Bill Voth on Steve Smith's Situation. Basically, It Isn't Over.

[bleys]

Smitty was an awesome panther but he isn't worth the money. Why should we keep him? He has seriously decline, despite his firecracker attitude which seems to cover up that fact.

 

Panther fans are teh worst at attaching themselves to players. Get over it, this is a buisness, and I'd ratehr see my team win than be stuck overpaying a player, ANY player.

 

if you were talking about James Anderson, Jake Delhomme, or DWill and JStew..  you'd have a point.  And if Steve Smith wasn't the only WR signed at the moment then you might be able to begin arguing that point.  

[panthers55]

Smitty is not going anywhere this year and this whole thing is not about this year so much as going forward. I don't think they are happy with his numbers going forward.  His contract was written with the expectation that it would be renegotiated in 2014 which is exactly what Gettleman is trying to do.  Smitty knows it but is acting like he doesn't.  He didn't like things coming out in the news and has a big enough ego that he doesn't want to be perceived as taking a cut or being devalued. Still this is not surprise and hinges on whether Smitty will restructure.  If he does he could retire a Panther.  If not then this could be his last year.  It is up to Smitty I suspect.

[heel31ok]

I use to think this too but now I'm not so sure. I do believe that it will take the Big Cat to get this smoothed over however with Steve. If it comes down to SS and what's best for the team then Jerry will be the one to break it to Steve. Sent from my SCH-I535 using CarolinaHuddle mobile app

that is a least a year down the road, I say 2 years.I predict by then most will be wanting to keep him another year.

[heel31ok]

Better players than 89 with bigger impacts on the sport have been let go.....

89 brings a lot to the table and not all is positive....he is entering the stage of his career where his negatives become a bigger issues bc he isn't as important. His talent finally is replaceable.

He is not replaceable yet. Like I said before he has gone beyond what many expected his whole career and this will be no different.As far as importance he is more important than ever on many levels playing wise, experience wise, leadership wise, mentoring wise ...He is still a bargain at 7 mil which is only an issue because of mismanagement.

 

 What has happened to anyone else in this league really has nothing to do with this situation.

[Gucci Mane]

If you guys think Dave hasn't thought of the fact we have no one else to catch passes, your all idiots. He knows what he's doing. He knows we don't have money to sign a big FA. He knows we can't move up in the draft to take the best WR. He knows that we need to get cam protection. He knows that McNutt and King aren't both going to turn into #1's.

Smitty ain't going anywhere and he'll take a pay cut to help the team regardless of what the idiots on WFNZ say. When he does stay we still need an upgrade at the position and find the future for it. Dave knows this.

[CatMan72]

Great read!

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[CatMan72]

As the article says, this isn't about the money... it's really about giving Cam and Luke space to lead this team.

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[TheRed]

I didn't say that about Smith, Voth did.  And he has been on point on everything so far.  He stated he talked to several people in the organization and this is what they said about their concerns about Smith.  What is uncomfortable is how argumentative you are when you ignore what he is saying acting as if you have a clue.  Just like you apparently didn't believe it about Jake when it was discussed now you don't believe that Voth is right either.  Why would anyone believe you when you have no credibility and just argue with anyone.  But I am done wasting my time. I prefer to listen to those who talk with team officials in the know instead of random posters like you who don't let the facts get into the way of their arguments.

 

You have as much credibility in regards to knowing what's really happening with the team as anyone else here. Get off your high horse. Bill Voth is not some irrefutable source. He correctly predicted two things that became painfully obvious as time went on. How impressive.

[TheRed]

If Cam, and Luke feel they can't lead this team with Steve Smith here, we are in big trouble. I don't believe that.

[heel31ok]

I adore Smitty. We all do. That said, if he doesn't take a paycut, he could be a goner. Sad, but it's actually reality now that we have a cut-throat, business type of GM at the helm. On top of it all, Smitty is declining as well. We all know what's approaching. ANY reasonable GM is going to take care of situation if a settlement isn't reached -- which is very possible since both Smitty and Gettleman are carried by their convictions. Granted, Dave could have handled the situation better but this is precisely what we wanted in our GM search last year.

 fact is Smith would not even have to take a paycut.The worst thing for the Panthers and the cap would be to cut Smith.Itis cheaper to keep him even at the existing rate. i think he is what we wanted and that is why Smitty will be a Panther.He will be evaluated found to be an important member of the team and retained without a second thought. he may restructure  but that would be up to him , either way Smitty stays. Cut throat is the blood thirsty wannabe GMs on this board. i don't think making good business decisions is cut throat at all.

[panthers55]

You have as much credibility in regards to knowing what's really happening with the team as anyone else here. Get off your high horse. Bill Voth is not some irrefutable source. He correctly predicted two things that became painfully obvious as time went on. How impressive.

I am not quoting myself nor do I have any insider information.  I have told naysayers like you that for years.  I listen to those folks who appear to have insider sources which Voth apparently does.  Again you can believe whatever you want. So far even if he has been right about 2 things that put him 2 up on you.  

[TheRed]

I am not quoting myself nor do I have any insider information. I have told naysayers like you that for years. I listen to those folks who appear to have insider sources which Voth apparently does. Again you can believe whatever you want. So far even if he has been right about 2 things that put him 2 up on you.

Deep down whether they wanted to admit it or not, pretty much everyone here knew Gross was going to retire this year or the next, we barely got him to return last year. As for Hardy, with the news of the salary cap going up for the next few years, it wasn't exactly a shock that we tagged him.