Flutie Retires

[dryheat44]

Per Reiss. Not too surprising.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

 

[richpats]

Man, ANOTHER key player gone?!?!? How will we ever recover?!?!

At least I got to see him one last time against the Jets, though he was outdueled by another monument, Vinny Testaverde.

 

[BelichickFan]

It will be very interesting to see if we bring a vet in. Cassel as the backup would be intriguing and could set up some trade value in 10 months (Davey jokes aside).

 

[Alk]

So he was our clearcut starter this season. What do we do now? I hear Bishop is out of the CFL, could this be a possibility? We need to do something fast. Brady is an okay backup but that's it.

 

[shakadave]

Flutie: a brief tribute

Doug Flutie's career was as unique as it was legendary. Not too many QBs get to pass for over 11 miles of professional yards or run for over a mile's worth. Not too many are good enough to still be in the NFL at age 43. Heisman Trophy, NFL playoffs, Pro Bowl, 6 CFL MVP's. So many fans remember him for the TD pass to Phelan vs. Miami that they forget he did amazing stuff like that practically every week at BC. I'm not sure he earned an NFL Hall of Fame entry, but if there's a Pro Football Hall of Fame, or better yet just a Football Hall of Fame, he clearly belongs, in my opinion. Thanks for the memories, Doug!

 

[dryheat44]

Is he the sole survivor from the USFL, or is that punter still playing?

 

[ilduce06410]

well said

Doug Flutie's career was as unique as it was legendary. Not too many QBs get to pass for over 11 miles of professional yards or run for over a mile's worth. Not too many are good enough to still be in the NFL at age 43. Heisman Trophy, NFL playoffs, Pro Bowl, 6 CFL MVP's. So many fans remember him for the TD pass to Phelan vs. Miami that they forget he did amazing stuff like that practically every week at BC. I'm not sure he earned an NFL Hall of Fame entry, but if there's a Pro Football Hall of Fame, or better yet just a Football Hall of Fame, he clearly belongs, in my opinion. Thanks for the memories, Doug!

so wellsaid, shakadave.
now he retires to pickup basketball games, softball leagues, a little youth coaching, and playing flag football, of all things. a rock band too? he devotes even more of himself to his family and his foundation. he's not hassled for autographs---i guess everybody who wanted one already has one? or maybe it's just that he's everywhere, he's a normal guy, he's not in some 'gated community' somewhere. ya want one, he's right over there, go on over and get one. none of the usual star business.
to me, that says so much about him in his entirety. he has lived his life and career, since highschool and college, as a member of his community. a wall full of plaques, jerseys, all-star teams, he's still the same person. i don't know for sure but i'll bet he's listed in the phone book.
there are other star athletes who have accomplished this---barry sanders is one---but doug is ours.

 

[dryheat44]

I'm not sure he earned an NFL Hall of Fame entry, but if there's a Pro Football Hall of Fame, or better yet just a Football Hall of Fame, he clearly belongs, in my opinion. Thanks for the memories, Doug!

The HoF in Canton is The Pro Football Hall of Fame. There is a (admittedly small) chance he's enshrined some day, after Warren Moon. He just DOMINATED the CFL for six years. It's funny, once in a while we'll get on a kick around here "Should X Make the Hall of Fame?", and it's usually in reference to Vinatieri, McGinest, Law, etc. Imagine if Flutie is the one to join Brady in the HoF from this team.

 

[pats1]

Is he the sole survivor from the USFL, or is that punter still playing?

Sean Landeta came back to the Eagles last year when Dirk Johnson went down. He's without a job now.

He is indeed the final remaining player.

 

[Hoodie]

Goodbye Doug, welcome to the Jay Fiedler era.

 

[shakadave]

The HoF in Canton is The Pro Football Hall of Fame. There is a (admittedly small) chance he's enshrined some day, after Warren Moon. He just DOMINATED the CFL for six years. It's funny, once in a while we'll get on a kick around here "Should X Make the Hall of Fame?", and it's usually in reference to Vinatieri, McGinest, Law, etc. Imagine if Flutie is the one to join Brady in the HoF from this team.

He would have my vote. So would Vinatieri. So would Law. McGinest on the fence.

 

[BradyisGod]

Didn't see the link posted here but this is about Flutie and chances at the hall:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/colum...r_mark&id=2446131&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos2

 

[lot11vet]

"Flutie Retires
Patriots back-up quarterback and Boston legend Doug Flutie announced his retirement on Monday. Flutie spent last season as a back-up behind Tom Brady, finishing his career where he began - as a Patriot."

That's the story on the main patsfans page. It's great and all except for the part about "finishing his career where he began - as a Patriot". Seriously, doesn't anyone check facts. His career started with Chicago.

 

[dryheat44]

"Flutie Retires
Patriots back-up quarterback and Boston legend Doug Flutie announced his retirement on Monday. Flutie spent last season as a back-up behind Tom Brady, finishing his career where he began - as a Patriot."

That's the story on the main patsfans page. It's great and all except for the part about "finishing his career where he began - as a Patriot". Seriously, doesn't anyone check facts. His career started with Chicago.

Actually, his career started as a General. But possibly they were talking about Massachusetts with HS and BC.

 

[big mike]

Excellent article about Flutie's retirement by Adam Schefter on nfl.com:

http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9440679

 

[Mike the Brit]

Belichick on Flutie

I don't know if anyone's linked to Mike Reiss's transcripts of Flutie/Kraft/Belichick's speeches at Flutie's retirement conference.

I thought all three were terrific, very classy (thanks, Mike).

Anyone who thinks that Belichick is cold and unemotional should read this:

"It’s been a great experience and I take a lot of pride in our friendship, and the opportunity to coach Doug. He’ll always have a special place in my career when I think back to all the players I’ve coached. In the 31 years that I’ve coached in the NFL, we’ve had a lot of game-plans, a lot of plays -- the trick plays like Kevin Faulk throwing back to Tom Brady in ’01, and we had David Patten catching the lateral and throwing to Troy Brown in Indianapolis -- plays like that, and defensively, special blitzes and things like that.
“But I think the dropkick was a play that was a very important play in football in the first half of the 20th century. And it’s been out of circulation for a long time. I don’t think there’s ever been a special play in my coaching career that we’ve had as much fun with as a team, as an organization. There’s no player that’s more appropriate, or more deserving, to execute that play than Doug Flutie. It was a lot of fun for the team. It was such a historical play for this game. To be able to bring it back after 60 years, or whatever it was, it was just awesome. Probably the one play that we had the most fun with in my career. That would be it. Doug really inspired us to do that. We were batting 3 out of 4 practicing it, but it came through when he had to."

That, to me, was a real feel-good story -- I'm glad that it's not just us fans who are sentimental about the Pats!

 

[stcjones]

Since he had most of his success if ....

Didn't see the link posted here but this is about Flutie and chances at the hall:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/colum...r_mark&id=2446131&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos2

not all of his success in the CANADIEN FOOTBALL LEAGUE.....which last I checked is played in CANADA......he should therefore be elected to the CANADIEN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME........don't you think? I don't even get the quandry here........Flutie was a great QB in the Canadien Football league...However he was AVERAGE at best in the National Football League.....and therefore there should be no talk about Flutie and the HOF.....

 

[shakadave]

Flutie was a great QB in the Canadien Football league...However he was AVERAGE at best in the National Football League.....and therefore there should be no talk about Flutie and the HOF.....

Absolutely off base.

An "average" QB doesn't come in to Buffalo and quickly break the team record (post-Jim Kelly) for passing yards in a game. An "average" QB doesn't go to the Pro Bowl. An "average" QB, when given the starting job for about the worst team in football (San Diego at the time) doesn't instantly lead that same team to a bunch of victories, as well as losses where Flutie led the offense to a last-minute or last-two-minutes TD to take the lead, only to see his defense blow it in the final minute.

 

[PatsFan in the Peg]

Unfortunately for Flutie ( and NFL fans ) his PRIME was spent playing ball in the CFL. One can only wonder "what could have been" based upon his performance in Buffalo and early on in San Diego. One things for certain though, it was always a pleasure watching him play when he stepped on the field. He had a great run. NFL HOF's though.....nope.