It's Ponder Time

There are a whole bunch of upset Vikings fans right about now. I really think that these pissy purple people should wait a bit on that judgement. Florida State's Christian Ponder is the Vikings QB of the future. Perhaps the present too. It could be a fun time.

I have been a big Jake Locker fan throughout this process. I was getting a bit excited when Blaine Gabbert started to drop a little too. Both were gone by #10. Two spots too early for the Vikings. It appears that they were fond of another. When you really get down to it, Christian Ponder may have had fewer questions to his game than any other QB in the draft. I would think that would make fans happy. I was excited about Locker because of what he might do. I liked Ponder for what I knew that he could do. I can't find any reason for the Ponder hate. There really is a lot to like about Ponder, and all the fun that can be had with his name. Ponder that! The despised QB is very smart, very accurate, mobile, played in a "pro-style" offense at a top school, great leader, great kid. The only real knock is that he has had a few injuries. Injuries are an issue in football no matter how healthy a player is. Some claim that he is a reach. If there is no chance to draft the player at your next pick, I wouldn't call it a reach. If trading back a bit works. Great. It takes two to trade. It's not always as easy as just saying "trade back". You don't want to risk losing your player. I have never understood the uproar over a pick minutes after it's made. No one, at that point, knows with absolute certainty that a player is a failure. Give the player a chance. Give Ponder a chance.

 I've really gotten sick of this rotation of veteran QBs for the Vikings. So sick. Except for a few happy years with Daunte Culpepper, it has been over 30 years since they have had a "franchise QB". Tommy Kramer had some moments but it was never smooth sailing. It's kinda nice to have that hope again. Hope for the future. Maybe the present too. With that hope I am happy. With Christian Ponder, Joe Webb and Rhett Bomar, the Vikings have a QB group with a grand total of 2 starts. It doesn't scare me at all.

I will have a bunch more stuff to spout about the draft over this weekend. For the time being, here are a few quickies:
Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff just continues to impress. I had heard rumors of the Falcons looking to jump from #27 to Cleveland's #6, but I never thought that he would pull of that leap. He did it and landed Alabama WR Julio Jones. I thought that Jones was the best WR in the draft. I just love tough receivers. Guys like Hines Ward and Anquan Bolden. Jones joining Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Michael Turner and Tony Gonzalez could be scary. Falcons will challenge the Packers this year.
Detroit adding DT Nick Fairley to Ndamukong Suh scares the hell out of me.
The Saints were impressive today. Adding Cal's Cameron Jordan and Heisman winner Mark Ingram.
The Ravens had the very same draft fiasco as the Vikings in 2003, and not a joke was floated. What is up with that?