QB Collins much better person now

QB Collins much better person now


By Darin Gantt The Herald
(Published September 29‚ 2004)


CHARLOTTE -- Kerry Collins has come back here before.
That time, he was shrouded in disgrace, hustled out of the stadium and later that night escorted by police straight to rock bottom.

This time, he'll be back as good a quarterback as before and by far a better person.

That makes this one worth watching, perhaps even cheering for if you're the compassionate type.

When Rich Gannon suffered a broken vertebrae in his neck Sunday, it handed the reins of the Oakland offense to Collins, whose skills as a passer are perfectly suited to the Raiders' style. Since Gannon will miss at least six weeks, Collins will still be starting when the silver and black come to Bank of America Stadium on Nov. 7.

As homecomings go, it may not be all damp-eyed and nostalgic.

Collins was the Panthers' original quarterback, but as he burst into a self-inflicted pyre of personal problems, he took the team down with him.

After leading them to the 1997 NFC Championship game, he declared the beginning of a dynasty. It was far too short-lived to approach Rome, but Collins did his best Nero, fiddling away his talents as the Panthers and his career went up in smoke.

For that and other sins -- including drunken remarks many read as racially insensitive -- many here will never forgive him.

It's understandable, since he also did the one thing most consider unpardonable in a locker room -- he quit.

He walked out four games into the 1998 season, telling coach Dom Capers his "heart wasn't in" continuing beyond the 0-4 start.

If he was drinking and misunderstood, they could let some things pass. But to players, the walkout made him a pariah, an exile.

Then came New Orleans, then came rehab -- as it so often happens. He even came back to Charlotte as a Saint, but they didn't let him play or let him talk. It was probably just as well. He was arrested for driving while impaired later that night. The image of him leaving the jailhouse, cigar firmly planted in that smug, unapologetic grin, was as indelible as anything he did on the field.

Then came redemption. That's where Collins' story gets good.

He gave up booze, found God, a wife and confidence in that big right arm again.

His stay in New Orleans was short, and he went on to help the New York Giants to a Super Bowl. There he stood tall and talked about his past with the Panthers, grateful for the chance to reinvent himself.

Things fell apart again on the field, but this time, Collins didn't take years to get back up. Knowing the Giants were making a play for Eli Manning, he refused to take a pay cut, to go gladly into a backup role.

This time he wouldn't quit, so the Giants fired him. The Raiders, as they've done so many times, claimed him off the scrap heap. Gannon opened the season as the starter, but at his age, with his health, it was inevitable Collins would get another chance.

To see him making the most of it was enough to make you smile.

Collins was always talented, but to see that talent harnessed, to see him letting the game unfold rather than ripping it open, was impressive.

To have learned patience, to have learned humility, to have learned, period, are the marks of a man.

Collins has them now, and it's good to see him be able to enjoy his gifts.

No one squandered them the way he did, but being able to fix that must count for something.

Since he's now the opposite of the guy who left here six years ago, showing up on the opposite sideline shouldn't be a problem. He might have left here in shame, but he can walk back with his head up.

In November, some will boo him for the man he was, and he did enough wrong to deserve that.

If you're into comebacks, born out of human frailty and played out on a stage few could understand, then Collins probably doesn't deserve jeers.

The locals can't cheer too loudly, since he'll be back with the visitors.

But it'll be hard to give him too hard of a time. He's already done that to himself, and come through it still on his feet.

That's got to be worth something.

 

6 years already. damn time flies. 6 years of some shitty football except last year of course. Im going to that game , and while I wont cheer him at intros, I wont boo him based on his past.there will be plenty of booing during the game though. Lots of other f-ups in the NFL would have given up.Good for him.

 

I'm glad for him that he has gotten his life together and out of the gutter, but it can never be forgotten in the Carolinas that he walked out on the Panthers - in the middle of a season - and then went on to sign on with another team after saying his heart wasn't in playing football. His heart, at that time, wasn't in leading the team through a tough time (with his racial comments and some tough losses).

 

Imagine where Ryan Leaf would be today if he had gotten his shit together in this manner.

Thier careers were somewhat similar, but Collins heard the perverbial POP that was his head removing itself from his ass. Collins was the reason I chose to become a Panther fan, so I am happy for him!

 

What ever happened to Leaf?

 

Thats not exactly what went down if I recall correctly. Some choose to lay the full brunt of his situation surrounding his departure on Collins, but I will always remember feeling that it was a knee jerk reaction by a coach/GM that had no business making that decision on his own.

No doubt the boy had issues, but I remember his leaving a bit differant.

 

Either he or John Rocker are stock brokers. Can't remember

 

Capers should have just benched him and not told anyone what Collins said about his heart not being in the game. Collins was still a worthless drunk when he was here and that IS his fault.

 

I agree. For some reason I remember Collins stating that if he was the reason that the team wasnt winning that Capers shoudl bench him, not that his heart wasnt into it. From that Capers took that Collins was a quiter and released him. Either way, even if Collins did tell the coach his heart wasnt in it Capers still had a knee jerk reaction. I enjoyed Capers as a coach, but when he became GM the wheels fell off, but I think we have beaten this dead horse a lot already.

 

Just to give that horse one more kick like Jim Carrey and the cow, I think Collins really said his heart was not in it and maybe worse. I think Capers knew Collins was a drunk. The only problem I have with Capers on this issue is that he should have kept it quiet and just said he wanted to bench Collins to try and spark the team. That way Collins might have still had some trade value.