THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 30, 1995 TAG: 9508300659
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
It took Heath Shuler just one season to disprove the old saying that the only person more recognized in Washington than the president is a Redskins quarterback.
Despite being runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, the third player selected in the 1994 draft, the first quarterback taken by the Redskins in the first round in 33 years and starting eight games last season, Shuler is an invisible man in a city that traditionally worships its quarterbacks.
Sonny Jurgensen has parlayed playing the position into a long and lucrative career in Washington-area radio and television. Joe Theismann went national with ESPN. Jay Schroeder followed his one great season in burgundy and gold by opening his ``All-Pro'' restaurant. Babe Laufenberg and Gus Frerotte have practically been elevated to folk-hero status for on-the-field performances that objective fans would consider feeble.
In April, Shuler attended a Washington Bullets game against Orlando at USAir Arena, sitting near midcourt. There were 19,000 people in the building. According to those around him, two people asked Shuler for an autograph.
During training camp recently, Shuler left the locker room after practice with a bookbag slung over his back. As he walked to the cafeteria for lunch, a young autograph-seeker ran up to him from behind. He looked at Shuler, then turned to his friends, who were racing to catch up.
`` `No, no, guys, forget it,' '' the kid told his buddies. `` `It's just a student.' ''
Shuler, who told the story on himself, laughed and continued on to lunch.
``I got the biggest kick out of that,'' he said. ``I'm 6-2 and over 200 pounds, but that's just a little taller than the average height and weight. People don't really pay attention. I don't stick out like some really big guy does. I can go to Wal-Mart, get groceries, and no one even blinks an eye.''
Part of this lack of recognition is that Shuler is just 23, and has a boyish look about him that makes him seem younger. But part of it, too, could be the troubles he had his first season. His quarterback rating was a weak 59.6, he threw 12 interceptions and just 10 touchdowns.
At Tennessee, where he was elevated to bigger-than-life status, he treasured his privacy. This season, he wants to give people reason to invade it.
``I guess that's the price an athlete has to pay if you're playing well,'' Shuler said. ``Your Deion Sanders. Your Troy Aikmans, your Steve Youngs, your Joe Montanas, those are the types of guys who don't have a lot of privacy. But if you asked them which one they'd rather have, their anonymity back or success on the field, they're going to say their success on the field.
``I hope I lose a lot more of it, because you only can lose it when you're playing well.'' by CNB