Chip Brown talks about Chris Simms

I still have a Chris Simms autographed football in a display case sitting proudly in my room. Says, "To Bevo04 Best of Luck Hook em Chris Simms #1." I had a small class my freshman year with Chris and he was one of the nicest people I've ever met. Invited my to his Jester Dorm room so that he could autograph my football.
 
There was no or very little division on the team. I will agree that over 90% supported the decision to start Chris. He worked his tail off and wanted to win at all cost. It is funny how peoples opinion of him change after they meet him or talk to someone who spent a lot of time around him. I know what I saw with my own eyes and still defend Chris to this day.

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Major, Chris, Chance, Colt... they've all accomplished the same thing - QB of the Texas Longhorns under Mack Brown.

Only one QB has actually accomplished more under Mack. So, I don't get all the Chris bashing or Colt / Major loving. It's obviously not based on achievement.

I understand the love for the other guy.
 
I never understood the criticism of Chris and continue to support him and Major to this day. They're both outstanding young men and deserve only the best from Longhorn fans. Good luck to both of them in their careers.
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OK, I'm probably gonna get killed for posting this, but critiques of Simms (back in the day) were not completely unfounded. While I certainly don't condone the fans bourish behavior and Chris should be recognized for his accomplishments, he did not have his best performances in some of the 'biggest' games (namely OU, CCGs, and Bowl Games).

UT 14 - OU 63 (2000) - Simms 11-23 for 67 yards and an INT. Applewhite didn't fare much better 9-18 for 98 yards an an INT. (Note that in the previous year Applewhile led UT to a 38-24 victory on a 22-47 for 328 yards with 3 TDs and no INTs.)

UT 14 - OU 3 (2001) - Simms was 24-42 for 198 with 4 INTs and 5 sacks.

UT 24 - OU 35 (2002) - Simms was 12-26 for 156 yards with 3 INTs and 4 sacks.

UT 30 - Oregon 35 (2000) - Simms was 17-33 for 245 with 4 INTs and 3 sacks.

UT 37 - CU 39 (2001) - Simms was 9-17 for 130 yards with 3 INTs before Applewhite nearly brought us back on a 15-25 for 240 yards with no INTs and 2 TDs. That followed by the sensational Holiday bowl game.

I will say that Simms seemed to have the Aggies number. And, he did go out with a nice win against LSU in the Cotton Bowl.

But like it or not, a UT QB is largely remembered for how they played in the big games. Few people remember the games that we are supposed to win, but you can become a legend for the big wins (e.g. Gardere, Applewhite, James Brown).

Unfortunately, Simms is remembered for just the opposite including the infamous CU collapse, which was juxtaposed with a brillant performance by Applewhite.
 
No need to post Chris' or Major's bad games, they both had a number of them. They both had some great games too. That is the point. Effectively they were the same productivity wise, but our fanbase fellates one and villifies the other. It is not fair and it is not right. We should appreciate both of them for what they were. Arguably the 2nd and 3rd best QBs at Texas since Street.
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Simms didn't look good against OU in 2000, 2001 or 2002 but Major didn't look any better when he was playing the majority of the 2000 game, and OU continued to kick our asses in 2003 and 2004 when Simms was no longer there. They were just better than us back then and I'm not sure if any QB other than 2005 Vince could have made a difference.

He wasn't great in the 2000 Oregon Holiday Bowl but he played good enough to win it at the end, Roy and BJ didn't make easy catches.

There is no getting around the fact he blew the 2001 Big XII game.

He did put in great performances on the road against KSU and NU in 2002, torched LSU in the Cotton Bowl, beat the crap out of the Aggies multiple times.

If he was from a small town in Texas he would be remembered as a very good QB who let one big game get away. It's a shame people can't get past his name and the fact he was started in front of Applewhite to see that.
 
The problem with the Cultists is that they conveniently ignore Major's bad games and just credit him with allegedly great wins.

How many times did we go into OU undefeated with Major at QB? How did Major do in his first Big 12 title game against NU? How in the **** did we lose to **** *** Stanford with Major in there? As pointed out above, Major started the OU game in 2000. How did he do in the bowl game against Arkansas? It's like those games are just figments of our imagination and never really happened, or shouldn't be held against Major.

I hate having to knock the guy, but that's what your forced to do when Cultists say that Simms sucked and Major should have started, as if that would have automatically meant Big 12 and national titles because, by God, Major always won the big game.

********.

Both guys played their asses off. Both gave it all for UT. Unfortunately, neither could lead us to the promised land like a certain #10. So it goes.
 
The Best move Coach Brown ever made was replacing Nunez. It didn't matter who was lining up against OU those 2 years - either didn't stand a chance. The intensity of practice was night and day when Mcwhorter arrived (the no blocking sled story under Nunez is 100% true) and it showed in O-Line play.

It's disgusting to look back at all the talent on the O-Lines those years that was wasted. There is no doubt in my mind we would have played for at least one if not multiple NC's back then had McWhorter been in charge of the O-line all of Mack's tenure.
 
If ousucks doesn't have the year they did in 2000 and win the MNC, I think this argument may have never occurred. That year really changed everything for Texas and to a lesser extent, the entire Big 12. With the sooners winning it all, it reminded everyone around here just how long since we had been National Champs. Coupled with the fact that, at the time (circa end of the year 1999), everyone though we were on the right track and were further along the ou with regards to resuming our "rightful place" among the games elite.

But then the 2000 season and the stakes got turned way up and the "schedule" got pushed forward dramatically. It was in 2001 that you first heard rumblings about firing GD or MB "if they didn't get it done pronto". That's when the pressure to win now and win big got taken to another level.

And for all the harmony now being espoused about the Chris/Major situation now on this thread, you should have seen Hornfans circa 2001. The back and forth was brutal.
 
What Peejay said is completely true. I know, look at my handle...I am a huge Major fan. But I am also the biggest Chris Simms fan as well. That's why i actually have the NFL Sunday Ticket! So I can watch Bucs games.

Having said that, I was a student at UT from 2001-2005. I lived in Jester West my first year, and I was very good friends with a lot of the guys on the team. In fact, major flashback, Alfio Randal was one of my best friends. He lived on the same floor in JE as Chance Mock, Chris, Rod, Bo, all the guys. Everyone on that team loved Chris. I would hear how he regularly bought the team pizza--the entire team--he would order one day out of the week and always take it to meetings. He took his O-line to dinner. He even met with Cedric on Thursdays, if I remember correctly, so that they could have dinner. From what I gathered, guys liked Major, but he wasn't as 'popular' with the guys as Chris was.

They related to Chris and he was friends with all the guys. Anyone could talk to him. I remember seeing the guy help students move in--he would ride the elevator in JE and help people carry their bags on and off. He always signed things for fellow students, and at the Hex Rally, before the atm game here in Austin, he was the hugest draw. He couldn't even leave. The students totally boxed him in, asking for photos, sigs. Even Roy left. Roy told him there were too many people and he wasn't staying. Chris stayed for way over an hour. He never said no. He always took the photos, held babies even, and talked on cell phones to relatives.

I would go to EZ's a lot with the guys when he was at the Gables. Kyle Shanahan and Chris were always hanging out there. I remember one time this grown man came up to him and literally said how he thought he was awful. Chris sat there, listened to what he said, and he said "I am sorry you feel that way." This was after Bo and Rod were ready to fight the guy. He was always a class act. And I can't tell you how many times he paid for students at EZ's. One kid was there with a girl and his card got declined. Chris was watching from his table and he went and paid for their dinner. Who does that? And no, he wasn't looking for points. He is just genuinely a nice guy. He is one of the best guys I have ever met, regardless of the fact that he was a football player.

I would actively campaign to have him come to Austin this coming season on their bye week. You won't find a better representative of this University.
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the way fans treated simms is truly unlike anything i've ever seen from texas fans. the whole thing was embarrassing. i got so sick of hearing, "mack promised chris' daddy that his son would start. blah, blah, blah." it was embarrassing and ignorant. i feel bad for the guy. he should feel welcome at the forty, but it's sad that that isn't the case. if someone thought that major should have been playing over chris, then he or she should have been upset with mack, not chris. let's hope that chris comes back someday to a warm welcome.
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Majorstheman: Thanks for the anecdotes. We really were/are lucky to have this guy represent UT.

I can only speak for myself and I know that if Chris were to come back and stand on the sidelines at DKR during one of the games, I would cheer my *** off for him. I have a feeling most, not all, but most of the fans would react the same way.
 
Looks like 99% of the replies on this thread are very positive and express a lot of admiration and good will towards Chris.

Any chance this represents the feelings of our greater fanbase?

I was always amazed by his ability to maintain such a classy demeanor under all the ridiculous insults and criticism; don't think I coul have done this.

I'm glad to hear his team mates thought so highly of him; I'm sure he knew this.

I have good friends today that still can't seem to compliment other QBs (Vince, Colt, et.) without throwing Chris under the bus.
 
majorstheman's post echoes what i have heard about chris. actually, i'm getting pissed thinking about the haters.

chris, f the haters.

come home.
 
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