Vince Young having emotional issues?

12 December 2005 #

Although invited to join Bush and Leinart at the Marquee, Texas QB Vince Young declined. Last year Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson and Utah QB Alex Smith joined Bush and Leinart after the Heisman ceremony. Young said he was “emotionally upset” about not winning the Heisman. “I’m disappointed for my fans, especially for my teammates and my family for not representing them in the right way,” Young told reporters at the post-ceremony news conference. “I feel like I let my guys down, let my family down, let the cities of Austin and Houston down."

There are so many things wrong here:

1. He had nothing to do with the Heisman, especially not after he played his last game. The voters were voting. Vince was not playing. He did not ‘lose’ the Heisman. He just did not win it. Can somebody whisper that in his ear?
2. Not sure how being second in the Heisman voting is a ‘letdown’. It is a proud achievement, I think, to even be considered for the Heisman, let alone be a finalist, and be second in the voting.
3. Cities of Austin and Houston??? Are you kidding me? He let two cities down? What a joke.
4. He should have known that he is the underdog in the race - come on, does he not read the papers and watch ESPN? Does he not go online? Or has Texas limited the information that is let out within the state? I mean, come on … was he really thinking he could win the trophy?

These comments and some others he has made in the recent past lead me to believe that he really lets things get to his head. Now it does explain the bad outing he had against A&M. It does not bode well for the team though. If he lets this ‘big game’ build up get to him, he will be tight and get emotionally out of the game. The coaches need to calm him down and let him know that the National Championship is at stake, not personal glory. Even then, I am not sure if he is mentally ready to be calm.