Cliff Christl...What a fool!

Nitschke66Member

Browsing through an old Packer Plus I found while cleaning up my garage, I found a few tidbits from Christl's commentary "Packers Need A Favre...In His Prime: The Return of No.4," which was printed in the Packer Plus, Feb. 8-14, 2007 issue:

"Until the Packers find another superstar quarterback in the draft or two or three great players at other positions, they won't be in the Super Bowl."

And the especially prophetic

"The Packers can continue to draft the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Nick Collins, Greg Jennings, Daryn Colledge, and Jason Spitz from now until doomsday and it won't get them anywhere close to the Super Bowl...Don't get me wrong, it will improve their overall talent level...But until they hit on another superstar quarterback in the draft or two or three great players at other positions, they won't get to where the Bears were last Sunday..."

Wonder if Christl has had more than his share of crow yet?

2/1/112:51 PM

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

NJWISMember

in his defense rodgers didn't look that good his first couple years in preseason.

2/1/112:56 PM

Mr.YuckMember

If that was written in the last 1-2 years I might jump on the guy, but as it was written a 1 1/2 years before Rodgers even started I can't fault the guy.

2/1/113:03 PM

BorisSooper Jeeenyious

Sounds like Christl was pretty close to the mark as relates to the time it was written.

Favre played fantastic in 2007 with the exception of the NFC CG

2/1/113:06 PM

chickenboyTic Toc

Cliff may need a cleansing...

2/1/113:08 PM

GBFanForLifeLarge Member

quote:
Originally posted by Boris:
Favre played fantastic in 2007 with the exception of the NFC CG

What about before 2007. The guy was done awhile ago. Just gave people glimpses of hope.

2/1/113:38 PM

Nitschke66Member

Reading that article bothered me because its whole premise was that AR12 wasn't going to amount to anything more than a backup quarterback, before he even had the chance to play in a regular season game. Of course, it was in the Dallas game of 2007 when we finally got to see what we had behind Favre, and it looked promising. Aaron almost won a game that Favre simply couldn't or wouldn't.

I just think Aaron Rodgers deserved more of a fair shake from Cliffy.

That said, I think it's exactly this type of criticism that fueled Rodgers to prove the naysayers wrong and get us where we are today.

2/1/113:59 PM

packerboiI lick rainbows

People also have to remember his pre-season work was also in front of our 2nd and even 3rd team OL's. And playing with rookie WR's and Finley was no Finley either.

Our 1st team OL was hardly that stellar. Now imagine trying to play QB in front of some of the 2nd/3rd rate "tallent" he was forced to play in front of. Part of the reason he looked so good in that Dallas game is because he had 2 years of MM's QB in him, got in better shape, and then had 1st stringers on the offense to play around.

All that made a big difference.

2/1/114:18 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by NJWIS:
in his defense rodgers didn't look that good his first couple years in preseason.

That's why it is so stupid to cast aspersions on young players before they have the chance to develop.

2/1/115:29 PM

JJSDSitzpinkler Schadenfreude

Rong. You're supposed to panic and throw money at the perception by signing UFA's who have been mentioned on BSPN. Otherwise the fans will be unhappy.

Do I have to teach you everything?

2/1/115:42 PM

PackerRickMember

quote:
Originally posted by Boris:
Sounds like Christl was pretty close to the mark as relates to the time it was written.

Favre played fantastic in 2007 with the exception of the NFC CG

Favre had several games in 2007 that weren't so hot. 4 games had passer ratings considerably lower than the 70 he put up against the Giants and a couple that were just a little better.

The Bear games in CHI in freezing weather was a preview to the CG games. Favre looked like he didn't want to be on the field in a 35-7 loss and the only TD pass he threw was to Urlacher.

2/1/115:44 PM

Fond Du ArrigoNostradamus

Cliff Christl also thought hiring Matt Millen would be a good idea for the Packers. And, he stuck to that take about three years into the Detroit trainwreck.

He also insisted that Bubba Franks was a bust, even after he was going to multiple Pro Bowls. I know, he's no Gonzalez, but the guy had value in this league.

I know he's respected by a lot of Packer fans, but I think he's one of the biggest hacks I've ever read.

2/1/115:49 PM

sschumer - Packer Fan HoF'rMember

quote:
Originally posted by Nitschke66:
But until they hit on another superstar quarterback in the draft or two or three great players at other positions, they won't get to where the Bears were last Sunday..."

Well, Christl was right that until we hit on another superstar QB **OR** 2 to 3 great players at other positions, we wouldn't get back to the Super Bowl. Rodgers has incredibly quickly developed into that superstar QB to get us back to the Super Bowl, but thanks as well to Thompson, we ALSO have MORE than 2 to 3 great players at other positions that should help ensure we win it and get back to more Super Bowls: Matthews, Jennings, T. Williams, Raji, Woodson, Collins, (Finley). Maybe guys like Jenkins, Sitton, Shields, Neal, Bulaga, others join that list of "greats" soon. They're plenty good right now.

2/1/115:58 PM

BorisSooper Jeeenyious

quote:
Originally posted by chickenboy:
Cliff may need a cleansing...

This forum may need a cleansing from you

2/1/116:10 PM

BrakMember

Can I bump that two years from now?

2/1/116:27 PM

Satori"...going where the climate suits my clothes"

Of course you can !

Boris installed a BS meter with a calendar app

Set it and forget it

2/1/116:29 PM

H5Keyboard Warrior, troll hunter

Avoid the off-season rush, bump it now. And by bump I mean cleanse.

2/1/116:31 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by JJSD:
Rong. You're supposed to panic and throw money at the perception by signing UFA's who have been mentioned on BSPN. Otherwise the fans will be unhappy.

Do I have to teach you everything?

BSPN? Will Fox Sports do?

2/1/118:21 PM

JJSDSitzpinkler Schadenfreude

No. They talk about soccer on that network. Besides, BSPN has all the tallant - according to many, Clayton and Mort have never, ever been wrong. Even when they're contradicting each other. That just means none of us understand the double meaning of their positions.

Fox has that douche bag Jay Glazer who gains his access by earning trust instead of ball washing. Glazer also has that annoying knack for reporting on verifiable facts, being right the majority of the time and owning it when he's not. Tool.

I always liked Cliff. He was as wrong as most, but the guy put in his work over the course of his career and had some pretty intriguing positions otherwise. I still think about his playmaker theory and his 'jump out at you physically' point about spotting the truly great ones. He got old, tired and even more cranky than he was anyway towards the end.

2/1/118:31 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

You are so persuasive. So, Fox Sports it is?

I think Cliffy is a sanctimonious jerk, but I agree with his main premise that to win it all ya need playmakers.

2/1/118:45 PM

trumpMember

A defensive genius, that brings a solid defensive scheme and teaches with proteges of said Defensive scheme doesn't hurt either ...

IMO, This defense won a helluva lot more battles to get us where we are than the Offense did this year.

2/1/1110:07 PM

CitizenDanMember

So saying that a quarterback whose numbers through two seasons were 15-31-111-0-1 might not be a superstar makes Christl a "fool"? I'd love to know who, four years ago, thought Rodgers would be preparing to play in the Super Bowl this week.

2/2/118:56 AM

michiganjoeMember

It's a premature assessment of AR by a sportswriter, but that's what they often do. I ran across a old McGinn column the other day that took the Packers to task for overpaying a washed-up DB with an attitude problem named Charles Woodson.

2/2/119:06 AM

chickenboyTic Toc

quote:
Originally posted by CitizenDan:
So saying that a quarterback whose numbers through two seasons were 15-31-111-0-1 might not be a superstar makes Christl a "fool"? I'd love to know who, four years ago, thought Rodgers would be preparing to play in the Super Bowl this week.

It is interesting how if someone has an opinion that proves over time to be wrong is labeled as a fool. I'm fairly confident that the majority of humans walking the earth have been wrong about a few of their initial opinions on a variety of subjects.

quote:
Originally posted by michiganjoe:
It's a premature assessment of AR by a sportswriter, but that's what they often do. I ran across a old McGinn column the other day that took the Packers to task for overpaying a washed-up DB with an attitude problem named Charles Woodson.

That would be an interesting thread to "bump." I honestly can't remember my opinion on that signing but you know, he was a "shiny free agent." I kinda remember being happy that it was a need but not sure if it was too much to spend on a veteran with the team in somewhat of a rebuilding mode.

2/2/119:52 AM

TDMember

I agree that it does make him a fool. Making the comments before these guys were able to play together and grow proves his lack of knowledge about football especially since he also commented on other players such as Collins and Jennings who are pro bowlers.

2/2/115:35 PM

CitizenDanMember

It's amazing that Christl has made a good living for four decades covering a topic he knows nothing about. It's high time someone uncovered his scam.

2/3/119:19 AM

FreeSafetyI wonder what the poor people are doing?

Everybody is so dumb and I am so smart.

2/3/119:41 AM

HerschelMember

Why do you have to be that way?

2/3/119:48 AM

Satori"...going where the climate suits my clothes"

quote:
Originally posted by CitizenDan:
It's amazing that Christl has made a good living for four decades covering a topic he knows nothing about. It's high time someone uncovered his scam.

Thanks for the laughs !

2/3/119:50 AM

FreeSafetyI wonder what the poor people are doing?

quote:
Originally posted by Herschel:
Why do you have to be that way?

So smart?

I guess it is a gift from God that allows me to know that everybody who says anything bad about the Packers is a fool.

2/3/1110:10 AM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by CitizenDan:
So saying that a quarterback whose numbers through two seasons were 15-31-111-0-1 might not be a superstar makes Christl a "fool"? I'd love to know who, four years ago, thought Rodgers would be preparing to play in the Super Bowl this week.

ABSOLUTELY!!! Stupid to draw conclusions on a QB after 31 passes.

2/3/1111:17 AM

CitizenDanMember

quote:
Originally posted by Goalline:
ABSOLUTELY!!! Stupid to draw conclusions on a QB after 31 passes.

So those numbers would not have led you to conclude that at that point Rodgers was not yet a superstar quarterback?

2/3/1112:04 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by CitizenDan:
quote:
Originally posted by Goalline:
ABSOLUTELY!!! Stupid to draw conclusions on a QB after 31 passes.

So those numbers would not have led you to conclude that at that point Rodgers was not yet a superstar quarterback?

If that were his conclusion I would have been behind him 110%. Unfortunately, this was his conclusion:

"The Packers can continue to draft the likes of Aaron Rodgers...it won't get them anywhere close to the Super Bowl..." DUMB!!!

2/3/1112:19 PM

TDMember

quote:
Originally posted by CitizenDan:
quote:
Originally posted by Goalline:
ABSOLUTELY!!! Stupid to draw conclusions on a QB after 31 passes.

So those numbers would not have led you to conclude that at that point Rodgers was not yet a superstar quarterback?

quote:
"The Packers can continue to draft the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Nick Collins, Greg Jennings, Daryn Colledge, and Jason Spitz from now until doomsday and it won't get them anywhere close to the Super Bowl..."

This was the comment he made.

3 of these guys have made the Pro Bowl. Seems like a stupid comment, no? I mean some players obviously should be all-pro over night? Spitz doesn't even start. It's hard to even argue a chance for Rodgers because how much time did he get with the #1 offense?

2/3/111:18 PM

fightphoe93Member

In the past Christl used to irk me with the tone of his articles. But after I heard Christl interviewed on some talk radio shows, I liked him a lot better. He definitely doesn't come across as crusty and negative on the radio as he does in print. I think he'd probably be man enough to admit some of his past takes were wrong if you asked him.

2/3/111:46 PM

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