Last week, we mocked the ESPN idiots that claimed that Reggie Bush was Jesus in cleats after his 44 yard run against the Titans in his first pre-season game. One week later, on Monday Night Football, Bush runs for seven yards on four carries, 14 yards on two receptions.
And Jesus wept.
Fast defenses that know what they are doing (like the Cowboys) will contain and conquer Reggie Bush throughout his career. It's just a simple, harsh reality of life in the NFL. Any offensive player, no matter how great he is, can and will wrangled in by a good defense. The greatest RB of all time, in my opinion, was Barry Sanders. If there ever was a Michael Jordan of the NFL, Sanders was the guy. No matter the defense, no matter how bad his o-line performed, Sanders could still do amazing things on the football field.
And Reggie Bush is no Barry Sanders.
The problem for the marketing jackals was Sanders played on a bad team. Bush also plays for a bad team, but that hasn't stopped networks like ESPN from anointed this guy to a position he clearly has not earned.
Just like Michael Vick (who still cannot throw a football accurately from the pocket), Reggie Bush will be controlled by opposing defenses on the football field. When this happens, networks and marketing firms will openly wonder if this guy was all hype. You will actually see it on one of the NFL shows on ESPN. I guarantee it.
You'll see Trey Wingo "debate" with Tom Jackson on the question "Is Reggie Bush all hype?"
These institutions build people like Vick and Bush up only to tear them down when they falter.
Bush has the potential to be a very good, if not a great running back. But, in order to win games, it takes a complete team effort in football (unlike basketball, where rules and bad officiating allow individual players to dominate the sport). No one player can dominate the NFL.
Ask Peyton Manning.
No player in modern NFL history has so totally dominated as Manning has. Yet, despite all his brilliance, how many rings does he have?
Exactly. Teams win, not individuals.
This whole team concept runs contrary to what networks like to market. This is why moron pundits will actually blame Manning for the Colts lack of rings, rather than analyze the harsh reality that it takes a complete team to win, not just one great player. It's the team concept that has allowed the NFL to dominate modern sports.
So, for at least one more week, we don't have to hear how "great" Reggie Bush is. This is a good thing. When Reggie Bush earns his hype, I'll respect him. Until then, he's just another rookie trying to prove something.