Ewker...
I'm not saying he's some super stud. I'm saying he's appoximately equal with his main draw back not having a full camp. They didn't invite him to camp. Meanwhile Volek had a shot to make a statement. Man, Volek whiffed while standing in the tee box so to speak. Volek has been crap. I don't expect Collins to be awesome, it's just that Collins upsides outwiegh the only positive that Volek has which is his 6 year tenure. If Volek really was all that good he would have left as a FA long ago. He's be starting in Miami, Oakland, New Orleans... somewhere. No. He stayed here because he really had no choice. Tennessee was his best shot at getting a shot. With McNair looking fragile and his cap # soaring, add in the option thing, Billy knew McNairs days were numbered one way or another. Plus Steve was talking about hanging it up. The offers he got were for backup roles with better money as I understand it. He turned that down in the hopes he could position himself to be the starter here.
btw- don't give me that playcalling crap. That play was called in and Collins was trying to make a play. It was a meaningless game in terms of standings so what did it matter? Exhibition is about doing something with the talent you have. He ran what was called in. 3 pt. Billy didn't even throw a TD all preseason until they stuck him in for that series. That was mostly really good running exploiting a poor defense. In fact, the point has been made by another poster that all of Voleks "big games" were against crap teams with bad d.
You might want to exploit that camp thing but think of it this way. Fisher wanted Volek to work out. They guy has been with us for 6 years. Fisher knows him. Fisher must have had some degree of confidence that Billy would pan out. When it failed to materialize, Fisher knew he had to challenge Billy. He brings in Collins. Volek likely reacted badly and that certainly didn't further his cause at all. Don't think that I believe that Collins is going to be a mvp candidate or something outragous like that. I just feel that he brings roughly 50x the game experience that Billy does. He was drafted high, (5th overall) has won a NFC Championship and played in another. He was an All American, was in contention for a Heisman, in 1994 the Nittany Lions had a perfect season. This is some Manning like creditials. Collins won the 1994 Maxwell Award (Nation's top college player), the 1994 Davey O'Brien Award (Nation's top college quarterback) Oh, that was COLLEGE you say? You say that to knock Vince Young too. As a pro he was elected to the NFL Pro Bowl following the 1996 season.
Billy Volek? He kept David Karnikova on the bench at Fresno State. Collins is the more complete player. But Billy Volek has sucked under Chow longer than while Collins hasn't been here. :evil: That is the only legitimate point one has to argue for Volek here. How easily people forget qb's that get new life from a change in scenery. Besides, Collins is going to start so we might as well hunt and peck for positives.
Points on character...
Look, I've seen some drunks before. Good men... that scandelous training camp stuff was a misunderstanding. Playing the race card and saying he is a biggot is not right. I realize you said nothing of the sort but I'm just freelancing now...
Bear Bryant was a racist and a drunk and he was fine football coach. Either that or he lacked the mental fortitude and mental vision to allow black players into his program, but only Paul knows for sure what went on inside his head living in the segregated south. The point is scandalous media debacles mounting charges of racism might just amount to an awkward white guy. Everyone knows that it is NOT cool to say everything your African American friend says. If he thought he was trying to bond while he had .13 BAC... I can see how another man in a similar state would make something of it. Justifiably so. That doesn't mean Collins has the sort of disposition where you could label him a biggot. Even if he was it does not directly translate to success or failure on the field; case in point Paul Bryant, Head Coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Very successful but likely a racist. Like I said, I have seen some drunks and I have seen some drunks say some bizarre things. I think enough years have gone by for Collins to live that down.