Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Entitlement Program Edition

You know who's all worked up into a lather over this 2005 Heisman Trophy hoopla? Everybody but Vince. Apparently Paul K was flipping the eff out on the radio this morning about how Vince's "indecisiveness" on whether he wants the award (which isn't indecisiveness at all, it's just Vince not doing a masterful job being clear in what he's saying) is a reason you shouldn't trust him as your QB. Really though, according to his own ESPN posts, it's just Paul K grinding his personal axe again because big bad Vince won't be humble and kiss the ring... or something:

Yes, he has fared much better at winning games than his two first-round colleagues in that draft, Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler, who also suffer from cases of entitlement. But Young is still not a lock to be the long-term guy in Nashville.

The Heisman in Young’s foyer would simply serve to add ammunition to those who perceive him as entitled. (I among those who perceive him this way.) A good share of what has not gone well for him since the Titans drafted him third overall in 2006 has been linked to that issue. He is used to being treated as royalty, and that has sometimes made bouncing back from difficulties difficult for him.

I would say that Paul K is a dick, but I think he's well aware of that. At some point he's just putting on airs to get a reaction... which is one of the more infuriating things media members do (new and old media alike. Jay Mariotti is just as guilty of it as BBS is). Either that or he's really being honest about how he feels, which makes him look like a pretty petty person considering how much Vince has matured from the outside looking in. I'm not saying that I'm perfect or always level headed when it comes to players on this roster (I think you can all vouch for that...), but it's always clear that there's a competitive reason why I'm taking the stance I take.

Is there still any doubt that Chris Johnson is the best running back in the game right now? I mean the evidence just keeps rolling in that no one has ever done the kind of things CJ2K has done right of the bat in the NFL:

Here's the latest: With his 76-yard touchdown run against Oakland, Johnson has now posted eight touchdown runs of 50 yards or more in just 32 games played.

In comparison, the next fastest to get to that total: Lenny Moore (71 games) and Jim Brown (77).

Chris Johnson was wired for sound on Sunday while he was busy being the best back in the league.

All the Titans news that's fit to link...

Terry McComrick has one of the more amusing anecdotes you'll hear about the Titans' scout team: to prep for the Steelers each year one scout team player is picked to put on a long back wig and fly around and mimic Troy Polamalu in practice. Last year Tuff Harris (who spent camp with the Steelers this off-season, btw) was the lucky guy, but this year for some ungodly reason they picked Donnie Nickey to play as the NFL's most athletic safety.

Hines Ward says he noticed one thing watching the tape on this year's Titans D: the Titans' D "isn't the same" without Keith Bulluck out there. I'll agree that I think we all miss Keith as a Titan, but we'd suggest not sleeping on the improved play we're getting from the defensive line and the secondary.

Casey Hampton and Max Starks are both still looking like they'll be in street clothes on the sidelines for this weekend. If both miss this contest, Pittsburgh area media has been predicting for a while now despite the hope the coaching staff keeps giving, it'll be a huge blow to their chances of getting a win on Sunday.

Football Outsiders broke down Vince's big throw and CJ2K's big run against the Raiders in this week's edition of Cover-3.

Nate Washington was the big free agent grab before last season, but he disappointed at some key moments with brutal drops. That was even more disconcerting than the obvious, immediate, effect because lapses in focus were Nate's problem in Pittsburgh. This season, however, Washington is showing the best focus and consistency of his career. He and his former teammate Hines Ward both agree that the light has finally clicked for Nate, and he's got the confidence in himself to really take his game to the next level.

The match-up with the Steelers still holds a special place in Jeff Fisher's heart, says David Boclair. FIsher still has a lot of vivid memories about the rivalry with the Steelers that was red-hot when he took over the Oilers' head job, and many of his early signature wins in Tennessee were against the Steelers.

CJ2K is the first non-QB on the MVP Watch List at PFW. Maybe if we can actually win some games this year he'll get the respect he should've gotten last year from MVP voters.

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