DENNY O'BRIEN: W's and L's will dictate J.P.'s legacy

Pirate Notebook No. 278
Monday, August 21, 2006

By Denny O'Brien

James Pinkney

Photo: ECU SID

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Entering his fifth year on campus, the senior quarterback has cycled through three head coaches and four offensive coordinators, digesting enough playbooks to intimidate hot dog heavyweight Takeru Kobayashi.

That goes without mentioning a semester-long stretch in academic purgatory during which he bussed tables at a local steakhouse.

Not exactly the reward you would choose for a quarterback who served 14 games as a tackling dummy for opposing defenses. And had it not been for a merciful game-ending lick from Mario Williams in the 2004 finale against N.C. State, Pinkney might have cleared those tables with a permanent limp.

After restoring his academic standing and absorbing yet another playbook, Pinkney rejoined his teammates and penned a more encouraging chapter to his football history. He restored the pride that is attached to ECU QB's by upholding all of the standards that have become the expectation of the position.

It's an ironic chain of events when you think about it. At a school known for producing polished passers, Pinkney quite possibly is the most skilled at his trade — which is pretty high praise considering ECU's QB fraternity includes Jeff Blake, Marcus Crandell, and David Garrard.

It's not that he planned it this way. I'm sure if Pinkney were given complete editorial control over his personal saga, the story would have included only one playbook and more than twice the number of wins.

At the very least, you can bet he would invert his 7-18 record as a starter under center.

Though not an officially compiled statistic, it is the one to which fans and the media most often attribute a quarterback's merit. It's what most identified Blake, Crandell, and Garrard during their ECU careers and made them shoe-ins for the school's athletics Hall of Fame.

That trio of Pirate legends certainly didn't achieve greatness on individual statistics alone. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who can recite their numbers without referencing the media guide.

But almost anyone who has followed East Carolina football over the past 15 years can tell you this: The Pirates were successful with them commanding the huddle, and there are plenty of marquee victories and bowl appearances to prove it.

Granted, Blake, Crandell, and Garrard each had talented supporting casts who significantly lightened the load. And there's no doubt that each benefited greatly from stability within the program and not once had to endure an overwhelming shift in philosophy.

Pinkney has been fortunate on neither account, and the 11-game differential in ECU's record is a result.

It's just unfortunate that neither factor will be indicated with an asterisk beside Pinkney's name in the record book. Barring an injury this year he could own a large portion of it, but whether or not he has the legacy to match it is uncertain.

The only assurance Pinkney has of preserving that is a winning season and bowl appearance. Though certainly within reach, only so much of what occurs on the scoreboard is within his control.

That isn't to say that Pinkey isn't a good QB if the Pirates finish 5-7 or worse this fall. Because anyone who has witnessed him perform would acknowledge his ability and insist on his potential to play the position for money.

But the reality is we live in a sports culture in which quarterbacks are measured largely by wins. You can bet Pinkney won't be immune to that evaluation.