REGGIE OR LENDALE...HMMM?

by Stan, Ghosts of Wayne Fontes

For what seemed like an eternity of media induced hype and slobber we waited and waited last season for Reggie Bush to erupt. We kept waiting to see the next Gale Sayers, never paying mind to the fact or cause for concern that maybe Bush wasn't what our wildest wet dreams could've imagined. Anyhow, Bush gave us a glimpse down the stretch at what lay beneath the lust and hype. And we all gobbled it up on a platter and ate it like it was our last meal. Reggie had arrived, a little late, but nonetheless he had arrived. Or had he?

And with the off-season, the campaign trail began to heat up. Bush 2007 was in full swing and backed by the NFL as the new prodigal son, all endorsements inclusive. Yet, how were we all somehow not just a little skeptical? I mean, aside from a few big games Bush still had only complied just one 100 yard rushing game in his NFL career. I guess these things were overlooked, because coming into the 2007 Season Bush was built on a pedestal much greater than even probably he could've expected.

And thus, I won't continue to talk about the man in the past tense, because it is the present tense. The season has begun and Bush looks anything, but immortal. He has a total of 65 rushing yards on the season to the tune of a 3.0 ypc. He has failed to get into the endzone, proven he can't break tacklers, still can't quite figure how to use his overpowering speed on the outside like we expected, has two fumbles (not lost) and a meager 10 catches for 50 yards. That's not sounding like the all world stud, we envisioned or have been hearing about for the past few years.

Look, this is by no means a consorted effort to attack Reginald. If you know me at all, the dude is one of my homies (in speak that is, not in reality), but you should know I am an avid supporter of the President...always have been. However, it's constantly alarming to see him struggle out there, especially if you wasted a 1st or 2nd round fantasy pick on the guy...like I did. Sure, a lot of his struggles can be attributed to the Saints struggles, but at what point do we say maybe, just maybe he isn't the end-all of greatness? And maybe we blame it all on Kim Kardashian (NSFW).

OK, that's enough Reggie Bush basing, I don't want to piss off my homie. No matter what either of them do in their careers Reggie and Mario Williams will somehow forever be linked to one another, fair or not. However, lost in the whole shuffle is the real link to Reggie Bush that we all seem to be forgetting, LenDale White. Yup, Reggie's homie and pal from USC whom he split the backfield duties with. And how soon we've all forgotten about the all-time PAC-10 and USC career TD leader.

On the completely opposite end of the spectrum LenDale White was scrutinized from the moment he set his eyes on the NFL. People said he was too fat, too lazy and maybe some of those accusations were minimally correct. While Bush moved into the media darling spotlight, LenDale became the poster child for not letting your kids eat at Taco Bell (kidding). Anyhow, after a rough rookie season that saw fights, controversy and not a whole hell of a lot statistically, White has rededicated himself and is making a little bit of noise down in Tennessee this season.

He has equaled Reggie Bush's total rushing yards in just one game. On the season he is averaging a shade under 4.0 ypc, which ain't exactly hall of fame material, but more importantly he is making strides. And worthy to note, White scored his first career NFL TD this past Sunday. So, we can register the tally White 1 and Bush 0...so far in 2007.

It's funny how when these two came out of USC most everyone couldn't get enough taste of the Bush koolaid. To most, White was just an afterthought that we'd all soon forget about and maybe that was for good measure. Maybe things would've been different if LenDale could've gotten that first down against Texas, instead of coming up short.

However, if you stop and think about the ceilings of both players, you'd have to remove Bush from the Gale Sayers comparisons...right now. From what we've seen he has a long way to go before he can even be a "feature" RB. And that's not to say White has arrived as a feature RB. He too still splits carries in the crowded Titans backfield with Chris Brown. Anyhow, I'd say Bush's ultimate NFL ceiling looks more and more like Brian Westbrook. However, right now he is more or less at the Dave Megget plateau. For LenDale if he keeps eating late night and packing the pounds, while pounding the rock...he could be the next Jerome Bettis...maybe? Well, I'm not so sure on that one either. Let me think about a LenDale comparison and get back to you.

Regardless, for all the hype and the anointed one we give to Reggie Bush, let's not forget that LenDale White may not have the glitz and the glamour, but he is working his way back into the good graces with the Titans. And he just might turn out to be an equal if not more productive talent in the NFL. That's all to be seen. Well, at least he holds more fantasy value right now. And so, I will leave you with a stale cliche to chew on for the day; only time will tell.