Panthers-Phins' practice positive & fitting for our culture, but 89 viewed Ravens-Eagles' a little differently.

[top dawg]

I guess that the Panthers-Dolphins joint practice was a positive one if you listen to each organization's writers, the coaches, and other parties involved. Here are your respective links and quotes from the teams' web sites:

http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Joint-practice-not-perfect-but-productive/1e88a7d5-44bc-455e-92d2-f85f48e0f7e8

"I believe today was a great day for everybody – for the Miami Dolphins as well as the Carolina Panthers," Ginn said. "We went out and we practiced hard, played hard, and we got a different feel for different situations."

http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/article-1/Players-Enjoying-Competition-Against-Carolina/94de1419-7093-4c7a-8cd5-6757e9821683

“I thought it was a great day of practice,” Head Coach Joe Philbin said. “The Carolina Panthers are a first-class organization. (Head) Coach (Ron) Rivera and his staff, last night we talked about the practice and I thought we got a ton of great work against a really good football team, so I’m really pleased. I thought our players handled themselves very well and I’m happy.” 

Everybody is happy and positive, which is tad different from the way 89 talked the Ravens-Eagles joint practivce today. Sure it is his wife's birthday, and he made the media painfully aware that he'd rather be home than doing that "bull****", but he had his reasons as NFL.com's writer summarized: 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000512845/article/steve-smith-just-wants-to-be-home-for-wifes-birthday

"Everybody is playing coy, everybody is keeping their poker face on," Smith said. "...Everybody is in man coverage, but in a game they'll probably play zone. We're running all our routes but we'll mix it up. It's a lot of deception that is going on, so we'll see."

So basically, a coach has to water down his playbook, hope none of his players get angry enough to start a massive brawl and, at the end of the day, pacify the NFL's most honest player -- a guy who simply wants to be home for his wife's birthday.

Oh, the gamesmanship---including the political correctness of the NFL---knows no bounds.  Don't get me wrong, I really believe that there was something gained from the joint practice today down at Wofford College, but I do believe that 89 has provided us with some perspective about the overall value of joint practices. Even if you totally disagree and chalk it up to "Smitty being Smitty", the most entertaining interviewee in the NFL has perhaps just provided us with another glimpse as to why he was destined to leave the Panthers. Of course, he probably would have been able to celebrate his wife's birthday if he were still here and presented a more amiable and "professional" side.  But, we'll never know, and for today anyway, everything at Wofford seemed really positive and productive.

 

[csx]

Whats he complaining about?

[Kuhndog94]

I think he just kinda says stuff now.

[KSpan]

Of course the team doesn't benefit from scheming in practice. While I've never played in the NFL, they seem to benefit from having different guys to hit and different skill sets to practice against instead of KB facing Josh Norman for the umpteenth time.

[Jmac]

Our star reciever just possibly blew out his knee and we are still talking about what this half pint says. Who gives a crap about him or what he thinks.

[Growl]

I considered making this thread earlier with the title "Smith tells media he'd rather be in Carolina."

[Mr. Scot]

"NFL's most honest player"

Guess that's one way of putting it...

[cookinbrak]

I like the way folks are still obsessing over him.

"We had practice today. Guess who else had practice today?"

"I had food today. Guess who else had food today?"

[PantherBoy95]

Our star reciever just possibly blew out his knee and we are still talking about what this half pint says. Who gives a crap about him or what he thinks.

I would never normally disrespect the great Steve. However, as you stated who cares what that man thinks right now. On today of all gloomy of days haha.

I considered making this thread earlier with the title "Smith tells media he'd rather be in Carolina."

That would've had people going crazy.

[tiger7_88]

What doesn't he complain about?

FIFY

[goodoleboy]

Coaches that plan it right can get much more out of a few practice sessions with another team than a preseason game. They can run 20 plays simulating one situation that might come up 5 times in a game if they want to. Smith is full of crap.

This is not a new thing. The first training camp I ever went to was in Texas during the Jimmy Johnson Cowboy days. They had the Raiders in that week and that was when teams went 2 a days in pads. It was awesome to watch.

Personally I think they should do more of this and fewer preseason games.