Can Beck turn stumbling block to steppingstone?

[DolFan619]

http://www.miamiherald.com/1260/story/548655.html

Can Beck turn stumbling block to steppingstone?

BY ARMANDO SALGUERO
Miami Herald

Last year wants to hover over John Beck like an angry cloud, ready to rain on the rest of his career anytime he fumbles or throws an interception or trips over a lineman's foot, because that is mostly what happened during a forgettable, regrettable 2007.

Last year is a recurring nightmare.

And the worry with Beck, as with any quarterback that goes through tough times as a rookie, is that he won't be able to wake up. The concern is that he is permanently stained and won't be able to move on from that difficult first year.

A tough rookie year is not insurmountable for any player, but quarterbacks seem particularly prone to suffer from its aftereffects. Some become jittery in the pocket, or uncertain about their throws, or worried that everything that went wrong as a rookie would never stop going wrong.

Houston's David Carr, San Diego's Ryan Leaf, Washington's Heath Shuler and Cincinnati's Akili Smith all found their careers on life support after difficult first seasons. They were the most prominent quarterbacks who played as rookies and continued to stumble as veterans.

And that stumbling caused some NFL people to conclude the problem was not so much in the players, but in the way the players were managed. The problem, some NFL minds believe, is the players were rushed into action rather than seasoned on the bench.

That's the reason former Dolphins coach Cam Cameron originally planned to marinate Beck throughout his rookie year before actually putting him on that grill that is live NFL action. Cameron was witness to the Shuler fiasco in Washington and didn't want a repeat in Miami.

THROWN TO THE WOLVES

But plans changed when Trent Green went down, and the team Cameron initially believed a playoff contender reeked. A raw Beck was thrust into games to get some experience, to see what he had, to survive if he could.

''For me,'' Beck says, ``I just look at last year as an opportunity to get some playing time and [find] things to learn from.''

Beck quickly learned he was on a team plagued by terrible times -- and he wasn't immune to the plague.

He completed 60 of 107 passes for a 56.1 completion percentage, but his 5.22 yards per completion was bad, even by losing team standards.

He led the team with seven fumbles. He sustained 10 sacks in four starts. He threw three interceptions and only one touchdown pass. The rigors and worries of the season caused him to lose almost 15 pounds.

And, oh yes, he was benched during a game at Buffalo -- after playing only a couple of terrible series.

So the issue that lingers is whether Beck suffered those tough times and will learn from them, or suffered those tough times and was ruined by them.

Beck believes the former, and all Dolphins fans hope he's right.

''A year makes a big difference, just the way your eyes see the game,'' he said. ``Being in the situations I was in, we had some ups and downs last year and I got to learn a lot from both sides of it. Those downs some people might say were hard, but I learned a lot from them. A lot of those things I learned last year are paying off and helping me right now.''

LEARNING FROM MISTAKES

Beck would be wise to use that experience. He should remember what went wrong and correct it.

But he should never let himself relive it, or worse, be defined it. He should recall the lessons, yes, but he would be well served to forget the troubles.

That is exactly what Beck seems to be attempting. Although the media will draw comparisons between the Beck of 2007 and 2008, although fans will measure one against the other to see if there is improvement, Miami's quarterback is simply trying to wash his hands of 2007's dirt and stink.

''It was a rough year,'' he said. ``But my mind is not thinking about what happened last year. I don't even think about that stuff. All I think about on a day-to-day basis is the things I can work on right now. When practice ends, I go home tonight and I work on things at my house. That way I can be better the next time I step on the field.''

Beck is fortunate the Dolphins have new coaches -- even if they aren't the coaches who drafted him. They saw the quarterback's struggles on tape, but it didn't sting them as a personal failure like it would have stung Cameron.

Coach Tony Sparano and his staff are working with a pristine slate and they can offer the same advantage to Beck.

''We all know that somewhere along the line we hope his best football is ahead of him,'' Sparano said. ``I think that's important. For now, as I've told all [the players], I'm looking at this thing as a blank piece of paper. In my mind, what we see right now and what we do on the practice field, as we get ready to go, is really how we'll make our evaluations.''

So it is a fresh start, a new morning for John Beck. That means it is time for him to wake up from his rookie nightmare.

[simeon]

I hope Beck can prove me wrong, I hope he can become an effective leader.
But I still think he will be number 2 this year.

[Defense54]

As far as I'm concerned This is John Becks first year. Last year doesn't count. Hell look at the situation Marino got put in in his first season. He stepped into a very good Team with a great O line that allowed him to excel. Beck fell into one of the worse situations any QB could imagine let alone a Green assed Rookie. On the road in those conditions with that Sad excuse for a line? As much as I have distaste for Cameron and his passing of Quinn, I'm giving John Beck at least the end of Training Camp to show me what he's got.

[Dave Gray]

I'm not as optimistic, Defense.  This isn't his first year.  In his first year, he was lost, scared, and made his own folly reel.  I am not giving up on Beck, but part of me thinks that only so much of this is learning -- that you either have it or you don't, and you usually can tell pretty quickly.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

And the worry with Beck, as with any quarterback that goes through tough times as a rookie, is that he won't be able to wake up. The concern is that he is permanently stained and won't be able to move on from that difficult first year.

Peyton still has yet to overcome a rocky 3-13 start.  WTF is this guy talking about? 

[Sunstroke]

Peyton still has overcome a rocky 3-13 start.  WTF is this guy talking about? 

Better question..>WTF are YOU talking about? Comparing Beck to Manning is as ridiculous as comparing Bill Belichick to Cam Cameron. Technically, both had rough rookie coaching seasons.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Better question..>WTF are YOU talking about? Comparing Beck to Manning is as ridiculous as comparing Bill Belichick to Cam Cameron. Technically, both had rough rookie coaching seasons.

And both worked for moron owners too.  Who knows maybe Cam will spend a few more years as a coordinator, get another HC job and turn out pretty good.   

I am not saying Beck is going to be the next Manning, but QBs often have a rough start and then improve. 

[Defense54]

I'm not as optimistic, Defense.  This isn't his first year.  In his first year, he was lost, scared, and made his own folly reel.  I am not giving up on Beck, but part of me thinks that only so much of this is learning -- that you either have it or you don't, and you usually can tell pretty quickly.

Good Points......But I really feel he got thrown into an unwinnable situation and I just want to see him get a fair shot is all.

[Dave Gray]

^^ I agree.  I want to see him get a fair shot, but I think that he's probably regressed last year.  What others may call experience, I see as him starting even further back.  He has to unlearn that stuff just to get back to zero.

[StL FinFan]

Now we will see how mentally tough he is.  If he can work through all this adversity, then he has truly earned the job.

[Brian Fein]

How many games did Beck start last year?  2?  3?  right.

In his one relief appearance in Buffalo, when Cleo got hurt, Beck looked awesome!

You people who are ready to give up on the guy based on 3 games should be ashamed.

[MaineDolFan]

I'm so ashamed!

John Beck is the reason that we invaded Iraq.

[StL FinFan]

John Beck should be fired!

[Sunstroke]

I had a hard time thinking of John Beck as a rookie last year when he was 26...now people want me to consider him a rookie at 27?

Until he shows me he can play QB at the NFL level, I'm not going to call him a rookie or a veteran...I'm going to call him a mistake.

[simeon]

MaineDolFan
I'm so ashamed!
John Beck is the reason that we invaded Iraq.




If I recall it was right after Beck was signed that gas prices started to soar and the economy started to tank.