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unverified report: gettleman cut steve smith because in 2013 he punched cam newton in the face twice in the locker room after practice

PhillyB

By PhillyB,
in Carolina Panthers

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Ace_Aladdin Newbie

Ace_Aladdin

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, PhillyB said:

***disclaimer: i can't verify this story***

in recent years i've become friends with a number of guys who are well connected with heavy hitters in the franchise. most of them have fed me pretty good inside scoops, from locker room dynamics to impending signings. nothing groundbreaking.

today was much different. i was smoking a delicious padrón 1926 series exclusivo with a guy who works closely with the team (in a non-team related way) and routinely chats with front office staff. it came out in our conversation about the league that he's a friend of dave gettleman's from his days with the NYG scouting dept. in the middle of discussing gettleman's strengths and weaknesses as a general manager the subject of steve smith came up.

"steve smith," he snorted, contempt curling into the air with the smoke from his cigar. "let me tell you something. there's guys you love for their results but are an absolute nightmare to work with. steve smith is gone for a reason." i casually fired up the smoldering end of my cigar and asked him if there was anything in particular he meant. he proceeded to lean forward unload the wildest tale i've ever heard.

2013 was by all accounts a superb year. after a rocky start the team congealed and began rattling off a few wins. by the monday night win over the patriots the team had been thrust into the national spotlight as a gritty upstart with a flourishing young talent and a cast of wiley veterans that threatened to go the distance.

but then steve smith punched cam newton in the face.

my jaw dropped. i asked for clarification.

evidently - if he's to be trusted, and i think he is - there were major tensions in the locker room between cam and smith, who notoriously demanded cam feed him the ball, cowing coaches and players alike into kowtowing to his personal record chases. the locker room tension that year was downright deadly in spite of the team's outward appearance of success, and one day after practice steve smith and cam newton got into a huge argument. cam got in his face and told him to back off. steve smith blew his lid and punched cam in the face, twice.

rivera clamped an airtight lid on it. no media were present and no one was informed. practice was canceled the next day, and as my source put it, the locker room was "on lockdown" for two days until everything was dealt with. gettleman was told about it and then began seriously weighing smith's benefit against his cost to the team's cohesion.

this, the story goes, if it's accurate, was the real driving incident behind the nebulous claims that smith was stunting cam's growth and preventing him from being able to take the tiller and command the team. this with little fanfare the panthers cut him the following march.

 

thats all the details i've got. i can't verify the story but this guy heard the entire thing straight from gettleman over a bottle of glenmorangie la santa and he's been a trustworthy source to date. he has absolutely nothing to gain by making this up. if true this is an incredibly interesting piece of the puzzle and would cast gettleman in a new light, as well as certainly steve smith and how we remember that 2013 season.

anyone want to corroborate or deny?

Cam probably deserved it.

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Your GFs favorite huddler Contributor

Your GFs favorite huddler

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From a direct source, no bullsh!t, this something I've never put on here cuz I don't really care for internet blowhards. But from a direct source, that same year after the 38-0 beat down of the Giants, smitty went off and destroyed the locker room because he didn't get the ball enough. Believe me or not I really don't care. Still love smitty

Sent using the amazing CarolinaHuddle mobile app

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Datawire Enthusiast

Datawire

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Interesting hearsay.

I also have breaking news from my source. If you want a cold beer at training camp you will be charged two dollars for the bracelet. Just the bracelet only, not the beer.

Don't even ask me about PSL owners and non PSL owners concerning team autographs for the first day of training camp.

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