No such thing as 'Throwing the Season'

[Urrymonster]

I have seen this term thrown around a lot, which is ridiculous.

In professional sports you literally can not afford to throw seasons, because it's against the rules of the game and you stand to lose more than you could ever possibly hope to gain.

If people cottoned on that you were releasing big contracts and intentionally playing for a lockout, who in their right mind would sign with you, who would want to re-sign with you and why on Earth would you pump millions into the team merely the season before?

Face it, regardless of who is on the roster come September, and there are some damn good players on ours, we will be playing to win it all. We will also believe we can do it. Fact.

We are not putting Fox in a 'lame duck season' because he is fighting for a job, along with every single player on the roster. To give up, is to lose everything and there is simply too much on the line for Richardson to allow that to happen.

All he has done is release some non impact players, who all had either age, injury or contract question marks. None were going to be extended beyond their current deal and all had a guy who had starting experience behind them. These moves though are made for the long term success of the team, however that does not mean we can't win now.

So, please just think before posting that Richardson is intentionally scratching out this season. That simply does not happen. Even if we lose 8 straight you can bet everyone in the organisation will be trying to get 8 wins in a row to finish as best they can. The cuts are also not him simply cutting costs, it's a long term plan that still includes all our impact players frm last year bar Pep. How is losing one impact player playing for 2011?!

I appreciate the concept is not to actually throw the season and that people see no way we can win with the moves we have made. I would just ask those to be patient and actually wait for some football first.

[CRA]

Eh, the Panthers aren't putting together a team built to win in 2010. That happens.

I would say the Panthers are "throwing the season". They are simply looknig at building a team for 2012......and in order to do that it pretty much makes certain they will not win in 2010. Guys will play at 100% and coaches will coach 100%......but the Panthers are actually throwing the 2010 season away to improve in the long haul.

I think people are in denial. There are years in the sport where you don't expect to win b/c of your own actions looking long term. This is it for Carolina.

[Cyberjag]

Throwing the season? I guess Richardson wants a piece of that big money they're taking in out in St. Louis and Detroit, huh?

pfffft

[Kyle82]

I'm very anxious to see what happens in our draft....albeit not alot since we don't pick in three rounds....and maybe a surprise FA or two. I'm not throwing in the towel yet.

[K-man]

Me either!

[Khyber53]

We're not throwing the season. We may just be hitting a reboot.

And as last year showed, retaining a ton of veterans doesn't really mean anything in particular.

[panthers55]

No one uses the term throwing the season. Instead they talk about rebuilding, going on a youth movement, etc.

While it doesn't happen as often in football it is pretty comon in other sports particularly baseball because there isn't a cap. I remember Florida winning the World Series and then dumping everyone the following year. They did contend eventually but haven't returned to the Series since.

Now this year is uncapped which is the only time that has happened in recent memory and we suddenly go on an unprecedented purge of veterans. Suddenly we go on a youth movement and a rebuilding process.

Nah there can't be any connection...........

We aren't dumping salaries and replacing them with cheap young guys...............

You aren't exactly dumping the season and you hope to contend, it just usually works out that way.

[ncbobcat]

Cutting payroll and getting younger to come out smelling rosey after the lockout.