Vince Young Party Pix Apology: 'Not Going to Stop Me From Having Fun'

Today, Titans quarterback Vince Young apologized to children who may have seen shirtless pictures of him in a bar, including one where he appears to drink liquor straight from the bottle. Even so, he doesn't believe he did anything wrong:

"I apologize to some of the kids if they did see it because I am trying to be a role model for them. But at the same time, I was just trying to have fun with (friends). That is the life of a quarterback, somebody of my status. I guess somebody was trying to make some money and sold the picture to the web site. But at the same time that is the life I chose to live. But it is not going to stop me from having fun. I just have to watch myself. They always want to try and get some negative pub on me. It wasn't really nothing bad. ... Everybody deserves to have a good time every once in a while during the offseason."

And when he says "every once in a while," I'm guessing his definition is different than most people's. Below the gallery is a selection of six Vince Young birthday party links (and pictures) from just last weekend hosted by a promotion group called "inDmix":

Athletes Partying

Matt Leinart

TheDirty.com

Vince Young

Blogxilla.com

Reggie Miller

DonChavez.com

Eli Manning

DrunkAthlete.com

Michael Jordan

Lioninoil.blogspot.com

Tim Tebow

EveryDayShouldBeSaturday.com

Kyle Orton

DrunkAthlete.com

Chris Berman

Deadspin.com/trusesportsfans

Jimmy Johnson

DrunkAthlete.com

Greg Oden

DrunkAthlete.com

Vince Young's White Tee Party @ the ROC Wednesdays - 5.14.08 (I'm not sure that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell would approve the use of NFL imagery in picture #5 down. Body painted females not the safest for work).

Vince Young's Invite Only Pool Party at the Westside Tennis Club - 5.15.08 (Shirtless Vince again but this time with a water gun not a bottle. It's a pool party so I guess shirts-optional is a fairly normal thing).

Vince Young's Birthday Weekend KickOff Party & Premiere of the iBar - 5.16.08

Vince, Shawn Marion & Jevon Kearse host Baby Blue Carpet Affair @ Club Level - 5.17.08 (Here's a note at the end of picture set showing pictures of 3 police officers : "Of course the haters came through to shut it down ... but I think it is a complement when your party gets shut down. VY you get mad props on a super sick party son.")

Vince Young Bday BBQ Cookout & Daytime party at the Red Door - 5.18.08 (Tight looking cake. Vince cake smushing pictures on page 2).

Lil Wayne, Lloyd, Mannie Fresh, Lil Keke at Vince Young Bday Bash at BAR RIO - 5.18.08

For the record, in response to Young's statement, the person who writes BlogXilla.com wrote in an email to me that the site did not pay for the pictures that are the subject of the apology. Someone sent them to the site:

"My website is not a gossip site, it's about romance, relationship, movies and entertainment. And Vince, like it or not is an entertainer and in Urban America what he does is apart of our life."

So were the pictures that Young was apologizing for a result of just people trying to "get some negative pub" on him? Seems to me the pictures were just embarrassing. He wasn't doing anything disgusting, but as Young notes, quarterbacks get extra scrutiny. In a world of picture phones, it is probably not the best judgment to be out in public drinking what appears to be tequila straight from the bottle.

And I think it also goes to the deeper issue of whether he is taking seriously the responsibilities of being an NFL quarterback.

Arguably, Vince Young got his offensive coordinator fired last year for finding it easier to throw interceptions than touchdowns. Coming off such a season where his maturity, accuracy and understanding of NFL quarterbacking was questioned, a few seasons removed from a draft where scouts had concerns about his intelligence and judgment, you would think he would go out of his way to dedicate himself to being and appearing professional.

Before the 2006 draft, Jason Whitlock had an article at ESPN Page 2 suggesting that Vince Young was not conducting himself in the manner that will lead to long term success in the NFL. At the time, I thought some of Whitlock's individual concerns Young's posse might be a little overblown, but I thought his overall point about how NFL quarterbacks achieve long term success through preparation and good judgment was a point worth saying:

"Before any NFL owner gives Young a bunch of guaranteed dollars, the general manager better make sure Young is going to hit the film room and practice field just as hard as Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb and Tom Brady. The GM also should make sure that the head coach and offensive coordinator -- not some let's-hit-the-strip-clubs posse member -- have the ear of the quarterback.
Playing QB in The League is a different animal."

I don't want to make too much of this. It's not a particularly a newsflash when a player goes to a bar, goes to lots of bars or even looks stupid in a bar. (Though I think fans love to see this stuff, given the success of DrunkAthlete.com). But I do think the Whitlock article is worth a trip in the wayback machine to read.

The Titans have a lot of money invested in Vince Young, and if something bad happens to a franchise quarterback, it can ruin a team. This is why teams expect more from their quarterbacks than any other position on the field. Young shouldn't just apologize to children who saw that picture, he should apologize to the Titan franchise and fans for putting himself in a position where such photographs could be taken.

When Vince Young went back to UT this summer to take classes, he said, "It's not about the money and fame. It's about education."

Actually, for a well-paid NFL quarterback, it shouldn't be about money, fame or education. Unless it's really about a sense of entitlement and an excuse for a fierce baby blue party promotion poster.

Previously at FanHouse:
Vince Young: Shirtless, Swilling at a Party?
Matt Leinart, Alex Smith Pics at TheDirty.com: The Future of Sports Media?

Latest NFL Photos

Denver Broncos rookie tackle Ryan Clady, who was selected as the team's first-round pick in the NFL draft from Boise State, warms up before taking part in the team's quarterback camp at the Broncos headquarters in southeast Denver on Wednesday, May 21, 2008. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

** FILE ** In this May, 8, 2008 file photo, Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan throws during a minicamp workout in Flowery Branch, Ga, The Falcons moved quickly to lock up their new franchise quarterback by signing Ryan to a six-year, $72 million deal. Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick in last month's NFL draft, is guaranteed $34.75 million in the deal signed Tuesday May 20, 2008. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

** FILE ** In this May 10, 2008 file photo, Atlanta falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan rolls out during an NFL football minicamp workout in Flowery Branch, Ga. The Falcons moved quickly to lock up their new franchise quarterback by signing Ryan to a six-year, $72 million deal. Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick in last month's NFL draft, is guaranteed $34.75 million in the deal signed Tuesday May 20, 2008. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

C** FILE ** In this Sept. 16, 2007 file photo, Carolina Panthers' Dan Morgan is shown during an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C. Linebacker Dan Morgan retired Monday may 19, 2008, two months after the frequently injured former first-round draft pick from Miami signed with the New Orleans Saints. Morgan, who signed with the Saints March 11, played seven seasons with the Carolina Panthers. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn, File)

Former University of Michigan teammates, Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Jake Long (L), the 2008 number one draft pick, New York Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham and Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne (R), stand together during the 2008 Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles May 17, 2008. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

The tattoo on the arm of Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Jake Long, the 2008 number one draft pick, is seen during the 2008 Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles May 17, 2008. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Jake Long, the 2008 number one draft pick, smiles as he is fitted with a microphone before being interviewed during the 2008 Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles May 17, 2008. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

Indianapolis Colts guard Mike Pollak, the team's top draft pick, hits a blocking sled during a minicamp at the NFL football team's training facility in Indianapolis on Friday, May 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Tom Strickland)

Baltimore Ravens first-round draft pick Joe Flacco (5) gets ready to throw a pass during an NFL football minicamp alongside teammates Troy Smith (10) and Kyle Boller (7), Friday, May 9, 2008, in Owings Mills, Md. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Carolina Panthers first-round draft pick Jonathon Stewart watches practice during the second day of the NFL football team's three-day minicamp Saturday, May 3, 2008, in Charlotte, N.C. Stewart did not participate in any drills because of toe surgery. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 10)

5-23-2008 @ 1:23AM

LB said...

I get tired of geek writers who try to tell us what someone else should do with their free time. I am sure he went to parties in college and during his rookie year. So now going to a party is bad.

Those parties were set up by promoters. If he actually knew about the party all he had to do was show up.

Why is he a role model because he can play football???

5-23-2008 @ 1:31AM

Stephanie Stradley said...

I didn't say he was a role model.

I said he is being paid big coin to be a franchise quarterback and maybe he ought to act like one.

I kindly suggest that you read the Whitlock article. It's all about if a quarterback in the modern NFL is interested in long term success, they need to treat the position as a privilege and not an entitlement.

If Young is going to say that he is going to have fun with friends "every once in a while" then maybe he should be involved with six parties in four days. (not counting the party pictures he was apologizing about).

As I said, being a part of huge parties at bars isn't a federal case. But in the context of a struggling quarterback, I can't imagine the people paying his salary are particularly happy with it. And in the era of Roger Goodell holding franchises responsible for what their players do in their free time, it is something that is news.

(BTW, I can't be a geek as I don't know rudimentary things about electronic equipment).

5-23-2008 @ 1:55AM

http://play.rbn.com/?url=nfl/nfl/ope...mp3&proto=rtsp

Above link is the news conference where he discusses the above pictures and apologizes (4:25 mark). Sometimes it is better to understand an apology if you can hear it, and not just read it.

5-23-2008 @ 2:03AM

Reguy89 said...

Referring to the ninth photo down on page one of the BBQ Cookout at the Red Door.

You will never convince me that more than two of the individuals in that photo are female - maybe fewer than that.

5-23-2008 @ 7:49AM

Deb said...

I'm sorry, I'm not a party prude or a 'hata,' but chugging tequila isn't good for anyone, much less a professional athlete who does get paid a lot more than most of us will make in a lifetime.

He does owe his franchise and fans an apology for acting like some careless party poser. Party like that and bring home a Superbowl ring and I'm sure the "geek writers" will just shut up. Until then, get your butt to the gym, practice your craft, and live like the rest of the responsible citizens of the world.

I'm sure we'd not be having this discussion if he were injured while partying or even involved in a drunk driving accident where he killed someone else.

If you're going to play with the big boys, act like it. It's not about role models or apologizing to kids for behaving like a beast, it's about being a grownup. Earn your money and we'll leave you alone.

5-23-2008 @ 7:50AM

al coholic said...

If we can impune Matt Leinart for his hot tub picture (and many did) Vince's indiscretions ought to be fair game.

I will say though in Young's defense that the Internet has shown us a lot of what we never were privy to in the old days but this kind of behavior has been part of pro sports for a long time. Remember North Dallas Forty?

Good post...

5-23-2008 @ 9:15AM

lbeptx said...

yawn....

5-23-2008 @ 9:38AM

TX Girl said...

Wow...people need to get a life...and why is AOL Sports reporting this?

What happened to journalistic integrity?
I was in attendance at several of these events…no criminal activity…just people having fun.

And I also notice that you did not post the link to his charity basketball event or youth football camp that took place that same weekend.

5-23-2008 @ 10:58AM

August West said...

This is the dumbest post I've ever seen. You jumped the shark badly on this one Steph. How any person could honestly use this to try and make a comment about VY's on the field performance is laughable, irresponsible and completely detached from reality.

Pathetic. Also: scoreboard.

5-23-2008 @ 11:13AM

@8 TX Girl-

Never said anything criminal or evil happened at any of these parties. Just an interesting contrast to his apology where he says it isn't going to stop him from having fun. But do you think the people of Tennessee like seeing their quarterback party big in Texas?

There is a divide between different Titan fan bases. The ones who root primarily for the Titans and the ones that root primarily for Vince Young. There are some Titan fans who believe that Vince Young was an albatross for their team last year and would like him to focus more on football versus going back to school or partying in Texas.

That might not be fair, but perception is reality for the quarterback position, the most scrutinized position on the field. You can run off and date Gisele if you have won a Super Bowl, but maybe you be a little more low key if you are coming off a struggling season.

As I said, the parties are not a huge deal. Just something that fans may want to know.

I know about the camp. Not sure how it is relevant to Young's party habits. Basically, he charged kids to attend a camp with the proceeds to go to his foundation. Why not find needy kids who would like to go to a football camp, and not take their money that might be better spent on rent, food or other bills?

Lots of players have camps. Personally, I like the ones better that are directed towards kids with need, not just the one's whose parents have enough coin to go to camp.

Some people might not believe this, but I truly like Vince Young. I'm not saying that he shouldn't have fun in his life, but an NFL QB has an obligation to be professional and maybe he should be a little more discrete in his fun.

Thanks all for reading and commenting.
Steph

@9 AW-

At a minimum, I would have thought you might be entertained seeing your favorite quarterback's birthday parties.

As I said, it isn't a huge deal, but it does make you wonder in the context of his career. Did you read the Whitlock article? Do you have any concerns at all about what is considered important by Young and his maturity level? Did you listen to the interview in comment #3?

BTW, I was the first on the internet to write about Mario Williams minor lambo screw up last summer. Sometimes it is a good thing when people question a player's dedication to their craft by what they do off the field. Sometimes it can be a wakeup call.

Really, do Titan fans not care at all about your franchise quarterback's off-field stuff? I would think you guys would be more sensitized to this stuff than most.

Roger Goodell is making that stuff fair game if something happens to go wrong. Even if a player parties responsibly and isn't swigging tequila, if something bad happens around the player, they can get brought into it. May not be fair, but that is the way it is in the modern NFL. The teams have so much invested in the quarterback position.

Thanks all for reading and commenting. Especially you, AW, because I was expecting your arrival. :)

-Steph

5-23-2008 @ 11:20AM

"perception is reality for the quarterback position"

Bullsh*t. Wins and Losses are reality at the QB position. Everything else is gossip page fodder being posted on the wrong section of a website. Prove me wrong. Name one instance where that isn't the case.

Will you find some loserly Titans fans who do nothing but whine about VY and complain about almost everything he does? Yes. They were also the same idiots who were screaming for Steve McNair to be benched in favor of O'Donnell. Don't confuse blathering idiots who leave the caps lock on for the majority of Titans fans.

We love the Titans and we love VY. There's been absolutely no one in Nashville make a stink about ANY of this.

I wouldn't be so pissed about this post if I didn't respect you, but come on? You're making that hard to do on this one.

Also: scoreboard.

5-23-2008 @ 11:25AM

Sorry to blow-up, Steph. that was a decent response and some of my frustrations/anger is increased by the first few commenters (Deb, lookin at you).

I just hate to see a guy who is doing a lot of things the right way and winning games getting killed all off season.

Whitlock's a good columnist and I like him, but I thought that article was dogsh*t when it came out, and that was before we drafted VY and I was praying for Cutler.

5-23-2008 @ 11:33AM

"Especially you, AW, because I was expecting your arrival. :)"

You always know how to find me: just slap a Titan's tag on it and I'll come a' running!

5-23-2008 @ 11:51AM

Steph, it's not about being low key. It's about us as sports fans realizing we don't have a right to dictate the athletes lives. As long as they are acting within the confides of the law, it really should not be news...and even when laws are broken, why is it sports news? Now...Spygate...that's sports news...why? Because it impacts the integrity of the game on the field of play.

5-23-2008 @ 2:18PM

Fred Burch said...

Michael Vick, Packman Jones City. You (Vince) ain't that good yet to act like the star of "Showboat"

5-23-2008 @ 3:59PM

mbel said...

Wow. Thank God Broadway Joe never had to deal with a website that is "not a gossip site, it's about romance, relationship, movies and entertainment." Give me a break. Entire "entertainment" industries are waiting like hawks for athletes to make mistakes these days. Granted, there are probably better ways for an NFL QB to spend his off-season, but the distraction caused by the media coverage is often worse than the infractions themselves (see: Tony Romo in Cabo). Of course the media's worst nightmare would be for all athletes to behave like the San Antonio Spurs ... an organization villified for being boring. You can't win ...

5-23-2008 @ 3:45PM

lk said...

Is this supposed to be a big deal. So what, he has his shirt off and is drinking? Is this against the law?

5-23-2008 @ 3:39PM

Hill said...

It's ridiculous how the media blows everything out of proportion. I agree that young talented black athletes need to make smarter decisions in the society that we live in. However, I bet the person who wrote the article or the lifeless clown that took the pictures don't have a clue about the positive contributions that Vince makes to the community. It's easy for a bunch of non-athletic people to sit around & scrutinize everything that someone else does. Football players don't get paid for 24 hours a day/365 days a year. How would the writer feel if his boss came down on him for something done on his off time? Drinking at the bar is not illegal. We as a society thrust people into the role model spot just because they're good at their job. That's not what you supposed to look for in a role model. It's not fair that the owners make so much money off these athletes, then in the blink of an eye, or with the least mistake made away from football, everybody acts like these same money magnets are meaningless. They won't admit it, but I bet the Falcons are still reaping benefits from Mike Vick. I know in the team atmosphere, they always talking about being a family. Well, family don't use you ragged then turn away in an instant. Loosen up, let the young guys be young guys as long as it's off-season & away from football...

5-23-2008 @ 3:38PM

bozieb45 said...

I don't things have changed much. Forty years ago I was a quarterback in High School and I knew the focus was on me on and off the field as well as the off season. I had to maintain my role as a role model for the freshmen and sophmores as well as the juniors. I had to be careful with the women also, especially Mary Lou Snickleman- you know the type I am talking about. I married and had twins shortly after High School and my GPA was only 2.5 so I couldn't get a scholarship to college and I had a few problems with the police too.
The twins are grown and gone now, unfortunately both are in prison but you have to take life as it comes at you. I would like to get a coaching job someday.