Panthers aired things out - in the locker room - and are closer because of it

[Icege]

Link to article on The Athletic

“We were down 21-0 … and I looked at everybody, and it was a whatever type of thing. And I didn’t like it. So I had to just tell him how I felt about it,” Douglas said. “I wanted us to play for each other, because it’s bigger when you play for the team than individually. The stats, the individual stuff — we’re not track runners, we’re not boxers. So individual stuff doesn’t matter.”

...

“This is a team that was created in like a month,” Thompson said, “and us just really going out there and playing ball and not really playing for each other.”

Douglas was one of the five players who addressed the team last week. He said Bridgewater talked about his mother’s battle with cancer, while offensive lineman Chris Reed told teammates about how he couldn’t be with his pregnant during the three weeks he had COVID.

...

The Panthers improved to 1-2 with the win in L.A., but most observers still believe they’ll lose more than they win this season. But Rhule, whose success turning around college programs was a big part of what sold David Tepper on him, says he hasn’t used the word rebuild since being hired.

“I can say a lot of things to the team. But when they come in and see Phil Snow in the office at 5 o’clock in the morning, when they see Joe Brady here at midnight, they know we’re trying to win,” Rhule said. “We’ve had to do a lot of things to get to this point, but there’s never been one part of us that said like, hey, you know what, let’s not try to win this year. I want to win.

“If you saw that locker room scene, you could tell how much this team wants to win and I hope you felt some sense of togetherness.”

[Ricky Spanish]

God I hope this works out in the long term. 

[WarPanthers89]

Douglas already proving to be a hell of a signing. I hope he works out so that we can sign him long term if his play justifies it, because he has already proven to have the leadership qualities we need all while being the newest member on the roster. 

[Jon Snow]

Just now, Ricky Spanish said:

God I hope this works out in the long term. 

If they can keep it together all season, if there is one, while getting their collective asses handed to them weekly then they will be better for it.  I wish them luck.

[Carolina Cajun]

23 minutes ago, WarPanthers89 said:

Douglas already proving to be a hell of a signing. I hope he works out so that we can sign him long term if his play justifies it, because he has already proven to have the leadership qualities we need all while being the newest member on the roster. 

Been thinking the same thing, if he keeps up he's a legit piece that we can build around in the secondary, if nothing else from a leadership standpoint. Pieces on defense are starting to show, Burns/Brown/Douglas/Chinn might be the cornerstones of this defense.

[hepcat]

Similar story that David Newton wrote except in his article he said the Raiders were from Los Angeles.

https://www.espn.com/blog/carolina-panthers/post/_/id/34087/panthers-finally-get-to-know-each-other-then-get-first-win

Quote

Rasul Douglas was concerned. The cornerback had been with the Carolina Panthers only three weeks, having signed the week before the opener after Philadelphia cut him. Between wearing masks and sitting six feet apart in meetings because of COVID-19 protocols, he didn’t truly know everyone around him.

He didn’t feel like players in general were playing like a team in close losses to the Los Angeles Raiders and Tampa Bay -- particularly to the Buccaneers.

Typical of him.

[Sgt Schultz]

43 minutes ago, hepcat said:

Similar story that David Newton wrote except in his article he said the Raiders were from Los Angeles.

 

Well, he's not wrong.  He just mistimed it by 25 years.  Pretty much on-par with most of the stuff he writes.

[Captain Morgan]

a little concerned that someone who had only been on the team for 3 weeks has to step up and be a leader.  I know we are young, but KK, Shaq, Teddy and Tre have enough experience.  I'll chalk it up to an outsider coming in with fresh eyes and seeing something that others were missing because they were so wrapped up in everything.

[Harbingers]

19 minutes ago, Captain Morgan said:

a little concerned that someone who had only been on the team for 3 weeks has to step up and be a leader.  I know we are young, but KK, Shaq, Teddy and Tre have enough experience.  I'll chalk it up to an outsider coming in with fresh eyes and seeing something that others were missing because they were so wrapped up in everything.

Shaq is to quiet. Teddy is to brooding(and according to the announcers last game Rhule knows this and is trying to fix it). KK is to injured and Tre... well.. Tre's the problem.

CMC is def the O leader but we need an actual leader on defense to step in and fill Luke's shoes. I don't see Shaq as that person. 

[1of10Charnatives]

1 hour ago, WarPanthers89 said:

Douglas already proving to be a hell of a signing. I hope he works out so that we can sign him long term if his play justifies it, because he has already proven to have the leadership qualities we need all while being the newest member on the roster. 

Still flabergasted the dude was on the waiver wire. All he's done since show up is ball out like a 1st rounder AND show leadership in the locker room. My only question about the Rasul Douglas fan club is where do I sign up?

[PantherPhann89]

That's where veteran leadership comes into play. Great Job...

[Adb6368]

6 hours ago, WarPanthers89 said:

Douglas already proving to be a hell of a signing. I hope he works out so that we can sign him long term if his play justifies it, because he has already proven to have the leadership qualities we need all while being the newest member on the roster. 

Kind of a glaring hole that maybe should have identified before week 1? The fact that a waiver wire pickup can come in and be a leader is a HUGE detriment to Thompson, Boston and short, right? They appear to be completely incompetent at being leaders on this team. 

[Tbe]

4 hours ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

 All he's done since show up is ball out like a *panthers* 1st rounder

Fixed it.

[Carl Spackler]

Instead of being concerned a new player has emerged as a leader in the locker room, be thankful we have someone else who’s emerged as a leader in the locker room.