Hold on loosely

[Mr. Scot]

New York Times article about how the Panthers are run...
 

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Dickson believes Rivera’s approach in the end creates more discipline among the ranks.

“We police ourselves,” he said. “Our guys set the guidelines for us. We can always party after the game.”

 

Quote

Rivera has gone against the grain in other ways. Defensive lineman Jared Allen broke a small bone in his foot in Carolina’s first playoff game last month, but he practiced most of the next week and called himself “100 percent ready” for the N.F.C. championship game.

Rivera held Allen out of the game anyway, despite Allen’s protests. It will be three weeks since Allen’s injury when the Super Bowl kicks off. Allen will not only be healthier, he may be less susceptible to a long-term issue with his foot.

Asked how many N.F.L. teams would have held out one of their best players for a conference championship game, Allen answered: “Probably every other team but this one. Ron did the right thing. I could have had a setback. Now I can play in the Super Bowl. But it takes reason and forethought.”

 

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And then there’s the quarterback. While much attention this week has been focused on how multidimensional Newton is, the better question might be how he was allowed to get that way.

Late last season, Rivera and the offensive coordinator Mike Shula decided it was time to put Newton more in charge of his own production. The offense became less about instructing Newton what to do play to play and made him accountable for the options chosen with the scheme.

“We put more responsibility on his plate,” Rivera said. “And he appreciated that. He thrived that way.”

Shula said that the key was for the coaching staff to be less stubborn.

“We needed to listen to Cam more,” Shula said. “He has a lot of good ideas. He’s smart, and he gets the football part very quickly.

“We had been struggling last year. It was time to be more creative and adjustable with our thinking.”

Shula was asked if it was hard to let go in a league where coaches usually try to orchestrate every facet of practices and games. There must have been situations when Newton called a pass and Shula cringed, shouting to his inner self, “No, not that!”

“There have been a few of those,” Shula said, laughing. “But he sees the field extremely well. I trust his judgment.”

 

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Which may be the overarching concept of the Panthers. The head coach with the Super Bowl ring, now coaching in his first Super Bowl, wants to imbue the team with a sense of trust.

Ricky Proehl, the Carolina wide receivers coach, was talking Wednesday about how Rivera did not expect his assistant coaches to automatically log 16-hour days during the season.

That is typical in the N.F.L., where a warrior attitude often leads to endless preparation — even to maddening excess. No coach ever has a light shift, but sometimes the workdays drag on to midnight because an assistant does not want to be the first coach leaving the team’s complex on a weeknight.

“That’s not Ron,” Proehl said. “I’ll say, ‘I’m done with my work; can I go?’

“And he’ll say, ‘Get out of here.’ ”

What would Iron Mike think?

Link: To strengthen the Panthers, Ron Rivera loosened his grip

The article also features this very cool pic...

[ecu88]

But don't let her go

[Captain Obvious]

2 minutes ago, ecu88 said:

But don't let her go

i was singing the song the whole time I was reading. 

[Mr. Scot]

I'm guessing that's the first 38 Special song reference ever used on this board.

It works, though.

[ecu88]

1 minute ago, Captain Obvious said:

i was singing the song the whole time I was reading. 

38 Special 

Grew up on classic rock and still listen to it, nothing like it.

[Mr. Scot]

Up next, I'll post a Steve Smith article using the title "What if I'd been the one to say goodbye"

[mwright350]

The avalanche of articles about this team that don't focus on the same old, tired nonsense we've been reading for years is what's getting me through the downtime before the game.

Another good read

[Mr. Scot]

Dom Capers was a full-on workaholic who had been known to sometimes sleep in his office.

I think Rivera has his priorities right.

[heelsrule1988]

21 minutes ago, ecu88 said:

But don't let her go

I opened this thread just to find this comment. Glad it was first.

[Mr. Scot]

Related note that doesn't need its own thread: Panthers owner Jerry Richardson watched today's practice.