Titans' new QB, Marcus Mariota
The Train Daddy is back with the pain, daddy, as always bringing you, the reader, sports news in only one way—the Train Daddy way! There is no better way, it’s real, it’s passion, it’s nearly award-winning work and, most importantly, there is no politically correct terminology here. I say what I say, and that’s truth, playa! I don’t speak hate, I don’t have an agenda, I am just a sports fan and writer who speaks from the heart and thinks with my weiner. I leave the brain out of the equation when typing up my articles and it seems to work for me . . . let’s create another masterpiece. Nothing but Titans talk and a brief wrap-up of a pathetically boring fight. All aboard the Train; destination, my last word.
Okay, so my wish didn’t come true. Floyd Money stays undefeated and still the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. In the course of a dozen rounds Floyd earned nearly $5 million per minute of action, with Pac-Man earning $3.3 million per minute in a 60/40 split of the purse. Floyd’s total takeaway amassed $179 million, and we chumps who paid the $100 pay-per-view fee got punked while the fighters just got richer. We paid to watch a supposedly injured Manny throw punches like a rabid kangaroo on crack while Floyd ran around the ring like the Flash from DC Comics, avoiding everything. Oh well, it is what it is. I reckon boxing will be less thrilling for the next few years, and Dana White and the UFC will dominate the world of fighting. Boxing desperately needs some personalities in the heavyweight division, Wladimir Klitschko, the current heavyweight champ, is more boring than watching ice melt, though he did score the sexy firecracker Hayden Panettiere. I just find it sad that I love boxing so much and I can’t even come up with five current heavyweight boxers. That’s the state of boxing right now. So the megafight was a letdown, pay-per-view crashed, the fight was delayed to fix it and they didn’t even make it worth the wait. I never truly believed Pac-Man would win; Floyd is too smart as a defensive boxer. It was just prayer and hope that the better man could win, but that’s not how it works. The better boxer typically wins. I just believed the people of the Philippines would receive more joy and euphoria from a Pac-Man victory than the average American Mayweather fan. In a country that’s dealt with poverty and hardships for years, Manny is idolized as a hero to children and a symbol of hope for the adults. Money Mayweather is no role model for Americans. He is a man with immense skill, an ignorant, arrogant man who cares only about himself and money. This fight didn’t come close to touching Ali/Frazier but Money stays undefeated as he gets closer to the age of 40 and to the promise of a spot in the history books.
That’s all I have to say about that. Titans talk, baby! If you have no desire to be enlightened about the future of the 2015 Tennessee Titans, begone with you. The rest of this article is VIP only, for the true-blue bleeding Titan fans, the famous Me-Ma, the meat grilling, hell-raising tailgaters, my people—the Train Daddy Mafia—and anyone who is already anticipating Sunday afternoon on a Monday. These are the Titans fans I speak to right now. The future is now, Titans fans. With the second pick of the 2015 NFL draft, the Tennessee Titans select Marcus Mooriotto, quarterback out of Oregon. Come on Commissioner Goodell, get the name right: Mariota. You at least owe it to the first-round players to practice pronouncing their names correctly, especially the current Heisman and second overall pick.
Well, my hopes came true; since last October, when the Titans were sucking it up, I was all aboard the suck-for-duck campaign; just as the Colts sucked 4 luck, we got our man and they got theirs. I was clear in all my past articles to please stay away from the moron Jameis Winston and focus attention on the Heisman signal caller. I love the fact these two quarterbacks will open the season facing each other come Week 1. I also love the fact that Andy Reid supposedly had a voice in convincing Coach Whisenhunt that taking Marcus was the right move, and not to trade away the pick. Reid, the current Chiefs coach and legendary Eagles coach, was pushed out of Philly in 2012 in an ugly breakup. I am sure there is some satisfaction for Reid that his former team (now led by Chip Kelly) and the city of Philadelphia didn’t get the player they practically begged for. I have no love for the fans of Philly, I have been to multiple Eagles games and they top the list of loudmouth fans, but no doubt there is also respect from me for a team whose fans travel so well and show that kind of dedication. But they can suck it. Marcus is a Titan now, not an Eagle.
Some may disagree and think the Titans would have been better off trading the pick for a bundle deal. Rumors had it the Eagles offered a deal similar to what Coach Ditka did in 1999 while coaching the Saints in order to grab Ricky Williams. Ditka gave away his entire draft for the rights to get the former running back. But the Titans coaching staff made it clear to all suitors that Marcus was the future of Tennessee and any deal would have to be even more outlandish than Coach Ditka’s trade, a deal that no other team had the balls to make.
So, who is Marcus Mariota? Who is this 21-year-old kid who Whisenhunt already plans to start on Week 1 of the 2015 season? Here comes the Marcus breakdown:
Mariota was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, he stands 6 feet 4 inches and weighs 222 pounds. He was the Ducks starting quarterback from 2012–14 and became the first Oregon player to win the Heisman. He is of German and Samoan descent, and a Christian. He was a two-sport star in high school, football and track and was relatively unknown in football until his senior season, due to not starting until his senior year. As a senior he led his team to an 11–1 record and a state title. After that season he was the No. 2-ranked prospect out of Hawaii and the No. 12 dual-threat QB in the nation by rivals.com.
Mariota
Marcus was recruited by many big-name schools, but received scholarship offers from only Memphis and Oregon, choosing Oregon. Marcus became the first freshman to start a season opener for the Ducks in 22 seasons in 2012. He led the Ducks to a 12–1 record and a Fiesta Bowl victory over Kansas State. In 2013 Marcus suffered a tear of the MCL, but still continued to play through the season, starting 8–0. He was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a Heisman favorite before falling to Stanford. Despite Oregon’s 11–2 record that year and Top 10 ranking, it was considered a letdown season, though they did defeat Texas in The Alamo Bowl. Prior to that game Marcus announced he would bypass the NFL draft and return for the 2014 season. After a 12–1 season, Marcus winning the Heisman, the Ducks were set to play in the first four-team playoff system, beating Jameis Winston’s Florida State team in the semifinal game. They went on to play in the National Championship Game, in which the Ducks lost to Urban Myer’s Ohio State 42–20. It was a spectacular college career for Marcus, but one that ended with a bitter loss. Over three college seasons, here is Marcus Mariota’s stats. He completed 770 of 1,167 passes—that’s 66.8%. He also threw for 105 TDs and only 14 interceptions. He rushed 337 times for 2,237 yards and 29 rushing TDs. He also caught two receptions, both for touchdowns. Beast mode, son!
Okay, let’s talk about something a little juicier, something a little more controversial. The Titans went heavy on offense this draft, and I am okay with that. I am sure the defense will suffer some for it, but the offense should be explosive. In the second round of the draft the Titans really surprised me, drafting a very talented, very large and very very controversial receiver. Red flags pop up everywhere with this pick. The Titans selected Dorial Green-Beckham, who has been compared to the likes of Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss by many experts. Standing at 6 feet 5 inches and with a strong build, he has all the tools to be a steal for the Titans. So why did he fall to the No. 40 overall pick, when he was rated a first-round talent? He has been arrested twice for marijuana charges and allegedly pushed a woman down a flight of stairs. His talent outweighed his immaturity, I reckon. If Green-Beckham can mature, the Titans basically added two Top 10 picks in the draft, while picking up additional draft picks in the New York Giants second-round swap deal. My blood gets pumping thinking about the offense lined up: Marcus calling the plays, Justin Hunter to one side, Green-Beckham the other, that’s two huge targets and red zone monsters on either side. Then you have the elusive Kendal Wright in the slot and last season’s superstar player Delanie Walker at tight end. Magic! I also love the Titans seventh-round pick receiver Tre McBride (watch out for the 245th player taken). The former College of William & Mary wideout is upset; nfldraftscout.com had him listed as a Top 100 prospect and the 15th-best wideout in the class. Dane Bruglar called McBride a “Pierre Garcon-like player” with tape that would definitely land him in the Top 100. He changed his Twitter name to Pick 245. Maybe it was his no-name college that hurt his stock, but he was a steal. This player will be at the top of my watch list during training camp, along with Cobb at running back.
Of course we have to hope a running back can produce. I like the fifth-round pick of running back David Cobb, and we need competition at the position. Seven out of nine picks for the offense. Sorry, Dick LaBeau, you get no pudding until you eat your meat!
In the second round of the NFL draft the Titans selected Missouri’s Dorial Green-Beckham.
But Train, you promised controversy? Well I have to break down the details involving the Titans new receiver Green-Beckham. He allegedly forced his way into his girlfriend’s apartment, pushing the door so hard the doorknob smashed through the drywall. Inside, he allegedly pushed his girlfriend’s roommate down a flight of stairs after she got in his way. But later that night after police showed up the females stated they didn’t want to press charges. Later a police report showed Green-Beckham’s girlfriend had sent 16 text messages to her roommate pleading with her to promise not to press charges. One message read “I’m not standing up for him but football really is all he has going for him and pressing charges would just ruin it for him completely.” Then there was “If you don’t want to press charges just say we all had a lot to drink and what not, everything is fine.” Police also were investigating domestic abuse after one of Beckham’s girlfriend’s texts stated she had been dragged from her apartment by the neck, and police eventually deemed her “extremely uncooperative.” But that’s not all; he was also arrested with two other men when police pulled them over and discovered a pound of marijuana in the vehicle. Just like in the first case where someone covered for him, one of the men took responsibility, claiming it was his. After that incident he was charged with second-degree trespassing after he and two other teammates were caught smoking in a campus parking lot. At the NFL scouting combine he stated, “All the decisions I made I wish I could take it back, it happened I was young, I made mistakes and I understand that.”
To close, just a quick thought and opinion: I am sick and tired of turning on CNN, FOX and MSNBC and seeing all of these protests across the country, sick of the violence and the constant rhetoric of bashing law enforcement officers. There are bad apples everywhere. Every color, every nation has bad apples, people who are simply evil human beings. You don’t condemn the entire system because of a few bad apples, you have civil discussion and fix it. I pray for the day we live in a country where everybody feels they are equal and we won’t have to see this garbage on mainstream news every day. Train’s out the station. Choo choo!
