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ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Timmy Chang: First Asian NFL Quarterback?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:09:42 PM)
he kid's got everything you could want in a quarterback -- humility, ace grin, smarts, icewater in his veins, sticky hands, a magician's misdirection, quick and ready legs, and of course, an arm with the uncanny ability to find receivers with 10-yard bullets or 60-yard bombs. To top it off, at 6-2 and 185 pounds, Timmy Chang won't be encouraging any insidious stereotypes about the size of Asian athletes.
First AA NFL quarterback?
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During the first month of the 2002 season, the University of Hawaii junior (sophomore in terms of eligibility) starter was recovering from a broken pinkie but still managed to lead the Warriors to a 3-1 record. During a blowout of SMU, Chang found his receivers covered and scampered for a touchdown. And given the way Hawaii's defense is shaping up, Chang looks to enjoy many more opportunities to show off his virtuosity with the crowd-pleasing run-and-shoot game installed by coach June Jones. In fact, Timmy Chang is the odds-on favorite to become the Western Athletic Conference's top quarterback -- and is on track to earning national recognition.
Recognition is nothing new for Chang.
At Honolulu's St Louis High School he compiled the sixth best record nationally in touchdown passes while distinguishing himself as an unusually effective leader who gives all the credit to teammates. In his senior year Chang completed 64 touchdown passes, one shy of the national record and led St Louis to the state championship. You couldn't tell by his 4.3 GPA. He was intensively recruited by Cal, Washington and Utah but signed onto June Jones's vision of a nationally-ranked Hawaii football program built up with top local talent.
In his freshman season at UH (2000) Timmy Chang started 9 games and exceeded expectations by breaking eight school passing records. He was the pole star of a team struggling to remake itself. Chang's sophomore year went into limbo when he tore a wrist ligament early in the season, earning himself an exemption from a year of eligibility. But during the three games he started in September 2001, Chang gave a tantalizing glimpse of his true potential as a Division I-A quarterback by completing 83 passes for 1,100 yards to lead the nation in total offense.
There are naysayers who predict that Hawaii's defense is too small and weak to stand up to the power of bigger Division I teams. The lack of solid pass-rush protection could diminish Chang's prospects for shining on the national stage. And some are beginning to entertain the suspicion that Timmy Chang may be one of those brilliant but injury-prone athletes who ends up sidelined for the best part of his career.
Is Timmy Chang the best hope for an Asian American NFL starting quarterback?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
Was Henry Lees Kingman on Asian ethnicity?
Bats Left, Throws Left
Weight 165 lb.
Debut July 1, 1914
Born April 3, 1892 in Tientsin, China
Died December 27, 1982 in Oakland, CA
AJ
andrew.jacobs@uc.edu
Tuesday, April 15, 2003 at 09:21:30 (PDT)
[129.137.177.18]
Chang won't be the first Asian Quarter back in the NFL. Roman Gabriel is part Filipino, Jack Thompson is Somoan, and so is Marques Tuiasosopo (current Raiders and former UW quarterback).
Lao Buckeye
Thursday, March 27, 2003 at 21:43:08 (PST)
[216.196.40.21]
isn't Vince Manuwai asian too? he's projected to be a first round pick this year as the first o-man taken.
yao fan
Tuesday, March 04, 2003 at 13:07:28 (PST)
[63.209.25.162]
First Asian baseball(MLB) player: Masanori Murakami, San Francisco Giants(1964-65)
First Asain basketball(NBA) player: Wat Misaka, New York Knicks (1947-48)
First Asain football(NFL) player: Walter Aichieu, Daytona Triangles (1920's)
Nihon
Friday, February 14, 2003 at 03:02:37 (PST)
[24.48.214.105]
WR Hines Ward of the Steelers, WR Jonnie Morton of the Chiefs and RB Chad Morton of the Jets are all half asian. They should all be included as Asian American athletes in the NFL
Paul
Saturday, February 08, 2003 at 14:09:54 (PST)
[198.136.32.59]
Timmy Chang is 75% Chinese with a 25% mixture of caucasian, polynesian, japanese and filipino. Also, his playing weight for most of this season hovered btwn 205-210. The last time he was 185 lbs. was 3 seasons ago in his true freshman year.
Hawaii's a fun team to watch, especially if you're intersted in up and coming asian american athletes. For instance there's a monster of guard who blocks for him - Shane Kajioka - who played brilliantly for most of last season and is only a sophomore. Also, there's a really exciting WR - Britton Komine who put up some big numbers this past season.
Also of interest, did you know that the Morton brothers (Johnny and Chad), formerly of USC and now with the Lions, Giants are 50% Japanese? Jason Elam, the kicker for the Broncos is also half japanese.
shoyu weenie
Friday, February 07, 2003 at 12:50:27 (PST)
[66.81.67.127]
Menk Bateer is also Chinese, as well as Mongolian. China has 56 ethnic groups, and they are all within the definition of Chinese. Yao, Wang and Menk are all from the same country and are countrymen.
Menk is also Chinese
Thursday, February 06, 2003 at 23:19:04 (PST)
[12.210.236.36]
There is also a tall Korean basketball player who will likely face the 2004 NBA draft. He is 7' 2" and his name is Ha Seung (??). He will likely be the third Asian basketball player after Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi.
HotKimchee
Wednesday, February 05, 2003 at 21:37:52 (PST)
[66.171.52.181]
to compliment all ASIan-North Americans and Asians from the "motherland"
If i miss out on one playe, please inform me
Mongol/Turk:
Menk Baytaar
Korean:
Hockey:
Jimmy Paek(who was my coach for the 1991 south Korean hockey tournament who was awarded "Mr.Seoul Man")
Richard Park (who played for Korean-American hockey team when visited Korea)
Baseball:
Park Chan ho
Kim Byung ????
Choi Hee Seop
Boston recruited three (forgot their names)
Japanese:
Baseball:
Hideo Nomo
Ichiro Suzuki
Satake
and hundred others in various teams
hockey:
Paul Kariya
Chinese:
hockey:
Peter Eng (toronto maple leafs goalie)
baseball:
Bruce Chen
Basketball:
YaoMing
Wang ZhiZhi
Vietnamese:(SURPRISE SURPRISE)
Football:
Dat Nguyen
Inuit (i guess they belong to the family):
Detroit red wing's
Harold Snipes (1980-1985 i believe)
Korean
Tuesday, February 04, 2003 at 17:22:32 (PST)
[130.63.236.220]
To B. Lee-
Here's an article that has some stats on Brian Choi:
(http://www.collegesportingnews.com/article.asp?articleid=17294)
It says he benches 442.5lbs, the highest mark on the team.
To Think About It! Get Real-
In sports, players at every position are getting larger.
I don't think many wide receivers are 5'8" to 5'11", excepting Wayne Chrebet and a few others.
Most are probably like Jerry Rice (6'2"), Keyshwan Johnson (6'4"), Randy Moss (6'4"), and Terrell Owens (6'3").
Fortunately in that regard, Asian men are growing larger with every generation.
d-boy
Tuesday, February 04, 2003 at 09:47:25 (PST)
[172.134.144.118]
Look at reality ASIAN guys...
Most wide receivers and running backs are only 5'8 to 5'11 their average weights are only 165 to 180 since most of the time they have to be fast and light-weight to catch the damn F-ball that the Quarterback throws them.
On the defensive side most Safetys and Back end defensive linemen are just as small and light to cover those fast and smaller receivers.
They prefer you to be fast and able to catch the football than be only big and tall unless you only want to cubbyhole yourself to only as a Offensive or Defensive lineman.
For Asians to succeed in this sport other than being a capable quarterback like Chang they should be realistic and concentrate more on being receivers and safetys instead. We have the right body type to excel in those positions and who says that those guys aren't as or more popular than the overrated position of a quarterback?
It will be interesting if you have a good Asian defensive back able to block and intercept man to man coverage on a Black nilly-willy receiver on the field that would really make people notice or have a good Asian receiver catch an seemingly impossible catch in mid-air, avoiding the big burly defensive back at the same time.
Think about it! Get Real
Monday, February 03, 2003 at 23:43:49 (PST)
[64.156.34.50]
Asian Football,
Do you mind telling us where you got your stats (bench/squat/40) on Brian Choi?
B. Lee
Monday, February 03, 2003 at 16:43:28 (PST)
[66.44.69.84]
I was watching the Hula Bowl held in Maui, Hawaii on Saturday. I saw two football players...one a quarterback from Japan. These players play for Waseda University.
They will be the first Asian (foreign Asians) to play for the NFL if they get drafted. Trust me, one of them had huge arms.
HotKimchee
Monday, February 03, 2003 at 15:13:29 (PST)
[128.125.172.231]
Asian Football
Dude, what are you talking about?
Eugene Chung out of Virginia Tech was the first big Asian ( Corean) American in the NFL. He was a number one draft pick of the New England Patriots during the early '90's. And Jonny Lee ( Corean) I believe was the first Asian American in the NFL during the early '80's.
Counter Puncher
Monday, February 03, 2003 at 11:48:46 (PST)
[205.188.198.183]
Brian Choi is a senior that will go in the later rounds in this years NFL draft. He is 6'5 and 315 lbs. He benches 500, squats 800, runs the 40 5 sec. He'll represent in the NFL. The only negative aspect about Brian is that he plays for Montana State. But he played at New Mexico with the likes of Brian Urlacher. He was like an All-American prospect in high school and was recruited by every single college but his weight of 360lbs drove them away. He should have gone to Hawaii and blocked for Timmy Chang when they offered him a starting spot in Hawaii his senior year. He'll be the first big man in the NFL thats asian! REPRESENT BIG MAN!!
Asian Football
Friday, January 31, 2003 at 22:47:03 (PST)
[68.64.131.30]
I kinda agree. I'm a 5'8" Korean, and I'm a facken midget in Seoul. Most guys 17-22 years old are at least 5'9". Most are between 5'10" and 6'. They're definately not what you'd call short, although they are still damn skinny, overall.
If Asian nations or schools emphasized physical education and instilled a cut-throat competitive spirit that Americans instill in their kids from a young age (can you say "Little League"?), I'll bet anything that the "Short, Weak Asian" stereotype would disappear FAST, and that whites would eat their own words. I'm happy that kids in Asia are bigger and healthier than past generations.
Korean "Midget"
Monday, January 13, 2003 at 15:53:56 (PST)
[172.149.158.84]
I agree with you folks that he's part Asian..probably Chinese according to his lastname. He needs to gain a little more weight to be an NFL eligible quarterback.
He could be like Tiger Woods, because Woods is part Thai.
Note though, there are many FULL blooded Asians out there in professional sports....such as:
Yao Ming, Wang Zhizhi, Nomo Hideo, Park Chan-Ho, Park Se-ri, Kazuo Sasaki, Kim Byung (something..plays for the Diamondbacks), Dat Nguyen (Who doesn't get enought attention because he's Asian).
AA - Asian Athletics
Monday, January 13, 2003 at 14:48:38 (PST)
[128.125.140.129]
In terms of size, Asians are not all short. I have to admit that the majority of Asian Americans are shorter and skinnier than whites and blacks. However, it is not uncommon to see large Asians. I remember back in high school the biggest kid in the school was a Chinese guy. He was 6'5" and weighed 280 pounds.
small but big too
Friday, January 10, 2003 at 10:18:19 (PST)
[172.175.200.57]
He might not be "full-Asian" but he looks Asian. Probably Chinese-Hawaiian.
Besides, the majority of Hawaiians are a mix of different Asian-types anyway. Including Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and South Pacific.
Look at Halle Berry. She's half-black. But the media sees her as black. They made a big deal when she became the "first African American actress to win Best Actress".
Looks Asian
Friday, January 10, 2003 at 10:15:18 (PST)
[172.175.200.57]
MarkKin-
Dude, you are so wrong. I posted earlier on this, and dont want to sound like a broken record, but just GO to South Korea or Japan. This generation of young men are REALLY TALL. MANY are well over 6'.
I used to think as you do; I internalized the Western stereotype of short asians, (perhaps that subconsciously affected our growth, who knows? I do think Asians are now taller than Asian Americans). But then I went to Asia and saw the truth. Seriously, just GO and SEE.
d-boy
Thursday, January 09, 2003 at 19:24:29 (PST)
[172.136.129.50]
MarkKin:
Chang looks like he is Chinese-Hawaiian. He probably does not have any Caucasian blood in him.
BTW,...Hideo Nomo, Ichiro, Chan Ho Park, Richard Park, Wang ZhiZhi, Menk Bateer, Hee Seop Choi, Kaz Ishii, Kaz Sasaki, Chin Chen Feng, etc...and hopefully many more to come.
They are in Pro Sports and are full-blooded Asian.
Finally, there are very few full-blooded Africans in Pro sports as studies have shown that the average black American is 25% Caucasian.
Hey MarkKin
Thursday, January 09, 2003 at 13:39:22 (PST)
[66.214.175.114]
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