FanNation - The Republic of Sport

I love me some QBs. From Matt Leinart to Tom Brady to, more recently, Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez, the tall, dark, handsome, athletic boys behind center make me weak in the knees. Yes, I know it's cliché, but I can't help myself. Even (especially?) fictional quarterbacks, like Matt Saracen from Friday Night Lights for example, make me feel like the Jell-o jiggler version of a JV cheerleader.

There are quite a few kickers out there who I wouldn't kick out of bed, but the allure isn't quite the same. Brains (most QBs have to have at least a few thoughts bouncing around inside that helmet to manage a game) and brawn and, in a number of instances, dazzling good looks - it's a powerful combination.

Quarterbacks are often the hottest jocks on the field, but they also have to take more heat than almost anyone else. They're the stars when the team's racking up "W's" but they're also the first ones who have to suit up and shoulder the blame when things aren't going so smoothly.

Take the situation at Clemson, for example. Going into this season, senior Cullen Harper was touted as one of the top senior QBs. Six interceptions later, he's been usurped by freshman backup Willy Korn. I'm not criticizing the decision itself; six interceptions in the first half of the season, when he only threw six all of last year, says a lot about the way he's playing. But the way coaches handle the decision says a lot about them as coaches, and in my opinion (based on what I know of the situation) Tommy Bowden handled it poorly.

I learned about the change in a news story from FOX Sports. According to the story: "Bowden decided on the switch Friday afternoon after watching tape of Thursday night's loss. He said he and offensive coordinator Rob Spence had not yet been able to contact Harper, given Friday and Saturday off."

You've got to be kidding me. Am I seriously learning of this before Harper? And is Bowden seriously telling the media that in this age of instant electronic communication he couldn't get in touch with his quarterback before he talked to the media? Recruits in high school get text messages from colleges trying to snag them but those same colleges can't show the tiniest bit of respect for one of the senior leaders of their team?

Bowden told reporters he "expects Harper to handle the demotion with maturity and class." If that's what he expects, Bowden should live up to his own expectations and show the same class when dealing with his players. If Clemson ever fires Bowden, I suggest they tell ESPN first. I wonder how mature he'd be if they gave him a lame excuse like "Sorry, we couldn't reach you before it went public."

Heisman winner Troy Smith is another good-looking quarterback who knows the job's not always as glamorous as Tom Brady makes it seem. Despite concerns that he was too short (5'11") for the position, he found great success at Ohio State. The same concerns followed him to the NFL, where he was lucky to land on the Ravens (lucky for me, I mean). Just before he maybe could've gotten his big break and the starting job, he got hit by a tag team of illnesses and just this week made it back to team.

In the meantime, my new obsession Joe Flacco has taken control of the team and was just named Starter For The Rest Of The Season. Reporters and columnists went wild of Coach John Harbaugh's vote of confidence in the newbie QB. Joe Cool just shrugged and said that's the way he's approached it this whole time. *swoon* (Come on, what girl doesn't get all Notebook-y when it comes to a guy who commentators think "could probably throw a tissue through a brick wall?")

And just to set the record straight, before y'all think I'm some quarterback-crazy ninny, I do not have an overall appreciation for EVERY guy who plays the position. Being quarterback isn't always good enough for me.

Being a hot quarterback isn't always good enough for me. Brady Quinn? I always thought he'd look better if his nose had been broken and his eyes weren't quite so soulless. If I was an undecided voter, the photo of him hugging John McCain might've convinced me not to vote for McCain.

Even being a Super Bowl winning quarterback isn't necessarily going to impress me. Eli Manning? I'm pretty sure I'll always think he's overrated, regardless of how much he accomplishes in his career.

But that's just the irrational and, at times, unfair nature of the game. Life works that way too, come to think of it. Being the star quarterback is great and all, but you never know how long it'll last.