Merrill Hoge rips Johnny Manziel

[ThomasTomasz]

Giving this it's own thread

Johnny Manziel is extremely polarizing. He has many fans and probably more critics. Count Merrill Hoge among them, in a big way.

Hoge appeared on 102.5 WDVE in Pittsburgh on Wednesday morning and completely torched the Browns rookie quarterback. Hoge claimed Manziel "has no business" playing in the NFL right now and the Steelers -- who are preparing for Manziel to play -- want him "to walk out on that field."

"If you're the Steelers defense you want No. 2 to walk out on that field. You want him on that field," Hoge said. "He has no business being on the field right now. This is the one thing that probably burns me more about the NFL more than anything, is when a player like Johnny Manziel is drafted based on hype and excitement, not a true football skill.

"He really had no business being drafted in the first round. When I was doing the draft and I was going through and studying him. I actually got done and it's the first time, aside from when Tim Tebow came out, there's nothing, nothing he does that transitions to the National Football League. There's not one skill set he had where you say ‘Gosh he's a first-rounder.' Really nothing."

Oh my goodness. Hoge, unsurprisingly, doesn't think Manziel gives the Browns a chance to win.

"If they put him on the field, quite honestly, he's jeopardizing their chances to win," Hoge said. "He's not helping their chances to win. I have not seen as elementary packages for a guy in preseason in a long time and he can't execute them."

Hoge thinks Manziel would've been better as a "flier" in "the seventh round" as opposed to a first-round pick.

"If you really want to be fair and he wants to a shot to play in the NFL, take a flier on him in the seventh round," Hoge said. "When you watch him in preseason, he looks out of place. He has no business being on the field. And whatever packages — they're going to be forced to play him."

Hoge continued to go off on Manziel's text to coaches about wanting to "wreck this league" and then concluded on the lengthy interview (after a diatribe about Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys) by predicting the "saddest, quickest ending" to an NFL career "in quite some time."

"This will be the saddest, quickest ending we've seen in quite some time. It'll be like a Tim Tebow," Hoge said. "He is exciting. They keep coming back to it, and I go that's great but it's not a skill set that transitions in our league."

It's probably worth noting Merrill Hoge is not 100 percent accurate with his quarterback evaluations:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...ny-manziel-has-no-business-playing-in-nfl-yet

 

[Senser81]

Hoge is always the last guy in line to throw a punch. I think he waited until last year to say "Vince Young was a bad draft pick".

 

[MrBill]

Hoge is always the last guy in line to throw a punch. I think he waited until last year to say "Vince Young was a bad draft pick".

What do you think led to Young's demise in the NFL? As a Packers fan, I thought he had a great preseason when he was in camp last year and could have helped out when Rodgers went down for 8 weeks. Obviously there is something that keeps somebody with that much physical talent from finding work in the league.

 

[Senser81]

What do you think led to Young's demise in the NFL? As a Packers fan, I thought he had a great preseason when he was in camp last year and could have helped out when Rodgers went down for 8 weeks. Obviously there is something that keeps somebody with that much physical talent from finding work in the league.

Purple Drank. The only reason the Packers brought in Young was to simulate Kaepernick before their Week 1 game against SF, then Young was immediately let go. He would have been a terrible fit for the Packers offense anyways. I don't know how you could say he "had a great preseason".

Young's demise in the NFL came about when NFL D coordinators finally had the realization that Young can't throw.

 

[Maynard]

he was on the browns for a minute. if he cant make our roster then you know he is bad

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

What do you think led to Young's demise in the NFL? As a Packers fan, I thought he had a great preseason when he was in camp last year and could have helped out when Rodgers went down for 8 weeks. Obviously there is something that keeps somebody with that much physical talent from finding work in the league.

The only thing that kept him around was the hope hed scramble his way to some victories. He was always an atrocious passer and game day prepper.

 

[Tailback U]

Young never had the accuracy to make it in the nfl. I don't think he had the work ethic or mental toughness either.

Tebow also lacked the accuracy and talent to play the position.

I am torn on manziel. He is not the type of guy I root for so I'm with Hoge on being tired of the bullshit hype but I also think manziel can learn to play the position with good coaching, a mentor, and time. But it doesn't look like he's gonna have any of that so im not expecting much from him. I never thought VY ir tebow would amount to anything.

I like that Hoge isn't afraid to blast these guys on the air and be wrong. I've heard him apologize and eat crow for being wrong before and it's more entertaining when somebody bashes a player that everyone seems to be sucking off for no reason.

 

[seaplus]

Merrill Hoge is the worst. I can't stand that guy in the least. If I had to pick 5 people from ESPN I hate, he would make the top 3