The Anti-Panthers Slant of Pat Y

[Seltzer]

Not that I'm a Huge Fan of the 4-Letter Abomination that our old friend Pat Yasinskas now works for, but I was initally excited about having someone working for the Mothership that actually was informed about the Panthers and the NFC South in general.

Over the past 3+ years though, Yasinskas has gotten increasingly less-informed and more biased against the Panthers. To the point you can hardly take his "informed" commentary regarding the Panthers anymore serious than someone like Skip Bayless.

I think some of it began b/c he started with ESPN before the 2008 season and had to write more articles about the Panthers since we were good that year. Fans of the other teams gave him crap knowing that he came from being a beat writer for the Panthers, and must it have gotten under his skin.

Anyone that follows his work knows how fervantly he has trashed the Panthers over the past couple of years while he slobs ATL, NO, and TB to no end.

And no, the Panthers have not been great the past couple of years, but you can tell Yasinskas trashes the Panthers more b/c he is still butt-hurt over the accusations he was a Panthers homer.

But beyond that, based on his columns and "opinions" it's obvious he knows little more about the Panthers than a lot of the national writers for ESPN.

He knows very little about the team outside of the guys like Smith and Gross that are still here from when he covered the team. He has made almost no effort to get to know the coaching staff. This is probably his worst journalistic flaw, especially considering the brown-nosing he does towards Sean Peyton, Mike Smith, and Raheem Morris.

Hell, the man interviews Kris Jenkins in the off-season but makes no effort to get to know anyone on the team that wasn't around 5 years ago.

The only time he has even seen Newton play in person was the Redskins game. He minimalizes Newton's acheivements b/c he wants to promote his boy Josh Freeman.

I liked Pat Yasinskas as a beat writer when he was at the CO (granted he had very little competion in the journalistic quality department), but I really wish ESPN would find someone to cover the NFC South who would have a fresh take on the Panthers.

This is a young team that has transformed its mindset and expectations for the future. Yasinskas still views the team with his John Fox- rimmed glasses and has made no effort to get to know the "new" Panthers team.

[Panthro]

I saw Pat Y at training camp watching the Panthers....sooooo in regards to him not watching the team

[Herbert The Love Bug]

too long don't care

[CRA]

Pat has said negative things about us the past couple of years?

Um, did you watch 2009 and 2010? There was a lot going on to bash. On the field and those that run the organization.

[Seltzer]

Pat has said negative things about us the past couple of years?

Um, did you watch 2009 and 2010? There was a lot going on to bash. On the field and those that run the organization.

He has only been to BOA once so far....that doesn't mean he isn't watching

If you want to defend Yasinskas, that is your right. I also agree the Panthers could be criticized for both their on-field and off-field performance the last 2 years.

However, I personally think for someone covering the entire NFC South should be informed about all the teams and make an effort to get to know all the teams. I would respectfully disagree with anyone that Yasinskas makes the effort with the Panthers he does with other teams.

[nctarheel0619]

If you want to defend Yasinskas, that is your right. I also agree the Panthers could be criticized for both their on-field and off-field performance the last 2 years.

However, I personally think for someone covering the entire NFC South should be informed about all the teams and make an effort to get to know all the teams. I would respectfully disagree with anyone that Yasinskas makes the effort with the Panthers he does with other teams.

Yeah, he's had his days. But, unlike everybody else, he knew the Cam pick was the pick we needed to make. So.....

[Guest Irv]

i really don't care what Pat Y has to say or write about. That goes for everyone at ESPN and NFL network. I mean really who give a fug if pattycakes Mcgee at espn thinks cam newton is garbage or skippy slappybitch says andy chuckiedoll is the best rookie ever.

[teeray]

I like Patty Y. And he is more tuned into the Panthers than you give him credit for.

[Captain Obvious]

and what he says matters How??? Just another wannabe "real" journalist.

[mmmbeans]

liberal media

[rayzor]

he's not as bad as he was between the time he went to bspn and when fox left. seemed like the dude really didn't like the team or fox particularly. he was buddy buddy with fatty jenks and got his feelings hurt when jenks got let go.

he seems like he's been better this year than others, but still you've got to consider who he works for and that since he's supposed to cover the whole NFCS and not just the panthers he's going to go a bit overboard at times to counter allegations that he is a just a panthers beat guy with a bias towards them.

i wouldn't get worked up about it. he and espn are really not worth it.

[Xrated]

can we get bullet points or cliff notes?

[Udogg]

I like Patty Y. And he is more tuned into the Panthers than you give him credit for.

This. I think it's harder for OP to be objective.

[MGH1989]

I agree with OP. I've been a regular poster and commenter on ESPN since 2007 and the quality of his work has gone down 10 fold, not that it was ever great mind you. Now I understand we have been bad, thus there hasn't been a lot of good to talk about, but any in depth coverage of this team he use to provide is gone. The point of these bloggers is to offer a more local perspective to readers of a site that is national thinking. He doesn't provide that, he knows very little of this team, it's players, and it's coaches than a national pundit does. The guy maybe watches 3 to 5 Panthers games a year in their entirety, including the ones he goes to which aren't a lot because we haven't won. However, this dude gets paid to write and watch football and he works for ESPN. You would think he could easily call ESPN and get a tape, but no that to much trouble I guess. The dude is pretty much a joke, not to mention he has a dislike for Steve Smith that bleeds through his writing ever chance he gets.