"Tannehill is a hidden gem in this draft,a quiet secret who was always sneaking up to #3..you want him,you better talk to Zigi The Biggie!" - Colts owner Jim Irsay, via Twitter(@JimIrsay)
It's been a while since we've cut off anyone's mic and, while taking these rather mild comments out of context and using them strictly for our bashing pleasure might come across as nitpicking for the sake of starting an argument, they do have some cause for criticism when you dig deep into them.
Let's start with Thomas first. Ignore the horrible grammar that he used in his interview with 2 Live Stews because I don't expect my athletes to conduct themselves like Rhodes Scholars. Now, I know I come off as a Tebow apologist at times. I thought his emergence was one of the feel-good stories of the 2011 NFL season, albeit overblown(but, really, what news story isn't?) and I thought his upheaval from Denver was one of the rare examples of a franchise finding a reason to be unhappy with its franchise player's success because it wasn't done in a way that aesthetically pleasing. Let's be clear: Watching Tim Tebow conduct a passing offense was like watching John Ruiz win the heavyweight boxing title. Ugly but it got results.
With all that said, whether Thomas wants to admit it or not, Tebow MADE Thomas a name with his 80-yard TD pass in overtime against the Steelers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs this past January. He owes a lot of his cult hero status in the Rockies to Touchdown Jesus. Am I saying that Thomas shouldn't be excited about the prospects of catching bullets(er, probably the wrong words to use when talking about Broncos or Colorado) from Peyton Manning as opposed to Tim Tebow? Of course not. EVERY wideout wants to play with Peyton Manning.However, there's something to be said about kicking a man when he's down and also being critical of someone when you no longer share a locker room with him. That something to be said is....it makes you look like a pussy. If Thomas had an issue with the lack of passes being thrown his way, he could have mentioned something before Tebow was sent packing to New York. Of course, Thomas wasn't going to criticize Denver's prodigal son for the same reason John Elway and John Fox gritted their teeth and bit their tongue through every Tebow victory: fear of backlash. Tim Tebow was as loved in Denver in his short time there as Joe Sakic, Todd Helton, Larry Walker Carmelo Anthony(pre-trade demands) or any other Colorado sports hero(including Elway, which is probably why Tebow's a Jet now). If Thomas whined about Tebow not looking his way more often during the season, Thomas would have been saddled with the "me-first selfish diva" label that all prima donna receivers seem to get stuck with when they put their personal numbers above team success. Thomas' face would have been fully entrenched on the dartboard of chief Tebow loyalist Skip Bayless right alongside LeBron James and Jalen Rose.
Yes, Tebow was a work-in-progress as a passer and it's understandable for his receiving targets to be miffed at Tebow not exactly being the second coming of Johnny Unitas. Still, there's a time and a place for criticism. Unless Thomas was psychic and knew Tebow was leaving Denver months prior to his trade to the Jets, the timing of his comments makes it seem(at least, to me) like he's piling on a guy who's already been disrespected by being traded after notching the team's first playoff win in years and who was constantly trying to earn the respect of not only his peers, critics and fans but, most importantly, guys like Fox and Elway. At the end of the day, Thomas should have spoken up if he had a problem with the game plan and he should have done it sooner than a couple days ago. Also, if Thomas(and other teammates, as he so claims) were worried about all the time and attention Tebow was receiving from ESPN and other media outlets last season, perhaps he should rewind his DVR to the round-the-clock coverage that the Manning Sweepstakes was receiving up until Manning dotted the I's and crossed the T's on his new contract. EVERYONE gets overshadowed by Peyton Manning.....unless they go out of their way to make themselves the story.
Which brings me to Jim Irsay. Now, Irsay's sudden co-signing of Texas A &M WR-turned-QB Ryan Tannehill isn't that big a deal except when you consider a couple of things. One, the Colts(who hold the first pick in this month's draft) have absolutely no intention of taking anyone other than Stanford QB Andrew Luck(no matter how many smoke screens Irsay tries to send). Second, the Browns, picking fourth with their eyes on Tannehill, totally get screwed here with Irsay's "If you want Tannehill, you better move ahead of Cleveland!" comment. Sure, it's no secret that Cleveland has their sights set on Tannehill(though picking him at 4 would be a huge reach for a guy who's been a college QB for a little over a year) but why even make that comment? So, you're facilitating trades for the Vikings now, Jimmy? How thoughtful.
The reasoning behind Irsay's comment, as well as all the other foolish tweets from Irsay's account including the one where he called Peyton Manning(only the greatest player to suit up for the Colts in half a century) a "politician", is to make himself the story and garner some headlines. If Irsay's whistle-blowing somehow leads to a frenzy for the 3rd overall pick(which the Vikes would be foolish to trade unless they get blown away by an offer. They are staring dead at USC OT Matt Kalil and their offensive line sucks out loud), then Irsay will be the first person to start patting himself on the back. My issue with all of that is owners, of any sport much less football, should be seen and not heard. If you're an NFL owner, you're already a rich old man who happens to also be in the rare company of owning a football franchise. Only 30 other people can hold that distinction(the Packers have a CEO but not a traditional owner like, say, the Rams do). You don't need to draw anymore attention to yourself other than making an occasional appearance in the sky box at big games and an interview here and there. You know why people can't stand guys like Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder and even the late great George Steinbrenner(besides their frequent ineptitude)? Because they never knew when to shut the fuck up. Jerry Jones has spent the last three decades trying to make himself as big a star as the one that appears on the 50-yard line at the new Cowboys stadium....and you know what? It's annoying.
Irsay's chief concern needs to be striking a deal with Luck and the utilizing the rest of his draft as well as the drafts that follow to keep his team from being a laughingstock in the post-Peyton era and not touting a prospect he has no interest in. Also, Tannehill's not a hidden gem. A man projected to go as high as fourth overall is hardly a "diamond in the rough". People started keeping tabs on Tannehill months ago. You aren't exactly breaking new ground by championing a potential Top 5 pick. Comments like that bring back memories of the kind of analysis a chump like Jon Gruden makes during Monday Night Football telecasts(which Gabe and I make fun of ad nauseum)..."That Aaron Rodgers....he's good.". Irsay isn't exactly a world-renowned judge on talent. A majority of the reason his team flopped last season without Manning is because they couldn't build a team around one of the few draft picks the franchise has gotten right in the past two decades. This is the same man who thought signing Kerry Collins last year as Peyton's replacement was a good idea. You wanna take advice from him?
Again, there's a time and a place for opening your yap. You want to criticize your QB for not getting you the ball enough? Do it while he's actually on the team(Then again, maybe good judgement is asking too much from a man who left his drunk ex-girlfriend at a party to be allegedly raped by one of his teammates. Just sayin'.). You want to back a rookie before the NFL Draft? Be his agent and not the owner of a franchise set to draft a superior prospect. You think Andrew Luck likes hearing how great you think Ryan Tannehill will be? I know there's a slow news gap in between the beginning of April and the NFL Draft, but it's always important to think before you speak(or tweet).
In the meantime, your mic is cut off.
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