S197 wrote:Well said, I've noticed the same thing. It's also a case of throwing a lot of stuff at the wall and hanging onto the ones that stick. If you go back to the old draft threads, there were a good amount of people that were really high on Brady Quinn. Upset even that we took AD over him. Same goes with Jimmy Clausen and I'm sure many others. It's easy to say pick X, Y, and Z, then turn around and say, "I told you X was a great pick!" Nevermind the fact that Y and Z never panned out.
It would be disingenuous of me to say I haven't done it in the past. I wanted Fairly over Ponder with Mallett in the second, a guy who has yet to do anything.
Maybe we need some sort of support group, with the first step is admitting you were wrong. "Hi, I'm S197 and I believed Brian Brohm was going to be a great NFL QB."
Great idea! I'd be in that group. I thought Brohm and Clausen were going to do well in the NFL.
Mothman wrote:
No, they aren't losing their minds. Everybody is just ping-ponging back and forth on this subject. Nobody thinks Ponder is a great QB. The bar is set where it's always been set. When Ponder completes 80% of his passes, leads the Vikes on 4 TD drives in 6 or 7 possessions, and plays a crucial role in a much-needed win, there's naturally going to be a positive reaction from fans who are happy/relieved/encouraged/whatever about the win and the good performance. There should be a positive reaction. However, just as naturally, people who are down on Ponder are going to jump in and downplay the performance by pointing to an opportunity he missed, a mistake he made, the fact that he didn't do absolutely everything they want to see from a QB, etc.
This ping pong game is going to go on until Ponder's gone. People get invested in being right and feel the need to reinforce their position. It's no longer possible to just appreciate a good performance without this kind of thread developing and it won't be until the Vikes have a new QB. Then there might be a brief grace period before the griping begins anew and unless that player is an immediate success, the griping will begin anew. Actually, I suspect it will begin right after he's drafted, when he'll either be perceived as a reach or the wrong QB because X was available and X would have better.
None of this is going to end until the Vikes actually have the next Brees, Rodgers, Manning, etc. and until that player has proven his value as a starting NFL QB.
I really have no argument for anything you said here. You're right. It won't change until we finally have a true "elite" QB in place. And I probably don't give Ponder credit even when he may be due some because I don't want him on the field ever again. But there are people who are clearly overreacting to an adequate performance. While it WAS certainly a step up from what we've seen from him nearly all season, I believe it's still far from what should be expected from a true top-flight NFL QB.
At his absolute best, Ponder is a poor man's Alex Smith. An adequate "game manager" type of QB. At his absolute best.
majorm wrote:
I really have no argument for anything you said here. You're right. It won't change until we finally have a true "elite" QB in place. And I probably don't give Ponder credit even when he may be due some because I don't want him on the field ever again. But there are people who are clearly overreacting to an adequate performance. While it WAS certainly a step up from what we've seen from him nearly all season, I believe it's still far from what should be expected from a true top-flight NFL QB.
At his absolute best, Ponder is a poor man's Alex Smith. An adequate "game manager" type of QB. At his absolute best.
I prefer to call it simply a reaction to one game rather than an overreaction. Many in the organization will certainly make wide ranging decisions out of this season at the appropriate time.
CalVike wrote:I just want wins. Ponder played well enough to win on Thu. I have no interest in calling him limited in every post. Give credit where credit is due or why post on a message board that favors intelligent discussion about Viking success? That's all.
Right, and lets not do anything to improve our chances to win. Lets keep trucking Rainbow McHappy Feet out there and just pray he blesses us with one of his twice a season, play well enough to win games. We don't need to go out and get one of those fancy, play well enough to win more often QB's that all those other teams flaunt in our face game after game.
Mothman wrote:
None of this is going to end until the Vikes actually have the next Brees, Rodgers, Manning, etc. and until that player has proven his value as a starting NFL QB.
Yeah because not wanting the 33rd best QB in the league is exactly the same as only wanting the best. There's no middle ground with those irrational naysayers. Nope, even though we'd become instant contenders with even a mediocre QB with a back like AD, what they really mean is they won't accept anything until they get their own Aaron Rodgers. And who are we kidding, even then they'd probably complain, am I right? So I see what you're saying, lets just ignore the problem at QB because nobody is going to be happy anyway.
"Our playoff loss to the Vikings in '87 was probably the most traumatic experience I had in sports." -- Bill Walsh
At this point a lot of fans would be happy with an average or mediocre QB. Ponder is neither. You will see on Sunday how bad Ponder is, no more crap Defense or garbage time to pad the stats. He flat out sucks, I cant believe any has faith in him.
Reignman wrote:Yeah because not wanting the 33rd best QB in the league is exactly the same as only wanting the best.
No, because people DO want the best and some of them aren't going to be satisfied with anything less. It's just the nature of sports fans.... not ALL sports fans but enough.
There's no middle ground with those irrational naysayers. Nope, even though we'd become instant contenders with even a mediocre QB with a back like AD, what they really mean is they won't accept anything until they get their own Aaron Rodgers. And who are we kidding, even then they'd probably complain, am I right? So I see what you're saying, lets just ignore the problem at QB because nobody is going to be happy anyway.
Did you enjoy that little imaginary conversation with yourself? How many people are discussing football in your head at once anyway?
Great idea! I'd be in that group. I thought Brohm and Clausen were going to do well in the NFL.
:lol:
