Panthers lead story on ESPN first take

[MHS831]

Oh I don't think he was given a fair chance by the former coaching staff by any means. However' date=' he also didn't show that he could command the offense. Outside of one half of football in Seattle he showed zero progression from game to game and by the end of the season was a worse QB then when he started. Maybe that will change this season maybe not, but there's no denying that we have a HUGE question mark at QB going into this season. How the coaching staff deals with this question mark (working with Clausen, drafting a QB #1, bringing in a vet, starting Moore etc etc..) will determine our success or lack of success this season.....[/quote']

Matt Moore was experienced and bench seasoned, a 6-2 record and a QB rating in the high 80s. He bombed. Clausen was a green rookie who didn't even get all of the second-team reps in camp or practice until week 3.

Now, for the QB to succeed in ANY organization, many things have to be in place FIRST. Gameplan, supporting cast, coaching. HE DID NOT HAVE THESE THINGS.

I have these questions for all of the Clausen bashers:

1. Did you think we had a solid gameplan?

2. Do you think a rookie QB should perform adequately behind 3 reserve linemen?

3. Was it wise to bring in Clausen as soon as they did? If they cared about 2011 and beyond, would they have done this?

4. Do you think it was possible that Fox knew he did not have a contract for 2011, knew that JR cut his veterans to play young people, so he played JC before he was ready to stick it to the owner?

5. Smith was 31 and double teamed and his other WRs were rookies. JC was not very familiar with them because they were rookies and he had not been practicing with the second team. His TE was slow, and his RBs, often third and fourth teamers, were horrible blockers. The OC was predictable. Recipe for success?

6. Now, lets look at the people criticizing Clausen. I imagine they are the same people who scream at kids at a t-ball game and fight with the other parents, coaches, and umpires. Frustrated athletes who have no patience who create unrealistic standards for everyone else and make excuses for their own inadequacies. Miserable folks who want instant success because they desperately need to be associated with winning in some way. The hazed become the hazers; rejects and failures are given a voice to blast someone's failure to achieve excellence regarless of variables. If you really knew football, you would not judge until the problems surrounding the position were fixed. Maybe he is not good, but to bash a person for failing in a situatuation few if any QB in the history of the NFL could make successful shows a childish, ignorant approach to football and perhaps reveals more about their personal insecurities, inabilities, and frustration than Jimmy Clausen's.

7. What will you do if JC makes the pro bowl? Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, even Kyle Orton should demonstrate more than adequately what it is like to succeed after being written off.

Just admit that it is too early to tell. You don't test drive a mustang on dirt roads and then bitch about the ride.

[Ruff]

the only way to know how jimmy or any other qb we had on the roster last year will look is to give them a shot with the new coaching staff and healthy oline. Could'nt see anything for the smoke and flames from the trainwreck that was our 2010 season.

qft

[Udogg]

Just admit that it is too early to tell. You don't test drive a mustang on dirt roads and then bitch about the ride.

I will admit that it's to early to tell if you admit that he sucked and quit making excuses for him.

[C47]

Matt Moore was experienced and bench seasoned, a 6-2 record and a QB rating in the high 80s. He bombed. Clausen was a green rookie who didn't even get all of the second-team reps in camp or practice until week 3.

Now, for the QB to succeed in ANY organization, many things have to be in place FIRST. Gameplan, supporting cast, coaching. HE DID NOT HAVE THESE THINGS.

I have these questions for all of the Clausen bashers:

1. Did you think we had a solid gameplan? We had a gameplan that was friendly to a rookie. Rely on the running game and try to use the play action to get vertical.

2. Do you think a rookie QB should perform adequately behind 3 reserve linemen? Our line (even with the injuries we had)> St Louis' line

3. Was it wise to bring in Clausen as soon as they did? If they cared about 2011 and beyond, would they have done this? Who else would you put in, Moore had a concussion and the only other QB on the roster was another rookie Tony Pike. This argument just isn't valid.

4. Do you think it was possible that Fox knew he did not have a contract for 2011, knew that JR cut his veterans to play young people, so he played JC before he was ready to stick it to the owner? Again Fox didn't have a choice in the matter. If there was another experienced QB under Moore that is who would have been playing.

5. Smith was 31 and double teamed and his other WRs were rookies. JC was not very familiar with them because they were rookies and he had not been practicing with the second team. His TE was slow, and his RBs, often third and fourth teamers, were horrible blockers. The OC was predictable. Recipe for success? Wrong Jimmy Clausen spent all training camp working with the second team which included LaFell and Gettis rotating from first to second team. He had opportunities to practice with both rookie receivers.

6. Now, lets look at the people criticizing Clausen. I imagine they are the same people who scream at kids at a t-ball game and fight with the other parents, coaches, and umpires. Frustrated athletes who have no patience who create unrealistic standards for everyone else and make excuses for their own inadequacies. Miserable folks who want instant success because they desperately need to be associated with winning in some way. The hazed become the hazers; rejects and failures are given a voice to blast someone's failure to achieve excellence regarless of variables. If you really knew football, you would not judge until the problems surrounding the position were fixed. Maybe he is not good, but to bash a person for failing in a situatuation few if any QB in the history of the NFL could make successful shows a childish, ignorant approach to football and perhaps reveals more about their personal insecurities, inabilities, and frustration than Jimmy Clausen's. I'm not even going to touch most of this crap. You think what you want I couldn't care less. I criticize Clausen because he's been an overrated QB since HS and has been living on hype since he got to ND....

7. What will you do if JC makes the pro bowl? Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, even Kyle Orton should demonstrate more than adequately what it is like to succeed after being written off. If Jimmy Clausen is our starting QB on opening day I will cheer for him to be better then Joe Montanna, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning combined.....

Just admit that it is too early to tell. You don't test drive a mustang on dirt roads and then bitch about the ride.

.....

[mav1234]

Just admit that it is too early to tell. You don't test drive a mustang on dirt roads and then bitch about the ride.

come on. Clausen missed open receivers, threw terrible balls even when he had time often, rolled away from pressure that wasn't there and demonstrated an extreme lack of confidence in going down field. Perhaps worst of all, his mechanics were downright frightening.

I have no doubt the coaching staff influenced these things greatly but Clausen was terrible. You can say "don't judge him!!" all you want, but I can damn well say he played terrible last year and we shouldn't go into next year EXPECTING him to do well, and if you disagree, I question what YOU know about football.

Sure, he'll get his chance in training camp but can we abandon the whole "Clausen is without blame for his play"?

If he goes to the probowl I'd be ecstatic because what I hoped for him last year will have actually happened. But for now, I just can't even imagine him winning a starting job...

[TheRealDeal]

MHS might go crazy if Clausen gets cut before the season starts

[countryboi]

clausen is going to get a pass cause he was Hurney's pick and since he is still here they are not going to give up on him just yet....same way with edwards but i would be shocked to see them draft a QB around the 3rd

[DevilCat]

I'm sure this as been talked about, but what concerns me is all the batted balls that I saw Clausen throw. Jimmy is listed as 6'2, but just looks short out there. Maybe Chud can taylor an offense that can roll Clausen out, but then again I'm looking for Steve Young (another undersized QB), and what we my have is another Doug Flutie. Having said that , no matter who's behind center dosen't matter to me as long as we WIN!

[CRA]

I'm sure this as been talked about, but what concerns me is all the batted balls that I saw Clausen throw. Jimmy is listed as 6'2, but just looks short out there. Maybe Chud can taylor an offense that can roll Clausen out, but then again I'm looking for Steve Young (another undersized QB), and what we my have is another Doug Flutie. Having said that , no matter who's behind center dosen't matter to me as long as we WIN!

Chud's offense is going to require a QB stay in the pocket and sling it 10-20 yards downfield. If Clausen can't make throws downfield from in the pocket ....he won't be around long.

[CarolinaKat]

The Clausen defenders are ridiculous. Why in gods name would you want to give Clausen another year after he did less than nothing. Most players atleast look a little better by the end of the season. Jimmy looked worse.

Draft Cam Newton, I'd rather start from scratch with Newton then have another mediocre year from Clausen. Atleast give the fans something do be excited about. No one is excited about "cant get right" Jimmy

[TheRealDeal]

The Clausen defenders are ridiculous. Why in gods name would you want to give Clausen another year after he did less than nothing. Most players atleast look a little better by the end of the season. Jimmy looked worse.

Draft Cam Newton, I'd rather start from scratch with Newton then have another mediocre year from Clausen. Atleast give the fans something do be excited about. No one is excited about "cant get right" Jimmy

You had me in the first paragraph.

You lost me in the second.

[jtnc]

i thought it was coaching until i seen wr running wide open across the field. so ima say 75% clausen, 25% coaching.

VERY wide open.......as if he couldn't see the Field at all and could only check-down or throw it away.

[Kyle82]

The Clausen defenders are ridiculous. Why in gods name would you want to give Clausen another year after he did less than nothing. Most players atleast look a little better by the end of the season. Jimmy looked worse.

Draft Cam Newton, I'd rather start from scratch with Newton then have another mediocre year from Clausen. Atleast give the fans something do be excited about. No one is excited about "cant get right" Jimmy

Troy Aikeman went 1-15 his rookie season....I'm not comparing the two by any means but we had bad coaching and a really bad O-line.

[Ruff]

First Take is replaying right now.