Saturday, October 07, 2006

Heath Shuler Coming Back to DC?

I've generally avoided commenting on domestic politics on this blog, and given my proximity to Ambassador Khalilzad, have written much less about the highs and lows of Iraqi politics than I expected. But this story about Heath Shuler running for Congress was too good to let pass (no pun intended) without comment.

For those who don't remember, Shuler was one of the best college quarterbacks of the last 20 years while at the University of Tennessee in the early 1990s. In 1994, the Redskins drafted him with the third overall pick. However, he immediately held out for more money and missed most of training camp his rookie year. When he finally did take the field, he clearly lacked the head to comprehend the complexity of professional defenses.

Sadly, he turned out to be a horrendous flop in the NFL, completing only 47% of his passes and averaging less than 184 yards/game with the 'Skins, and ended his career -- which included one forgettable year with the New Orleans Saints -- with twice as many interceptions (33) as touchdown passes (15). (Ironically, he is actually one year younger than the Redskins current starting quarterback, Mark Brunell).

If I were his opponent, I would run a campaign ad with the slogan: "Heath Shuler: A Proven Failure in Our Nation's Capital!"

(And yes, if he is elected, I will definitely try to get his autograph the next time I'm on the Hill).