Cactus Game Design Message Boards

At this point, I'd almost put money on AP having more rushing yards than Cleveland's offense has total yards. All I can say is that if the Vikings manage to lose on Sunday, then not only should Ponder be benched, the MN attorney general should press charges for fraud, or impersonating an NFL quarterback, or something.

Not sure if there are any Cleveland fans that are members of the boards, but if so, what was your reaction to yesterday's news? Almost as importantly, if you are a Colts fan, what was your reaction? I was a bit disappointed because I had just adjusted the roster in my fantasy league yesterday, and had moved Ahmad Bradshaw to my flex spot, when I heard the news a few hours later.

At this point, I'd almost put money on AP having more rushing yards than Cleveland's offense has total yards. All I can say is that if the Vikings manage to lose on Sunday, then not only should Ponder be benched, the MN attorney general should press charges for fraud, or impersonating an NFL quarterback, or something.

Not sure if there are any Cleveland fans that are members of the boards, but if so, what was your reaction to yesterday's news? Almost as importantly, if you are a Colts fan, what was your reaction? I was a bit disappointed because I had just adjusted the roster in my fantasy league yesterday, and had moved Ahmad Bradshaw to my flex spot, when I heard the news a few hours later.

Trap game watch out

Honestly I don't think the Browns did that bad in this deal.  Running back is one of the few positions where I think you can generally find a decent enough replacement provided your line is good, so if they were going to start stockpiling picks to rebuild, Richardson was good trade bait.  It just rubs me wrong though to see a team give up on a season 2 weeks in though.

Just wait for the epic Jaguars vs Browns game on December 1st.

Honestly I don't think the Browns did that bad in this deal.  Running back is one of the few positions where I think you can generally find a decent enough replacement provided your line is good, so if they were going to start stockpiling picks to rebuild, Richardson was good trade bait.  It just rubs me wrong though to see a team give up on a season 2 weeks in though.

I certainly agree that the trade itself wasn't necessarily a bad idea for the Browns, they are in need of some serious rebuilding, and stockpiling draft picks is a good way to do that. It's more the timing of the trade, as you point out. It seems to me to be a disservice to the fans to essentially just give up almost an entire season. I'm sure they could have gotten a 1st round draft pick for Richardson at the end of the season as well (unless they know something about Richardson that the rest of us don't, or if they expect him to get injured). There's also the possibility that there were some issues with how a potential star running back felt about playing for a team that likely would not have won more than 5 or 6 games with or without him. No one knows for sure, I guess, except for Richardson and the Browns front office.

Quote from: Professoralstad on September 19, 2013, 02:04:51 PM

All I can say is that if the Vikings manage to lose on Sunday, then not only should Ponder be benched, the MN attorney general should press charges for fraud, or impersonating an NFL quarterback, or something.

You're close, if the Vikings lose they should just trade Ponder to Cleveland for a first round pick. 

Wonder how many Cleveland fans would love to have Ponder instead of their current QB situation...

Oh and yes I picked up the Vikings DEF in one of my leagues. In my other league I already have the Seahawks going against the Jaguars. I feel I have a legit chance of getting the "Opponent less than 100 total yards" bonus points. 

A first round pick for a guy you JUST picked at #3 is not a good deal. Cleveland basically acted as Indy's farm team, they draft Richardson and proved he could play well in the NFL (950 yards 11TDs last year as a rookie, he also didn't play the last game and the last 3 games he did play he had broken ribs) and then traded him for whats going to be a mid to late first rounder.

Don't forget the guys involved in that pick are no longer in the Cleveland front office.  Its not a matter of where Richardson was picked in relation to the value they got for him, rather its a matter of whether he was worth being picked there in the first place.  Some would argue he shouldn't have been picked there, by the short-career nature of the running back, and the seemingly easier replaceablity of running backs compared to other positions in the nfl.  If the Cleveland front office believes Richardson to be worth less than he was drafted for, then this is the right move, regardless of the sunk cost.

Quote from: Drrek on September 20, 2013, 01:26:24 PM

Quote from: lp670sv on September 20, 2013, 12:23:28 PM

A first round pick for a guy you JUST picked at #3 is not a good deal. Cleveland basically acted as Indy's farm team, they draft Richardson and proved he could play well in the NFL (950 yards 11TDs last year as a rookie, he also didn't play the last game and the last 3 games he did play he had broken ribs) and then traded him for whats going to be a mid to late first rounder.

Don't forget the guys involved in that pick are no longer in the Cleveland front office.  Its not a matter of where Richardson was picked in relation to the value they got for him, rather its a matter of whether he was worth being picked there in the first place.  Some would argue he shouldn't have been picked there, by the short-career nature of the running back, and the seemingly easier replaceablity of running backs compared to other positions in the nfl.  If the Cleveland front office believes Richardson to be worth less than he was drafted for, then this is the right move, regardless of the sunk cost.

Their best case scenario still now includes them having to use a pick to get a replacement. He was pretty much the only offensive weapon they had. 2 games in might be record time for giving up on a season.

This is false.  Jordan Cameron looks like a legitimate threat at TE, and Gordon definitely shows some promise, so Richardson was not their only offensive weapon.  And yes, they will have to use a pick to get a replacement, but the question is whether they can use a lower pick to get a replacement, and use their two first rounds to get things they really need that are harder to find than a serviceable running back.

I do agree that they've given up on the season, and I don't like that, but from a future perspective, I definitely see how this trade could end up working out.

At this point, I'd almost put money on AP having more rushing yards than Cleveland's offense has total yards. All I can say is that if the Vikings manage to lose on Sunday, then not only should Ponder be benched, the MN attorney general should press charges for fraud, or impersonating an NFL quarterback, or something.

FTR, Cleveland Offense: 435 yards, AP rushing: 88 yards.

Any word on those charges? 

Trap game watch out

Does this mean that you now qualify for the "Prophet" identifier? 

I started Eli Manning over Cam Newton, and the Bills are bad at football

Quote from: Professoralstad on September 19, 2013, 02:04:51 PM

At this point, I'd almost put money on AP having more rushing yards than Cleveland's offense has total yards. All I can say is that if the Vikings manage to lose on Sunday, then not only should Ponder be benched, the MN attorney general should press charges for fraud, or impersonating an NFL quarterback, or something.

FTR, Cleveland Offense: 435 yards, AP rushing: 88 yards.

Any word on those charges? 

3 comments:
1. I didn't put any money on it.
2. If Cassel doesn't start next week on London, I might be looking for a new team to root for. I don't care if we go 2-11 for the remainder of the season with Cassel as QB, I just want the Vikings management to admit that they made a mistake, and move on.
3. At least the Vikings are in some good company (aside from losing to the Browns, of course): NFC playoff teams from last season that aren't named the Seahawks have a combined record of 3-12. Not that it's a big comfort, but hey, misery loves company.

Minny D/ST got 10 points for me so I feel like I shouldn't complain but when they give up 31 points to the Browns I don't see how I can't complain.

Yeah...unfortunately, the league I own them in (the Redemption league) gives -1 for allowing 28-34 points scored, and -3 for 400-449 yds allowed, so even after 3 picks, 2 sacks, and a forced/recovered fumble, I only got 6 pts. Justin had them in the league we are both in (with no negative points for being terrible) and he ended up with 11 points.

Needless to say, I was much happier with the Bears, which is the defense in my other league. They helped me be able to pull off a likely win even in a week when I benched my 2 highest scorers (DeMarco Murray because I liked Bilal Powell's matchup better and Murray hadn't been too impressive the previous two weeks, and Josh Gordon for the reasons that should be clear from the beginning of this thread--should have known, since I've been watching the Vikes' secondary get torched for years now).

The rumor is that Matt Cassell may start for the Vikings this week. What have you locals heard?

Ponder seems to have a rib injury. I assume that it is real, but the cynical side of me wonders if it is a bit exaggerated so that the organization can bench him without benching him. In either case, I wish him good health, but I assume that Cassell will get the start this week, and that if he performs better than Ponder, that he will continue to start following the bye.

Of course, if Cassell doesn't improve things at all, the Vikings may need to consider trading the Raiders for Matt Flynn. He seems to be the go-to guy when you want a young quarterback with an uncertain level of talent to play well enough to earn a starting job...

Why not Brian Hoyer?