Christian Ponder Hosted the ESPYs Red Carpet With Sam, Got Slammed By Chris Conte

Dec 30, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Brad Jones (59) pushes Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) out of bounds for an 8 yard run in the first quarter at the Metrodome. The Vikings win 37-34. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY SportsMost of the time athletes wait until after they’re retired before getting into the media game. But Christian Ponder can’t hold out that long. He’s already jumping into those perilous waters with both feet. Wednesday night the Vikings quarterback performed his first big TV gig, co-hosting the ESPYs red-carpet pre-game show – or whatever the hell they call it – with his wife Samantha.

Predictably, the sarcastic jerks on Twitter really started going wild at the sight of Ponder doing his best Ryan Seacrest. Joe Schmit wondered, “Is Christian Ponder more like Phillip Rivers or Joan Rivers?” Something called Connor Fandino tweeted under the hashtag #OtherEspyAwards “Christian Ponder & Wife win ESPY for Most Socially Awkward Couple.” But perhaps the most scathing tweet of the evening came via Bears safety Chris Conte who tweeted “Please someone get the Ponders off TV.” And then quickly deleted it because he’s a pansy Bears player.

My own assessment of Ponder’s performance on the ESPYs? I’m gonna have to punt on this one since I didn’t actually waste time watching it. I just hope fans don’t give Christian too much grief for his little foray into red carpet hosting. Obviously it was just something fun he wanted to do with the missus. It was either that or kayaking.

Anyway who cares if Christian was even there? It’s all about Sam am I right? So yeah. Viking fans, go easy on Ponder. This doesn’t mean he isn’t focused on football. It just means he has a rich and varied life outside of football. And thanks to gigs like this, he will be set up for a good career after football ends. But that won’t be happening for a long long time.

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