Vikings Message Board.Com

GBFavreFan wrote:In what might be a small sign, Ben Goessling retweeted that Vikings trainer Eric Sugarman, just added Greg Jennings to his Twitter. Either they shared a special bonding moment while he was checking Jennings for a hernia, or maybe he was told something. The significance is that Sugarman only follows current and former Vikings.

What would really prove it meant something is if he 'unfollows' Jennings some time today, as if he was told by management not to spill the beans yet.

GBFavreFan wrote:Either they shared a special bonding moment while he was checking Jennings for a hernia

PurpleJarl wrote: Aaron Rodgers only threw the ball 4 more times a game last year compared to Ponder. Remember they are all about balance over there so even though GB gets most of their yard through the air. Aaron isn't slinging it all over..

GBFavreFan wrote:They went to Manny's downtown with Spielman, assist GM George Paton, Leslie Frazier, Bill Musgrave, and Jared Allen and his wife. While someone in an earlier post mocked the idea of a "DE" going to dinner clearly has no idea about pitches, PR, marketing, or negotiations. This isn't just a "DE", this is the charismatic and emotional leader of the Vikings along with Adrian. If Adrian is the face of this team, then Jared Allen is its mouth. he's an incredibly likable guy who is very respected around the league. This was very smart to bring him in and other than Adrian, the only guy that would really make a difference.

It's all about Greg Jennings and his wife feeling comfortable with the idea of living in Minnesota and being part of this Vikings group. Downtown is a smart move in stark comparison to the Green Bay, where the fanciest restaurant in town is Applebees, and Big Billy's Brat Barn. And for anyone who thinks this sort of fluff is meaningless or insignifcant has never spoken to an athlete or entertainer who is being wooed. From Deion Sanders to Hulk Hogan to David Letterman, how they are treated from the moment they step off the plane sets an impression on how life will be and most times how they were wooed is what stands out in their memories even more than the actual contract amounts. While fans just see athletes and what they do on the field and on the practice field, atheltes are here 24 hours a day and Jennings will be seeing the naked butts of guys like Jared Allen for months on end. it's nice to know what you're getting into.

And the fact that the Vikings haven't put this much of a show on since Brett Favre is a fact that won't be lost on Greg Jennings and his agent. Feeling wanted is more than just how many zero's are on the check. My only worry is that Bill Musgrave ruined it somehow opening his mouth because he's an idiot.

Mothman wrote: Good post but I'm puzzled by the unexpected hostility in that last comment. Why is Bill Musgrave an idiot? He seems like a pretty smart guy to me.

Mothman wrote: Sorry, I don't buy it. I understand the theory but I don't see how you improve as a player (or as an organization) by having worse complementary players. Slower, easier to cover, worse route-runners, more inexperienced, worse hands...seems counter-intuitive. It's like giving Adrian Peterson the worst run-blocking line in the NFL and thinking that's going to help him be more elusive and accumulate more yards.

Mothman wrote: Edward, it doesn't matter if it's the QB who makes the receivers more than the receivers who make the QB because no matter how you slice it, they're mutually dependent. They need each other to thrive. The idea that you need to kick the crutches out from under Ponder so he can succeed is ridiculous, especially when you consider he hasn't really had those crutches in the first place! If you want him to thrive, give him the weapons to do so.

mondry wrote:As much as we need Jennings it would be interesting if we bail out and force the packers to sign him at the inflated price they're pumping him up too right now. Then maybe snatching someone else when they can't afford them next year heh. Next level mind games from GM's....

VikingLord wrote: Because not every move that a team makes must be designed to maximize the return immediately.

If one takes the long-term view, then sometimes it makes sense to lose the battle if it puts you in a better position to win the war. And sometimes yeah, you throw a player into a more difficult situation so you can see how he handles it and whether he's able to make something out of it. Better to do that earlier in his career and know you have a guy who wilts under pressure rather than find that out later.
This is a quote from Sun Tzu from "The Art of War":

"Confront them with annihilation, and they will then survive; plunge them in to a deadly situation, and then they will live. When people fall into danger, they are then able to strive for victory."

I think one can argue that there are two equally valid ways of looking at Mr. Ponder's development and what might work best for him. Last season, early in that season, what did he mostly do? He dropped back and winged super-safe passes to one of the best YAC receivers in the NFL. And that's how the Vikings offense plodded along. And after his super-safe option was no longer and those easy passes were gone, he really struggled.

It was only after a period of struggle, and of public lampooning, that he began to emerge.

I agree in an ideal world the Vikings, and Ponder, are better off with superior weapons at receiver. What I don't agree with, though, is that Ponder is going to develop faster or better if he has those. I think the opposite could be true, and I think last year's finish is solid evidence to back up my contention that Ponder might indeed turn into a better QB over the long term if he is more challenged over the short.

Ridiculous indeed.