Vince Young has sought out the advice and aide of Steve McNair and Donovan McNabb in recent days, and the clarity they offered seems to have helped him gain a newer, clearer and sometimes more third person perspective:
Young said he had talked with former Titans quarterback Steve McNair and Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb in recent days for advice. Being booed by the home crowd bothered him, he said, and learning to deal with adversity is something he knows he has to improve.
"Now I have talked to people who have inspired me a whole lot and a lot of people I look up to who went through similar things,'' he said. "Now I am good. I am still a young guy, I am learning more and more.''
Teammates said they had seen a big difference in Young in just a few days.
"He is doing great,'' defensive tackle Albert Haynes worth said. "He was like 'I can't believe how much this story got blown out of proportion.' I told him, 'When you are a big star like you, that's what happens.' ''
Young said he is concentrating on rehabbing his knee and getting back on the field while hoping everything and everyone else around him returns to normal.
"I don't get in any trouble. I don't go out bustin' peoples' heads. I don't do nothing crazy, I am just a real good guy," he said. "The fact it happened and it blew up so big, I can't do nothing about that. All I can do is continue being me. … Vince Young is all right and ready to go out and finish the season real strong like everyone wants me to.''
Terry McCormick weighs in on Vince Young's press conference yesterday... I'd advise everyone to listen to the audio that was linked here at MCM yesterday or watch the video of it here. Apparently Vince was granted an extension in PR 101 because he certainly nailed that assignment. He sounded loose and was joking around, which is a whole lot better than the image we had been given my the media and his mother.
David Climer and Joe Biddle react to VY's comments in this video. Some here may not like what they say, but I think their view has been a pretty solid consensus of how local media took yesterday's Q&A. Big Albert expects to play on Sunday, and the entire defense sounds like it has an axe to grind after last year's embarrassing performance.
Gary Estwick has a quote from former Titan and current Bengal Antwan Odom, along with a few factoids; notably, the Titans have not started 2-0 since 1999.
Chris Hope isn't worried about returning to the place of his terrifying injury last year... I think few of us will forget him spasmming on the ground after his neck injury last year.
Ever the self-righteous jerk, Jason Whitlock delivers a Vince Young hit job on cue. Dr. Phil is not impressed with his arm chair psychoanalysis. I guess for his next column, Whitlock will show up at Vince's door and just say 'it's not your fault' over and over until VY breaks down (because that's how real healing happens).
Anytime you think about taking Whitlock seriously, just remember that this is the man who writes a yearly column trying to get Jeff George back into the league. Seriously. Every year since 2002 (George's first year in exile) he's written that article... and that's not even getting into his ambulance chasing during the Don Imus/Rutgers affair...
Paul Kuharsky recounts the harrowing demands southpaw QB Chris Simms places on his center. Godspeed whomever must snap the ball to him, godspeed.
Paul K also picks the Titans and Jags as the best rivalry in the division, which is even more satisfying since we just pwned them for the second straight season opener.