PD article: Interview with Clausen about his visit to Cleveland

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by PlaygroundLegend

I guess I just would ather Clausen had said something to the effect of..

"As you can see right there I gave a hand signal, It was just a miscommunication between my reciever and I, I take full responsibility for it, we met up after the play to get it straightened out to make sure it wouldn't happen again, and we worked on it a little more after practice that week"

That is what he should have said from the beginning. You and I know this, so what makes Clausen not know this? That is my dilemma. He is a great, great passer. It is his ability to lead men in the NFL I question. And the men that protect him typically are 28-34 yr old OL., and they are the smartest guys on the team. Can he win over the OL with comments like that? I don't know man......

[Shep]

Keeping within existing threads... Clark Judge jumped on the bandwagon:

Good advice for looming up-in-the-air draft - NFL - CBSSports.com Football

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Shep

But Clausen does know if he saw it. He would know by the time they got to the sideline with Weis. The lack of hesitation from Clausen tells me he knew that the receiver saw it.

What he didn't do is throw the WR under the bus. He stopped there. He didn't say, "The WR saw the signal but didn't know it, hadn't done his homework."

Which I'm betting is the case... because Clausen would know, he didn't hesitate, and I don't think he'd just lie about it. If he had, we would have heard by now. There are plenty of hatahs looking for shit like that.

I think he gave the right answer. Just my opinion. I think he gave the wrong answer on Holmgren's smokescreen.

Shep,
I read all your takes on him and there's a polarizing unwillingness to accept 1 single flaw from this kid. It almost makes people discount your opinion of him because I've never once read anything leading readers to you thinking this guy is human. He threw 17 INTs in his 2nd to last season and lost to countless beatable opponents in all 3 years.

He couldn't hang with the scoring paces of Michigan's inexperienced freshamn. As much as you want to blame the defense and pretend Quinn's defenses were wonderful - Quinn took the 103rd ranked pass defense to a BCS Bowl Game.

Clausen is a GOOD QB but there still hasn't been a video collage or post or expert opinion that makes me SEE a #7 overall quality. Nobody is on national television more than ND so I've seen alot of Clausen and I've never been thinking this is who we need or "wait a second, Mel Kiper said this?" Seriously, I've seen so many ND games like everyone else in here that I've never seen this kid you are describing after you lost interest in Dez Bryant being our best option. Maybe if I didn't see him so much - I'd be more accepting of what Kiper is saying. He's endorsed some real bummers over the years if we're beign honest. And Mayock LOVES Jamarcus Russell so let's trust what we see ourselves on game days a little.

If we're drafting a guy that is supposed to be so good he wins and doesn't need excuses - you've given us an old testament and new testament of excuses and I'm betting you're working on a new and improved edition of that as we speak.

The REASON you draft a QB in the top 10 is because you want a leader like McNabb was early on. He came from a VEER Option Offense orchestrated by George Deleone up at Syracuse. MOST expertsa stuck theiur nose up in the air at that KIND of offense and others were thinking "that's not the kind of offense a kid is NFL ready with." In reality, it was a QB like Quinn that was taught to stand in the pocket that was overwhelmed at the difference in the speed of the NFL. A guy like McNabb was lready USED TO beigng flushed from the pocket and throwing on the run as he kept plays alive. FAR less culture shock for him than it was for Quinn. Andy Reid was once Favre's position coach under Homgren so he knew first hand that McNabb's colllege offense was the same as Favre's. EVERY time I hear Clausen has an advantage from pro style I think of McNabb and Favre coming from offenses that got their QBs accustomed to the way life is in the NFL on teams that might not pass protect that well early on.

Again, maybe people wouldn't discount your opinion of Clausen so quickly if you acknowledged some weaknesses as opposed to arguing how perfect you think he is. Just trying to help you my man. And winning SHOULD be a part of the formula if that's the bottom line he's being drafted for on any team that doesn't have an abundance of talent in the house.
- Tom F.

[Shep]

I'm stating my opinion, Tom. It's an opinion shared by Kiper and Sobo and to an extend Mayock. Scott Wright and Walter, too. It's hardly extreme, the notion that Jimmy Clausen is a legit Top 10 quarterback. I'm not out on any limbs.

I'm not going to lie so somebody here will see and love my soft spot. I said I thought he screwed up with the Holmgren smoke screen thing. I don't think he screwed up except for some semantics on the film review with Gruden.

I like McNabb, too. I like Clausen. I liked Sanchez. Not crazy about Stafford. Not nuts about McCoy. I don't know why you're unhappy with me for having an opinion. I'm not unhappy with you for having yours. I haven't taken you to task. But you keep writing long posts like I'm somehow being morally reprehensible for not sharing your opinion. I really don't get why you feel this way at all.

Clausen doesn't have to make any excuses for his play. He was fantastic, as was Tate. They were LUCKY to win 6 games with no defense or running game. It was a very one-dimensional team, overmatched by any good teams. They were way worse in many regards than the Quinn teams.

But we disagree on wins and losses in college. I say there's no salary cap and no draft and the variables are all over the place. In the NFL, you can't win much without a great QB. In college? Happens all the time. All the freaking time.

And great quarterbacks often play on mediocre teams. I have zero doubts about my position on this... and I'm glad you feel the same way about yours. I just think you're being sort of weird about it rather than saying, "We disagree." It's becoming dogmatic and strange.

I don't need "help," Tom. I'm not running for anything. i love the draft and the Browns and it's fun to talk about. I think Clausen has an NFL arm, a quick release, great accuracy, nice size, huge production... he's obviously a big-time prospect. The Browns need a quarterback. A lot of people are linking the two.

Will they draft him? Hell, I don't know. We took Braylon Edwards instead of Aaron Rodgers which I think was stupid... but I stayed a fan. We waited on and took Charlie Frye instead. I thought it was a horrible idea. I feel pretty good about that stance.

I think passing on Clausen for McCoy is about that smart. If we do it, I hope I'm wrong. But I'm not going to apologize for it. And I think Clausen has the fiery temperament that, when matured, will serve him very well during his career.

And I don't think Clausen is perfect. Rodgers is more athletic, has more arm, and the quickest release in the NFL. I think Locker has the physical potential to be a better prospect.

There. Now everybody can love me.

[Legendary]

If we sign Jimmy and got a cocky attitude, the veterans will sort him out. Look at Any Given Sunday film.

[Shep]

Originally Posted by Legendary

If we sign Jimmy and got a cocky attitude, the veterans will sort him out. Look at Any Given Sunday film.

Like I've said, from the national reports AND stuff here in Westlake Village, I do not believe Clausen is a tool. I think he may have done and said a couple tool-ey things as a Freshman, trying to make it "his team," but he seemed to recognize the mistake and grow up.

But he didn't have any kind of dick-ish rep here at all in high school... and everybody who ran across him or got to know him while he was training in the spring liked him just fine. Gruden liked him. Holmgren liked him. Mayock liked him.

He's a generally likable guy with some competitive fire. He has some Marino and Rivers in him, which is a good thing, at least for me. I think he has some personality advantages over both McCoy and Bradford, actually. Although McCoy has more pluck than I thought.

He isn't perfect. He doesn't have a gun but he has a solid NFL arm and goes deep very well. He isn't a terrific athlete but he's a pretty good one and throws well on the move. He's not rocket scientist, but he's football smart and mastered Weis' offense better than Quinn, according to Weis. He's tough (played injured), resourceful (led comebacks with little help), and hardworking (a film rat).

He's a good prospect. I don't think he's the second coming of Elway. Or Aaron Rodgers, for that matter.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Shep

Like I've said, from the national reports AND stuff here in Westlake Village, I do not believe Clausen is a tool. I think he may have done and said a couple tool-ey things as a Freshman, trying to make it "his team," but he seemed to recognize the mistake and grow up.

But he didn't have any kind of dick-ish rep here at all in high school... and everybody who ran across him or got to know him while he was training in the spring liked him just fine. Gruden liked him. Holmgren liked him. Mayock liked him.

He's a generally likable guy with some competitive fire. He has some Marino and Rivers in him, which is a good thing, at least for me. I think he has some personality advantages over both McCoy and Bradford, actually. Although McCoy has more pluck than I thought.

He isn't perfect. He doesn't have a gun but he has a solid NFL arm and goes deep very well. He isn't a terrific athlete but he's a pretty good one and throws well on the move. He's not rocket scientist, but he's football smart and mastered Weis' offense better than Quinn, according to Weis. He's tough (played injured), resourceful (led comebacks with little help), and hardworking (a film rat).

He's a good prospect. I don't think he's the second coming of Elway. Or Aaron Rodgers, for that matter.

I hear some of what you're saying but I'm talking about #7 overall so I need to understand what he has that makes our offense considerably better. You KNOW how often we've made the wrong choice in round 1 over the years so it's a legit concern. I could care less what Jamarcus Russell's #1 fan thinks of him or even Mel Kiper for that matter. What have you seen from the countless ND games you watched that says THIS is why the Sheptometrist SEES goodies?

What do you like specifically. Forget the SPIN IT - what's his bread and butter you found that other teams had trouble dealing with? I don't want paraphrases from Sobo or anyone else - you've got a STRONG like for this kid so air it out man.

Don't you at least find it funny none of our ND fans on this board want him at #7 overall that watched him every single Saturday for the last 3 years? Everyone (ND fans that is) says they like him; however there's usually a BUT concerning him at pick #7. I find it peculiar.
- Tom F.

[Shep]

I don't really care about Notre Dame fans. They were on every Saturday in HD for everybody to see. Leg likes him a little lower, which I really don't take umbrage with. A lot of the same things were said about Sanchez and Rodgers. I think both are gonna play in a lot of Pro Bowls.

Clausen's physical skill set isn't off the charts. He doesn't have Locker's arm or McCoy's wheels. He's just a good quarterback. He has a good arm, a quick release, and goes downfield better than a lot of top prospects. He reads defenses VERY well and gets through his progressions.

He's a very natural QB. Same could be said for Tom Brady, who doesn't have the biggest arm or great wheels (or even decent ones). Frankly, same could be said of Rivers, Brees, and a lot of the best of the best.

How would he make the Browns a lot better? I think there's a pretty good chance he's going to be a very good NFL starting quarterback... something we haven't had since Kosar. I think he has a very low basement. There really isn't anything missing. He doesn't have arm issues like McCoy. He's mastered a pro style and made pro style reads and checks, unlike Bradford or McCoy or Tebow.

He isn't a statue. He doesn't struggle with reads. There isn't a lot to NOT like. Jaws says he's a closer, loves his 4th quarter numbers. Gruden says he understands NFL offense and defense very well.

On the flip side, some say he doesn't have any one thing that's elite in his physical skill set. I counter... like Brady, Manning, Rivers, Brees, and many others. Not a real cannon or crazy wheels in the bunch.

I've spent a lot of time developing this opinion and I feel really confident about it. I think he's going to be very good. I think Bradford's gonna be good, too. Last year, I liked Sanchez. Next year, from here, I like Locker and Ponder.

We need to get one. Soon.

Originally Posted by Flugel

I hear some of what you're saying but I'm talking about #7 overall so I need to understand what he has that makes our offense considerably better. You KNOW how often we've made the wrong choice in round 1 over the years so it's a legit concern. I could care less what Jamarcus Russell's #1 fan thinks of him or even Mel Kiper for that matter. What have you seen from the countless ND games you watched that says THIS is why the Sheptometrist SEES goodies?

What do you like specifically. Forget the SPIN IT - what's his bread and butter you found that other teams had trouble dealing with? I don't want paraphrases from Sobo or anyone else - you've got a STRONG like for this kid so air it out man.

Don't you at least find it funny none of our ND fans on this board want him at #7 overall that watched him every single Saturday for the last 3 years? Everyone (ND fans that is) says they like him; however there's usually a BUT concerning him at pick #7. I find it peculiar.
- Tom F.