Unpopular Opinions: Time for More Consternation

Unpopular Opinions are back! If you think you have heard some thoughts that make you scratch your head before, you haven’t heard anything yet.

 

“The Michael Vick we knew was overrated.” – Eric Urbanowicz

Put aside the dog fighting controversy, put aside the history he made as the first African American quarterback to be drafted first overall…why was Michael Vick held in such a high regard from 2001-06?

His completion percentages from that time never broke the top 20, broke the top 10 once in passing touchdowns and always finished in the bottom half of the league in passing yards. “But he could run it very well,” so could Daunte Culpepper, so could Steve McNair, so could Donovan McNabb. The difference is, they still put up good passing numbers including two of them breaking the top 10 in at least one of the categories. Two of them even nearly won a Super Bowl, something Vick hasn’t even appeared in.

Vick was a great athlete, but my fellow “The 3 Point Conversion” writer Danny Thompson wrote it best when describing Bo Jackson; “He will always be a superior athlete but he was just really an average player.” He may be one of “Madden’s” greatest characters, he even rebounded even better when he finished his suspension but the Michael Vick we knew, was kind of overrated.

 

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf would easily be the best point guard in the modern day NBA.” – Courtlandt Griffin

When we think of the modern day point guard, we think of Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook. These guys embody what the modern day NBA looks for in a court general. With a feathery soft shooting touch, silky handle and supreme athleticism, it’s hard to find anything like today’s point guard position, or is it?

A man by the name of Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf would say differently. From the time he was at LSU, Abdul-Rauf (better know as Chris Jackson before he changed his name) exhibited the characteristics of a modern point guard. Even though he was undersized standing at around 6’1”, his athleticism shined. Couple that with his elite shooting and ice cold handle, he was a handful on the court.

If you want proof of just how good he was, go watch the Denver Nuggets game in 96’ where he hung 32 points on Michael Jordan, Steve Kerr and Ron Harper. We’re talking about a guy who could get his shot whenever he wanted against whoever he wanted to. Plus, that was in a 90s era where guards played tougher defense than most big men.

There is no doubt with his ability he would be the best point in basketball, he literally had everything Curry, Lillard and Irving has in one package. Not to mention, he may have maintained it all 51-years old. Don’t believe me, go check him out in the BIG3 League.

 

“The New England Patriots will still win the AFC East.” -Mike Patton

Much has been made of future Hall-of-Famer Tom Brady leaving the AFC East to play quarterback in the sun of Florida with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With him leaving, the Patriots are being looked over in favor of the emerging Buffalo Bills. Well, I got some news for those overlooking the Patriots; they are going to win the AFC East again.

Replacing Tom Brady with Cam Newton still gives them a quarterback that is capable of making plays. Also, they lost quite a few players, including star linebacker Donta Hightower but who better than to make magic happen with that defense than Bill Belichick? The man is the MacGuyver of coaches and he will find a way to get enough out of his defense to make it happen.

While everyone is looking towards the Bills and what they are going to do, don’t forget the Patriots are still the Patriots and own the AFC East. They also have the best quarterback/coach tandem in the AFC East despite Brady leaving.

 

Mike Patton

Nashville, Tennessee

View All Posts

Leave a Reply