Mr. Scot

Remember talking about all that cap space we were gonna have next season? Remember how it was mentioned that we said the same thing last season?

That might not be as far off as you think. I checked both the Panthers video channel and their Twitter page. It's not there. Fitterer is, though.

If you think of it that way, do we need to hear from coaches, or GMs, or even players? As far as the process, no, we don't. It has little to no effect on what happens behind the scenes. But given that sports is about the fans, it helps those fans understand what's happened, what will happen next, etc. Plus it helps us know whether the person talking is someone we can have confidence in or just a numbskull that's full of sh-t. And yes, that's true of the owner as well.

Like for example when you use college coaching methods and principles at the pro level and can't figure out why they're not working?

I don't know that I'd call Lance "unprecedented". He's certainly not on the level of Newton or Vick in that regard. The thing of it though is physical talent isn't the same as quarterback talent. Athleticism and skill set are two very different things.

I don't know that anything's changed on that front. It's possible, but a lot would have to go right for it to happen.

Nobody, really. But if I'm forced to choose, Corral.

There's no PR in the world that can make three straight 5-12 finishes palatable to fans. And fans that don't like what they see don't buy tickets.

John again... There are plenty of owners who prefer to stay in the background and not put themselves out there. Tepper hasn't been one of those guys. He was very visible as long as things were going well. So how about if you don't want public scrutiny, don't put yourself out front?

Well...he kinda does. He wants us to buy tickets to see his team play, so he kinda needs to build...ya know...a winning team. If he's failing to do that, he deserves to be questioned.

Because it's not the path most likely to save Matt Rhule's job.

The last three years constitute the worst stretch of results the team has ever seen, and it'll be no shock if this season has similar results. So yes, he's made the team worse.

The comparison above between fans and shareholders is a pretty valid one. But outside that, nobody not employed by or associated with a particular company gives a sh-t whether they made more money than their competition. Sports, on the other hand, is direct competition in a controlled setting. That's why it has fans, not shareholders. But like companies do with shareholders, the leaders of NFL teams are obligated to put a worthy product on the field. And if they don't, they deserve to be called out by the people their product is made for.

Valid point.

Yeah...None of that makes any sense. You basically just chose to ignore what didn't fit your narrative. Get back to me when AT&T and T-Mobile are competing over 20 weeks in televised weekly contests that are watched by millions and have definitive results.

That's possible. I've seen enough dancing around by both sides to conclude that another Panthers-Newton reunion seems unlikely.

That's pretty funny

Those are a little contradictory. If a team is in championship contention, then it's highly likely their quarterback position is settled. If their quarterback position is set, then "a fair chance to play" may not be in the cards (except as a gadget player).

Think sports entertainment, like Vince McMahon or Mark Cuban.

How many of those guys are in the entertainment business? How many have an organization as small as an NFL team? How many are very visible in good times but disappear when things get bad? The NFL is nothing like a computer company.

It's actually posted in one of the other threads. (I don't remember which one)

Apparently he can dance, though... Mind you, I've no desire to see this

I'm not a fan of Matt Rhule, so I don't really care whether he succeeds or not. I am a fan of the Panthers, so I do care whether or not they succeed. Sometimes team success means parting ways with those who are underperforming. And that doesn't just mean players.

John puts it well... David Tepper has accomplished nothing deserving of respect or the benefit of a doubt. Just the opposite, honestly. He's actually made the team worse.

Outside of firing Rhule, I don't necessarily have anything specific I want him to say. But with that said, even saying something worthless is better than giving the impression that either A) you think you're above talking to your customers or B) you're an abject coward.