SFist: American Football Spectacular: Remembering Steve Young Fondly

DJTennessee

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:38:38 -0800

An otherwise forgettable regular season game in '97 where they somehow fell down 21-0 against the Bengals, then finalized their comeback on a 20-yard qb limp -- not a qb scramble, literally a 20-yard limp -- during which somehow, no one could successfully tackle him despite that he was unable to move at standard human walking pace.

munchkin

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:26:29 -0800

Definitely the time he caught his own touchdown pass. Not many QBs have receptions in their stats.

HHumbert

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:05:56 -0800

@A Native Son -- Amen. I stopped watching TV altogether when the W/L ratio of the Niners started dropping under .500. Gave away the TVs. It's not that I'm a fair-weather fan (and maybe I am), but if I wasn't getting enjoyment watching the Niners play, and that was the best thing on TV, then there's nothing else to live for.

Angrybat

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:09:42 -0800

@ A Native Son - Great post. Thanks.

zig

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:26:21 -0800

Grown men cried on sports talk when when Joe Montana was jettisoned I have friends who neer warmed to Steve Young but he was a great QB Such a shitshow now. Sad

A_Native_Son

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:34:30 -0800

I remember both of those plays mentioned in the post above. The first play is probably the perfect embodiment of how Steve Young played the game. Wild, unpredictable, impossible to block for, impossible to tackle, unbelievablly athletic. That second play, as amazing as it was (didn't Steve stumble and then miraculously recover in his drop back?) is actually more associated with Owens, in my mind. That day, TO couldn't catch a ball. All day long, they would just slip right off his hands. But there, on that do-or-die play, in between 2 or 3 defending Packers, TO let that ball slide into his hands like a doctor on the business side of childbirth. He hugged that sucker, took his hits, fell to the ground, wept, and would not let that ball go. Unfortunately, if my memory serves, our elation was put in check the following week. Argh. In San Francisco, Joe Montana is a God. Anyone who was here in the 80's can attest to his significance in SF's identity and ego in those days. He was the best quarterback in the history of the game and he was ours! That's kinda what happens when you bring home 4 Lombardi Trophies. No one will ever touch Montana. But Steve Young, he was always my quarterback. He stood over center through my middle school, high school, and early college years; he was the one I grew up with. Favre? Aikman? Elway? Eh, they were ok. They were no Steve Young. I mean, how the hell do you follow Joe? With class and grace and humility. That's how Steve did it. Oh, and you bring home another one of those silver footballs. Steve, Joe may have been a God, but you were the Man. No one envied you when you came on. Everyone doubted you. But before we began cutting ourselves for letting Joe go to KC, you stepped up. You stepped up into the biggest shoes anyone has ever had to fill. And man, did you make those shoes run! Congrats. And thanks.

scopa

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:19:37 -0800

I seem to remember a play where he caught his own pass and ran in for a TD. That was pretty cool.

manys

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:29:10 -0800

Was he really that great of a QB?

travin

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:33:31 -0800

Now if only Steve would finally come out of the closet, everyone could properly and openly honor his contributions.

nomnomn

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:30:30 -0800

Just a guess, but it could be because Rice just retired in 2005 / 2006...