Alex Smith - Comeback Player of the Year

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Alex Smith - Comeback Player of the Year

Post by Steelperch » Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:34 am

Alex Smith, started 6 games... 6 TDS, 8 INT, 78 QB Rating
Roethlisberger in 15 games.... 33 TDS, 10 INT, 94 QB Rating

You could make the same post about TJ Watt vs Aaron Donald.


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Post by stillthere » Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:36 am

If Smith isn't in the running this year Ben would of collected this award.

I have no problem with Smith winning this award after watching Project 11.

Just is, what it is.

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Post by Steelperch » Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:44 am

A QB makes his living with his arm. Ben had the most major elbow surgery of any QB ever and returned to play at a high level. I get that Smith had a serious infection, but he didn’t play much or very well. 49 of 50 voters disagreed with me.
Redskins Draft:
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Patrick Paul OT Houston
Jordan Morgan OT Arizona
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TJ Tampa, CB, Iowa State
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Post by tbsteel » Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:45 am

Alex Smith was easily the Comeback POTY. The guy literally almost died. 17 surgeries. Seven-teen. Almost had his leg amputated. Pretty sure his return to the football field had more adversity than Ben's did, just simple facts unless you're just wanting to homer it up.

TJ Watt had a good case for sure, but Aaron Donald deserved it. Best defensive player in the league year and after year, double teamed close to 70% of his snaps and is still a dominant force. He'll go down with LT and Reggie White as one the absolute greatest of all time.
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Post by tbsteel » Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:47 am

Steelperch wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:44 am
A QB makes his living with his arm. Ben had the most major elbow surgery of any QB ever and returned to play at a high level. I get that Smith had a serious infection, but he didn’t play much or very well.
So Ben deserves it more because he had an arm injury and that's more important for a QB than a leg? Lol, c'mon dude. Smith's leg was almost amputated. Remind me again how many one-legged QBs have played in the NFL? :lol:

Steelperch wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:44 am
49 of 50 voters disagreed with me.
Yeah, because you're wrong. If 98% of the sports world disagrees with me on a topic I'd probably reevaluate my position.
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Post by Steelperch » Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:50 am

tbsteel wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:47 am
Steelperch wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:44 am
A QB makes his living with his arm. Ben had the most major elbow surgery of any QB ever and returned to play at a high level. I get that Smith had a serious infection, but he didn’t play much or very well.
So Ben deserves it more because he had an arm injury and that's more important for a QB than a leg? Lol, c'mon dude. Smith's leg was almost amputated. Remind me again how many one-legged QBs have played in the NFL? :lol:

Steelperch wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:44 am
49 of 50 voters disagreed with me.
Yeah, because you're wrong. If 98% of the sports world disagrees with me on a topic I'd probably reevaluate my position.
If the Ryan Shazier signed a one day contract next year he’s a lock to win this award, right?
Redskins Draft:
Marvin Harrison, Jr., WR, Ohio State
Patrick Paul OT Houston
Jordan Morgan OT Arizona
Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas
TJ Tampa, CB, Iowa State
Trevin Wallace LB Kentucky
Bucky Irving RB Oregon
Jordan Travis QB FSU

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Post by Orangesteel » Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:15 am

Smith is the better story, so I’m not surprised. Ben played better. TJ couldn’t beat the Browns or get Mayfield to the ground when it counted. Aaron Donald won a road playoff game and did so with a torn abdomen or whatever.

The way the Steelers finished this stupid goddamn season I’m glad none of these asshats are getting any accolades. All of these pre-SB awards are meaningless anyways. The real winners are playing tomorrow. Steelers are losers like everyone else.
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Post by Kodiak » Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:19 am

Steelperch wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:44 am
49 of 50 voters disagreed with me.
I really thought it would have been closer than that. Have to remember the media hates Ben, though.

Not a good sign for the "will he make 1st ballot?" debate.
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Post by Kodiak » Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:23 am

tbsteel wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:45 am
Alex Smith was easily the Comeback POTY. The guy literally almost died. 17 surgeries.
I don't think almost dying from infection really factors in. His injury was the more improbable to come back from, but Ben's injury - to the throwing arm of a QB - really doesn't take much of a back seat. More or less, if Alex Smith was able to walk again he was going to be able to throw a football.

Does Alex Smith get this if he only plays a few snaps this year? Probably not. So the superior numbers Ben put up should matter.

But not really an award anyone should care about, other than the guy getting it (and maybe his doctors and trainers).
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Post by tbsteel » Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:41 am

You and Perch are going to have to point out to me where they directly factor in stats into the Comeback POTY. Last I checked, there were no specific rules, and it's basically the PFWA voting for the player that best showed perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of being out of football the year prior, overcoming a severe injury, or poor performance.

And re: Shazier. That's a false equivalency, Perch. Ryan Shazier signing a one day contract = / = Alex Smith coming back and playing quarterback for 8 games this year. Which you already know, but you're just being petty. :P
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Post by Jobu » Sun Feb 07, 2021 5:46 am

They engraved Alex Smith on the Comeback POTY Award the moment he stepped back on a football field to play...as they should have. He deserves it.
Moving on...
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Post by Kodiak » Sun Feb 07, 2021 7:57 am

Jobu wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 5:46 am
They engraved Alex Smith on the Comeback POTY Award the moment he stepped back on a football field to play...as they should have. He deserves it.
Moving on...
Ben also had a potentially career-ending injury.

So by what standard does Alex Smith get 35 out of 36 votes? We all agree it must not have had anything to do with performance.
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Post by Kodiak » Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:00 am

tbsteel wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:41 am
You and Perch are going to have to point out to me where they directly factor in stats into the Comeback POTY.
They don't. But it appears they are factoring in unrelated surgical issues.

So, two guys who aren't expected to play again. One plays at an MVP-level for 3 months, and another limps in to play like Mike Tomczak for a month....

Both are very, very deserving. But one had a much more important impact on his team. Seriously, we should give Shazier a helmet for 1 game next year just to win this.
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Post by Professor Half Wit » Sun Feb 07, 2021 12:14 pm

Steelperch wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:44 am
A QB makes his living with his arm. Ben had the most major elbow surgery of any QB ever and returned to play at a high level. I get that Smith had a serious infection, but he didn’t play much or very well. 49 of 50 voters disagreed with me.
Kodiak wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:00 am
But it appears they are factoring in unrelated surgical issues.

So, two guys who aren't expected to play again. One plays at an MVP-level for 3 months, and another limps in to play like Mike Tomczak for a month....

Both are very, very deserving. But one had a much more important impact on his team. Seriously, we should give Shazier a helmet for 1 game next year just to win this.
But it can be reasonably argued that Alex Smith's chances of playing again were much worse than Ben's chances. A QB may make a living with his arm, but you can't play if you only have one leg. It was pretty absurd for Smith to be playing, period. Was it more absurd to see Ben playing in 2020 than Smith? I don't think so.

I don't think it is *outrageous* that Smith rather than Ben was given this award.

TJ Watt, on the other hand, he got fucking hosed. Aaron Donald had a tremendous season, but he got the reputation nod. Maybe the Steelers get to shave 83 cents off TJ's next contract.
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Post by bradshaw2ben » Sun Feb 07, 2021 12:27 pm

Steelperch wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:34 am
Alex Smith, started 6 games... 6 TDS, 8 INT, 78 QB Rating
Roethlisberger in 15 games.... 33 TDS, 10 INT, 94 QB Rating

You could make the same post about TJ Watt vs Aaron Donald.
They don’t walk past 6 Comeback Player of the Year awards on their way to work.
1 20 Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
2 51 TRADE: Brandon Aiyuk, WR
3 84 Hunter Nourzad, C, Penn State
3× 98 Jarvis Brownlee, Jr., CB, Florida State
4 128 Qwan'tez Stiggers, DB, Toronto Argonauts

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Post by Steelperch » Sun Feb 07, 2021 12:36 pm

bradshaw2ben wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 12:27 pm
Steelperch wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:34 am
Alex Smith, started 6 games... 6 TDS, 8 INT, 78 QB Rating
Roethlisberger in 15 games.... 33 TDS, 10 INT, 94 QB Rating

You could make the same post about TJ Watt vs Aaron Donald.
They don’t walk past 6 Comeback Player of the Year awards on their way to work.

Because Ben got screwed out of two of them. Apparently getting run over by a Buick and having an appendectomy aren’t serious enough injuries. He finished below Greg Ellis who switched positions and Randy Moss who was overcoming a chronic case of apathy that year.

They’ll be walking past those same 6 trophies for a long time because of your pal, the quote monster.
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Post by K_C_ » Sun Feb 07, 2021 1:30 pm

Maybe they watched the video of when Smith and the Redskins came into Heinz and knocked off Ben and his boys?

In just one of several embarrassing losses.
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Post by K_C_ » Sun Feb 07, 2021 1:32 pm

Kodiak wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 7:57 am
Jobu wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 5:46 am
They engraved Alex Smith on the Comeback POTY Award the moment he stepped back on a football field to play...as they should have. He deserves it.
Moving on...
Ben also had a potentially career-ending injury.

So by what standard does Alex Smith get 35 out of 36 votes? We all agree it must not have had anything to do with performance.
Alex Smith nearly lost his leg and died.

Smith had a potentially life-ending injury.
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Post by blu » Sun Feb 07, 2021 2:56 pm

K_C_ wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 1:32 pm
Kodiak wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 7:57 am
Jobu wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 5:46 am
They engraved Alex Smith on the Comeback POTY Award the moment he stepped back on a football field to play...as they should have. He deserves it.
Moving on...
Ben also had a potentially career-ending injury.

So by what standard does Alex Smith get 35 out of 36 votes? We all agree it must not have had anything to do with performance.
Alex Smith nearly lost his leg and died.

Smith had a potentially life-ending injury.
Smith made it back by his brilliant force of will. Ben made it back due to the hands of an excellent surgeon. How could you not give the award to Alex Smith. Alex's photo will go up in veterans hospitals & Ben's in Steeler sports bars.

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Post by Professor Half Wit » Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:43 pm

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Post by RemoAZ » Sun Feb 07, 2021 5:18 pm

Yeah I don't see this as debatable at all. If Ben fails in his comeback, the worst thing that happens is he retires filthy rich. Smith's worst-case scenario is he retires filthy rich with one leg. Just imagine if Ben put in the same effort Smith did. Think he would have moved better this season?
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Post by Kodiak » Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:12 pm

Professor Half Wit wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 12:14 pm
But it can be reasonably argued that Alex Smith's chances of playing again were much worse than Ben's chances.
Both had potentially career ending injuries. They both more than met the standard of qualification. Presumably the award would have been more than just deciding which guy made a roster with the more severe injury.

IMO, the entire concept of "comeback" is based at least partly on performance. That's why Shazier wouldn't win the award just for being put on the practice squad.
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Post by Kodiak » Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:15 pm

blu wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 2:56 pm
Ben made it back due to the hands of an excellent surgeon.
I'm sorry, did Alex Smith do all those operations himself? If so, then he deserved 36 out of 36 votes.
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Post by Kodiak » Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:23 pm

K_C_ wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 1:32 pm
Smith had a potentially life-ending injury.
No he didn't. He got an infection in the hospital recovering from the first surgery, and that infection is really what caused most of the subsequent issues. Happens a lot. It's a risk of going under the knife.

His recovery is more improbable only because of the extreme bad luck he had in the hospital.
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Post by K_C_ » Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:41 pm

Kodiak wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:23 pm
K_C_ wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 1:32 pm
Smith had a potentially life-ending injury.
No he didn't. He got an infection in the hospital recovering from the first surgery, and that infection is really what caused most of the subsequent issues. Happens a lot. It's a risk of going under the knife.

His recovery is more improbable only because of the extreme bad luck he had in the hospital.
I take it you missed the ESPN doc on Smith’s recovery where they were seriously worried he might die after shit started going seriously haywire early on with his leg?

Yeah.....you may want to watch it.....because Smith’s life was in danger.
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Post by SteelerDayTrader » Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:45 pm

tbsteel wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:45 am
Alex Smith was easily the Comeback POTY. The guy literally almost died. 17 surgeries. Seven-teen. Almost had his leg amputated. Pretty sure his return to the football field had more adversity than Ben's did, just simple facts unless you're just wanting to homer it up.

TJ Watt had a good case for sure, but Aaron Donald deserved it. Best defensive player in the league year and after year, double teamed close to 70% of his snaps and is still a dominant force. He'll go down with LT and Reggie White as one the absolute greatest of all time.
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Post by Kodiak » Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:47 pm

K_C_ wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:41 pm
I take it you missed the ESPN doc on Smith’s recovery where they were seriously worried he might die after shit started going seriously haywire early on with his leg?
I said it was from an infection. You probably missed that. You miss a lot.

He contracted a flesh eating bacteria after the first surgery, and that's what seriously fucked up his leg. I don't know if sepsis resulted from that or not, but sepsis is what threatened his life. The flesh eating bacteria is what almost cost him his leg.

Getting nasty bugs while recovering in the hospital is why neither you, nor your doctors, want you there one minute longer than necessary.
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Post by El Kabong » Mon Feb 08, 2021 12:51 am

I feel like what you had to overcome should matter, and Smith had more to overcome. Ben had elbow surgery, come on.
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Post by Professor Half Wit » Mon Feb 08, 2021 1:46 am

Kodiak wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:12 pm
Professor Half Wit wrote:
Sun Feb 07, 2021 12:14 pm
But it can be reasonably argued that Alex Smith's chances of playing again were much worse than Ben's chances.
Both had potentially career ending injuries. They both more than met the standard of qualification. Presumably the award would have been more than just deciding which guy made a roster with the more severe injury.

IMO, the entire concept of "comeback" is based at least partly on performance. That's why Shazier wouldn't win the award just for being put on the practice squad.
Dude. What Ben went through to rehab his elbow vs what Smith went through is not comparable. Come on!
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Post by Kodiak » Mon Feb 08, 2021 2:10 am

Professor Half Wit wrote:
Mon Feb 08, 2021 1:46 am
Dude. What Ben went through to rehab his elbow vs what Smith went through is not comparable. Come on!
Again, I'm not aware of this award being given on the basis of who had the most severe injury.

What happened to Smith COULD have happened to Ben. It happens to thousands of non-NFL players in hospitals every year.
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