Clausen's fall to second round and Panthers gets personal

[House]

First off, I don't think Clausen comes off as an arrongant prick because he feels entitled and thinks he can just say whatever he wants. I think he was one of those people, and I know a lot of them, that was born without a filter. He says stuff people do not usually say because they want to seem nicer than they are. I think that we have become so accustomed to our Super Stars being very PC that someone like Clausen is shocking.

Second, you guys are missing the real reason that he fell on draft day. It had nothing to do with his arrogance. GM's don't give a fug if a QB is an arrogant prick, that is the coaches problem. Coaches don't care either, especially if that player has superior talent, like Clausen. The reason Clausen really fell was becuase of the draft this year.

Teams were picking up instant impact guys into the 4th. We got Hardy, a guy that could become a monster in the 6th. It was a very deep draft. With the uncertainty around next year, GM's felt the need to go with the guy that could help now. Face it no matter how good Clausen is, he is best served by sitting for at least a year preferably 2-3. No GM really wants to be sitting there telling the teams fans, "just wait, he will be good.", when about 30 players he passed on are tearing up the league. Unless you are a franchise that is hopeless like Meats favorite team, the Rams.

Couple that with the overall lack of need by most teams for a starting QB and it is understandable why Clausen fell.

Also, teammates don't give a poo if a dude is a prick or not either. As long as that guy is a winner, and if you watch the tape, Clausen has winner written all over him. He never did give up no matter how bad ND was or how late in the game the D gave up a TD. Players LOVE that kind of personallity trait.

[SmootsDaddy89]

As long as he isn't a problem in the locker room or off field, I'd love to lower him from the top of BoA Stadium before every home game dressed up like Prince, playing electric guitar, and with "Purple Rain" playing over the loudspeakers if that's what he wants.

[Future of the Funchise]

so what you're trying to say here is that weed should be legal?

[top dawg]

so what you're trying to say here is that weed should be legal?

If nicotine and spirits are legal, then why not?

[Kevin Greene]

At this point, Clausen is ours, no matter what we can say or do about it. I'm going to embrace the kid, and hope from here on out that every team but Carolina wishes they had drafted him. He may be a prick, but he's ours. Throw for 4,000 yards and 40 TD's every season Jimmy.

drunk*

I'm in.

[pantherfan81]

I hope Clausen turns into the NFL version of Kobe. People booing makes him better and drives him to be the best.

[Catalyst]

I think something that's been lost in the shuffle here is the fact that the Redskins would almost certainly have drafted Clausen had they not traded for McNabb. That's a top-5 pick falling into the 2nd round for us. They can talk all they want to about how he 'should' have gone in the middle of the 1st, but that's based on perceived talent/value. Most teams draft based on need, not value. It's why you see big reaches every year, because teams need certain positions and will overlook more talented players to fill those needs.

Obviously there were some character concerns about Clausen, but the same can be said for Randy Moss & Dan Marino. The Dolphins did the EXACT same thing we did when Clausen fell back when Marino fell, calling his college coaches/teammates to see what was going on and being told that everyone else was crazy and to take him ASAP.

Character concerns are one thing; to me Pacman Jones has character concerns. Ben Roethlisberger has character concerns. What Clausen has had to deal with are personality concerns. They're not saying he's going to go out and rape women, assault people in clubs, and get arrested every other week, they're saying he might not be Mr. Humble Pie, which is by no means a requirement for being an NFL QB.

I mean, just take a look around the NFL at all the good QB's. They all can be described as having a cocky streak and a bit of an attitude. Frankly Clausen seems like much less a personality risk than a QB like Jay Cutler, who sounds like an android in every interview I see him in. Clausen seems like an intelligent, confident (if borderline cocky) young QB that's ready to accept his role as QB of the future/franchise QB.

Now, Matt Moore might have something to say about that, but that's a WHOLE other issue...

[Happy Panther]

Second, you guys are missing the real reason that he fell on draft day. It had nothing to do with his arrogance. GM's don't give a f**k if a QB is an arrogant prick, that is the coaches problem. Coaches don't care either, especially if that player has superior talent, like Clausen. The reason Clausen really fell was becuase of the draft this year.

No...some teams certainly passed on him because of potential off the field issues...

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/05/panthers-putting-faith-in-clausens-personality.html

Said another scout: "I heard horror stories about the guy off the field to the point where I wasn't interested. If I have the choice, I don't want him in my room

[Urrymonster]

No...some teams certainly passed on him because of potential off the field issues...

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/05/panthers-putting-faith-in-clausens-personality.html

That quote has two important words

Heard & Scout

How often do the scouts actually get close enough to interview the players themselves? That sort of personality analysis falls to the coaches and GMs of the organisation. Scouts are there to put playing reports together and then potentially highlight any 'stories' they have heard.

Scouts do not arrange the draft board and do not ascertain value. Talk to as many scouts as you want and you will not know how much each team valued each player.

Everything I read pre-draft said the same things:

Fiery

Emotional

Demands a lot of teammates

Can get argumentative with coaches and teammates in games

No major concerns have arisen

What do all those things describe? Well they are pretty much the exact same words you would use to describe Jake Delhomme. Jake always demanded a lot of the players and often would bark and shout at players who were not pulling their weight. He also would border the line from being fiery to being argumentative in game, however as soon as the whistle blew, he was the consummate pro, which appears to fit Clausen perfectly. However, just because Clausen is a rookie, this is a potential character flaw...

The other thing is that a lot of these sites/journalists running with these stories said absolutely NOTHING about his character pre-draft. Seems odd that they are now all of a sudden deciding that he is ticking time bomb.

[scpanther22]

That quote has two important words

Heard & Scout

How often do the scouts actually get close enough to interview the players themselves? That sort of personality analysis falls to the coaches and GMs of the organisation. Scouts are there to put playing reports together and then potentially highlight any 'stories' they have heard.

Scouts do not arrange the draft board and do not ascertain value. Talk to as many scouts as you want and you will not know how much each team valued each player.

Everything I read pre-draft said the same things:

Fiery

Emotional

Demands a lot of teammates

Can get argumentative with coaches and teammates in games

No major concerns have arisen

What do all those things describe? Well they are pretty much the exact same words you would use to describe Jake Delhomme. Jake always demanded a lot of the players and often would bark and shout at players who were not pulling their weight. He also would border the line from being fiery to being argumentative in game, however as soon as the whistle blew, he was the consummate pro, which appears to fit Clausen perfectly. However, just because Clausen is a rookie, this is a potential character flaw...

The other thing is that a lot of these sites/journalists running with these stories said absolutely NOTHING about his character pre-draft. Seems odd that they are now all of a sudden deciding that he is ticking time bomb.

I remember that Mardy Gilyard said the scouts were in the interview process for him when he was with the panthers he called it the "nights at the roundtable"

[Urrymonster]

I remember that Mardy Gilyard said the scouts were in the interview process for him when he was with the panthers he called it the "nights at the roundtable"

Would love to see or read that. Head scouts would be there, but your simple run of the mill scouts will not be. I suppose it depends on the potential of the player, however I doubt that in Clausen's case that the simple scouts had a better grasp on his personality than the GMs, coaches of head scouts.

[monstercat]

I would love to hear what Don Gregory has to say about Clausen.

[Future of the Funchise]

If nicotine and spirits are legal, then why not?

agreed... wait by spirits do you mean like ghost?

if being a ghost is legal how much longer do you think it'll be before zombies start to fight for their civil rights.

[caatfan]

Again, the bottom line for me is this: As long as he isn't a prick to his teammates, to coaches (and staff) or to the fans, I'm not worried if he annoys opponents.

(heck, I hope all of our guys annoy their opponents, especially by beating them)

My bottom line as well. Someone brought up Rivers. As an NC State fan living in Raleigh, I've followed his career for the last 10 yrs. He's never been the slightest problem to his teammates, coaches, or fans. He's just a fierce competitor and likes to do a little trash talking. And in 4 yrs. at State he never even did that to any noticeable degree, as far as getting any bad press. I guarantee the staff and players in SD don't have a problem with him.

I don't think sticking a bad boy label on Clausen is fair at this point. OTOH, if he knows that his attitude is in question, he also knows the fans and media probably aren't gonna cut him much slack. Let's hope he's smart enough to keep the PR part of his job up to par.