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http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl.../701040378/1027
Competing emotions drive Young
Offensive rookie award winner shows humor, poise – and immaturity
By JIM WYATT
Staff Writer
Titans quarterback Vince Young woke up around 10 a.m. in Houston on Wednesday without a football game to prepare for, but with an award on his mind.
But first, he needed food. He sent a friend to pick up his favorite breakfast — a bacon, steak and egg sandwich from Waffle House. Then he waited to find out if he was NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
When he became just the second quarterback to win the award, which was established in 1957, he could barely control his emotions.
"I have been with him every day since Sunday, and on Monday he was still crushed, with the season being over,'' said Mike Mu, Young's marketing director and close friend. "When he got the news (Wednesday), he was ecstatic. He screamed and, yeah, he got emotional. He is a very emotional kid.''
Titans fans got emotional this season watching the 23-year-old Young, who developed into the dominant figure on Nashville's sports landscape and one of the NFL's most dynamic players.
The Titans started 0-5, but thanks in large part to Young's emergence and leadership they managed to finish 8-8, one victory shy of the playoffs. Along the way they won six games in a row, several in thrilling fashion.
"A lot of people said it couldn't be done, especially at my position,'' said Young, who received 23 votes from an Associated Press panel of 50 journalists, finishing well ahead of the other candidates. "To my teammates and coaches, I appreciate them a whole lot for sticking behind me and giving me the support they do.''
Young swept up legions of fans. Those who had jumped off the bandwagon during the miserable 2004 and '05 seasons started looking for tickets again. The team's future seemed bright again.
Young always seemed to be having fun. His enthusiasm and winning ways captured teammates, coaches and NFL analysts who touted his "it" factor, his "wow" factor.
Those closest to Young say he has many many layers. A peek at some of those layers, they say, will reveal why he is a unique player:
Poise
Four times Young guided the Titans to come-from-behind victories in the fourth quarter. The 21-point rally against the Giants was perhaps the most memorable, but the Colts, Texans and Bills also fell victim to his late-game prowess.
"When the game is on the line and the blood pressure of everybody else is rising, it is almost as if he took a Valium,'' said Sean Salisbury, an NFL analyst for ESPN. "He looks unflappable to me, and poised beyond belief. When things are going crazy and haywire, he is a guy that just says 'What the hell? I'll get it done.' "
Intensity
When the Giants hit Young out of bounds, he sprung up with the look of a fighter. He challenged defensive players, often yelling at them across the line of scrimmage.
When he threw an interception in the season finale against the Patriots, he raced downfield to take out the guy with the ball.
"The one thing I've noticed about him is his intensity,'' Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said. "When he makes a play you see the fire, you see the emotion.''
Goofiness
In the huddle during a pressure-packed situation, Young is known for cracking jokes. On the practice field, he wore his jersey inside out or switched uniforms with teammates.
He's a dancer, an impersonator, a self-described clown.
"I'm just a goofy guy,'' Young said. "I try and keep it fun, keep it light.''
On the final day of practice, he wore sunglasses under his helmet.
"He has a lot of fun with the guys,'' Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow said. "Probably his greatest skill is he knows when to be goofy and when not to be goofy. Most people don't know when to turn it on and turn it off, but he does.''
Immaturity
Young missed the team flight to Philadelphia, and his reaction worried some people close to him.
Upset at being left behind, Young indicated he wasn't going to make the trip on his own. But he did, and led the Titans to a victory over the Eagles.
In the two days afterward, he didn't show up to watch film. He pouted a few more days before snapping out of it.
The immaturity extended to the field at times. On Dec. 17 against the Jaguars he threw a third-down pass out of bounds to stop the clock after coaches told him not to throw it under any circumstance.
Sadness
As the final seconds ticked off in Tennessee's 40-23 loss to New England on Sunday, Young sat on the bench in tears.
After a game earlier in the season, Young sat in his locker with a towel over his head. In Indianapolis, he threw his cleated shoe into a lockerroom wall and it stuck.
He takes losing hard, but he has proven to teammates that he cares.
"The game means a lot to him,'' Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "You like to see that.''
Joy
Young was never more worked up than after the Titans won in Houston.
Just after crossing the goal line on his 39-yard, game-winning touchdown run in overtime, Young ripped off his helmet and threw the ball into the stands. He was ecstatic. He had beaten his hometown team, the team that could have made him the No. 1 overall draft pick.
Wednesday, Young was back in his hometown and he was happy again.
As for what's next …
"Right now we're on a little break, but when it's time to go back to work, my next vision is trying to get to the playoffs and go to the AFC Championship,'' Young said. "That's going to be my next vision to work on and get to the point to lead my teammates there.''
I thought the note on him missing the team flight and subsequently pouting was pretty interesting.
Competing emotions drive Young
Offensive rookie award winner shows humor, poise – and immaturity
By JIM WYATT
Staff Writer
Titans quarterback Vince Young woke up around 10 a.m. in Houston on Wednesday without a football game to prepare for, but with an award on his mind.
But first, he needed food. He sent a friend to pick up his favorite breakfast — a bacon, steak and egg sandwich from Waffle House. Then he waited to find out if he was NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
When he became just the second quarterback to win the award, which was established in 1957, he could barely control his emotions.
"I have been with him every day since Sunday, and on Monday he was still crushed, with the season being over,'' said Mike Mu, Young's marketing director and close friend. "When he got the news (Wednesday), he was ecstatic. He screamed and, yeah, he got emotional. He is a very emotional kid.''
Titans fans got emotional this season watching the 23-year-old Young, who developed into the dominant figure on Nashville's sports landscape and one of the NFL's most dynamic players.
The Titans started 0-5, but thanks in large part to Young's emergence and leadership they managed to finish 8-8, one victory shy of the playoffs. Along the way they won six games in a row, several in thrilling fashion.
"A lot of people said it couldn't be done, especially at my position,'' said Young, who received 23 votes from an Associated Press panel of 50 journalists, finishing well ahead of the other candidates. "To my teammates and coaches, I appreciate them a whole lot for sticking behind me and giving me the support they do.''
Young swept up legions of fans. Those who had jumped off the bandwagon during the miserable 2004 and '05 seasons started looking for tickets again. The team's future seemed bright again.
Young always seemed to be having fun. His enthusiasm and winning ways captured teammates, coaches and NFL analysts who touted his "it" factor, his "wow" factor.
Those closest to Young say he has many many layers. A peek at some of those layers, they say, will reveal why he is a unique player:
Poise
Four times Young guided the Titans to come-from-behind victories in the fourth quarter. The 21-point rally against the Giants was perhaps the most memorable, but the Colts, Texans and Bills also fell victim to his late-game prowess.
"When the game is on the line and the blood pressure of everybody else is rising, it is almost as if he took a Valium,'' said Sean Salisbury, an NFL analyst for ESPN. "He looks unflappable to me, and poised beyond belief. When things are going crazy and haywire, he is a guy that just says 'What the hell? I'll get it done.' "
Intensity
When the Giants hit Young out of bounds, he sprung up with the look of a fighter. He challenged defensive players, often yelling at them across the line of scrimmage.
When he threw an interception in the season finale against the Patriots, he raced downfield to take out the guy with the ball.
"The one thing I've noticed about him is his intensity,'' Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said. "When he makes a play you see the fire, you see the emotion.''
Goofiness
In the huddle during a pressure-packed situation, Young is known for cracking jokes. On the practice field, he wore his jersey inside out or switched uniforms with teammates.
He's a dancer, an impersonator, a self-described clown.
"I'm just a goofy guy,'' Young said. "I try and keep it fun, keep it light.''
On the final day of practice, he wore sunglasses under his helmet.
"He has a lot of fun with the guys,'' Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow said. "Probably his greatest skill is he knows when to be goofy and when not to be goofy. Most people don't know when to turn it on and turn it off, but he does.''
Immaturity
Young missed the team flight to Philadelphia, and his reaction worried some people close to him.
Upset at being left behind, Young indicated he wasn't going to make the trip on his own. But he did, and led the Titans to a victory over the Eagles.
In the two days afterward, he didn't show up to watch film. He pouted a few more days before snapping out of it.
The immaturity extended to the field at times. On Dec. 17 against the Jaguars he threw a third-down pass out of bounds to stop the clock after coaches told him not to throw it under any circumstance.
Sadness
As the final seconds ticked off in Tennessee's 40-23 loss to New England on Sunday, Young sat on the bench in tears.
After a game earlier in the season, Young sat in his locker with a towel over his head. In Indianapolis, he threw his cleated shoe into a lockerroom wall and it stuck.
He takes losing hard, but he has proven to teammates that he cares.
"The game means a lot to him,'' Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "You like to see that.''
Joy
Young was never more worked up than after the Titans won in Houston.
Just after crossing the goal line on his 39-yard, game-winning touchdown run in overtime, Young ripped off his helmet and threw the ball into the stands. He was ecstatic. He had beaten his hometown team, the team that could have made him the No. 1 overall draft pick.
Wednesday, Young was back in his hometown and he was happy again.
As for what's next …
"Right now we're on a little break, but when it's time to go back to work, my next vision is trying to get to the playoffs and go to the AFC Championship,'' Young said. "That's going to be my next vision to work on and get to the point to lead my teammates there.''
I thought the note on him missing the team flight and subsequently pouting was pretty interesting.
