Steve Smith on Gettleman's "Evaluation" comment

[TheRed]

All of this has basically been poo stirring by the media, since there isn't much else to talk about this time of year. People here can casually talk about Steve Smith leaving like it will have minimal impact or drop off in our offense, but push come to shove, and the year begins, all this casual talk will turn to anger, and regret. You don't know what you have until it's gone, shame some people take things for granted. They'll learn soon enough if it happens. Same kind of talk happened with Jordan Gross a year ago, now people are all emotional.

[top dawg]

Like it or not, Steve Smith is a legend in these parts, and in Panthers fans' hearts across the nation.  

 

You got to treat him with more respect.  It's not the fact that you do what you have to do, but you have to give the legend a heads-up.  Anything less can be perceived as disrespectful, even if you didn't mean it as such.

[Miiikey]

One of the biggest mistakes to get rid of him, if true. He's an icon. Sure hes not mid-20s and getting double figure TDs now but his impact is huge. He brings the fight every single goddamn time. I'm pissed its even a rumour.

[Luke Cage]

This is the nature of the NFL. It's funny that some the people knocking Hardy refuse to accept this. Make as much as you can because at the end of the day you will be replaced eventually (feelings be damned). Good breakups are rare in the NFL.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using CarolinaHuddle mobile app

[Luke Cage]

This is the nature of the NFL. It's funny that some of the people knocking Hardy refuse to accept this. Make as much as you can because at the end of the day you will be replaced eventually (feelings be damned). Good breakups are rare in the NFL. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using CarolinaHuddle mobile

[top dawg]

This is the nature of the NFL. It's funny that some of the people knocking Hardy refuse to accept this. Make as much as you can because at the end of the day you will be replaced eventually (feelings be damned). Good breakups are rare in the NFL. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using CarolinaHuddle mobile

 

I don't know that I agree that good break-ups are rare. It's probably just a situation of bad break-ups getting all the press, as negativity definitely does sell. That being said, I don't think that bad break-ups are necessary in most cases.  Why can't we just have a neutral (or mutual) break-up?  That's very much doable when everyone is mature, professional and honest about the situation.

 

I'm speaking in generalities, not necessarily about this specific situation. At least I hope that it doesn't come to that.

[Fox007]

It's easy for the media to play people because people allow themselves to get played.

 

 

Stop being pusses, and stop letting the media play you(goes to both fans and players)

[Way Truth Life]

If Smith gets cut and resigns with another team....I'm with the team he resigns with.....DG better do right by this guy.

[Captain Morgan]

evaluating could simply mean whether Steve might fit better in the slot next year.

 

evaluating does not mean we're gonna cut him.

[Mr Mojo Risin]

My point was more that the media these days tends to manipulate everything that is told to them, edited, chopped up in post production to create a stir, and it's all to make money, not report the piece of news. Newspapers used to have a section call OP-ED where a writer could write their opinion on something, and it was segregated from the rest of the paper for just that reason, it was an opinion and not the news facts.

Now every "reporter" and I use that term VERY loosely, gets a quote and injects their own narrative into the story so it goes the direction they want it to. Look at the current situation as a prime example;

"Reporters" ask Gettleman about Steve Smith's status on the team. Gettleman says everyone is being evaluated and it's a part of the process. The "reporters", being the shitbags they are, keep prodding and prodding asking so does that mean Steve Smith might not be on the Panthers roster next year? Gettleman reiterates everyone is being evaluated and is a part of the process. So what happens next? Local sports writers and sports radio guys and bloggers (like ESPN's David Newton, who I do actually like as a blogger) take those quotes to churn out a few days worth of site clicks and talking points, could steve smith be cut from the Panthers? The sports world takes the bait and turns it into a discussion for days, problem being, the base material for that discussion was somewhat manipulated in the beginning to be made into pseudo-fact based discussion.

What happens after that you ask? Well I'll tell you.

The player in question has friends, family, and acquaintances that all listen to this discussion, maybe even chiming in themselves from time to time. They then text the athlete in question (Steve Smith in this case) and say dude is it true you might get cut from the Panthers? Blindsided, Smith goes on the air with some radio jackoff to voice his displeasure with not being told about his status on the team, when in reality, it may not have ever been an issue to begin with. Now the team must scramble to call the player and make amends to a situation that was conjured up out of thin air, and it makes it, in my sole opinion, more difficult to talk about things like contract restructures or pay cuts for the good of the team when people are pissed. Then if Smitty does restructure, the media turns it into a Smitty restructured or he would have been cut scenario to start the whole process over again.

This is why you should never, ever, ever say anything in the media more than you are contractually obligated to do. They will never help you. They will flip it for page hits. I know this was a long winded rant and I apologize, but teams PR teams should be explaining this ad nauseum to anybody that is ever put in front of a microphone. Players, coaches, GM's, even owners.

It's amazing how you can play that telephone game as a child where you sit in a circle and whisper a sentence into the persons ear next to you and see how it sounds when it comes all the way back around and not learn a single lesson from it.

Beast

[Jangler]

If Smith gets cut and resigns with another team....I'm with the team he resigns with.....DG better do right by this guy.

 

 

logical

[KillerKat]

I trust Gettleman to do what's best for the organization.

[AviationMX]

Wasn't Gman that stated that Newton needed to start winning games last year? He treats everyone the same and is trying to gain some cap space. Frankly, Smitty had dropped some easy balls last year and was hurt.

 

Sure it's tough talk for a beloved 89 and he's pissed but he needs to be ready to play and be open to making less $$ each year as he gets older. Gman has now publicly challenged two of stars on the team, he can now get more concessions from role positions now that there is no free rides anymore. It's about winning...

 

And Smitty needs to buck up here and realize he is closer to a championship now then in a long time.

 

[MHS831]

The reporters are trying to sell their angles, but that does not mean that Smith's contract is good for the future of this team.  It is probably going to have to be redone and the $$ cut drastically to keep him.  Those are the numbers, not Gettlemen, talking- do the math.

 

I would love for Smitty to take a 2-year, $7 million deal to end his career as a panther.  I do not see him doing that.