I was actually going to have a boring day of posting today, probably just talk a little Pistons for the sake of hearing myself speak. Then the sports radio station I listen to in the morning, WDFN THE FAN, put a smile on my face that has not been that big since my honeymoon! They said, in an article by Tom Kowalski that you can read here ( link can also be found via the sports pig ) the Lions are considering releasing Joey Harrington! Happy New Year to me! Great news, bold move and smart move. I would love to see it happen. Plus, to me, the best part of the article is to hear about the letter that Sherm Lewis wrote to the higher ups in the Lions organization. The guy is retiring, he has no motives at all, and he says Joey isn't the answer. Awesome!
Now I know some people will say that it is too risky because there is no back up plan, there is no QB at all. Well, I truly think that Mike McMahon, who is a free agent, would come back if Joey was out of the way. Is McMahon the answer? No, he is not. However, he is a quality back up whom the coaches actually like & trust, the opposite of Joey whom the coaches never liked or trusted. He is backing up a guy in Joey Harrington that should be a back up and I think that is what pisses him off more than anything else! I think that if the Lions were to go after a veteran ( Garcia, Warner, Holcombe, Flutie, Brad Johnson, shit, bring Steve Young out of retirement!! ) I think McMahon would be happy being a back up then. In the case of being a veteran at least he is backing up a real QB, not a fraud like Harrington. Plus, he knows his chances of playing increase because he is behind a veteran, not someone that was tapped a "savior" whom should have been tapped a bust!
Now, for another interesting scenario, I turn to the San Diego Chargers and their QB soap opera. Look, for whatever reason it is apparent that the Chargers still feel that Philip Rivers is their QB of the future. How can I say that after the year Brees had? Easily - franchise tagging him! They don't plan on giving him the long term deal he deserves, so they franchise him so he is stuck playing for them for another year while Philip Rivers waits in the shadows to take his job. Well, why doesn't Brees just play poorly then if they do that, sabotage the team and the season. For two reasons, one being what he did this year should be proof enough he has too much pride for that! He could have sulked and pouted knowing that they drafted their "QB of the future" as a slap in his face, but instead went out there on the field and told the Chargers to "kiss his ass, you got the QB of the future already on your roster." Two, the Chargers know Brees can't afford to play a crappy year on purpose and why? Because after the season, he will be a free agent again. No one will sign him if he has a crappy year, they will consider him a one year wonder or a bust. So he has to put up big numbers in order to avoid that tag, all while doing it on a team that really doesn't want him. Plus, like I said, I think he has too much pride to sabotage an entire season, he is bigger than that.
So, this is where the Lions come in. Instead of releasing Joey, work out a sign and trade with the Chargers. The Chargers sign Brees to the long term contract he wants, one that the Lions are comfortable with, and trade him to Detroit for Joey Harrington and maybe a pick or some cash or some peanuts - whatever it takes to get Joey the hell out of here!!!! Drew Brees gets the starting job he wants, the security he wants and the opportunity he deserves. The Chargers get a "starter", and I use that word loosely with Joey, in Harrington that at least could by time while Rivers develops more. I don't know, I am sure it would never happen, but I felt like getting it out anyway.
Now, one last thing on Drew Brees. Someone out there might be saying that he himself may actually be a one hit wonder, and I will tell you this - no way. He may never have a break out year again like this season, but his numbers will never be low ( like Joey Harrington's ) again. How can I say that? Look at the school and, more importantly, the conference Brees played at in college - Purdue, of the Big 10. Look at the school that Joey Harrington played at in college, and the conference - Oregon, of the Pac 10. Sorry, the Big 10 will always be the toughest conference in football, that is true. The Pac 10 is a conference built on offense, they recruit for offense, therefore they do little recruiting for their secondaries. My point is Joey Harrington spent his college career throwing into secondaries made up of walk ons, cast offs and extra band members! Brees was arguably the best QB in the conference when he was here, throwing against some of the best secondaries in college football. Done.
So, that is all for now. I still plan on talking about my boring Pistons stuff later, but this was more interesting and made me a hell of a lot happier! Until next time, I am off to offer my services to Joey - help him pack, sell his house, bubble wrap his piano, etc... later! The sports dude!
Luke Waltons Forehead presented by the Sports Dude.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005 at 8:48 AM
Happy Trails Joey Harrington!
Dan Joseph said...
I LOVE your idea of a sign-and-trade deal for Brees! I absolutely LOVE IT! Brees will be a good QB for the next few years. He didn't play badly last year, and he had some tools around him this year that showed what he can do. Yes, there is a Purdue curse. Their QBs are awful in the Pros, but not Brees. He's the real deal, and will play well. I just hope Detroit has sense enough to consider this.
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