QB Joe Germaine (official thread)

[Buckskin86]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ratt...tlers0311.html

Joe Germaine was surrounded by love at America West Arena last Friday after throwing for two touchdowns in relief duty during the Rattlers' rout of Columbus.

Friends, family and Ohio State alumni embraced the former Mesa Mountain View High, Scottsdale Community College and Ohio State quarterback.

But somebody was missing - his father.

It was the younger Germaine's first appearance in an Arena Football League game, and the first time he played a football game without his biggest fan cheering him on.

Three days earlier, Joe Germaine Sr., 67, died from renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer that took him three months after he was diagnosed.

"It was tough, but there was nothing he would have wanted me to do more than to play football," Germaine said. "My dad was such an important part of all of our lives."

It is why Germaine came home after a short NFL career with the St. Louis Rams and hooked up in the off-season with the Rattlers.

When he wasn't practicing as Sherdrick Bonner's backup, Germaine was building up his father's spirits. It was a change from when Joe Sr. helped his son believe anything was possible.

He did in 1997, when Joe Jr. led Ohio State on a late scoring drive to beat Arizona State in the Rose Bowl.

Joe Sr. and his wife were among the first to congratulate their son, who was ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1998.

"My parents, my whole family, have been amazing with me," Germaine said. "My mom and dad, they never missed a practice growing up. It was just awesome, awesome support."

Germaine never thought of taking time away from the game after his father died in the early-morning hours last Tuesday.

He didn't tell coach Danny White about it until that day - after practice.

"I knew that (his father) was day by day," White said. "He came to me after practice and said, 'My dad passed away.'

"I said, 'You want some time away?' He said, 'No, this is where he'd want me to be.' "

On Friday, with the Rattlers enjoying a big lead, Germaine made his entrance with a little less than two minutes to play in the third quarter. He completed 6 of 10 passes and made only one mistake, an interception in his first series, in his first taste of the quicker, 50-yard game.

"He wouldn't want me to do anything but come down here and try not to miss a beat," said Germaine, whose father was buried Wednesday.

White wasn't surprised Germaine didn't miss a practice.

"That's the kind of family they are - he (Joe Sr.) would want life to go on," said White, whose nephew, Max Hall, was an All-Arizona quarterback last season at Mountain View.

Germaine's family, including his wife, Natalie, attended the game Friday.

"I had a feeling he was able to watch a little of it," he said of his father. "You hear that cliché. It gets kind of old. But I believe it.

"Hopefully, I made him smile with the little bit of success I had out there."

[ashlandbuck]

Joe's a class guy.
I still think he could've been a decent NFL QB.

[7 45 33 48]

Joe Germaine always amazed me of how he had great touch and accuracy while he was in college. His first game he played was against Rice and you could tell right there that he had great accuracy and toughness that was displayed throughout his Ohio State career. I think Germaine could do something in the AFL. You don't need the strongest arm to make all of the plays in the AFL.

[matz2]

he was not a better all-time player at tOSU than Doss. How can a guy who only started one year be better than a 3 time AA? This is no knock on Germaine, as he should definitely be included on the all-time list, but there is no way he should be listed ahead of Doss.

Per BSB:

No. 29 - Joe Germaine
No. 30 - Michael Doss

[crazybuckeye]

I agree.

[Brutus1]

Apples and oranges.

That said, how could you not choose MD ?

[tibor75]

Joe Germaine is probably the most overrated Buckeye in recent memory. He sucked against scUM in 1996 and 1997 and made some horrible decisions against MSU in 1998. I'd take Krenzel, weak statistics and all, any day of the week.

[Naplesbuckeye]

Agreed....Krensel had the leadership that we have lacked in a QB in some time. Hoying was the last that we had in that arena..

[BuckeyeNation27]

because QB is harder to play than DB?

edit: looks like i was a little late replying.

also, this is coming from a guy who owns a doss / converted erik haw jersey.

[OilerBuck]

Anyone have a link to the article?

[FKAGobucks877]

Tibs: Disrespect intended - you are on crack. Germaine didn't have the "intangible" leadership qualities that CK did, but he was probably the best pure QB to come out tOSU in recent history. Definitely the most accurate. He played for a horrible coach, and didn't have quite the weapons around him as other Buckeye QB's either. Although, in all fairness, neither did Krenzel. But Krenzel did have MoC in 2002, while Germaine had the allstars RB duo of Pepe Pearson and Michael Wiley. I don't think Germaine should be rated ahead of Doss, but neither do I think he was overrated while here. That dubious distintion should go to Nate Clements, who was absolutely horrible in college. That is a tough argument to make, however, as he has done well for himself on Sundays.

[tibor75]

"and didn't have quite the weapons around him as other Buckeye QB's either."


Only one of the greatest receivers in Big 10 history. And that other bum Dee Miller sucked too.

[matz2]

Originally Posted by FKAGobucks877

That dubious distintion should go to Nate Clements, who was absolutely horrible in college. That is a tough argument to make, however, as he has done well for himself on Sundays.

I hate to add on and bash a former Buckeye, but I completely agree. Clements got absolutely abused by everyone (i.e. Ron Johnson, Chambers, Terrell, etc.)

Originally Posted by OilerBuck

Anyone have a link to the article?

Here you go Oiler. Link to Doss on the bottom as well.

http://ohiostate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=316757

[Jaxbuck]

I'll agree with Tibs in principle- I would take CK over Joe G any day of the week and Joe had as much, if not more, offensive talent around him than CK.

That being said Joe Germaine certainly did not suck nor was he overrated. Look at the OSU record books under passing and you will see that pretty clearly demonstrated.
Passing Yds Season....#1 (3,330 yds)
Passing Yds Career....#3 (6,370 yds)
TD passes season.... #2 (25)
TD passes Career....#2 (56)
Also look at single game passing records and you will find he has authored 6 of the top 10 games in OSU history.

If that is what an overrated player who sucks produces when he only gets to start his SR season then sign me up for more right now.

Also will agree that Clements was a dud as a Buckeye compared to how good he has been in the NFL. Seems to me if you play better in the NFL than you did in college you may have had the ol' crusie control set to "just good enough" untill your 3 years were up and you could go to the combine.

[FKAGobucks877]

Originally Posted by tibor75

"and didn't have quite the weapons around him as other Buckeye QB's either."


Only one of the greatest receivers in Big 10 history. And that other bum Dee Miller sucked too.

Ok, Tibs, my fault. I was talking about RB, mostly referring to Clarett vs. either Wiley or Pearson. The point remains the same, however. Germaine was NOT overrated. As I said before, his biggest drawback was his seeming "lack" of leadership skills. Athletically speaking, though, he was the best pure passer tOSU has seen in recent history. After reviewing the stats posted above, it makes me wonder what he could have accomplished if that idiot Cooper would have started him 3 years instead of one.