A Redskins Fan's perspective on Trent Green- posted by PbfromDC7/8/99
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Gus, looked like a total wimp. Norv Turner was trying to teach him how to rely on his saftey valve players when under pressure. Gus, didn't seem to get it, and Norv was getting a little pissed. Meanwhile, beyond the group of players and personnel just standing around staring, there was the third team. It was really difficult to see what they were doing and they were going in the opposite direction of the first team. But every once in a while my eye would glance over and see this absolutely perfect spiral launch into the air.
It was really amazing.
I said who the "F**k" is that? Thinking the Skins had some hot QB in camp. A fan turned to me non-chalantly and said "Trent Green".
Of course I had heard the name before - "Trent Green the clipboard king," but I had never seen him throw. I immediately made my way over to where the third team was, ignoring all the "Superstars" on the Redskins team.
Pass, after pass, after pass - all of them perfect.
I said "Wow." I remember stopping on the way home to call my brother who lives in NY and is a Redskins fan to tell him about this Trent Green. I told him then and there before the season started that he was the best QB the Redskins had PERIOD.
Fortunately, he got us tickets to the first game of the season against the New York Giants. Well, in the game Frerrotte threw 2 consecutive INTs on some weak lame looking passes and Norv yanked him for Green. Yabba Dabba Doo as they used to say in some ancient civilizations. All the Giants fans around us were just foaming at the mouth, and my poor brother blue in the face from fear.
I may have been one of the only people in the entire stadium who know what was about to unfold. Although we did not win the game, Trent Green rallied the troops and made it into a game. It was unbelievable. The Giants with Strahan, Armistead, Bratzkhe and the rest of them were in the Redskins backfield more that you could imagine, but Green was unflappable, and we lost a close game in what looked like a blow out.
With every Green completion I sat there telling the Giants fans around me and my poor brother (who expected some Rookie meat grind thing)that Trent Green was a great QB. I remember on one sack the Giants pounded green into the turf head first. It was a beating worthy only of a neanderthal or ape of some kind, but Green stood right back up, fixed his helmet and called the next play.
That is the Trent Green we saw throughout the season. Tough, gritty, determined, disciplined, poised, inspirational. He was trained by the man who I still believe is one of the best QB coaches in the game Norvcus and he has his old QB coach from DC Martz in St. Louis with him so he should feel comfortable. I would like to compare Green to General Patton, but he is much more laid back, smiley, and sensitive than Patton. But he is also an "old blood and guts" in his own right.
He throws a great spiral, but his only downfall is that the passes hang in the air too long. That can make him vulnerable to zones and some super quick DB's. But he is great at timing patterns, against man for man and with very tall athletic recievers.
Trent Green is an excellent and durable QB from a lesser known school. He has known nothing but struggle and low expectation throughout his entire career. He is not endowed with all the physical tools of say a Cunningham, Marino, or Elway, but he has an excellent 6th football sense that really propels him into that category of QB. Its was a spiritual thing for me to watch because Green would make plays when others would fail. Bodies flying all around him, blood squirting at his feet 3rd and and 13, you can count on Trent Green to sit back there and wait till his man got open, and let it fly.
As you know the Redskins gave up a league record 61 sacks last season. Most of them were to Green. The fact that he could walk is a minor miracle. If you could cut that number in half to say one or two sacks per game, then I think you have a better QB or one just as good as Chandler, Young, or anyone else in your division.
I think you will agree, Trent Green does not lose games. The Redskins also had one of the worst defenses in the league last year. I think every victory we somehow got was largely due to the leadership and determination of Trent Green. It would have been so easy to give up at any time last year, but he refused.
I wish you guys luck, I hope you can enjoy your new QB and will let me enjoy him once in a while too!