What we had then, what we have now...

[Proudiddy]

I literally almost turned the game off Sunday on that first fumble.  I keep saying it, but he literally looks like someone who just stepped into the field for the first time playing QB.  It reeks of someone who is trying way too hard to make something happen, but lacks the skills or ability to do it.  The number of times he has gotten squared up, jukes one way, jukes the other, and then it’s like his brain can only supply so much power to the physical before it shuts off mid-play and is like, “fug it, just let go of the ball” - I have never seen it happen to a player more than once, IF EVEN ONCE.  He does that poo multiple times a season for 3 seasons now.  It’s unreal.

[AggieLean]

2015 will always be my favorite season. Such a fun year. I’ll never forget being in Atlanta a week before the Super Bowl. Everyone was in panthers gear. The stores were selling panthers gear. Charlotte is sometimes referred to as baby Atlanta, but at that time, Charlotte was big brother. My baby girl was even created during that year.

Still can’t believe we didn’t create a dynasty with that team. I for sure thought it was coming, and then Gettleman got rid of Norman smh. 

[toldozer]

6 hours ago, d-dave said:

If only those guys grew on trees?

The 2015 team was really special.  That was such an incredible year until the Super Bowl.

What happened was the owner let the football people handle football decisions.  We had a front office that made some really good decisions.  Just hit on FAs and draft picks at a high level.  Those guys became GREAT players.  Our head coach held the team to a standard, but allowed them to be themselves.  That let so many of those guys grow into vocal leaders and tone setters.  Then we had Cam play lights out for the entire year.  We had a defense led by Luke, one of the best to ever play.  We had guys like Greg and TD who were so smart and tenacious.

That was a special team.  The biggest question is how do we bring that back?  We don't because we can't.  Instead, we need to build up the team again.  Bryce is not Cam, duh.  Maybe he's not even the guy next season.  But there are some dudes like DB, Horn, Chubba who are all high character, effort productive players.

As team, they need to lean into what they do well, and give Bryce his opportunities to prove himself.  If not, you keep building the best team and work on that QB.

I feel like we got to know those guys, I was definitely more invested in the team then. Watching videos and interviews. Players now are probably marketed just as much or more now but I can barely stomach watching the games, I'm not spending any time watching press conferences or any fluff videos the team puts out. Winning cures all and makes the fan base engage.

[Manna]

To be fair Cam had some lowlights as well, but boy did he have some extreme highlights starting with his first game in the league vs Arizona. BY9 on the other hand, oh wee mayne. 

[strato]

41 minutes ago, Manna said:

To be fair Cam had some lowlights as well, but boy did he have some extreme highlights starting with his first game in the league vs Arizona. BY9 on the other hand, oh wee mayne. 

Well I wasn’t sold on him mostly because of the simple system thing at Auburn with the plays on his wrist and wondered about that. 
But then that first game came up and there was no doubt about his talent so I didn’t really care about the wrist thing any more. He was a no doubt deal. 

[Khyber53]

3 hours ago, strato said:

It was the first SB run, and nobody really knew who Jake was… and bang there he is a ball of energy and winning. It was great. I certainly enjoyed 2015 but 2003 was my favorite season.

I mean that was his first time on the field and they just tied it over 20 years later. it was really something. 

There was no fight, no sulk, no give up in that guy. A true on-the-front-lines leader.

[strato]

13 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

There was no fight, no sulk, no give up in that guy. A true on-the-front-lines leader.

Plain and simple. His favorite embellishment.

It’s sad that his arm didn’t hold up we could have had that for a few more years. 
Same with Cam. What the hell we get someone that’s right for the team and they break down. Or get broken down 

[Manna]

41 minutes ago, strato said:

Well I wasn’t sold on him mostly because of the simple system thing at Auburn with the plays on his wrist and wondered about that. 
But then that first game came up and there was no doubt about his talent so I didn’t really care about the wrist thing any more. He was a no doubt deal. 

I bought into the $cam newton thing and that one uncomfortable interview thing Gruden put him through. But yeah, once he showed who he was against Arizona I was sold. 

[Basbear]

3 hours ago, rodeo said:

It's crazy looking back on days fondly that a good 40% of the Huddle shat on at the time. Cam wasn't exactly popular here. There's still to this day word filters in place for various insults the board had for him.

Sir Cameron Newton: Leader of Men, Lover of Puppies...Esquire.

 

This upper my already high opinion of Cam. 

[Khyber53]

20 minutes ago, strato said:

Plain and simple. His favorite embellishment.

It’s sad that his arm didn’t hold up we could have had that for a few more years. 
Same with Cam. What the hell we get someone that’s right for the team and they break down. Or get broken down 

Heroes don't last forever. Villains do, though. Brady, Manning, Belichick, Favre, Rodgers, all villains. To us, at least.

[frankw]

I don't understand why people have to tear down Cam to boost Jake or vice versa. Both guys were ultimate competitors. If we want to get back to the best days of this franchise if those actually exist then we need that kind of spark that both of them exuded.