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First Impressions: Dave Gettleman


Mr. Scot

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Also, that right now he does not have the answers because he just got here yesterday, but that he will grind it out to solutions. Look for a very fast pace fluid roster overhaul with options. Look for tons of restructuring if players who wont make the money they will make elsewhere to stay here as well... look for solid bolstering of both lines, and a dedication to get big uglies like never before. Be prepared to run the hell outta the football... and we may see an incorperation of horizontal passing attack to set up the run.

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I figured he'd sound like someone's granddad. Instead, he sounds like Don Vito Corleone with a Boston accent. So I was expecting a grandfather but got The Godfather.

(between his Boston accent and Richardson's Southern drawl, the team may need to hire an interpreter)

Asked to self-describe, emphasized being "very direct" and said "Ron would agree with me on that" which makes me think he might have told Rivera some things he might not have wanted to hear, but may have needed to.

Obviously I loved what he said about "winning games with big men" :lol:

Not the type of guy to say something just to say something. When asked for specifics about the state of the team, stressed he was still evaluating, so he won't be someone who just pulls an answer out of his ass.

Overall strikes me as one of those guys that'll put out a good face with the media but in private will tell you exactly what he thinks on no uncertain terms.

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I liked him. He has tons more personality than Hurney, or Rivera for that matter. Seems like a straight shooter, who doesn't care about accolades. He's a collaborator which is good to know he's willing to hear the opinions of others in the front office. He said something along the lines of it doesn't matter who got it right, as long as it's right. He mentioned that you don't have to spend a lot to get a good player, which seems like a direct comment to separate himself from Hurney in my opinion. He doesn't seem like the type to panic, as he reference how Tom Coughlin was on the hot seat before he won two Super Bowls. He believes success starts with a solid O-line and D-line, something he learned from Coughlin.

He wore a horrible tie, and his breath smells bad.

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Also, that right now he does not have the answers because he just got here yesterday, but that he will grind it out to solutions. Look for a very fast pace fluid roster overhaul with options. Look for tons of restructuring if players who wont make the money they will make elsewhere to stay here as well... look for solid bolstering of both lines, and a dedication to get big uglies like never before. Be prepared to run the hell outta the football... and we may see an incorperation of horizontal passing attack to set up the run.

I certainly hope he works to bolster the line but don't see how he will influence anything regarding the style of play unless he fires the current staff and hires his own. Maybe I misunderstood...

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I liked him. He has tons more personality than Hurney, or Rivera for that matter. Seems like a straight shooter, who doesn't care about accolades. He's a collaborator which is good to know he's willing to hear the opinions of others in the front office. He said something along the lines of it doesn't matter who got it right, as long as it's right. He mentioned that you don't have to spend a lot to get a good player, which seems like a direct comment to separate himself from Hurney in my opinion. He doesn't seem like the type to panic, as he reference how Tom Coughlin was on the hot seat before he won two Super Bowls. He believes success starts with a solid O-line and D-line, something he learned from Coughlin.

He wore a horrible tie, and his breath smells bad.

FYI, paisley is for leaders.

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I certainly hope he works to bolster the line but don't see how he will influence anything regarding the style of play unless he fires the current staff and hires his own. Maybe I misunderstood...

He said his duty is "to make everyone better" and specifically talked about working to make Rivera better.

That, plus one of his primary jobs with the Giants was to scout other teams, pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses and contribute to the planning for how to beat them.

So yeah, I think he'll affect the play on the field.

Specifically, he and his staff are going to scout opponents, look at what kind of players/roster we need to beat those opponents, and act accordingly.

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If you believe the referee influences the game, Smith's presence suggests the Panthers will struggle to get "home cooking" calls and may face untimely procedural flags that stall drives. The Panthers have only had Shawn Smith officiate four home games since he became a head referee in 2018, and they are all losses. Date Opponent Result Score Nov 24, 2024 vs. Kansas City Chiefs Loss 27–30 Oct 9, 2022 vs. San Francisco 49ers Loss 15–37 Dec 12, 2021 vs. Atlanta Falcons Loss 21–29 Nov 25, 2018 vs. Seattle Seahawks Loss 27–30   Considering the how rare it is for Shawn Smith to officiate a Panthers game at all, this seems like an odd time to assign him to a Panthers game, unless the NFL wants to kill the Panthers season once and for all.  The Panthers' offensive line situation creates a "perfect storm" for referee Shawn Smith's specific tendency to call False Starts on the home team. 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He is the most frequent violator on the line. Taylor Moton (RT): Has been flagged for 3 False Starts. The Trap: Smith’s crew often focuses on the tackles (the players furthest from the ball) jumping early to get an edge on speed rushers. Since Ekwonu struggles with this discipline naturally, having a referee who hunts for it is a massive disadvantage. The "Managed Outcome" Synthesis The "Bucs Cover" Script: If the desired outcome is a Buccaneers win to solidify their playoff standing, the officials simply have to apply the letter of the law. Calling strict False Starts on a confused, banged-up Panthers O-line will consistently put them in "3rd and Long" situations, killing their drives and allowing the Bucs (-3.5) to cover easily. The "Close Game" Script: If the desired outcome is "Week 18 Drama" (keeping the division tied), look for the officials to ignore the Panthers' twitchy tackles. 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