panthers55

I am glad there is competition and whoever wins will each bring something to the team that compelled them to keep them. It should make preseason games worth watching this year as the quality of the depth improves. It will be nice to have a roster where everyone can come in and fill the hole without a ton of drop off when needed. It might make it easier for our coaches to teach the nuances of the game instead of focusing on teaching jags the basics because they are so raw and inexperienced.

You seem a little ahead of me. You make good points and I will have to reconsider my opinion. I have just disliked him so intensely for that cheap shot on Smitty among others that it is hard to see him in any other light. I don't like the Saints and he seemed to embody everything I disliked about them. I can't say he has done anything like that here so maybe he was highly suggestible to negative influences. Maybe he will be highly susceptible to positive influences as well. Food for thought, thanks.

The biggest reason to have a bruiser fullback would be to take advantage of the tendency for defenses to be smaller and faster making them susceptible to bigger bruising linemen and a big fullback. Over time this should wear down defenses and allows you to run at the end of the game when you are trying to run out the clock and dominate the defense. Plus it really ties into our philosophy and our personnel. Gettleman seems to favor bigger more physical guys with a nasty streak. That is perfect for shoving the ball down the opponent's throat and demoralizing them.

You have to admire the way that the Panthers Involve themselves in the community. Good front office and an owner that Is a southern gentlemen and takes care of his own and the causes he believes in.

​I played Football played through high school. I played soccer and tennis in college although soccer was not fully funded back then so it was a club sport. Most of my coaching has been at the below 14 year old level mostly in rec leagues and some club levels. The issue is that at each higher level players have to manage their emotions and learn not to let other players get into their head as every skill level improves. Pushing or blocking too long is not the same as throwing a punch which is what happened in both of these skirmishes. Sure fights happen and some coaches encourage it. I remember a middle coach in basketball encouraging me and another player to actually physically fight one another for a position to find out who wanted the position more. And lets be clear I had and sometimes still have a real issue with anger and usually was one of the main guys if there were any fighting going on. But what I learned and what I have taught my boys is that is not what makes you win or successful. If you are worried about the last play or what a guy did to you a few minutes ago it stops you from being in the game right now and focusing on what you need to do this play.

Of course the offense and defense need to bond with each other and believe in each other. Of course each unit will be closer to each other than they will be to a unit they are competing against but the offense has to believe the defense will make a play or pick them up and vice versa. I can remember in 2010 when the offense was so awful that the defense knew that if they gave up 20 points or we got more than 7 points behind we were going to lose.

It isnt much use arguing now that is it over and nothing did happen which is a good thing. This time. But it is naive to assume that it will always be that way or that there are never any negative consequences to fights between teammates in camp.

People here have a real short memory. What happened when Smith sucker punched Lucas a few years ago. If Lucas hadn't been the bigger man and forgave Smith and welcomed him back it could have escalated into a real divide between offense and defense. Guys on the defense wanted Smith gone for a lot longer than 2 games. That could have easily torn the locker room apart.

I have played at several levels at more than one sport. Coached at the lower levels in baseball, soccer and football. And I still maintain that it is an immature undisciplined response by players who let their emotions control their judgement. Football is about the mental game as much as it is physical game, maybe more so. So while we can all say it is just guys being competitive, it isn't something to be overlooked or ignored. As you practice is how you play and undisciplined is undisciplined. You don't think it gets hot in Tampa or Miami. That is why Rivera said it was disappointing rather than saying it is just guys being competitive. He knows what I am saying is true.

Not getting in a fight is not backing down it is actually showing more maturity and is harder than throwing a punch. If you want to impress the coaches make a play dont act like a immature punk trying to act tough.

And assaults and crimes go up in the summer heat as well? Your point?? Players are supposed to act like professionals as well. Fighting in camp is an amateurish move not the sign of someone who is in control and in charge of their emotions.

I dont think fights in minicamp are good at all. It isnt as if we are playing other teams these are our own teammates and our guys. Losing control is a sign of immaturity and if I were a coach I would have some pause with a guy who couldn't control themselves for fear if they do this in practice with their own guys what will they do in a game. One of the big issues with Norman over the past few years was an inability to control himself and avoid doing stupid things. Sure it happens but no it isn't a good thing

​He threw a lob to Benjamin in the preseason. Thee are plenty of things that legitimately you can complain about without making stuff up.

Deleted because the quoted post didnt show up in the post.

Chud was a great play designer but not a great OC. He was egotistical, more interested in promoting himself instead of the team, and got way too cute with all the read option stuff. He totally limited what Newton could do and gave him little option to call his own plays or make adjustments. Rumor was he didnt think Cam was able to read defenses and call the right plays. If he were so great he would be an OC right now and he isnt.

​And to say the playcalling was even half of the problem in the redzone without mentioning a lack of running game, injuries, lack of redzone weapons is ridiculous. Know how many TDs Benjamin simply dropped in the endzone last year? I do and that was purely execution. Since you dont know what was called simply what was run which many times is based on what Cam audibles to in the redzone you dont know the facts. The folks who do constantly talked about execution not playcalling last year. Who should we believe, Rivera, for example or you??

​hardly worth a response since there is nothing factual to respond to just a random opinion.

​One cherry picked fact from a 1000 others is hardly something to focus on unless you have an agenda and only pick what supports you agenda. I can pick just as many great plays from last year that worked. What does that prove??

You have to use who you got. Everyone knows you cover Olsen and Benjamin and make him throw to other guys who are not that good. Again one play doesnt negate the other 1000. You stretch is just as far with your cherry picking.

Pass to endzone get intercepted when you have Beastmode at the 1. It sucks when it doesnt work for every team. Hardly negates the other 1000 plays.

​Playcalling wasnt the problem, execution was, on both sides of the field until late in the year.

​When will you and other critics of Shula understand that this offense is the one that Rivera and Gettleman want Shula to run. They like what he is doing and endorse his strategy which is why they don't criticize him or replace him. If they wanted something different they could fire him, or demand he change the system. They haven't done that for a reason. Shula is not on the hot seat at this point from what I can tell, anymore than anyone else.

​Cam has options to adjust the play based on what he sees the defense so. Sometime it is to call a different play all together or to adjust where the play is going or who is the primary receiver based on the defensive alignment. In the hurry up he calls all the plays at the line of scrimmage. In fact he has a lot more input than he ever did under Chud.

Funny how everyone uses a poor O line, no healthy backs and a cadre of JAGs at receiver as an excuse for why Cam puts up mediocre or poor numbers but bash Shula in the next breath. Seems to me as the O coordinator he has the same offensive conditions as Cam and was just as hamstrung with lack of talent. Shula wont be confused with an offensive mastermind by any means but when given the talent to run his system he can and will do a good job.

I don't know where you get your numbers but there is not a different franchise tag for inside linebackers versus outside linebackers. The number is 13.1 for linebackers for 2015. That will be the numbers they will have to pay him if they tag him and it goes up from there. What are you babbling about?