Flashbulbs shined and the Superdome buzzed with excitement as the New Orleans Saints, now up by 31 points in the fourth quarter, were about to become 3-3 and just one game behind in the NFC South.
Everyone on the sideline was riled with jubilation and enjoyment. That is, everyone except one man. A scowl was evident upon the forsaken face of the fallen legend, Joey Harrington.
The legend begins with the 2002 NFL Draft, in which the Detroit Lions chose Harrington third overall after David Carr and Julius Peppers. Obviously, the Lions got a sweet deal as Harrington proved to be the best quarterback in the entire draft that year.
But Joey, the football god, did not get a sweet deal by the Lions. Like the great leader he is, he promised to take his team to the Promised Land.
Despite only starting 12 games his first season, he almost took his team there, leading them to a magnificent three wins.
On the field, Harrington proved doubters wrong becoming quite the double threat on the field. Not only did he throw for nearly 3,000 yards, he somehow managed to rush for an outstanding four.
But his breakout season was in 2003 in which he managed to make himself a triple threat.
That's right; Joey Harrington is a triple threat: 2,880 yards passing, 86 yards rushing, eight yards receiving.
He was quickly becoming a Detroit legend, even bigger than Barry Sanders.
Sanders might have been the most elusive running back in the game, but how many interceptions did he throw in 2003? Harrington threw 23. Sanders couldn't do that in his whole career.
Doubling his win total with six in 2004, the pressures of adapting to the NFL style of play began to get to Joey. He began watching more and more quarterbacks use their feet and decided to become a scrambling quarterback to much success.
In fact, it was too much success for Detroit, as then General Manager Matt Millen told Joey to tone it down a notch because he was going to destroy the record books if he kept up the pace.
The team player he was, Joey did just that. He toned it down. A lot.
He was so believable in his role that the Lions cut him. That's just what a team player would do. Knowing what a great value on the market is, the Miami Dolphins swooped in and swam away with good old Joey.
Being from Oregon, it made Joey feel a little out of place with the palm trees and warm weather, but he was still able to deliver five wins in his 11 starts.
Then it happened. The Atlanta Falcons were dealing with some Ron Mexico turbulence and were deeply in need of a savior.
Doing them a favor, Miami allowed Harrington to go across state lines and help the hurting franchise. And aid them he did. He helped out the community, planted flowers and provided the entire city with a smile to know and love after so much turmoil.
Joey performed so well in fact, that owner Arthur Blank had him sit out most of the season.
Well, that brings us up to speed on the legend. With so many years of respectable football under his belt, why is Joey third string in New Orleans? It's easy. NFL politics. The National Football League just isn't ready for someone of his caliber.
So to describe his career in a nutshell, I think Sir Elton John says it best, "Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
