We will just have to agree to disagree. I am referring to the recent poll in which I asked if Xavier Lee had been treated fairly at FSU. The overwhelming majority of you voting in the poll believe that Lee was treated fairly while at FSU.
On this one, I am going to have to disagree. Allow me to give a few examples. Lee was never given a fair shot at quarterback at FSU despite horrible game performances by Drew Weatherford for the past three years. Drew until this year threw almost as many interceptions as he did TDs. Not to mention his inability to read coverages and throwing consistiently into double coverage. And where was Lee? Sitting on the bench.
By the way,this is not about Drew. I think he is a great kid and an excellent example for the FSU football team. However, this is not about Drew the person but Drew the QB. Plain and simple, he is an average QB at best.
Anyone that follows FSU football knows that there is no comparison between the two quarterbacks when it comes to talent. Lee was clearly the more talented and yet was never given a fair shot at being the starting quarterback for the Noles. In his three years at FSU, Lee started only six games for the Seminoles. Hardly enough games to show what he could do.
We also were witness to Bobby Bowden who publicly denigrated Lee and refused to call him by his name. On the other hand, I never heard Bobby Bowden publicly criticize Weatherford and of course he calls him by his name.
The ultimate insult came when Lee was asked by Jimbo Fisher and I am guessing Bobby Bowden to change positions and play tight end. If this is how Jimbo Fisher evaluates talent, we may be in for lots of problems in the future. If the Seminoles needed a tight end, why didn't they have Drew Weatherford become a tight end,? Fisher could start Ponder or Richardson next year and have a more talented Lee at backup. I would prefer a guy who can throw a ball 70 yards on one knee than Weatherford who can barely throw it 50 yards.
Lee did make mistakes on the field as well as off the field but Bobby Bowden has always been willing to forgive and give players a second chance. However, it seemed that Lee was made the poster boy for Bowden's anger and criticism.
Fans and others are frustrated and are asking questions that perhaps should be examined more closely. A comment by a reader on the Orlando Sentinel web site in regard to an article about Lee asked what Anquain Bolden, Peter Warrick, and Xavier Lee had in common. The reader answered the question with the fact that all had been "... Mr. Florida quaterbacks out of high school who unfortunately chose the Seminoles, and were converted to different positions. "
Perhaps my definition of fairness differs from Bobby Bowden's definition. After all, his definition of nepotism differed from the common dictionary defintion of that term also.
As always, I welcome your comments.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
It Depends On What Your Definition Of Fairness Is
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4 comments:
I agree to disagree with your disagreement.
I think X was given a fair shake. I have always been an X fan since his recruitment. And I really wanted to see him come in and play.
When I say a fair shake, I'm looking at the clean shake he was given when Jimbo came in. I read every practice update on a couple of popular FSU boards, and it seemed like Lee was clearly beaten out, it was close buy clear by the reports I read.
Lets look at game performance, he just didn't take advantage of the opportunities he was given. A QB can have all the talent in the world, but if he can't translate that into wins on the field. I hate it for him.
I really wish him the best of luck in the NFL draft, I hope he gets picked up and finds his rythem and can take advantage of all of that talent that everyone knows is there.
Back to the point, I don't thank he was given a short hand. I firmly believe that you make your own luck, and he had more than enough opportunities to make his good.
Do you think that Drew had great game performances? He was horrible in lots of games. I am just not convinced that he was give an fair shot but you have valid points also.
all had been "... Mr. Florida quaterbacks out of high school who unfortunately chose the Seminoles, and were converted to different positions. "
I doubt Anquan Boldin and Peter Warrick consider their moves to wide receiver "unfortunate."
Boldin won a National Title ring as a WR at FSU, and in the NFL he's been named Offensive Rookie of the Year and made 2 Pro Bowls at the position.
Warrick also won a National Title ring as a receiver, and if not for his own indiscretions would have won a Heisman Trophy as well.
Deion Sanders was another High School QB who was converted at FSU. I think we've got a pretty good track record with that.
if X had so much talent, why couldn't he prove it in those 6 starts?
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