Most media pundits really are clueless...

[Navy_football]

They really don't research facts about the Panthers and likely don't know much about most other teams either. 

So I was watching NFL Network yesterday and they were discussing the NFC South and what teams improved during the offseason. They did mention Cam's shoulder being a big factor, but...

Reggie Wayne emphatically stated (with LT laughing in absolute agreement) the Panthers lost Devin Funchess, Matt Kalil, Thomas Davis and Julius Peppers - and they haven't done anything to replace those guys. "Who is Cam gonna throw to without Funchess?" is a direct quote. How are they gonna replace Julius Peppers and TD?

I usually don't care when they pick the Panthers to be mediocre to bad, or when they insult Cam as a passer - yes they still label Cam Newton as a running QB that gives up on pass plays too soon so that he can run. But this here was borderline reckless incompetence.

Devin Funchess was benched the end of last season due to better, younger options at WR. Moore and Samuel have much higher ceilings and floors than Devin Funchess. Hogan and Ross are both upgrades to Funchess - not to mention Wright who played well last year in the slot.

Matt Kalil hasn't played in over a season and Hurney moved up to draft a LT in the second round of the draft. And Greg Little will not be a worse starter. There is no way that position has not been upgraded from Matt Kalil regardless of who they put out there - currently on the roster.

Julius Peppers is a legend, but he's only a shell of his younger self. Hell he's almost 40 years old! The team drafted 2 high potential edge rushers with a 1st and a 4th, and brought in Bruce Irving for veteran leadership. How is that not addressing the need? I guess they could have given up the next 4 first round picks for Khalil Mack, but that would have opened up a few other holes. BTW, I didn't know Christian Miller is originally from Columbia, SC.  

TD may be the only player of note here, but the Panthers actually drafted his replacement 4 seasons ago with Shaq Thompson! What the actual fug! Are they able to just say whatever they think with no accountability?

[LinvilleGorge]

If you're not the Patriots, Cowboys, or flavor of the month (currently the Browns, LOL) then the national media is pretty much ignorant about you. If Reggie Wayne's former team hadn't signed Devin Funchess I doubt he'd even know his name, but since the Colts hilariously gave him $11M Reggie thinks he's a player.

[joemac]

Reggie Wayne sounds like he should be checked for CTE.  LT too...

[Khyber53]

Remember that most of those shows feature names your recognize from their playing days, but they are really just about as knowledgeable as the guys down at the local sports bar. And that's actually the feel the producers are going for... talking over the water cooler with co-workers, or over lunch at a casual dining place, or down at the bar with your friends who watch sports but can't keep up with every team. They save the most knowledgeable and researched (plus best pedigrees) for the Sunday pre-game broadcasts or the games themselves.

Basically, they've got a handful of note cards and they're just riffing on the teams. Just something to keep the conversation going until the next game day or something big happens.

If you want the real stuff, you used to have to go find it in print, but with the internet now, it's just more of that same surface stuff except for a few real sportswriters.

 

[hepcat]

I remember the first time I realized the national media doesn't care about the Panthers, seems like such a long time ago now...

[Shocker]

 

[TheSpecialJuan]

1 hour ago, LinvilleGorge said:

If you're not the Patriots, Cowboys, or flavor of the month (currently the Browns, LOL) then the national media is pretty much ignorant about you. If Reggie Wayne's former team hadn't signed Devin Funchess I doubt he'd even know his name, but since the Colts hilariously gave him $11M Reggie thinks he's a player.

lol exactly  

[steven8989]

Means we will have a great year!!!!

[Sgt Schultz]

From Dictionary.com:

Pundit (pun-dit): noun - an expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called on to give opinions about it to the public.

Most in the media certainly fit the second half of that definition.  As for the first half, they are wide right.  Very wide.

[DeAngelo Beason]

They can say what they want about Cam.  Cam is good.  They think he's inconsistent.  Both statements are true.  They are at least somewhat justified.

Acting like losing Funchess was a big deal, however, is laughable.  Devin Funchess is a joke.

[mc52beast]

Funchess should be in Detroit looking for those 5 balls he whiffed on...

Putting JR’s statue at LT would be an upgrade over Kalil...

Peppers was really good but not now, that’s why he retired. Those idiots must have missed the draft. 

Davis probably has 1-2 average years left, Shaq was drafted to replace him. We’ll see.

[Navy_football]

23 hours ago, Khyber53 said:

Remember that most of those shows feature names your recognize from their playing days, but they are really just about as knowledgeable as the guys down at the local sports bar. And that's actually the feel the producers are going for... talking over the water cooler with co-workers, or over lunch at a casual dining place, or down at the bar with your friends who watch sports but can't keep up with every team. They save the most knowledgeable and researched (plus best pedigrees) for the Sunday pre-game broadcasts or the games themselves.

Basically, they've got a handful of note cards and they're just riffing on the teams. Just something to keep the conversation going until the next game day or something big happens.

If you want the real stuff, you used to have to go find it in print, but with the internet now, it's just more of that same surface stuff except for a few real sportswriters.

 

Completely understand and agree, but you lose all credibility when you make ridiculous comments like these. So of all 4 teams in the NFC South, the Panthers did the least in the offseason because... and then precedes to vomit the dumbest poo you could have said about the team. If they would have mentioned the lack of a true FS, or Darryl Williams coming off injury, or anything other than what they mentioned, I would have ignored it like usual. 

But every reason they mentioned was 100% inaccurate. I mean, what's the likelihood they would have mentioned 4 weaknesses that weren't addressed but were actually directly addressed with:

- the first draft pick this year

- the second pick this year

- the first pick in 2015

- a first pick last year and a second round pick in 2017?

And as a mitigation to the Cam injury, they even drafted a QB in the 3rd - this year! 

[Khyber53]

I agree, but let's face it, most of the serious coverage goes to the New York and LA teams, the Steelers, Patriots, Cowboys, Packers and Redskins.

The rest of us are kinda backwater teams. 

Really, I'm just about fine with it. My team doesn't have to be super popular for me to like them. And if some other team happens to get bad intelligence about us because they just watch ESPN and NFL Network, so much the better (although this is probably not the case).

 

[VP360]

Don't forget Steven A. Smith saying we should try to sign Le'Veon Bell...