Sperm Edwards Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/24/sports/football/24jets.html 2 Quarterbacks May Be Friends, but Never on a Sunday By KAREN CROUSE Published: September 24, 2005 HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Sept. 23 - Two quarterbacks, one from Washington's inner city and the other a country boy from Tennessee, are bonded by football and connected by the telephone. Byron Leftwich and Chad Pennington talk every week, two college buddies carving out time in their hectic lives to stay close. It's one of the fringe benefits of sports. Competitors, who on the surface have little in common except for their seemingly colliding desires to be the best, forging lasting friendships. Leftwich backed up Pennington at Marshall University, then followed him to the N.F.L. On Sunday, the two friends will oppose each other for the second time as professionals when Leftwich and the Jaguars travel to the Meadowlands to play Pennington and the Jets. Watching from Pennington's box will be Bob Pruett, who coached both players at Marshall. Pruett, who retired earlier this year, said in a telephone interview that he planned to wear Marshall green and cheer for the best possible outcome. And what would that be? "For both quarterbacks to have great games," he said, laughing. Marshall is one of four colleges to have produced two quarterbacks who are now starting in the N.F.L. The others are Fresno State (David Carr of Houston and Trent Dilfer of Cleveland), Michigan (Tom Brady of New England and Brian Griese of Tampa Bay) and Purdue (Kyle Orton of Chicago and Drew Brees of San Diego). "It's definitely awkward when you're playing against a former teammate," Pennington said. "Normally you're trying to help your teammate win, and now you're trying to beat him." Leftwich, in a conference call with New York reporters, said: "Chad's not going to bat any of my passes down. He doesn't play defense. But it's still going to be fun to go out there and have a chance to play against someone I'm real close with." Pennington was a junior at Marshall when Leftwich arrived at the Huntington, W.Va., campus. The day they met, Pennington treated Leftwich to lunch at a McDonald's drive-through. Asked what he most admires about Pennington, Leftwich said: "I think his work ethic and the way he prepares for a game. He's a guy that taught me how to prepare, how to get ready and the things you have to do to make sure you're ready to play on game day." They are both as tough as the frozen tundra. Pennington, 29, played last season with a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. Leftwich, 25, played last season with a sprained knee and insisted that he was good to go against the Jets despite sustaining a groin muscle injury last Sunday in the Jaguars' 10-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. "I'm O.K. man," Leftwich said Wednesday. "All I need is about 48 hours after the game." Leftwich's toughness is the stuff of lore. During his senior year of college, he played a game against Akron with a hairline fracture in his left shin. Pennington has been Leftwich's biggest supporter since Leftwich, standing flat-footed, threw a 50-yard pass through the uprights on his first day of college practice. "He's got a phenomenal arm, probably one of the best in the league," Pennington said. His admiration for Leftwich extends well beyond the football field. "I admire the most how far he's come from growing up until now," Pennington said. "How much he's matured. He's always been a guy that's had a vision and a focus and he's stuck with that. He's done a great job." For all their outward differences, Leftwich and Pennington were alike in the ways that really matter, Pruett said. "They're both giving, loving, competitive, tough," he said. "Those two are special." EXTRA POINTS Receiver Laveranues Coles will appear with his mother Sirretta Williams on Oprah Winfrey's talk show next month to talk about being molested as a youngster by his stepfather. He first revealed the abuse in an article in The New York Times last Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatsFanTX Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 Byron Leftwich and Chad Pennington talk every week, two college buddies carving out time in their hectic lives to stay close. After the Jags kick some butt today, will PennyBoy be laughing it up with Leftwich after the game like he did with Rothlesberger last year? For $64 million, you'd think he'd take his job a little more seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 After the Jags kick some butt today, will PennyBoy be laughing it up with Leftwich after the game like he did with Rothlesberger last year? For $64 million, you'd think he'd take his job a little more seriously. You are not even concerned with being "close to factual" anymore are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatsFanTX Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 You are not even concerned with being "close to factual" anymore are you? Exactly where am I NOT being factual? Those were not friggn' tears PennyBoy was shedding after his playoff humiliation last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 Exactly where am I NOT being factual? Those were not friggn' tears PennyBoy was shedding after his playoff humiliation last year. And if he cried on the field after the game, you'd make fun of him for doing that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatsFanTX Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 And if he cried on the field after the game, you'd make fun of him for doing that too. You are probably right barton. :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Jet Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 will PennyBoy be laughing it up with Leftwich after the game like he did with Rothlesberger last year? For $64 million, you'd think he'd take his job a little more seriously. It's called sportsmanship TX. :wink: BTW, how come Brady only shakes hands when he wins??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatsFanTX Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 It's called sportsmanship TX. :wink: BTW, how come Brady only shakes hands when he wins??? Winning is all that matters in the NFL. If you want "sportsmanship" maybe PennyBoy can join the gymnastics team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFSIKH Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 You are not even concerned with being "close to factual" anymore are you? Max - Your the one not being factual. We showed pics of Penny and Ben having a big ol' love fest last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Jet Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 [quote name='"PatsFanTX Winning is all that matters in the NFL. If you want "sportsmanship" maybe PennyBoy can join the gymnastics team.[/quote'] So Penny should only shake hands when he wins. Got it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatsFanTX Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 So Penny should only shake hands when he wins. Got it. Yes, as infrequent as that may be. :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.