Vince Young Scores a Six?

[Dxgarnett]

Originally Posted by KurtBevacqua

And to show how reliable this test is, guess who got a 37, Akili Smith?

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...23/ai_54245995

Also from that article,

[QUOTEThe highest score this year was a 43, strangely enough by another Oregon quarterback, Jason Maas.][/QUOTE]

[Dxgarnett]

I always do that bad on the test in Madden, and still I win at least 3 Super Bowls before I retire.

[darkhorse]

Ehh, Vince Young is a highly rated prospect BECAUSE of his ability to score six. Pfft!

[PerfectMisnomer]

Originally Posted by Dxgarnett

I always do that bad on the test in Madden, and still I win at least 3 Super Bowls before I retire.

Actually, thanks for bringing this up because I forgot about it. Madden's crappy superstar mode makes you take this test, and it actually is pretty tough for me to get a lot of these questions right in the time alloted. There's no pressure for me sitting in front of my tv by myself, but it must be a lot harder for pro athletes.

[bigdgp2]

Yeah, figures. Tiburon always develops half-***ed products, and EA always publishes half-***ed products. The un-polished "Superstar mode" gimmick is no surprise. I'm still playing ESPN NFL 2K4 (I'm too cheap for 2K5)

[Skipaway]

A funny thing:

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...s/13978919.htm

Where it gets weird is that the NFL now says there was a grading error that accounted for the low score and that Young got a 16 on a do-over, which he was granted because agent Major Adams didn't tell him the exam was coming.

(Picking a college buddy as your agent when you're about to sign an eight-figure contract seems like a clearer sign of non-intelligence than any test, but in this case the two are interwoven.)

And there was this piece about his agent:

http://gridvicious7227.statesmanblog...d-976400a838a0

We will have plenty of opportunity to evaluate the job Mr. Adams does in the coming days. Judging by what others are saying, he hasn’t gotten Vince off on the right foot. From the Sporting News Matt Hayes, “Why was Vince Young, the hottest football player on the planet, participating in a cheesy made-for-television ‘‘all-star challenge’’ in Miami? Why would a player who has nothing to gain and everything to lose as a top draft prospect, be a part of an informal workout — because that’s what it was — in an environment over which he had no control?” The apparent answer would be is that his Agent set up the deal for a little folding money to get them through the anticipated negotiation of his first pro contract. Did anyone else find it curious that Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart were no where to be found at that dog and pony show masquerading as a skills challenge?

Maybe it was all the agent's fault?

As indicated in other stories, lots of players practiced Wonderlic a lot. Maybe Vince Young's only dumb performance was choosing the wrong agent.

[Jason Moyer]

Originally Posted by PerfectMisnomer

There's no pressure for me sitting in front of my tv by myself, but it must be a lot harder for pro athletes.

Dealing with pressure is a prerequisite for being a professional athlete.

[Go Tribe]

I heard Oscar Davenport was the one grading the test...

[kq76]

When players test poorly, personnel men have to examine the individual circumstances. Sometimes, tests are administered in noisy locker rooms with lots of distractions. Many times players don't realize the ramifications of the test and don't take it seriously.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...23/ai_54245995

I think that it might be taking place in "noisy locker rooms with lots of distractions" would be a huge factor and could easily explain some differences. I've always been very good at taking tests, but I know that when there are lots of distractions going on my ability to think drops dramatically. With all the distractions going on for a QB during a game, I would want them to do well under those circumstances though.

Wonderlic tests often are given on college campuses. Another Wonderlic is taken by players who attend the combine in a controlled environment. Some top prospects may take the test up to six times by the time they satisfy every team's need.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...23/ai_54245995

This is another important factor, but the opposite way. If you get to retake it even once you should improve. But 6 times, are you kidding me? Even if you could be taking any 1 of 6 different tests, you should get a good idea of what to expect and to do well with that knowledge. And the median score is a 20 after a few years of university? Ouch! For their sake I hope most of these tests are conducted under distracting conditions.

Pat McInally, a wide receiver/punter from Harvard who played for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1977 to 1985 is the only player known to have scored a perfect 50. In 2005 it was rumored that Ryan Fitzpatrick, a quarterback also from Harvard, scored a perfect 50 but his actual accomplishment was to finish the test in 9 minutes with a score of 38 — the most impressive speed ever seen at the NFL Combine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderlic_Test

Fitzpatrick finishing with a score of 38, but in just 9 minutes makes me wonder how much better he would have done if he had spent the last 3 minutes rethinking his answers. I've always found it stupid to walk out before your time was up. I know, your first instinct is usually the best, but people often make silly mistakes that they could easily find upon review. It'd be like throwing the ball before you really need to, before the play really develops.

[Dwolfson20]

I always thought Matt Birk scored a 50... maybe I just assume that for Harvard people.

[jaxmagicman]

Originally Posted by kq76

Fitzpatrick finishing with a score of 38, but in just 9 minutes makes me wonder how much better he would have done if he had spent the last 3 minutes rethinking his answers. I've always found it stupid to walk out before your time was up. I know, your first instinct is usually the best, but people often make silly mistakes that they could easily find upon review. It'd be like throwing the ball before you really need to, before the play really develops.

I have done better by just finishing and leaving. Going back and looking has always cost me answers. Go with your instinct and don't read too much into it.

[Sublimity]

Originally Posted by jaxmagicman

I have done better by just finishing and leaving. Going back and looking has always cost me answers. Go with your instinct and don't read too much into it.

"

[Dwolfson20]

I consider myself an above-average test taker, and I hardly ever look back at answers. But I've been known to make my fair share of silly errors and not catch them, either.