tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20503056.post7062963177466723840..comments2023-10-16T11:27:03.599-04:00Comments on Ralph's Place: 49ers, Montana, WalshRalphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16618874766251321861noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20503056.post-7625314779323509012007-10-03T14:06:00.000-04:002007-10-03T14:06:00.000-04:00You've got a point, Montana was a great quarerback...You've got a point, Montana was a great quarerback at ND, even before he was introduced to the West Coast offense, so he might have been a better-than-alright NFL QB even without Walsh. But then again, even with his college reputation, NFL scouts were obviously not impressed, as he went with the last pick of the third-round. <BR/><BR/>Walsh was a very studious, brainiac type, and while I don't think anyone would confuse Montana with a Rhodes Scholar, he sure knew how to handle himself under the pressure of a football game. It really was a perfect marriage.<BR/><BR/>Incidentally, Johnny Unitas, who many people consider a very smart QB, could not pass the entrance exam to get into Pitt. So, there's obviously a difference between football smarts and book smarts.Ralphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16618874766251321861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20503056.post-14095465813803858962007-10-03T13:02:00.000-04:002007-10-03T13:02:00.000-04:00My mentor from Butler Community College used to sa...My mentor from Butler Community College used to say that Shakespeare was the "right guy at the right place at the right time..."<BR/><BR/>It goes to show you how important luck is in becoming famous.<BR/><BR/>If Shakespeare had been born into a time other than the Renaissance, when art and drama and history were important to the queen and to the people, he would have been just another (gifted) artist trying to eek out a living.<BR/><BR/>I think the big asset of Montana, however, was his brain. He knew what needed to happen at any point in the game and then he took the simplest path to that point.<BR/><BR/>If they needed three yards, he threw for four. If they needed ten, he threw for eleven. He would always take what the defense gave him. He seldom (never?) forced the issue.<BR/><BR/>Compare this to Vinny Testaverde, who is a giant man who can toss the football out of a stadium. Vinny's Achilles Heel was his head. If you could shake him up, you could beat him. And instead of playing smart and taking what the defense gave to him, Vinny would often try to take over a game just through the strength of his arm.<BR/><BR/>Vinny used to try to muscle passes past the defense, and he would get picked time and time again. I used to love Vinny when he played with Cleveland, because you knew, at some point, he would get shaken and blow the game. Darren Perry was one of his favorite receivers...hahahahaha.<BR/><BR/>As for Joe Montana, he never got shaken.<BR/><BR/>DDDDDDDDDDr. Downinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16057337879095636133noreply@blogger.com