Bobby Bowden: Christian Ponder has bright NFL future

[Demi]

Might turn into a NFL starting caliber QB.

yeah, and so might joey harrington, jamarcus russell etc etc blah blah blah.

29 starts and he was as bad as he ever was. With weapons around him.

So he's smart. What's Stephen Hawking up to?

[Webbfann]

I hear he scored a 28 on the Wunderlich, right in the sweet spot.

So he's smart. What's Stephen Hawking up to?

[DanAS]

I don't understand why people think that book smarts translates into smart on-the-field decision making? When we're in the classroom, we don't have large, fast guys trying to take our heads off. If we did, I suspect our grades in school would be a tad different.

The most you can say about the IQ-football IQ issue, is that if you truly are off-the-charts stupid in the classroom, you may well be too dumb to play football. But I hardly think that it works the other way; for example, if you put a fast, strong body on Albert Einstein, that wouldn't indicate that he had the football IQ to think quickly and deftly under severe physical pressure.

Anyway, I just can't deal with thinking about Ponder. I see him as a backup who was drafted too high, given the job without having to earn it, kept in the job for too long without having to face serious competition, and who has now overstayed his welcome. None of that is his fault -- he should have been a third rounder who was allowed to develop into a competent backup. But his fault or not, he's overstayed his welcome as far as I'm concerned. I wish him well ... elsewhere ... unless he accepts a role as the established backup, in which case I'm fine with the guy.

[King James]

I honestly think Ponder has potential to be more than just a back-up. Ponder is a smart kid so all he need is grooming. He needs to learn behind a successful QB. The biggest mistake was throwing him into the wolves the way they did. I can't remember who was all available but I wish we would have chose another FA other than McGarbage. I don't think the coaches have some much to help in develop. I think the Vikings just assumed Ponder would progress automatically through reps and experience. Nah, Ponder seems more like the developmental type.

I don't know what is in store for Ponder in the future but I hope he sticks around. Hopefully we soon we can get some reach coaches who know how to develop players rather than just expecting to already play at the elite level. With the right seasoning I have no doubt Ponder can be elite. People say you cant teach football instincts, I don't believe that one bit. Some players just happened to pick it up naturally, some guys have to be taught. Ponder isn't being taught anything so its no surprise that he hasn't improved much.

I think its safe to say that developmental/project QBs wont work here because our coaches are too inept to teach players to improve their performance. I see why this team rely on Vets now. We don't have to worry about teaching them because they've already learn from their previous team. All our coaches have to do is teach them the playbook. Outside of Tarkenton and Culpepper. I cant think of two many QBs that the Vikings drafted that had successful careers here.

[Funkytown]

With the right seasoning I have no doubt Ponder can be elite.

Who the heck are you and what have you done with James?

[VikingPaul73]

I don't understand why people think that book smarts translates into smart on-the-field decision making? When we're in the classroom, we don't have large, fast guys trying to take our heads off. If we did, I suspect our grades in school would be a tad different.

The most you can say about the IQ-football IQ issue, is that if you truly are off-the-charts stupid in the classroom, you may well be too dumb to play football. But I hardly think that it works the other way; for example, if you put a fast, strong body on Albert Einstein, that wouldn't indicate that he had the football IQ to think quickly and deftly under severe physical pressure.

Anyway, I just can't deal with thinking about Ponder. I see him as a backup who was drafted too high, given the job without having to earn it, kept in the job for too long without having to face serious competition, and who has now overstayed his welcome. None of that is his fault -- he should have been a third rounder who was allowed to develop into a competent backup. But his fault or not, he's overstayed his welcome as far as I'm concerned. I wish him well ... elsewhere ... unless he accepts a role as the established backup, in which case I'm fine with the guy.

This reminds me of a Simpsons episode when Homer had to return to college and he and a few nerds wanted to win the approval of the Dean after the nerds had been expelled. The plan was for Homer to drive his car at the dean and the nerds to push he dean out of the way at the last second, making them heroes and earning their reinstatement into college. Well, as Homer was barreling down on the Dean and the nerds were preparing to push him out of the way in 5......4........3..........2......... One nerd asked if they should correct for wind resistance. As they were discussing, Homer ran into the Dean and hospitalized him.

I could just see the athletic Einstein preparing to throw a 50 yard bomb, hesitating to correct for wind resistance, and then getting crushed by Suh or Mathews

[PsyDanny]

A Coach supporting his former player? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!

Particularly when his whole speaking career is based on optimism. To say otherwise about CP would go against his shtick.

[King James]

Who the heck are you and what have you done with James?

Lol honestly, now that Ponder is benched, I can actually look back on how the Ponder experiment was conducted. The coaches did not put him in the best position to improve. He was not ready to start, otherwise McBadd would have never been signed. The only problem is that McBadd was washed up and not a good QB for Ponder to learn from. So Ponder got the start anyway, even though he wasn't ready. Ever since then we've just been riding the Ponder without getting him the proper training.

At times Ponder has shown flashes of potential. The SF game, and those last 4 games of the season he shown he can actually put the team on his back when he needs to. We can't ride off potential alone. He needs to go to QB school or something and work on his mechanics. I doubt he would get it here though. Like I said earlier, this team hasn't had many franchise QB outside of Tarkenton and CulPepper.(maybe) That alone should tell you that this team is not very good at grooming QBs. We need already developed QBs like Russell Wilson, RGIII and Andrew Luck to succeed here.

[majorm]

At times Ponder has shown flashes of potential. The SF game, and those last 4 games of the season he shown he can actually put the team on his back when he needs to. We can't ride off potential alone. He needs to go to QB school or something and work on his mechanics. I doubt he would get it here though. Like I said earlier, this team hasn't had many franchise QB outside of Tarkenton and CulPepper.(maybe) That alone should tell you that this team is not very good at grooming QBs. We need already developed QBs like Russell Wilson, RGIII and Andrew Luck to succeed here.

Ponder hardly put the team on his back. Adrian did! Ponder just didn't get in the way over those final four games last year. Now, I will say, Ponder did play pretty well in the Green Bay game to end the season. There is no denying that. In fact, that game is the reason he was the starter heading into this year. But for the other three games of the final four, he was nothing special. Just didn't do anything to lose the games.

I reason I don't think he'll ever be a starting QB again is that - other than being a decent runner - he just doesn't possess the physical tools necessary to QB at the highest level. He just can't throw the ball that well. His longer passes float and flutter. His throws that are supposed to be drilled on time are nearly always off target and/or late. I mean you can't be a successful QB if you can't throw the ball.

[Demi]

Last four games...he had ONE good game. Over those four games Peterson had more rushing yards than Ponder had passing. How often does that happen on ANY team?

He has NO future. My goodness can we move beyond this clown yet.

[King James]

One good game???? People just refuse to give Ponder any type of credit. He has a future, once he smartens up and go to a NFL team who actually knows how to groom QBs.

[Demi]

One good game???? People just refuse to give Ponder any type of credit. He has a future, once he smartens up and go to a NFL team who actually knows how to groom QBs.

Cassel has better QB rating in his first game than Ponder managed in the 29 previous games. And Cassel isn't even that good.

My goodness...where are the TJoke fans to talk some sense into the Ponderaholics?

[Webbfann]

One good game???? People just refuse to give Ponder any type of credit. He has a future, once he smartens up and go to a NFL team who actually knows how to groom QBs.

Well let's see....his record was 1-3 over those 4 games, and over the last 3 he was 0-3, threw 2 TDs and 5 INTs.

How many of those games do you call good?

Oh wait, you'e joking right? Haha, good one.

[King James]

Well let's see....his record was 1-3 over those 4 games, and over the last 3 he was 0-3, threw 2 TDs and 5 INTs.

How many of those games do you call good?

Oh wait, you'e joking right? Haha, good one.

He had better games than Joe Webb.

[Demi]

He had better games than Joe Webb.

He had better games than a wide receiver.