The pass in the dirt

[HPPantherzfan]

Clausen needs to gain the respect of his teammates. Everybody already assumes he has, but Im not so sure. And he needs to win some games. You can be fiery, and get in guys faces, and try to be assertive all you want, but if it doesnt translate to wins, it dont matter. I dont even consider Clausen's game against NO a "good game", because he put up pedestrian stats and lost. If he had won, it would've been a "good game", but he didnt, and its not like he didnt have a chance to on that last drive. If Jimmy really is the "future" then in the present he needs to show more than what he has. He needs to get in the end zone more and not settle to just check down all day.

I agree with this, he does need to imporve...the whole team needs to improve no doubts.

Smith is just in a different place than the rest of the team right now. I think it would only be fair to him to trade him to a team that has a chance to win right now! We don't and I understand his frustrations. My problem is, the way he is going about showing it!

[Mr. Scot]

Good God this thread sucks major penis.

Once a thread gets to double-digit page numbers, I think it's fun to go back and read over the first page, then skip the middle and click to the last and see if there's any train of thought between the two.

As often as not, there's none, especially when two or three guys get into a pissing match in the middle pages

[HPPantherzfan]

Once a thread gets to double digit page numbers, I think it's fun to read over the first page then skip the middle and click to the last and see if there's any common thought between the two.

As often as not, there's none, especially when two or three guys get into a pissing match in the middle pages

And you started all this

[Snake]

I really wish people would look at Payton Mannings stats his first year before they judge Clausen. Manning came into a similar situation and was the same type of player. NFL ready but had off the field issues. Most Rookie QBs dont do well there first year. Thats why it was important for Moore to work out. Well he didnt.

[Mr. Scot]

not to derail such an entertaining smitty vs jimmy clash (though i agreed with the poster that started off questioning why we have to take sides)

my thoughts at the time when Smitty called a TO was:

1) i can't remember the set of downs and all but at the time i wondered if a TO wasn't more important than 5 yards in that situation

2) the coaches called the TO the first time, i didn't think it was smitty's call to make. either let jimmy call it or let the coaches call it. smitty's responsibility is playing football not making field decisions

3) i thought smitty was pretty outa line being demonstrative about it. nobody likes being embarrassed like that and this org goes out of it's way to not single out and embarrass the players. but apparently smitty is above that. i thought it was classless on his part even if he is frustrated or doesn't like jimmy.

4) i thought jimmy handled in will in not reacting to smitty on the field.

if jimmy was pissed at smitty i think he had a reason to be. plus i don't think smitty or anybody else on the team would respect him if he just let smitty roll all over him. i agree that the qb needs to be your leader on the field. smitty can be the leader in the locker room though i wouldn't be following him much when he continues to make an ass outa himself. (not to take sides an all)

Here's where the question stands for me.

Suppose you're a young quarterback who's being counted on to be the future of a team, and in the middle of a big game one of the vets does something to embarrass you.

What do you do?

If you just sit there and take it, then yes, things will remain peaceful. Unfortunately, all your teammates will take a mental snapshot of you just sitting there and taking it. So the next time you try to "take charge" of things, that's the first image of you that's going to come to mind.

Or you could take the other route and go right back at him. In doing so, you risk dividing the locker room, but you also let it be known that this is your team and nobody - not even a long time vet - is going to walk all over you.

So yes, were it me, I'd take option two. But there's more to it.

You want to show everybody you're the big boy? You have to be able to back it up.

You want to act like Dan Marino, you better play like Dan Marino; because if you act like Tom Brady and play like Tim Couch, nobody on the team is going to follow you.

[HPPantherzfan]

o.0

Nicely said, again!

One thing he does have down is what he says to the media...I checked out his website after you posted it, read the thread about Smith going down, Kid keeps his cool and says all the right things!

Unfortunely saying the right things hasn't led to a win yet but I believe it will, he has gotten better, IMO, with each start.

[TheRealDeal]

What off the field issues did Manning have coming into the league. I don't remember any and I'm too lazy to google

[Mr. Scot]

What off the field issues did Manning have coming into the league. I don't remember any and I'm too lazy to google

Coming in...I don't remember any.

He had a sexual harassment accusation early in his NFL career, if I remember right. Nothing came of it.

He's also had a bad habit of throwing teammates under the bus, but that's not the kind of issue being discussed here.

[Guild]

Or you could take the other route and go right back at him. In doing so, you risk dividing the locker room, but you also let it be known that this is your team and nobody - not even a long time vet - is going to walk all over you.

You don't purposely throw an incompletion ever (other than to save a loss of yards). This is big boy football if one can't take some embarrassment for doing something embarrassing then one should be in the UFL or CFL or wherever scrubs go these days. Accepting your screw up, ignoring the call out, and just damn not doing it again will improve ones standing as team leader a lot faster than purposely sabotaging a game by throwing a pass in the dirt.

Thats why Jimmy Clausen didn't do it on purpose. It was just like all those other passes he threw into the dirt. poo (passing) happens.

[Mr. Scot]

You don't purposely throw an incompletion ever (other than to save a loss of yards). This is big boy football if one can't take some embarrassment for doing something embarrassing then one should be in the UFL or CFL or wherever scrubs go these days. Accepting your screw up, ignoring the call out, and just damn not doing it again will improve ones standing as team leader a lot faster than purposely sabotaging a game by throwing a pass in the dirt.

Thats why Jimmy Clausen didn't do it on purpose. It was just like all those other passes he threw into the dirt. poo (passing) happens.

It was pretty early in the game with no score, so one down wouldn't have been as big a deal.

Mind you, I'm not saying I would have handled it this way (wasting a pass) but then I'm not Clausen.

[headcase]

If you just sit there and take it, then yes, things will remain peaceful. Unfortunately, all your teammates will take a mental snapshot of you just sitting there and taking it. So the next time you try to "take charge" of things, that's the first image of you that's going to come to mind.

Or you could take the other route and go right back at him. In doing so, you risk dividing the locker room, but you also let it be known that this is your team and nobody - not even a long time vet - is going to walk all over you.

So yes, were it me, I'd take option two. But there's more to it.

i think option 1 better, which is what i hope clausen selected. smitty made an ass of himself, which is in character for him. you're better off not responding, least you reduce yourself to his level. the last thing you do is throw a pass in the dirt on purpose, hurting the team's chances of winning, to make a point. clausen has to earn his stripes which he does by his play and his character. he has to be able to show that he's man enough not to be rattled into doing or saying something stupid. no one is going line up and follow someone who can't get the job done on the field nor someone that lacks strong character and self-control (not to be confused with morals). both are needed to lead a team. buying some cactus cooler doesn't buy you a pass for being ineffective or stupid. lots to ask of a 23-year old. i'm sure he learned some hard lessons at ND and he's gonna learn more here.

[CRA]

I think you need to keep your tin foil hat on clausen throws the ball to low how many times did saints lineman bait the ball down. So I think by it being thrown to the dirt is a product of his throwing motion which is bad btw.

I don't get how Clausen doesn't have a textbook throwing motion. Granted, a unique motion doesn't bother me as long as the ball gets there but this kid has recieved the type QB coaching throughout his life that very few NFL players see.

[TheRealDeal]

Is it weird that Clausen is 23? Only played 3 years of college ball? Graduated HS at 19/20?

The second to last line in HeadCase's post made me think of this. He is only a year or two younger than Moore. Very weird to me.

Anyone else?

[CLTPanther]

Clausen's parents said they held each of their kids back, I believe it was either 5 or 6th grade, but I forget their reasoning.