Judgment Day

Here at YCS, we will continue to expose the awful sports writing that is consistently produced, regardless of the media outlet. Today's target always likes to makes his judgments: well here's mine, you cannot write.

Right from the start, you know this article will suck badly.

I don't wonder if Vince Young, the first quarterback taken in this year's draft, can make it in the pro game. I wonder if the first quarterback taken in last year's draft can.

Wow, you should be facing 15-20 for that abuse of the English language, along with the fact that the point of your story is not mentioned in the first sentence. Violationg one of the basic tenets of journalism is not exactly a rousing start.

"The guy is solid," said offensive coordinator Norv Turner. "I don't worry about him at all."

I do. Or at least I did until I spoke with Turner

And I would instantly trust the opinion of man who hasn't developed a good QB since Troy Aikman. Last year's game film must have been edited down to Smith's 3 good plays his entire rookie season.

OK, so he stunk. He had 11 interceptions, 11 fumbles and one touchdown. But he finished the season with two consecutive victories and, in the season-ending defeat of Houston, began to look like the quarterback San Francisco envisioned when it made him the first pick of the 2005 draft.

Paging Cade McNown, who threw for 300 yards and 3 TD's in a still relevant game against Detroit his rookie season. Smith really faced some pressure down the stretch, what with San Francisco competing for the #1 pick. And last I checked, playing well against the Texans last year wasn't exactly like finding the cure for cancer. Still, that whopping one TD pass must have 49'ers fans overjoyed at future possibilities, like being able to throw for multiple TD's this season.

Turner is a terrific quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, and he was a huge factor in the development of Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman. He was so important, in fact, that Aikman will have Turner present him at this summer's induction ceremony in Canton.

No credit should be given to one of the NFL's all-time best offensive lines, Emmitt Smith, the all-time leading rusher, and Michael Irvin, a Hall of Fame caliber receiver. For more of Norv Turner's genius, see what he did last season with an offense featuring Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Lamont Jordan. The correct answer would be winning 4 games and struggling to move the ball.

"We're going to have fun with it," Turner said. "What he does as well as any young quarterback I've been around is throw the deep ball with accuracy. It carries and doesn't die on him. He's not going to be in a position where people sit on him."

Hmm, actual game film shows people a much different vision. Boy the base of this article really looks good, what with the main source trying to feebly convince people Alex Smith is something that he's not: a talented QB with a good arm.

All of that will benefit Smith. In the end, of course, it comes down to how much Smith absorbs from Turner and how effectively the two of them work together. OK, so I don't think the 49ers escape the NFC West basement, either, but I also wasn't all that fired up about Alex Smith.

Until I spoke with Norv Turner. Now, I'm willing to give the guy a chance -- and to let Norv Turner do the rest.

Yea, because Turner has no agenda in wanting to see Smith succeed. And did I mention that Turner failed to employ a good offense last season with Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Lamont Jordan. And while I'm not going to compare Kerry Collins to Dan Marino, he's much better than Alex Smith dreams of being. At least he can throw.

To sum this drivel up, I judge this be yet another poorly written article passed off as journalism.