The Young Ones

Here's a thought: do you think there are more blogs being updated today with comments on Vince Young's incredible night leading Texas to victory over USC than are not? Against the odds (well, a 7 point line), Quarterback Young ran all over the field, scored three touchdowns, including the last minute winner in the 41-38 victory and was a Monster of a man throughout. I speak as a rare breed of Brit, who has always enjoyed the NFL and had been brought up to believe that the key to winning or losing a game was with the QB (Montana, Marino, Elway, Cunningham, Steve Young, Favre and now Brady and Manning) and, furthermore, had never paid any attention to College Football. I viewed it as asking me to take an interest in the fortunes of Oxford or Cambridge University's sports teams (no thanks). But I'm quite happily prepared to admit that watching the College games this year has been equally, if not more, exciting as the NFL. Going back to my QB comment, the status quo was meant to have been disturbed this season with the emergence of USC's Running Back Reggie Bush. His highlights reel is easily the greatest ever by a young athlete in this game and he walked away with the Heisman Trophy, given to the best player of the season. And last night was supposedly his chance to show the world (yeah, I know, America) of his undoubted ability. But this is sport and though his 177 rushing yards would normally be considered excellent - and his breathtaking touchdown complete with outrageous somersault into the end zone wasn't just a sign that he's good enough to play in a Superbowl, this was Superman himself - he couldn't compete with Young. Oh, and if someone can explain to me why Bush wasn't on the field when USC had 4 and 2, with a completion pretty much making sure of victory, I would be grateful.

As for Young, I'm in awe over how he's rushed for well over a 1000 yards all season long and his casual manner of celebrating the last minute touchdown was sheer class (such a shame he was manhandled by the mascot!). And let's not forget his opposing QB, Matt Leinart of USC. He had an amazing game too and the NFL will only benefit from these three talents later this year. Speaking of forgetting, ABC's pitch side reporter called Leinart 'Vince' at the end of her post match interview with him, as if things weren't bad enough. In her eyes at least, he, and maybe all of us who witnessed possibly the best American Football game in 20 years, were Forever Young.