If you've followed this blog you know that my Grandfather was one of the original owners of the San Francisco 49-ers. He put up $5,000 in the 50's for a 5% share of the franchise. My Grandmother eventually sold to Eddie DeBartolo Jr., but I grew up in some sweet seats eating chocolate malts and, for the most part, witnessed a dynasty get to five Super Bowl titles in the 80's and 90's (the 70's were sketchy). No shock, I was a huge Joe Montana fan. I remember when Steve DeBerg was flopping around as the starter. I demanded change. I'd yell at the top of my little lungs, "PUT IN MONTANA!" I was 12.When Montana was at the back side of the bell curve of his career, like most 49-er fans, I hated the way he was moved aside for the antsy-to-start Steve Young. I deemed it disrespectful. Not only was Joe a god (he won four Super Bowls), I didn't like the way Young played the game. He looked skittish in the pocket. He was a scrambling quarterback who, on occasion, would pass. Young was the complete opposite of Joe, who was both cool in the pocket and under pressure. But, as Tiger Woods will find out in a few months, winning does wonders for fickle-fan situations (see Kobe and A-Rod). Young won a Super Bowl in 1994, the year I was a junior at St. Mary's College in Calif. I was still going to all of the home games and, oddly enough, the year he won, I came to the realization that he's not so bad after all.
Now that Young has become an ESPN analyst, I like him even more. He's sharp and articulate, he's a great balance to some of the other former-athlete analysts who wear bad suits and even uglier ties--the ones who never say much but they yell a lot. I appreciate Young's insight into the QB position and the strategy of the game. I've become a big fan.
So (after repeated attempts to track down Joe Montana, remember the Super Bowl count is still four to one), I tracked down Steve Young for my most recent Q&A. Young was sharp and articulate, I appreciated his insight on golf, travel, Pebble Beach and his relationship with Joe Montana.
Here's a clip of our conversation:
--Matty G.
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