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Raiders QB
Rich Gannon
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Orioles outfielder Brady Anderson began his major-league baseball career in 1988. For
nearly a decade, he hit less than 21 home runs per year. Then in ’96 he hit 50 home
runs. One year later his home-run level went way down again.
Mets pitcher Rick Reed first appeared in the major leagues with the Pirates in
’88. He spent parts of seven years with the Pirates, Royals and Rangers and then had
a cup of coffee with the Reds. In most of those years, he seemed to be up and down between
the majors, where he was a fringe player, and the minors, where he was a standout.
Then in ’96, he spent the entire year with the Mets Triple-A club, going 8-10. The
following year he not only made the Mets, but he also became a regular in their rotation
and has pitched well ever since. Now, at age 35, he will probably sign with the Mets or
some other club for about $7-$8 million per year (he remained unsigned at presstime).
In baseball, when an older player shows marked improvement, it is quite obvious because
stats can tell a big part of the story. However, in football it is not so obvious because
stats very often are just a small part of the picture.
Thus, we asked pro talent evaluators which veteran players had shown the most dramatic
and unexpected improvement this year. Some may just be having career years, or — as
was the case with Irving Fryar, Jim Hart, Al Del Greco, etc. — others just may have
found themselves after a number of somewhat disappointing or mediocre seasons.
DT Keith Hamilton / Giants — For nine years, Hamilton was viewed
as an adequate to good defensive lineman who did not become the standout the Giants hoped
he would be after he got 11½ sacks in his second year in the league. He rarely missed a
start from his second year on, but coming off a so-so ’99 season, many people felt he
was a declining player.
However, this year he got in the best shape of his career. He lost weight and gained
muscle, stamina and endurance. With little fanfare, he has played at or at least very
close to a Pro Bowl level and is the highest-rated player on the Giants’ defense in
2000.
QB Rich Gannon / Raiders — Gannon came into the league in
’87 and was traded from the Patriots to the Vikings before that season after refusing
to play safety or wide receiver for the Pats.
In six years in Minnesota, he started 35 games and then played with the Redskins and
Chiefs before going to the Raiders in ’99. With Oakland he got to start all 16 games
for the first time in his career and had his best season. However, he was still viewed as
a middle-of-the-pack type of starter.
This year, at age 34 (he turns 35 on Dec. 20), he has been the No. 1 reason the Raiders
lead the AFC West. Gannon has been playing so well and doing so well in the clutch that he
is a possible MVP candidate. From a quarterback who was supposedly just good enough to get
you beat in the bigger games, Gannon became the Raiders’ winning edge.
In short, Gannon equates to a .500 pitcher turning into a Cy Young candidate. In
Oakland, Gannon found a system that fit his skills very well and a coach (Jon Gruden) who
really believes in him. Thus far, Gannon has managed to avoid serious injury.
Ask scouts what the biggest difference is between the 8-8 Raiders of a year ago and the
10-3 Raiders of this year, and the first words from their lips are "Rich
Gannon." Or, as one scout said, Gannon can look like the old Gannon until crunch
time. But then, unless he is playing Denver, he starts getting John Elway-type results
with an arm more like Gary Kubiak’s.
DT Sam Adams / Ravens — Seattle took Adams with the eighth
overall pick in the ’94 draft after his junior year at Texas A&M. At the time,
the book on him was that he could make your draft or be a perennial tease. He was much
more the latter during his stay in Seattle.
One scout summed up Adams during his career in Seattle as a fat, lazy underachiever who
only plays hard when he feels like it. But the scout added that even when he is fat and
out of shape, when he goes hard, he can be awesome. After six years in Seattle, Adams
expected to be paid like one of the top defensive linemen in the game because of how good
he could be. However, instead of making offers on his highlight tape, teams went off his
down-in and down-out consistency and offered Adams the type of money an average starter
gets.
Finally, just before the draft, the Ravens had to make a decision: Draft Corey Simon at
No. 5 in Round One and hope they could get Jamal Lewis at No. 10 or sign Adams for more
than his play should have netted him but at a bargain-basement rate for a player with his
ability and hope the great work ethic of defensive leaders Rob Burnett, Mike McCrary, Ray
Lewis and Rod Woodson would rub off on him and shame him into playing hard. They chose to
go with Adams and Jamal Lewis, and they appear to have hit the daily double.
Although in less than ideal shape, Adams is playing at or close to a Pro Bowl level and
has made a huge difference in what already was a very good defense with his great initial
quickness and athletic ability for a 300-plus pound man.
NT Kimo von Oelhoffen / Steelers — Von Oelhoffen joined
the Bengals in ’94 with a lot of athletic ability and a limited football background.
In Cincinnati, he gradually developed into an OK starter, but that was it. However, in
Pittsburgh he is playing at a very high level on the nose and is making a positive
difference.
The reasons von Oelhoffen is playing so much better is that he is finally in a scheme
which really lets him use his athletic ability and quickness. |
