The State of Football

Recently i watched NFL Network's "100 Greatest Football Players of All Time" program. I found the show very entertaining and informative, but i think what I appreciated most was their extensive coverage of players that came before the modern era. The difference between the players today and the players of yesteryear are their passion for the game, something that seems to be lacking today. Players like Chuck Bednarik and Sammy Baugh, players who came way before my time but played multiple positions during their time in the league. These days, because of high dollar contracts and player safety, you never see things such as the teams Quarterback doubling as the teams punter AND defensive back. But that's what you got with Sammy Baugh (a Redskin I might add), a mighty force on both sides of the ball. How often do you hear of a player leading the league in passing, punting, and interceptions all in the same season? It's this kind of athlete i wish was around today. Instead, fans are forced to deal with a lockout while players and owners argue over money issues. Sammy Baugh signed a contract for $8,000 his first year with the Redskins. This made him the highest paid player on the team. Today, we have Albert Haynesworth signing a contract for $100,000,000 while he paces up the sidelines for most plays playing maybe 1 or 2 downs while the Skins are on defense. Baugh must have been rolling in his grave.
The closest player we have today to such a God of the Football field is Owen Marecic of Stanford. Owen plays both Fullback and Linebacker for the school. Just recently he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the 124th overall pick. It's players like Owen that teams should be vying for, instead of high profile, overconfident players such as Cam Newton and Nick Fairley. When I see Cam Newton I see a big resemblance to Jamarcus Russell. A lot of glitz and glamor, but that does not always equal success in the NFL. (i.e., the comparison to Russell). Marecic seems like a player who could be put on a field his rookie year and have instant success. He may not score a touchdown on offense and then 13 seconds later score one on defense (which he did in college) but his knowledge of both sides of the football will help him in droves. Hell, Stanford runs a pro style offense anyway, so it shouldn't be too hard or take too long before he records his first sack or scores his first touchdown. Old school football, filled with passion and "True Grit", may have died a long time ago, but there are still some solid players out there who care more about the game then the paycheck.