Tanking the season

[CRA]

If we had signed Alex Brown would our weak D-line have been saved CRA??

of course not, but I got no problem w/ what they are doing though.

[AnalyzeThIs#28]

Why are people so sure that Fox will not get a contract extension? I mean who is available that would be a better coach that Mr. Fox?

[CRA]

And how did it make the team any worse? except for maybe Hoover?? Kemo didnt play all season, Johnson has barely seen the field in two years, and when was the last time the Dline has been any good? Its not like they have been world beaters for the past two seasons.

I will also maybe give you Diggs, but that is why you draft players. You have to expect some of all the young LB's picked one/two should be able to fill the void.

Peppers was the only legit talent on the roster at DL. How are we better or even the same w/o him?

How is losing the only proven DTs making us better for a two guys that suited up for a game and then went to IR and are completely unproven in Carolina? Granted, Kemo was average at best and Lewis was best suited in a rotation....but there is nothing to support we are better of without them short term (2010).

The DL hasn't been great, Peppers has allowed them to survive w/o replacing what Rucker and Jenkins were to the team. Allowed Carolina to get by w/ flat out average at best guys all over the line.

you are spotting me Hoov and Diggs......

[Kevin Greene]

Who are the National Writers saying we're tanking?

[CRA]

CRA, what is up your ass? Seriously dude. How you can think any team in the NFL is going to tank, let alone one owned by Jerry Richardson is beyond me. But go ahead and think that, and while you are thinking it, go ahead and turn in your fan card. Turn over any cherished Panther stuff, and move on. I'm sure the Saints can use more fans like you.

dude, I have never said they were "tanking" it. that is an exaggeration used by those who don't think we aren't focused more on building for the post Fox era and after the lockout.

it is pretty obvious what JR is doing......based on what he is doing w/ Fox, the roster moves and the non moves (yes, Carolina typically doesn't make moves.....but that is b/c in the past under Fox they have been built to practically try to win every year up until this year).

the huddle is pretty damn lame.....if fans are bashed b/c they don't go around predicting a Superbowl run each year. NFL teams go through all kinds of different periods....Carolina is making some moves this year that will put them in a better position the next few seasons. You guys need to chill and open your eyes.....this team has gotten weaker and is positioning itself to be great in a few years.....got take a step back to go forward sometimes.

[pantherpain]

If you have an opinion and don't agree with every move this team makes your doom and gloom.... lol. This team is not as great as some would have you to believe, they are average and below average when it comes to F.a. moves. We play scared, you know not to loose in all we do. Don't take a chance you might get burned, this team needs to grow a pair!

[tacdiddy]

if any "panthers" fan thinks that we havee gotten better then they are just blind..we got rid of the cancer which was delhomme and peppers, yes they were great for some time but unfortunately players skills diminish and they were holding us back. now we have moore and the D IS led by BEASON which is my favorite player of all time for the panthers and i have been a fan since day one!!! but im going into this season with higher hopes than i usually have. im guessing 11-5 winning the division and DEFINATEY making the nfc champ. game..the superbowl is a different story, the only thing holding us back is the experience of moore. if he can manage games like the offense asks of our qb then i dont see a problem wiht us going to the SB. we do play in the toughest division n a SB isnt unlikely. so heres to a superbowl run and hope to hear from yall soon:lurk5:

[panthers55]

I am coming into this late after being in the mountains for a few days. My sense is the conversation has got to be one of extremes given the initial thread- tanking the season. Who in their right mind would do that unless they were getting ready to do something drastic. I haven't heard anything to suggest that is likely.

But at this point I can hardly say we are going to be better based on moves so far. With the exception of Moore and Anderson/Connor, there seems no one else of the replacements to be an upgrade over the person that we lost. I find we have a whole lot of uncertainty, guys with potential but no proven capacity. We have guys like Fiametta that clearly underperformed although they were only rookies so it wasn't unexpected. We have others like Leonard, Irvin who are coming off IR and expected to contribute significantly with no setbacks. We clearly have a very unproven and inexperienced line that will be counted on to get pressure. I think the wholesale changes are a testament to Baker and Meeks that Richardson believes they can turn a bunch of backups, reclamation projects and inexperienced young guys into a cohesive effective unit.

Then we have guys like Moose who are clearly aging but we haven't found anyone better. Hopefully the draft addresses that. Or a free agent. I am tired of waiting for Jarrett.

The question to me seems to be more of whether we are all in like we have been in years past. Is it possible that after years of being all in and producing inconsistent results, that we have replaced the mantra of winning at all costs with one of winning if we can, as long as it doesn't cost a bunch. Does that constitutes tanking? Not really. Are the Bucs trying to tank or are they just trying to win while saving as much as possible? Up to this year we weren't similar but have begun to act like them. Fortunately we have better talent but still, I can't say that excites me especially if we have similar results.

I wouldn't be going hogwild but if I were all in rather than shopping the bargain basement we would go after a Haynesworth or a Boldin. I don't see us doing that. It isn't trying not to win so much as it is not doing everything to win. I agree with building through the draft and developing a core group. I can go along with not paying Peppers as his salary was getting insane and he really didn't want to be here. And perhaps we will find out that Haynesworth wasn't obtainable either, but why don't we go after a few gamechangers if they don't break the bank and can improve you significantly. Teams that are one or two players away from something big- make moves to get better. We haven't yet(there is still time) unless you are trying to do the best you can with what you decide to work with. I think Richardson wants to win bad. But right now he cares more about saving money and spending as little as possible than he does about winning. He isn't alone so you can't really blame him. It is certainly a legitimate strategy to run the team. And he can easily defend it by saying he is already paying guys to perform and wants to see it happen. And he would be justified.

I just think he could keep to his strategy and plan to build through the draft and still bring in some guys who could provide veteran leadership, proven ability, and still wouldn't break the bank. It isn't what we have done as much as what we haven't yet done. That is why I can wait to see what happens in the next 6 or 7 weeks. Hopefully we find the missing pieces. I just haven't seen enough evidence that we are already better and alot to say we are worse off right now. Is that tanking? Far from it. But to say we aren't worse off as it stands right now means you are counting on a bunch of guys to perform well above the best they ever done to this point. And for backups not yet on the team to contribute significantly. I hope you are right and everyone comes through and that the injury bug doesn't hit as usual.

Tanking?? Of course not.

Better?? Of course not. At least not yet.

[pantherclaw]

dude, I have never said they were "tanking" it. that is an exaggeration used by those who don't think we aren't focused more on building for the post Fox era and after the lockout.

it is pretty obvious what JR is doing......based on what he is doing w/ Fox, the roster moves and the non moves (yes, Carolina typically doesn't make moves.....but that is b/c in the past under Fox they have been built to practically try to win every year up until this year).

the huddle is pretty damn lame.....if fans are bashed b/c they don't go around predicting a Superbowl run each year. NFL teams go through all kinds of different periods....Carolina is making some moves this year that will put them in a better position the next few seasons. You guys need to chill and open your eyes.....this team has gotten weaker and is positioning itself to be great in a few years.....got take a step back to go forward sometimes.

Lol. I find it amazing how you view this off season. I will end this... as you are to blind to see anything but what you want to see.

[cookinbrak]

Pretty much :nonod:

I wonder how the players on the roster would feel about the idea that going with them equates to "tanking the season".

Steve Smith

Chris Harris

[rayzor]

If you have an opinion and don't agree with every move this team makes your doom and gloom.... lol.

ummmmm....

This team is not as great as some would have you to believe, they are average and below average when it comes to F.a. moves. We play scared, you know not to loose in all we do. Don't take a chance you might get burned, this team needs to grow a pair!

not sure but i think that is a bit doom and gloomish or at the least a bit pessimistic. don't like the tag? don't earn it.

[grateflday]

I think next season can go either way just as every other one. I would not be surprised if they didnt do well, but wouldnt be surprised if they did. There is to much talent left on the roster, and this team can end up being better.

[DaCityKats]

i do agree with most moves this fo has made,but we are not better than the team we had last year(outside of delhomme.) i still think we could have gotten some sort of compensation for pep if we would haved tagged him because look at the contract he got in the windy city.even if it was a 3rd rounder this year,that is better than nothing.

i dont think we are tanking this season but i dont see winning as our number 1 goal right now.it was said our owner would rather keep up the shield than have a winning team.as much as i want this team to win a super bowl im starting to think that might not be the goal for this organization. not to mention with all the buzz around talking about harris being pissed and beason saying we are rebuilding its obvious we are heading in a different direction. this team has a lot of ? and holes but its way to earlier to hold up the white flag.

[Udogg]

agreed. However I don't think we could have gotten anything for Pep.