Rob Johnson Interview With Rich Gaenzler

[EasternOHBillsFan]

"if that cancer midget wasn't on the team"? the one that led the bills to the playoffs? :bag:

 

The one that never won a playoff game and rode our defense collecting wins?

 

55.2% completion rate, 19 TDs, 16 INTs.

 

Sounds like Ryan Fitzpatrick to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, right...

Edited January 31, 2013 by BmoreBills

[bowery4]

The magic flute, all the way.I don't care about his cancerous attitude, he was pissed because he was a competitor! The man WON and could change and take over a game. Funny some one brought up Kap vs smith because this was like backwards that.

[TDO'Kearney]

 

 

He couldn't have looked more like a prototypical stud qb when the trade went down. What a disappointment. I do remember him selling out against the Bucs one year, showing a complete disregard for his own well-being. First time he convinced me he had a pulse.

 

 

 

Like Todd Collins, he had a long career. Doesn't mean it was successful the way it matters.

He has a Super Bowl Ring and won every game he started for that team in 2002. He made millions of dollars. I'd would give my left nut for that much success. Just sayin'.....

[JohnC]

RJ was the ultimate tease...moreso than ANY QB the Bills have brought in since. Great athlete, rocket arm, and ACCURACY with the football. He just didn't have that "internal clock" all successful NFL QBs possess.

 

 

You give a terrific analysis of him and his play. He just never seemed to to be able to learn to throw the ball away or make the adjustment on the fly. He took many unnecessary hits when he ran with the ball instead of just getting rid of it. It is surprising that for a coach's son he neverly learned the instinctive and nuanced side of the game.

 

He was a "failure" as a QB for sure (his wallet likely disagrees), but his character and intelligence take far too many hits around here from ignorant fans. Comments like "10-cent head" have no basis in fact.

 

I always felt that he was unfairly vilified because of his aloof personality and his so-called California persona. There is a prejudicial aspect to the attitude of having or not having a blue collar personality. Most often how a player is perceived has little to do with the reality of who he is.

 

What's really interesting is the fact that Wade's (or Ralph's) decision to bench Flutie for RJ prior to the 1999 playoffs is eerily similar to Harbaugh benching Alex Smith for Kaepernick -- except RJ actually had a track record at that point of some success.

 

Funny how things turn out.

 

That said...this thread = RJ.

 

 

I have heard on more than one occasion Flutie say that it was the owner who ordered Wade to play RJ instead of him in the Tennessee game.

Edited January 31, 2013 by JohnC

[Maury Ballstein]

The one that never won a playoff game and rode our defense collecting wins?

 

55.2% completion rate, 19 TDs, 16 INTs.

 

Sounds like Ryan Fitzpatrick to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, right...

 

are you kidding me? the one who never won a playoff game? or do you mean the one who didn't win a playoff game because Rob Johnson played in his place?

 

Flutie was good, the bills were fun to watch that year..........it's been all dog doo since then FWIW. 11-5 is such a distant memory.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Ryan L Billz

[Sisyphean Bills]

I wonder what would have happened if he hadn't been on our team and Flutie was allowed to start.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sdg/2001.htm

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

 

So should have the Falcons benched Matt Ryan because he lost a few playoff games.

 

I don't follow your logic

The logic: people assume we would have win the Titans game if Flutie started but ignore that Flutie cost us a playoff win one year earlier by fumbling the ball on the Dolphins one yard line.

 

It just goes to show you how strong the cult of Flutie is here. Considering how much we replay bitter loses from our history that game is all but forgotten. Why is that?

 

PTR

[BuffBill]

As the GR guys wasted airtime on some trivia game, I checked out a podcast on WHLD.

 

Interesting survey of topics, Johnson seems like a good dude and seems to have more than the 10 cent head he displayed on the Bills.

 

He talks about the new breed of read option Qbs and how he wasn't built to take the punishment that scamblers/options get (mentions how playing with Beuerlein and Flutie led him to leave the pocket more than his body could withstand).

 

I can only wonder what the Bills fortunes would have been if he wouldl have stayed healthy, and the cancer midget wasn't on the team.

 

 

http://www.swing1270...d=582&is_corp=0

I often wonder what would have been if he had never been traded for and/or Ralphy wouldn't have ordered Wade Phillps to play him in Tennessee. My guess is, it would have been a Buffalo-St.Louis Superbowl if Flutie would have been allowed to start like he should have an deserved to be. Add to the whole mix, who we might have gotten for that first round pick we gave up for him based on one game as a Jaguar? Maybe drafted Fred Taylor (who the Jags took with the Bills' pick), Takeo Spikes, Keith Brooking, Vonnie Holliday, Randy Moss who were all on the board at our pick spot (#9)-not to mention the 4th round pick they also gave up.

 

The logic: people assume we would have win the Titans game if Flutie started but ignore that Flutie cost us a playoff win one year earlier by fumbling the ball on the Dolphins one yard line.

 

It just goes to show you how strong the cult of Flutie is here. Considering how much we replay bitter loses from our history that game is all but forgotten. Why is that?

 

PTR

You mean the game in which with Flutie throwing Eric Moulds set the post season receiving yards record? Cult? Johnson started the first 4 games and went 1-3. Flutie started the next 11 games and went 9-2. Doesn't sound like a cult to me, sounds like obvious stats. Flutie then went 10-5 in 1999, clinched a playoff spot before they (they=Ralphy) made the decision to start Surfer Boy Rob.

[PromoTheRobot]

I often wonder what would have been if he had never been traded for and/or Ralphy wouldn't have ordered Wade Phillps to play him in Tennessee. My guess is, it would have been a Buffalo-St.Louis Superbowl if Flutie would have been allowed to start like he should have an deserved to be. Add to the whole mix, who we might have gotten for that first round pick we gave up for him based on one game as a Jaguar? Maybe drafted Fred Taylor (who the Jags took with the Bills' pick), Takeo Spikes, Keith Brooking, Vonnie Holliday, Randy Moss who were all on the board at our pick spot (#9)-not to mention the 4th round pick they also gave up.

 

 

Or Flutie would have fumbled away a win like he did in his only playoff start

 

I often wonder what would have been if he had never been traded for and/or Ralphy wouldn't have ordered Wade Phillps to play him in Tennessee. My guess is, it would have been a Buffalo-St.Louis Superbowl if Flutie would have been allowed to start like he should have an deserved to be. Add to the whole mix, who we might have gotten for that first round pick we gave up for him based on one game as a Jaguar? Maybe drafted Fred Taylor (who the Jags took with the Bills' pick), Takeo Spikes, Keith Brooking, Vonnie Holliday, Randy Moss who were all on the board at our pick spot (#9)-not to mention the 4th round pick they also gave up.

 

You mean the game in which with Flutie throwing Eric Moulds set the post season receiving yards record? Cult? Johnson started the first 4 games and went 1-3. Flutie started the next 11 games and went 9-2. Doesn't sound like a cult to me, sounds like obvious stats. Flutie then went 10-5 in 1999, clinched a playoff spot before they (they=Ralphy) made the decision to start Surfer Boy Rob.

 

our defense had nothing to do with those wins?

 

Flutie was effective for about half a season, until the NFL stopped buying his little "pixie hop" move when throwing. Then he became Tim Tebow...big rep, little talent.

 

PTR

Edited January 31, 2013 by PromoTheRobot

[BuffBill]

The one that never won a playoff game and rode our defense collecting wins?

 

55.2% completion rate, 19 TDs, 16 INTs.

 

Sounds like Ryan Fitzpatrick to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, right...

And Rob Johnson has a string of playoff wins? He rarely even won during the regular season.

 

Or Flutie would have fumbled away a win like he did in his only playoff start

 

our defense had nothing to do with those wins?

 

Flutie was effective for about half a season, until the NFL stopped buying his little "pixie hop" move when throwing. Then he became Tim Tebow...big rep, little talent.

 

PTR

I didn't say that, but they didn't do it alone. The same defense played when Johnson was at the helm as when Flutie was at the helm. They didn't change defenses just because they changed quarterbacks?

[Maybe Someday]

My distaste for Flutie stems more from his personality... it is dumb to suggest that Rob Johnson was a better QB.

 

But, lets not over-inflate how good Flutie was either. I will admit, I despised him before he was a Bill, and was really bummed when they signed him. At that point in time, the Bills franchise was highly regarded, and signing Flutie just wreaked of a desperate publicity stunt.

 

I was fully behind Rob Johnson, and I am not entirely convinced Fluties' behind the scenes antics didn't play some role in his failure. Flutie was not a good teammate, or, moreover, not a good guy to have backing up a young QB. And, despite all the warm and fuzzies everyone gets for Flutie, there was a time when some of his teammates (Thurman, Reed) would have preferred #11.

 

Flutie seemed to have a case of "little man's syndrom", and sensed some fragile insecurities in Rob Johnson, and pounced on them. As somebody stated earlier in this thread, Flutie was at least as interested in being the starter as he was with what was best for the team.

 

I have referenced this in numerous threads over the years, on this topic, but I remember going to the last game of the 1998 season, in New Orleans. It was two days after Christmas, a "meaningless" game....the Bills (or Flutie as some would say) had already clinched a playoff spot. The morning of the game (maybe it was the day before, I was too busy on Bourbon Street to pay attention at the time), the Bill announced that Rob Johnson would start the game.

 

I was sitting about 5 rows up, behind the Bills bench. Flutie was pissed off the entire game. As you may recall, Johnson had a pretty flawless, game (maybe his best as a Bill), racked up lots of yards, big plays...it was the QB the Bills had envisioned. I still remember, Flutie sat, on his helmet, about 15 yards down field, away from his teammates, and sulked like a petulant child for the entire game. I also recall, after throwing his first TD of the game, Johnson made a point of running to Flutie first on the sideline for a high-five. Flutie gave him the cold shoulder....and so it went through the whole game.

 

There were hundreds (maybe thousands) of Bills fans at the game...it was when Flutie-Flakes were at the height of their popularity. The Bills were wrapping up a good season, on their way to the playoffs, on Christmas weekend. The Bills pulled way ahead on the scoreboard, and then had to hold off a rally by the Saints. It was kind of a Bills party in New Orleans. And most of the Bills players, late in the game, seemed to really be enjoying the revelry with the Bills fans.

 

It was a fun game for Bills fans in New Orleans....the players on the sideline were awesome...Bruce, Thurman, Reed, etc were all coming to the stands to sign autographs for the die-hard Bills fans on hand...lots of people screaming for Flutie to sign their cereal boxes...but Flutie was in his own world, and couldn't give a **** about anything, other than the fact that the coach asked him to ride the pines for a week. The only person that Flutie would acknowledge was Bruce. I remember Smith taking some of the cereal boxes from kids, and carrying them over to Flutie to sign for them. Flutie was just an ass... simple as that.

 

I was always conflicted over Flutie. I pulled for him when he was in the game, and he was fun to watch at times (the run against the Jags is an all-time Bills great moment)... and please, understand when I say this that I am not implying that Johnson was better....but even when the Bills were winning with Flutie, I always felt like the Bills were winning regular season games with smoke and mirrors, it was sort of a gimmick that was only going to take the team so far. I understand the desire the Bills had to start Johnson in that Titans game. As I recall, that last season with Flutie, the chinks were starting to show in Fluties' armor. It was surely a gamble that Wade (or was it Ralph?) took, and obviously, it didn't work out. But I am not fully convinced that Flutie would have pulled out a win that fateful day in Tennessee, just as I am not convinced that Johnsons' performance was the reason they lost.

Well said. IMO, Flutie was the epitome of a “me first” athlete. No doubt now that he was a better QB than RJ but his playing time and personal success were more important than team success. Many of the vets on that team realized that and it ultimately divided the locker room. He could have still competed hard but also helped RJ out along the way because it would have been the best thing for the team but he didn’t. Who knows, maybe RJ would have progressed into the QB we all hoped he would be with a little more tutelage from the veteran QB early on since most of his issues appeared to be mental. Flutie was just not a team guy and had no interest in helping RJ out because starting was more important to him. Say what you want about Alex Smith but Harbaugh has stated that Alex has helped Kap out anyway that he could despite the hard feelings over losing the starting job.

 

Flutie is one of if not the best QB to ever play in the CFL yet he played for 3 teams in 8 years. Why is that? Can you imagine Joe Montana or Peyton Manning changing teams in the prime of their careers after setting passing records and/or winning championships? I can’t. It would be like the Packers letting Aaron Rodgers go.

 

Flutie has done a lot for Autism, no one can deny that. We all know that to be true because he made sure the cameras were always following him on those visits to hospitals, etc. Just my opinion but if a lot of people know of your charitable deeds and especially if it’s being covered on the news week after week, you’re probably not doing it for the noblest reasons.

 

Lastly, the thing I hate most about Doug Flutie is that he made me root for Rob Johnson.

Edited January 31, 2013 by cnico

[extrahammer]

Or Flutie would have fumbled away a win like he did in his only playoff start

 

our defense had nothing to do with those wins?

 

Flutie was effective for about half a season, until the NFL stopped buying his little "pixie hop" move when throwing. Then he became Tim Tebow...big rep, little talent.

 

PTR

 

Are you a fortune teller? You can read the future? Please enlighten me how Flutie would have played worse than RJ in the Titans playoff game.

 

Flutie lost his first playoff game as a Bill, yes, but the point of this debate is that his next opportunity at the playoffs in which HE LEAD THE TEAM AND EARNED, was stolen from him. And you aren't a fortune teller so anything you say regarding the outcome of Flutie starting the Titans playoff game, is just pure ignorance. Good day.

Edited January 31, 2013 by MrJasper

[Sisyphean Bills]

Well said. IMO, Flutie was the epitome of a “me first” athlete. No doubt now that he was a better QB than RJ but his playing time and personal success were more important than team success. Many of the vets on that team realized that and it ultimately divided the locker room. He could have still competed hard but also helped RJ out along the way because it would have been the best thing for the team but he didn’t. Who knows, maybe RJ would have progressed into the QB we all hoped he would be with a little more tutelage from the veteran QB early on since most of his issues appeared to be mental. Flutie was just not a team guy and had no interest in helping RJ out because starting was more important to him. Say what you want about Alex Smith but Harbaugh has stated that Alex has helped Kap out anyway that he could despite the hard feelings over losing the starting job.

 

Flutie is one of if not the best QB to ever play in the CFL yet he played for 3 teams in 8 years. Why is that? Can you imagine Joe Montana or Peyton Manning changing teams in the prime of their careers after setting passing records and/or winning championships? I can’t. It would be like the Packers letting Aaron Rodgers go.

 

Flutie has done a lot for Autism, no one can deny that. We all know that to be true because he made sure the cameras were always following him on those visits to hospitals, etc. Just my opinion but if a lot of people know of your charitable deeds and especially if it’s being covered on the news week after week, you’re probably not doing it for the noblest reasons.

 

Lastly, the thing I hate most about Doug Flutie is that he made me root for Rob Johnson.

Add to your list that he was a commentator for the UFL on Versus (or whatever they called it then). Always thought that curious given his popularity. In fact, he's easier on the ears than some of the ex-jocks on the major networks for years.

[Kelly the Dog]

I've seen the season stats for the Titans D trotted out on this board in this argument a number of times. They also posted 54 sacks that year, and 40 turnovers, and IIRC the end of that season and during the playoffs, minus the Steelers game, the Titans were abusing QBs. I don't remember the defensive battle being that much of a surprise at the time, especially given the weather conditions. Only years later do people point to the weakness of the Titans D to make this point.

 

Good point. In Flutie's favor. Avoiding the quick or vicious pass rush was Flutie's single greatest strength. And the one thing RJ had the most trouble with.

 

It was idiotic to start RJ in that game because of the pass rush of the Titans (as well as the injuries on the Bills OL). And RJ promptly sucked ass in that game.

[Buftex]

Good point. In Flutie's favor. Avoiding the quick or vicious pass rush was Flutie's single greatest strength. And the one thing RJ had the most trouble with.

 

It was idiotic to start RJ in that game because of the pass rush of the Titans (as well as the injuries on the Bills OL). And RJ promptly sucked ass in that game.

 

Not being a Flutie guy, I have respect for his game. One thing that always impressed me was how careful he was with the ball, even when he was flying by the seat of his pants. No denying he had a great awareness of space, and sensed the defense very well. I remember a mad scramble he went on once (against the Cardianals IIRC, or maybe the Panthers...it was a night game) on a third and 13 play (or thereabouts) where he just seemed to know where everyone was, even though it was a broken play...he had to run arond the back field east-west a bit, seemingly going to lose some yards...then he did a sharp cut, up the seam, and just as he got back to the original line of scrimage, he chucked the ball to Thurman. TT was coming over from the opposite sid of the field...to this day, still can't figure out how Flutie knew he was there...ultimately, IIRC, Thurman was tackled just shy of the first down...but it was a great Flutie play.

[Gordio]

Doug Flutie sucked. He was the locker room cancer poster boy. He divided the team for personal gain and he sucked on the field. I wish he was never on the Bills. Hell, I wish he was never in the NFL.

 

Rob Johnson tried hard to win.

 

Doug Flutie tried hard to be a starter.

 

Big difference. Good riddance to rotten, filthy rubbish the day that jerk left Orchard Park.

 

And I don't want to hear about all the stuff he does for autism research, either. If his son wasn't autistic, he wouldn't even know how to spell it.

 

I never understood the hatred by some Bills fans for Flutie. The guy pretty much saved the franchise by helping sell those boxes to trigger the state funding & he was the last QB to lead the Bills to the playoffs. You could say he had a great defense but Johnson with the same defense went 8-11 in the 3 years Flute was with the BIlls, Flutie went 21-10. That should be the end of the arguement who was the better QB. You know nothing about football if you think Johnson had a better career with the bills then the flute did. I mean I wasn't married to the guy but come on, given the win/loss & stats record, this topic is not even debateable imo.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Gordio

[extrahammer]

I mean I wasn't married to the guy but come on, given the win/loss & stats record, this topic is not even debateable imo.

 

Exactly.

 

The divisiveness between the fan base during that time was absurd. And it went on for 3 long years. Once RJ lovers became attached to him, they couldn't let him go. RJ lovers only argue that Flutie was mean. How dare he be mean but better than RJ on the field. Who does he think he is?

 

Flutie was a little cocky, but most good competitors are.

[billykaykay]

The logic: people assume we would have win the Titans game if Flutie started but ignore that Flutie cost us a playoff win one year earlier by fumbling the ball on the Dolphins one yard line.

 

It just goes to show you how strong the cult of Flutie is here. Considering how much we replay bitter loses from our history that game is all but forgotten. Why is that?

 

PTR

If my memory is correct, the play that Flutie fumbled was a 4th & goal. He couldn't get to the end zone, so it would have turned the ball over anyway on downs. Stats meant nothing with Flutie. He won games despite bad stats. Most of the Flutie haters probably were avid listeners to "the coach" Dickerson, who attached his credibility to RJ even when it became obvious that he couldn't cut it.

[extrahammer]

If my memory is correct, the play that Flutie fumbled was a 4th & goal. He couldn't get to the end zone, so it would have turned the ball over anyway on downs. Stats meant nothing with Flutie. He won games despite bad stats. Most of the Flutie haters probably were avid listeners to "the coach" Dickerson, who attached his credibility to RJ even when it became obvious that he couldn't cut it.

 

Flutie fumbled at the 9 yard line in the Miami playoff game and it was 3rd down.

[Wayne Fontes]

RJ was the ultimate tease...moreso than ANY QB the Bills have brought in since. Great athlete, rocket arm, and ACCURACY with the football. He just didn't have that "internal clock" all successful NFL QBs possess.

 

He was a "failure" as a QB for sure (his wallet likely disagrees), but his character and intelligence take far too many hits around here from ignorant fans. Comments like "10-cent head" have no basis in fact.

 

What's really interesting is the fact that Wade's (or Ralph's) decision to bench Flutie for RJ prior to the 1999 playoffs is eerily similar to Harbaugh benching Alex Smith for Kaepernick -- except RJ actually had a track record at that point of some success.

 

Funny how things turn out.

 

That said...this thread = RJ.

 

My use of '10 cent head' in the initial post referred to his lack of a football iq, or as you put it 'internal clock'. not his basic level of human intelligence. I should have been more specific.

 

I realize that the great ones or even pretty good ones have a natural feel for the game, but Rob lacked football instinct, intellect or whatever you want to call it. That was his fatal flaw as a qb.