**** What we learned - Illinois edition ****

[carlfense]

 

 

 

I think it's important to make the distinction between LIKING TMart as a teammate (which of course the vast majority did) and wanting what is best for both him (shutting it down) and the team (throwing TA into the fire)... just as Jsneb said.

Very well said.

 

There seems to be this rush to revise history as it pertains to Martinez. He was really disliked by some fans, and now that he's gone and can no longer build on his legacy, there's an effort to tear it down.

 

I just don't get it. That kid gave his blood, sweat and tears for this program. It shouldn't matter if he was crap in front of a camera, he gave everything he had, including his health, for this program. He was a model citizen off the field, he's been a productive member of society since leaving school... and still people would rather speak ill of him rather than leave him alone.

 

 

I have been surprised with myself this season when I think about how different we are without Taylor. I have found myself wondering what things would have been like with a more consistent leader this last four years, and I hate to say it but I wonder if we would have been better off with someone else. Again... I haven't really felt like that before, and it surprised me to think that way. I certainly appreciate what he gave to this team, and his desire and heart, but I have been extremely relieved to see the offense not be so Jekyll and Hyde with Armstrong. It was either massive plays, 60+ yard TDs or turnovers, penalties and massive meltdowns.

 

At the time I didn't feel that Tmart was bad for the team, but seeing how the team is now.... I am left wondering if Bo almost lost his job because he hitched his wagon to a player that was just not cut out to lead a team. If the team keeps improving as they have so far, I think that will be the thing that many people look back on and wonder. Is it revisionist history? I don't know about that, but if we continue to see a dramatic change which carries on through the rest of Armstrong's career it will be hard not to argue that it was Martinez that played a big role in the 4 losses each year during his four years here.

 

I suck at explaining my thoughts in text, but I imagine people see it like new QB, new team, Bo doesn't suck, TM must have sucked. I know a lot of other things have changed as well, special teams are much better, etc but the QB change is one of the easier things to identify and therefore gets more blame for the team being bad and more credit for the team being good. Our offense is consistently better so far this season, and the attitude of the team has changed as well.

 

If the team had lost a game already, and had the same symptoms(meltdowns) as previous years on display already you would not be seeing people talk about Martinez. They would be talking about Bo. I predict if we lose 4 games again this season you will see far less complaining revisionist history on Taylor and instead complaints about needing new coaches. If we lose 0-1-2 games and play/win in the CCG you will see more complaining about Taylor and what would have been if Bo never hitched his wagon to him. I know I'm rambling and repeating myself so I'll stop now, hope I've made sense.

 

This makes plenty of sense. Others have basically been trying to say the same thing, and some interpret it as hating Taylor as a person and that's bullsh#t. I used to think Taylor was a good qb with great upside, but the performance on the field was just so erratic. As ugly as it was at times, it was just refreshing to see a qb playing qb, with a natural feel for the position, both mentally and physically.

 

Knapp's also spot on with a statement he made somewhere else, that Taylor's injury 4 years ago was such a derailment in his development that we'll never know how good he couldve been. But it is what it is. All we have is what actually did happen. I'm of the opinion that Tommy right here and now is a better quarterback and better fit for this offense than Taylor Martinez ever was.

 

I agree with this.

[carlfense]

double.

[Guy Chamberlin]

I find it interesting how often we choose to dissect the offense and engage in "what ifs" on a team where the defense has been the model of inconsistency, and the reason Taylor Martinez had to be a hero with virtually no margin of error.

 

Truth is, we wouldn't still talk about Tommie Frazier if he had to play with the Nebraska defense 2010 - 2013.

 

I also agree with Count Bility and Carlfense above.

 

We can move on without carving up the past.