for Alex Smith, JaMarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf, and Matt Leinhart too? Maybe I just haven't been paying close enough attention all these years. I hope Andrew Luck becomes spiritually enlightened and bizarrely decides to travel to Tibet to become a Monk in a monastery for the rest of his life because this subject is annoying the hell out of my season of football.
(P.S. As per Tim Tebow, Luck becoming a hardcore christian wouldn't keep him from playing.)
I agree with you completely that hearing fans talk about losing on purpose is really annoying. Several people I work with were on the lose for Locker bandwagon last year and are on the suck for Luck train this year. I just dont get how they call themselves fans.
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