top dawg

This isn't even about politics, and I laugh at the thought that I am demonizing anyone. I am not mad at Tepper, he's just playing the game. Now if you want to talk politics, I can discuss it, but there's no need to because most of the time people aren't honest. The fact is that Tepper doesn't need any public money to build his facility or benefit the community in which he puts it. FYI: Trickle-down economics has been a failure, as evidenced by a decreasing middle-class and increasing working-class, despite American productivity gradually accelerating and growing (record growth) over my lifetime. Americans are working harder than ever before, but haven't seen the benefits because, unlike 1950s America, the fat cats are taking hundreds and thousands more of the cut than they used to at their workers expense. And another thing, Corporations are not people and shouldn't be treated as such. Plutocrats, corporate welfare, and outright corruption are the bane of human existence and that's why things like homelessness, lack of heath care, fires and floods are increasing, and it's also why America is divided as ever. Just the way I see it. You can miss me with trickle-dowm economics or anything akin to it.

My opinion is that there hasn't been enough time to draw a conclusion. I don't know if Tepper will be great owner or not, and frankly as to what is "great" is a matter of definition. He'll, what's "average" is a matter of definition. All of this is based on opinion, whether you think he's bad or not. My point is not whether or not he has been great, good, or bad, my opinion is that due to context and circumstances in what is four short years, we really haven't had enough te to say what type of owner that Tepper will eventually be. Either you believe that we've had enough time or not (which it sounds like you do), then we're just going to have to agree to disagree. You obviously think that Tepper has been a bad owner and believe that this evidence means that he's more likely going to be a bad owner, so what else is there to be said? I don't think he's been a bad owner as much as he's been one that's learning. I certainly am not going to draw any conclusion about his ownership based on a premier practice facility gone wrong. In another season or two, if the team has not shown progress, if Tepper doesn't fire Rhule, then I'll start questioning Tepper's ability. If he hires another coach without practical pro experience, who begins with a staff that is just as inexperienced, then I'll start questioning whether or not Tepper is a good owner. Other things could make me question his ownership as well, but, even still, I will always be cognizant of context. It's going to take time and a pattern of failure longer than two years before I declare Tepper a bad owner. It's probably going to take at least three successive years of competing in the playoffs before I declare him a good owner. The point is, it's going to take time, particularly after the bumpy road thus far of the Rhule era.

That's your opinion. I don't even know if you can reasonably count the first year or two. Tepper was a brand new owner in July of 2018. He obviously didn't know what he was doing, and I'm fairly certain that he intimated as much. At the very least, he said that it would take time to build a good foundation. I scoff at the thought of some of you actually believing that he'd come in with a scorched-earth policy, firing everybody as soon as the ink dried. He took his time, surveyed the landscape, and then began making decisions once he was comfortable with making them. I'm not going to fault him for that, and neither am I going to fault him for giving Rhule another year. Three years is fair to assess the direction of a franchise in my opinion. If others think that two years is enough--that's them--I have no problem with that, but let's stop pretending that three years is an anomaly. Admittedly, I'm not entirely on board with this new train of thought that you fire a coach every other year--context and circumstances be damned! Some of us still do believe that being thoughtful before you make a knee-jerk reaction is a good thing--that patience is a good thing.

I haven't seen anyone say that Tepper is a great owner--no one. I have seen people say that it's too premature to draw a conclusion. And frankly, it's a pretty consistent group on here that outright says or suggests that Tepper is a bad owner, and not the other way around. And at many times they do so without context or considering the fact that Tepper is still a relatively new owner.

And he's not guaranteed to fail either. My problem with your sentiment is not that you have your opinion, it's that you're trying to blur the line between something that really doesn't speak to whether or not the Panthers can be successful, and insinuating that because you perceive it as some mighty great failure, that it's just another instance as to why the football team will be a failure--the franchise, the season, everything that Tepper touches in regards to the Panthers is destined to fail. You draw all these conclusions, or at least paint a pessimistic picture, notwithstanding that he's only owned the team for four years. Well four years may be enough for you to make up your mind about Tepper's ownership, but it's not for me. And, the thing is, he said that things would take time.

That's not even the point. Tepper is where he is, and he's not hurting. He made the decision with full knowledge that it would end up here--even though he could've personally bankrolled the project--but he did what he did anyway. That's not actually being a "loser", it's exercising power.

No argument there. The only thing I'd mention is that he's not unlike so many other billionaires. For right now, it's the American way.

Matt Corral, come on down!

The 80s were the best time for music. Nothing can compare.

Let's not mistake salary cap and draft implications, and bidding wars with other strong-willed successful men, with being a billionaire and able to pay for a state of the art practice facility all by yourself confused.

The HQ was a screw-up for sure, but everyone knows that if Tepper wants a grandiose facility for the Panthers, he'll get it in time. I don't see it as losing as much as I see it as learning the area and the culture before trying to do too much too soon. Some things just can't be rushed. He found that out with big plans for a facility, and he found it out with the team.

I think that an attorney who actually deals in property and contract law would be able to give us better insight than Huddlers using it for fodder to berate Tepper. It's not like the man is going broke or something. He's just doing what rich people do when things don't go their way I'd imagine.

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2021/08/14/leaf-outduels-manning-perspective-preseason-football-1998-preseason-game/8137169002/

He's not. Those are in reference to his injuries the last couple of seasons. He's 100 percent healthy (knock on wood).

Whether you like it or not, CMC won't be put in bubble wrap. But, honestly, he's paid to play. Steve Reed's latest article should answer the question as to whether Christian McCaffrey will be purposefully limited in any kind of way this season. If Rhule has any say about the matter, which we all know that he does, it's full steam ahead. “I’m not spending my time worrying about, ‘hey, will Christian get hurt?’” Panthers coach Matt Rhule said. “We are thinking about Christian in one way only — and that’s attack.” For Christian's part, he has done what he can to lessen the potential for injury, including modifying his offseason workout regimen, but he's all about playing as well. “If I’ve learned anything in terms of techniques, it’s just not overdoing it,” McCaffrey said. "I think that has been my issue — overdoing it sometimes. But you can’t prevent everything. Football is a tough business and a tough sport.” I've heard Christian say earlier this offseason, that he's had few little nagging injuries that take time to heal, but nothing major. And along with that train of thought is the notion that he's doing what he can do, but some things just aren't preventable (and bad luck). “I had a couple 300-pound guys fall on my ankle while I was already down,” McCaffrey said. "... I would love to know if there is a drill someone has got out there to prevent that from happening, because I would do that every day.” So, good or bad, McCaffrey looks to get his touches. Let's hope that CMC's bad luck with the injuries is a thing that's mitigated. https://www.wralsportsfan.com/panthers-to-attack-with-mccaffrey-not-worry-about-injuries/20411727/

You lucky fug. Yeah, I'm hating. Don't try to go, just go! And enjoy your good fortune.

To be fair, we really haven't heard about many rookies. What we've heard has been basically by people not officially associated with the Panthers, other than a mention in a random presser when asked. We've heard a little more about Ickey because he's a presumed starter.

The team looks to have some heart. I couldn't say that last season, especially as it went on. If nothing else, I don't think that our new veteran additions, particularly Mayfield, are going to go down without a fight. And for the vets that were already here--like Donte said, "It's year three." The guys are on a mission.

Point taken. We'll, that's your prerogative, and it's even a rationale one--moreso if it's about Rhule's performance and your belief in him to improve, and not just because it's simply Rhule (if you get what I'm saying). Only you know if you're being honest. We'll, Donte didn't even mention "Super Bowl." There's a difference between belief and hope, as your comment denotes and perhaps even connotes. I just think that Jakson's words speak louder than words. They have a chip on their shoulders that we (perhaps) didn't even know that they had. And that gives me a little more optimism.

Honestly, we know enough. From NFL.com: Reports of angst between Mills and the defensive line surfaced this offseason after the group underperformed in 2021. But Rivera noted that the decision to fire Mills stemmed from more recent philosophical differences. "It's about this offseason and training camp," Rivera said. His firing probably stems from underperformance, and Rivera didn't like the way things were progressing during the offseason and camp. It sounds like it was a long time coming. Rivera was reticent to just fire his friend so easily, so he gave him a chance, but things didn't work out.

Throughout his career, Rashad Higgins has never proved to be anything more than a WR4. And now you magically think he's going to be a WR2? TMJ hasn't proven anything yet, not even the ability to stay on the field. Do you really want to risk D.J. being doubled and maybe even tripled into ineffectiveness? We have some good talent in our receiving room--not necessarily to include the TEs--but it is largely unproven without the presence of Anderson. I'd rather take my chances with the underrated LB group than mess around with a skill group position. Unlike what you've heard on the Huddle all offseason, Robbie is important (if not a key) to the success of this offense...at least until TMJ or someone else breaks out this season.

Ben McAdoo's presser today was entertaining for sure, and I think people should listen to it, as it sounds like an experienced NFL guy who knows what he's doing, but if there is anything that will make you believe that this team will be better than most people project, it will be listening to Donte Jackson. "That's what we do out here, you know. All of us are not submitting to being a team that everybody looks down upon. We're not submitting to that." The team is gelling according to Jackson, and people aren't just working for themselves, they're working for their teammates if you believe Corey Littleton. And Phil Snow essentially told us not to underestimate the sharing of knowledge and experience of Xavier Woods and getting all the guys on the same page by demanding communication. But listen to Donte; the 2022 Panthers aren't satisfied with being a joke. And don't let it get by you that he mentioned a few players on offense, including Baker. They also are aware of Rhule's situation (if you listen to what he said), and they're going to do what it takes to keep him around. I'm not making any grandiose claims about the postseason, but I will say that those thinking that our ceiling is 5 or 6 games might want to rethink that a bit. We'll know more by the end of next month.

I didn't know we picked up Kamal Martin. Solid pickup provided that he's over his injury.

Every day is a good day to be a Matt Corral fan.