The Franchise

[phidelt649]

Though, for once, it seems as though the Huddle isn't in a complete uproar over the newest loss, I wanted to post this:

The Panthers are not even 20 years old yet. Their franchise is still incredibly young and we've already accomplished more than, I believe, any expansion team in the amount of time we've had.

Moreover, our day will come. No one knew or cared about the Chargers, Titans or Patriots a decade ago. Now they are the teams to beat. Eventually, Carolina will have their dynasty but it never comes easy and rarely comes quickly.

I believe it is safe to say we can write this season off. If I recall correctly, only five teams have made the playoffs after starting 0-3 and the last time it even happened was the 1998 Buffalo Bills.

Everyone just needs to keep their heads up and remember how good it will feel when the Panthers do crush all comers. When they win back-to-back Superbowls or show up at the playoffs every year like the Colts, it will be that much sweeter for us.

Think of how Lions and Browns fans feel. They've had entire generations of fans die without ever getting to see their teams go to the big show.

[King Taharqa]

Imagine how the Ravens fans feel. They came in after us and have a Super Bowl, multiple back to back winning seasons, 1 of the best teams in the league this year.

[CBDellinger]

That's not the issue, for me anyways.

It's more how close we have come and the fact that the people up top have mismanaged the resources we have. There is an insane amount of talent on this team. The offense is loaded with weapons... but for whatever reason we have just stood pat instead of trying to improve the situation. In the NFL that doesnt work, if you are not going forward you are going backwards.

And now... the window has closed. We'll need to totally rebuild the team and have to do so without that top 10 pick we traded for a 2nd round pick.

Steve Smith will be lucky to be on a contending team before he retires if he stays in Carolina the rest of his career. That's sad, such a waste of resources.

[phidelt649]

Imagine how the Ravens fans feel. They came in after us and have a Super Bowl, multiple back to back winning seasons, 1 of the best teams in the league this year.

True, though they were actually already a team, just different city. Back to the Browns.....I feel bad for them in regards to the Ravens. Your team leaves and a year later they win a Super Bowl in another city with essentially the same personnel as before. Ouch.

[King Taharqa]

That's not the issue, for me anyways.

It's more how close we have come and the fact that the people up top have mismanaged the resources we have. There is an insane amount of talent on this team. The offense is loaded with weapons... but for whatever reason we have just stood pat instead of trying to improve the situation. In the NFL that doesnt work, if you are not going forward you are going backwards.

And now... the window has closed. We'll need to totally rebuild the team and have to do so without that top 10 pick we traded for a 2nd round pick.

Steve Smith will be lucky to be on a contending team before he retires if he stays in Carolina the rest of his career. That's sad, such a waste of resources.

The organization from Day 1 (long before Fox came into town) has never shown the ability to handle prosperity and sustain success.

[joemac]

Imagine how the Ravens fans feel. They came in after us and have a Super Bowl, multiple back to back winning seasons, 1 of the best teams in the league this year.

LOL, what? You do know that the Ravens used to be the Cleveland Browns, right? They moved to Baltimore in like 1996 and then Cleveland got an expansion team which they named the Browns.

EDIT: I misread what you said. I thought that you had said just the Ravens, and not Ravens fans. My bad.

[DelhommesTheMan]

So just cause they were the Browns means they arent an expansion team? Baltimore hadent had a team since the Colts. So i guess the Titans are still the Oilers...so dumb..

[joemac]

So just cause they were the Browns means they arent an expansion team? Baltimore hadent had a team since the Colts. So i guess the Titans are still the Oilers...so dumb..

Yeah retard, thats exactly what it means! An expansion team means that the league EXPANDED. They just switched cities. Now, the new team that Cleveland is an expansion team. jesus christ....

[ckad79]

Living in the past gets you nowhere...

That's the problem with THIS team.

We resign Peppers because we want to believe that he's some sort of local GOD whose young and fresh. We resign Jake because we can't forget that magical Super Bowl run. We want to believe that Smith hasn't lost a step or that Muhammad isn't aging and slow.

We want to remember what happened years ago, that we never plan for the future.

This team needs serious changes. Keeping Peppers was stupid. Resigning Jake was stupid. And believing in Jake and refusing to sign a quality backup, was stupid too!

I'm hoping for a season so awful that fans won't whine and cry when the front office makes major changes because the last time we hired a coach, we had to go 1-15!!! Richardson listens to the fans... as dumb as that it is sometimes. They just had to have Peppers, and for what... we no money, will loose him next year, and our defense sucks mostly because he brings absolutely no furry and excitement to it.

[Debil]

This team has been around since 1995, more than enough time to acquire talent through the draft and free agency. In this age of parity, I don't think you can use the "Expansion team" excuse anymore... certainly after the team has been around for more than a decade. We lose for the same reasons teams like the Cardinals and Browns, who have been here since the beginning, lose.

[phidelt649]

This team has been around since 1995, more than enough time to acquire talent through the draft and free agency. In this age of parity, I don't think you can use the "Expansion team" excuse anymore... certainly after the team has been around for more than a decade. We lose for the same reasons teams like the Cardinals and Browns, who have been here since the beginning, lose.

I'm not sure if you were addressing me with this, but I wasn't trying to say "lay off! they're an expansion team." Rather, I was pointing out that our time will come and other teams have waited 40-50 years for their time to shine. We just have to be patient.