What Beason really said

[CanadianCat]

Jon Beason plans to have a heart-to-heart talk, one defensive captain to another, with Julius Peppers before Sunday's game against the Redskins.

In his regular weekly appearance Thursday on Sports Radio 610 The Fan, Beason said he plans to speak with Peppers about maximizing his potential following the team's 0-3 start. Peppers, who is getting paid more than $1 million per game, has just nine tackles and one sack through three games, and the general feeling is he isn't playing up to his potential.

Beason said he decided to talk with Peppers after Vikings defensive end Jared Allen registered 4.5 sacks, including one for a safety, in a dominating performance Monday night against the Packers.

"I said, you know what, I'm going to sit down and have a conversation with that guy. I plan on it," Beason told "Primetime with the Packman."

Beason, who has always thought very highly of Peppers as a football player, was careful not to criticize the four-time Pro Bowler, but he made it pretty clear Peppers can be more productive with a little more effort, which in turn would make the entire Panthers defense more productive.

"If he goes out and gives me everything he has and fights for the time he's in there, I'll be happy," Beason said in the radio interview. "Because I know if he does that he might not be happy, but the other three guys (on the line) might have a blast and (outside linebacker) Thomas (Davis) might have two sacks. You know what I mean? So much more can come, like more interceptions, from getting pressure on a quarterback (Jason Campbell) who is proven that he's not that great when you get in his face. The pressure is what you want to see -- the intensity. That's a great word."

Beason said he has a close relationship with Peppers and doesn't believe the talk will negatively affect him.

"When you have a heart-to-heart talk, it means more than the media saying it or the coaches, not saying it, but hinting at it. It takes that sometimes, and that's what I intend to do," Beason said on the radio. "You never want to step out of your boundaries, but I think because we have such a great relationship, I can. I think it will be respected, more so than anyone else on the team or from the coaching staff."

Beason didn't discuss the nature of what he'd say to Peppers, but did say, "If you have that much potential, that much talent to be whatever you want to be -- if you want to be pretty good or the greatest ever, to really have the ability to do it. Well then, let's go do it."

thehuddle.com

[Fireball77]

I finally listened to it this am and the part he said about Pep respecting it more from him than from the coaching staff made me go... "Hmmmmm".

[LiQuiD]

FB...to me that's quite a telling hint he dropped there. Sounds to me that it's the players who have to encourage each other because they've lost the trust of the coaching team.

Interesting... *strokes neck beard*

[Hairless Cat]

After thinking about this I believe that Peppers lives in his own multi million dollar dream world and what ANYONE says or thinks wont make a bit of difference in his play. hes already said publicly that he doesnt care what the fans think. Its pretty obvious he doesnt care what coaches and management thinks. Now its time for him to step up and dis his team mates.

[CatMan72]

I finally listened to it this am and the part he said about Pep respecting it more from him than from the coaching staff made me go... "Hmmmmm".

I think that's true on most teams, the coaches are always on you but when a teammate, a guy who is out there in the trenches with you comes to you with something like this it means more.

[kungfoodude]

Peppers has never really been a self-motivated guy, from the outside looking in. Honestly, I always thought he looking like he enjoyed playing basketball much more than football. The way I feel about it is, if you plan on making a guy your highest paid player, he had better be able to motivate himself AND others to be great players. And, if not, you need to have the players or coaches around him to help him stay motivated.

They should have just let him go in free agency. Peppers would have been much better off and the Panthers would have been better off. Hurney traded a win-win for a lose-lose.

[ClawOn]

I love everything Beason said. If every player had his heart we would not be where we are.

Any pep talk from Beason would last a game or two. Peppers doesn't have the desire to play for this team. He said he wanted out and I guess he decided to prove it.

[PantherBrew]

I finally listened to it this am and the part he said about Pep respecting it more from him than from the coaching staff made me go... "Hmmmmm".

That doesn't really surprise me. In highschool, if a player was draggin ass or acting out. Coach would sometimes come to me or someone else and ask us to speak to a certain player.

I know Highschool football is very different than the NFL, but the concepts are not.

It depends on the individuals personality, I could take all the criticism in the world from a Coach, I thrived on it. But, my running back/left fielder (I played baseball), was a star player and has the school rushing records and County record of 2400 rushing yards in a season. Okay, enough bragging, but he was the type of guy, he took most criticism to heart, and he couldnt focus and he curl up. On the other hand, I couldnt stand to hear it from my teammates. So again, its up to the individual.

But I think this is something personal to Jon Beason. And something I can very well understand and side with. Dont get me wrote, Beason is a phenomenal athlete, but he is the type of player that could easily have fell to the 3rd or 4rd round, but his heart and intangibles led him to be a 1st round player.

But, Pepper's is a once in a generation athlete, someone who can be a staple that other Defensive ends could be measured. Like a Deacon Jones or a Reggie White. The guy is that talented. I believe Beason sees that type of "skill set" and ability, and it must frustrate him to no end when he thinks or Peppers potential.

[Claws]

If Beason was gay, and I wasn't married.......

I'm kidding, I'm kidding!! Sheesh!! Jeez!!

No, I'm stoked that he's gonna have a heart to heart with The Overpaid One but I hope it makes a difference.

Otherwise, we all saw Peppers on the sideline in the Dallas game. He didn't give two sh!ts that he wasn't in the game. He sucks.

[Claws]

Wasn't it during the dallas game that some here agreed that Beason was one of the FEW that were showing heart during the game??

That was met at the time with skepticism, but think about it now you naysayers!

[kungfoodude]

But I think this is something personal to Jon Beason. And something I can very well understand and side with. Dont get me wrote, Beason is a phenomenal athlete, but he is the type of player that could easily have fell to the 3rd or 4rd round, but his heart and intangibles led him to be a 1st round player.

But, Pepper's is a once in a generation athlete, someone who can be a staple that other Defensive ends could be measured. Like a Deacon Jones or a Reggie White. The guy is that talented. I believe Beason sees that type of "skill set" and ability, and it must frustrate him to no end when he thinks or Peppers potential.

It's a classic example of a guy born with unreal physical gifts but doesn't necessarily have the drive to be a truly great player. That is what separates the true legend, not the physical attributes but the will to win, outwork and out think every other player they will ever face. Jordan had it, Tiger has it. Peppers just doesn't and, ultimately, I can't hate him for it.

[Butterflyj30]

The Panthers will never win as long as Jake is the QB NEVER!!!!!

[Fireball77]

I see your guys' points about it's coming from a teammate and not a coach and how that may not be anything against the staff.

It's obviously something that teammates have talked about among themselves because otherwise why would a teammate (who Beason did NOT name...interestingly enough even while it was obvious he was talking about Pep with his comments about the guy he was going to have a talk with) call him and he would say "I told him DON'T EVEN SAY IT... I KNOW" or something to that effect about what the guys was going to say about watching that game/Allen.

[Guest BradThomas]

I see this as the final attempt to get Peppers motivated. I'm sure they've spoken to him privately, probably on numerous occasions, and this is the final straw -- trying to publicly cajole him into giving a damn. If it doesn't work, then they really aren't out anything but money for the rest of the season. If it does, you have a pro bowl DE.