April 12, 2007

I never really felt in watching him that I was watching a future Hall of Famer. really? Not even when he threw for 4500 yards in his 2nd season? There were certainly stretches in there were he looked like a hall of famer to me.

posted by bdaddy at 10:59 AM on April 12, 2007

I was thinking about posting this very article but in all honesty, I didn't think it was newsworthy. Don't get me wrong, I respect what Bledsoe has done in his career but I do have to agree with holden where he mentioned that it's not like it felt I was watching a future Hall of Famer at the quarterback position. He was suffice but not awe-inspiring but then again, what the hell do I know? There were certainly stretches in there were he looked like a hall of famer to me. Recently? Maybe early in his Patriots career but not as a whole. Doesn't it take a whole career to detemine whether a player is HOF material or not? In my estimation, he also had stretches where he just looked plain awful. It's like the game word association: Drew Bledsoe = Living, breathing statue

posted by BornIcon at 11:11 AM on April 12, 2007

Holden, wow i'm an idiot. How could i have forgotten about Bledsoe's ring? Thanks for the correction. I agree with you though, that the fact that he had little to do with that ring still makes him very "Marinoesque." I'm not quite as sold on the idea that he isn't a HoFer. Here are some stats: He finishes seventh all-time in yards passing, 13th in touchdown passes and fifth in completions (3,839). Those seem like pretty solid #'s. I think that they might be good enough.

posted by brainofdtrain at 11:22 AM on April 12, 2007

agree with you though, that the fact that he had little to do with that ring still makes him very "Marinoesque." He won the AFC championship game because Brady was out hurt. That had a "little" to do with it..

posted by Debo270 at 11:40 AM on April 12, 2007

I think that this is a bit unfair. There was more than one great qb who got benched at the tail end of his career. Does that negate their worthiness for the HoF? I doubt it. No but we're not talking about other QB's, we're talking about Bledsoe but where's the part that's a 'bit unfair?' It's the truth, you have to take a look at the whole career of a player before one can determine if they're deserving of going into the HOF or not, just look at former Ravens RB Jamal Lewis a few years back when he ran for over 2000 yards, does that make him HOF material? As far as the 'great QB being benched at the tail end of their career', I recall Bledsoe being benched not only in the 'tail end of his career' with the 'Boys but also while playing for the Patriots (his 1st team). It's called not performing to his full potential. He has decent enough numbers but there's no way you can put Bledsoe and Marino in the same category or even in the same breath. Marino is a legend while Bledsoe is....well, like my mom always said, if you have nothing nice to say.....

posted by BornIcon at 11:45 AM on April 12, 2007

No but we're not talking about other QB's, we're talking about Bledsoe but where's the part that's a 'bit unfair?' It's the truth, you have to take a look at the whole career of a player before one can determine if they're deserving of going into the HOF or not, just look at former Ravens RB Jamal Lewis a few years back when he ran for over 2000 yards, does that make him HOF material? As far as the 'great QB being benched at the tail end of their career', I recall Bledsoe being benched not only in the 'tail end of his career' with the 'Boys but also while playing for the Patriots (his 1st team). It's called not performing to his full potential. He has decent enough numbers but there's no way you can put Bledsoe and Marino in the same category or even in the same breath. Marino is a legend while Bledsoe is....well, like my mom always said, if you have nothing nice to say..... it's amazing how someone could put up the 7th highest number of passing yards having spent as much time on the bench as you're implying here. brady was the person who fit new england better when he came along; in buffalo, bledsoe was a quarterback on a team that exploited his weakness with mobility because they couldn't provide him with a working offensive line. in dallas, it was obvious that it was a last gasp for him. 14 years is a long time.

posted by dfleming at 12:02 PM on April 12, 2007

it's amazing how someone could put up the 7th highest number of passing yards having spent as much time on the bench as you're implying here. I'm not implying anything, I'm only telling it like it is. You may not agree and that's all well an good but facts are facts. He may have the 7th highest passing yards but does that automatically qualify him as HOF material? He was ok but he was never great and the HOF is for great players and he's just never been great. Now let's get on with a real topic like the 3 Duke lacrosse player's case being thrown out. I tried to post that story earlier but for whatever reason, our moderator deleted it.

posted by BornIcon at 12:06 PM on April 12, 2007

is he merely another Marino Mrs. Bledsoe should be so lucky. There was nothing mere about the numbers Marino posted, Bledsoe, whatever.

posted by tahoemoj at 12:17 PM on April 12, 2007

"Was he great?" This is the only pertinent question. And greatness (not really good) is hardly a matter of opinion. Most people know it when they see it. Often times greatness becomes evident early in one's career. Drew was not "great". He was good, and had a few shinning moments. He could light it up for four straight games, then play like a rookie and make the dumbest throws imaginable. The Pats fans I know were happy when he got split open on the sideline and Brady was called into duty. The guy got benched for Tony friggin Romo! Romo is shite... The problem with HoF debates is the poor precedent that has been set in both football and baseball. Too many schmucks let in over the years causes people to say, 'well if __Y__ got in with these numbers, then we should let in __X__ because his numbers are comprabable. Forget the numbers. When he played did you often say to yourself or your mates in section 303, "WOW!"? For this reason alone I'll pass on Bledsoe and put in Terrell Davis.

posted by r8rh8r27 at 12:56 PM on April 12, 2007

Romo is shite... Your opinion. He was better than Bledsoe last year and at least has a starting QB job. He'll be just fine. His numbers aren't the result of playing forever like Testaverde His numbers are from a 14 year vet throwing it at least 35-45 times a game. Of course he's going to have some numbers, just about any QB would if they were pretty much a starting QB throwing that much. Well, it's like the same with just about any and everything, some people will agree and some people won't and I'm ok with that. People should express themselves and give their opinions....even if it is about Drew Bledsoe and his credentials.

posted by BornIcon at 01:10 PM on April 12, 2007

Stats are hard to argue with and that's why guys with good stats usually get the nod. Very true but not always. We're talking about the Hall of Fame people and Drew is no Hall of Famer. There's no comparison between Drew Bledsoe and Warren Moon. Look at the list rcade compiled, Bledsoe is above Dan Fouts, Joe Montana and the late, great Johnny Unitas, was Drew better than them just because his name is abover those guys? No way and he could never be even if he did play another year. Sorry but that's just one man's opinion~

posted by BornIcon at 01:28 PM on April 12, 2007

Bledsoe's carrer passer rating is 77.1. All the rest of those guys on the list of all-time yardage had much better ratings (except Vinny - but you knew that). I think it matters when it comes to HoF worthiness. But, they've never been too shy about adding QBs, so I think Bledsoe has a chance. However - he never won anything (AFC Championship game - look at his performance), and gaudy numbers aside, would hardly have been considered among the best at his position for long enough to hang with the other guys (save Testaverde) on that list.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:51 PM on April 12, 2007

In my stars I am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em. Shakespeare, Twelfth Night Drew Bledsoe might have HOF credentials. It remains to be seen, but the big drawback to his making it is his lack of post-season success. It always seemed to me that the Patriots were just a few players short of assembling a really decent team around Bledsoe. I often wondered what he would have done with one of the contenders when he was in his prime. All-in-all, thanks for some good times, Drew. You are a class human being.

posted by Howard_T at 02:46 PM on April 12, 2007

Bledsoe was an average QB with good durability. He hung around long enough to compile some good total yards numbers. Total yards are not the whole picture. When your team is constantly loosing and you are playing from behind against soft or prevent defenses it is easy to add up a lot of yardage. Of course you also throw a lot of interceptions. Good by Drew nice career, but no hall of fame. Nobody will be talking about Drew Bledsoe 10 years from now during discussions of great QBs. Certainly not like they will be talking about Manning, Marino, Namath, Stabler, Montana, etc.

posted by Atheist at 03:29 PM on April 12, 2007

Marino re-wrote the NFL's passing record book. Bledsoe, well, didn't. To compare the two of them for the sake of establishing a Hall of Fame criteria is misguided at best. Marino and Don Shula revolutionized the passing game. Bledsoe didn't do anything revolutionary, unless you consider standing straight up against Mo Lewis revolutionary, which it might have been. One of the stupidest football decisions I've seen in a long time, but possibly revolutionary.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:23 PM on April 12, 2007

It's a problem of perception for Drew. He has two strikes against him: One, he never was mentioned among the greats of his era. When I think of great QBs of the 90s, I think Brett Favre, I think Steve Young, but I don't think of Drew Bledsoe. Two, he arrived in a time that was a little bit of a stopgap, between the ending of the dynasty that was Marino/Kelly/Elway, and the rise of the QBs of today, like Brady and Peyton, who highlight their era. Bledsoe just lacks the idea in most people's heads that he is a great qb.

posted by Bonkers at 05:03 PM on April 12, 2007

farewell drew in my opinion they should keep him im sure he can hold the ball before a field goal attempt alot better than tony romo. get your hot tamales $5 a dozen get em while they're hot!!!

posted by bEaNeR at 12:16 AM on April 13, 2007

Drew Bledsoe WILL be in the Hall of fame. It's just that simple.

posted by wdminott at 03:45 AM on April 13, 2007

farewell drew in my opinion they should keep him im sure he can hold the ball before a field goal attempt alot better than tony romo. If there hadn't been some homecooking when they spotted the ball on Jason Witten's catch (which was a first down), there wouldn't have been anybody holding anything. And, if Drew Bledsoe had been the quarterback, they would've finished the regular season at 6-10 and missed the playoffs altogether.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 06:25 AM on April 13, 2007

Bonkers i think that you make some good points. If Drew had been putting up his #'s in the thick of the 2 eras you mention, there's little doubt he would be talked about differently.

posted by brainofdtrain at 08:03 AM on April 13, 2007

the surrounding casts he worked with early in his career were very sub-par on both sides of the ball Are we referring to the 1996 Superbowl team? Curtis Martin? Terry Glenn? Willie McGinest? #1 picks wind up on crappy teams by default. The Pats did a good job building around him quickly and Bledose made the most of what he had back then. For me, it was his inability to get to the next level after the Superbowl (which is at least partially the fault of Pete Carroll and the GM whose name escapes me), not his early returns.

posted by yerfatma at 12:25 PM on April 13, 2007

I was suppressing the name and all those stories about bad drafts, coddling Terry Glenn, Chris Canty's smoking, etc. Thanks for nothing.

posted by yerfatma at 01:40 PM on April 13, 2007

4-3-40, i think i see your point. I wonder if archie manning is in the HoF. He certainly fits the "i went out and played hard for a crappy team" criteria. Interestly, i've only heard good thnigs about him.

posted by brainofdtrain at 02:23 PM on April 13, 2007

After reading through the first several comments, both pro and con, it occured to me that Drew was to quarterbacks what Lloyd Carr is becoming to coaches. They both have almost all of the needed traits (in spades!), but they've both displayed an inability to make timely in game adjustments when their nuts are really in the fire. People like that tend to do very well on a day to day basis, but stumble when a situation nears crisis proportions. So, are the numbers great? Yup. Was Drew? That's not so cut and dried.

posted by ctal1999 at 02:43 PM on April 14, 2007