3 years ago yesterday...

[Samuel L. Jackson]

...Kris Jenkins said this:

You all ready (clears throat)? All right, I’m going to be honest. I think the players owe the fans an apology. I would be as upset as they are if I had to sit in the stands for four hours and look at that garbage. I’m going to be honest with you. That’s what it was, garbage.

I apologize to you Pat because I didn’t put everything out as far as the issue (in an Observer story last week, where Jenkins challenged his teammates to handle prosperity better). This is our issue as a team. As a team collectively, we have no heart. We have no energy. We have no drive. Football is about pride and passion. I’m going to repeat that again. Football is about pride and passion. The pride and the passion that you have for this game makes you want to win. It’s not about the money. It’s not about looking the part. It’s not about standing on the field so everybody can see you on TV and that you look good. It’s about pride and heart. If you have those two, if you win or lose, you’re going to look like a football team.

That’s why we have issues with prosperity. That’s why we have issues when things look good. That’s why we can’t get enough together to look and act like a football team. This is not a 9-to-5 job. This is a game. It is a street fight. It is a gladiator sport and I apologize that sometimes I don’t look the part for what people want me to be. I’m not the weight that everybody wants me to be. But when I step on that field, what you are going to see is pride and heart because I value this game. I love it and that is what is frustrating me. We don’t have that.

We went out there and I felt embarrassed. I walked out the little line or whatever you come through to go play and I walked out and basically, in certain way, I challenged their team. And I challenged my team, because when you step out there like that and you do something like that, you better back it up and we didn’t. We got broke off. We really got broke off and I’m embarrassed to say so.

Right now, my heart hurts. It really does. It’s hard to sit there week after week and go through this. This is what’s not being addressed. Week in and week out, we might say this and we might say that or we need to change this. It’s not that you can’t pay for pride and heart. It might good when you look at the stats or when you look at someone’s 40 time or you look at everything else. But it doesn’t matter how many skills you have. It doesn’t matter how good you look when you catch a pass or when you run the ball or when you tackle somebody or cover somebody.

It’s not going to matter if you don’t have those two things, because this is the NFL. It is the National Football League. It is a professional sport and you have people out here, such as myself, who love this game enough that they’re going to put it all out on the field.

Tampa Bay came and they did that and they royally broke their foot off in our butt. I have nothing else to say. I’m upset about this, but I wanted to say that.

Chris Harris has said similar things, even though they were more subtle...

Just thought that these words still hold true today, and even the years past since he said them...

[CLTPanther]

And again as last year, he's sitting at home watching others play.

[j2sgam]

It does seem that we the fans want the Panthers to win more than the players. Of course, Im not in the locker room, I only get to see what they show me during those cherished 3 hours a week, but I dont see the want to, the desire to be better. Losing should piss them off, and 3 in a row? That should light a fire under all 45 asses...

[CatMan72]

Until Beason came along, I said many times that this team appeared to lack the passion Jenkins was talking about. It's said that a team takes on the personality of it's coach...

[HPPantherzfan]

Until Beason came along, I said many times that this team appeared to lack the passion Jenkins was talking about. It's said that a team takes on the personality of it's coach...

"It is what it is"

[Delhommey]

I thought Swagger had replaced Heart!

[WilkinsonDonnie]

I forgot about what Jenkins said, but I loved every word of it. The man had a great message, pride and passion. Everyone needs it

[o803oVaDeR]

I know it is early in the season and all, but this team looks like it could be the worst team we have ever had. I am not talking about talent. I know we have more talent than we had in the late 90s or 2001, but this team has no heart or desire. This team look as bad or worse than the 2001 team late in the season when they had all but given up.

[goodoleboy]

Yeah its just too bad Chris didn't apply a little of that pride and passion to his off season conditioning. Bet he wishes he had given his last 3 years injury history. Unfortunately it takes more than that especially with so many rookies. Chris was talking to an underachieving veteran team. We are not that.

[Dpantherman]

yea and then the very next year they win 12 games...and Jake Delhomme falls apart

[Panths]

It probably has to do with John Fox's whatever attitude. I'd like to know what he says to the players in the locker room after a loss. I just picture him walking in, smacking his gum, saying 'it is what it is' or 'bad day to have a bad day' or some equally uninspiring, vague saying of his.

[Darth Waya]

Um, fact is he was, and still is right. If you take Jon Beason, Thomas Davis, & Steve Smith off this team, can you name 1 player here you'd consider to have their intensity & competitive fire? MAYBE DeAngelo. Nobody else, IMO, & most of them aren't even close. It's a damn shame.

[Delhommey]

Nick Hayden sure seems to have that fire you all love so much.

[AceMan]

Damn, he even predicted the Bucs would whoop us again! He's a peakin' genius!!