top dawg

I took liberty with your post, and showed you how easily you could be speaking of Baker Mayfield. Mayfield's attitude has been cited as a reason the Browns axed him. McAdoo's firing had reasons beyond actual football reasons as well. If you can give Mayfield grace who was effectively fired from his QB1 job by the Browns, then you can give McAdoo grace for being fired as the HC from the Giants. He is no less of a potential successful OC of the Panthers than Mayfield is a potential successful QB of the Panthers.

I just think that there are too many stories about Mayfield's demeanor, and not enough stories about his actual play. I feel that too many fans, particularly Panthers fans (now that he's ours) are being baited by those with an agenda to focus on everything but Mayfield's actual game on the field of play. I mean, whether Baker Mayfield is Mr. Rodgers or an asshole simply doesn't matter as long as he's not doing anything unethical or illegal off the field. This is not to say that you can expect to be an asshole and be inferior at your job without consequences up to being demoted, without a pay increase, or fired). But, normally, if you're good--especially great at your job, people will be more likely to overlook your attitude, if they consider it at all.

When I first read Bucky Brooks' title on the league page, I was like, "we have to be in that article." I was right. To me, we could certainly be one of the teams in the NFL that could outplay the prevailing narrative that we are part of 2022's bottom feeders. Of course a lot will have to go right, but that's been the case for long time. Perhaps Brooks is overstating our position just a wee bit, as we are maybe in the worst division in the NFL, but I think that we are the most team that's likely to surprise in the NFCS. "The Panthers are a quarterback away from emerging as a playoff contender this season. Matt Rhule's team has enough blue-chip players on each side of the ball to go toe-to-toe with the heavyweights in the league, but the embattled coach must pick the right quarterback at the end of training camp to give his team a chance to earn an elusive playoff berth. Baker Mayfield, acquired in a trade last week, is the front-runner to win the starting job even though he'll enter camp without any experience in Ben McAdoo's system or chemistry with the Panthers' playmakers. Sam Darnold is a bigger and stronger prospect with solid intangibles, but his on-field struggles make it hard for the coaching staff to trust him as a long-term answer at quarterback. With a defense that has top-five potential to support the winner of the quarterback competition, the Panthers' chances of securing a playoff berth for the first time since the 2017 season hinge on the team's ability to pick the right QB1. If either quarterback can deliver consistent production for a Carolina offense that features a handful of big-play weapons, this is the team that could follow the Bengals' blueprint to contention." My question (like I already don't know what the responses will look like) is: Do you believe that we are closer to a so-called "CHAOS" team referenced in the article, or are we closer to a team in chaos? Does our legitimate talent on both sides of the ball (and, yes, we do have it) and our presumed QB1 Baker Mayfield make us more primed to upset the applecart of prognosticators everywhere, or are we just lame ducks to be easily picked off at will by most of our competition? https://www.nfl.com/news/2022-nfl-season-one-chaos-team-in-each-division

But it would seem that details of their complicity may possibly come out anyway from the women who refuse to settle the civil cases (or in any criminal matter that may pop up from some unknown). It sounds like to me that they're just trying to cover their asses so that when/if any details come out they won't be financially liable to the women who've settled.

It was the most somewhat interesting, highly undesirable experience that I've ever voluntarily endured. I guess that I've been lucky. I was clean as a whistle! Unsolicited advice: start prepping a few days ahead with light foods, clear drinks (preferably water), and opt for the pills if your insurance allows it. This relatively small inconvenience is exponentially better than developing colon cancer.

People can focus on Baker's attitude all they want. I don't think for one minute that the preponderance of FOs in the NFL declined to trade for and pay Baker what he was owed in 2021 because of his "fiery" personality or desire to win. It's his deficiencies on the field--the INTs, the missed throws, the missed reads that had him out there withering on the vine of the offseason market. No one was going to overpay for that type of fruit. If Baker wants better, he'll have to play better. That's the Baker bottom line!

That would be my wife, but I do work for public schools.

Well, to be fair, we didn't have to play the Lions last season...

It's not about caring what he thinks TBH. But I understand that not everyone will see and appreciate the humor in it all. I was amused by (in no particular order): 1) The writer's lack of understanding of the dynamics of our situation. 2) The fact that there may be elements of truth in what he is saying 3) His refusal to acknowledge that just like our moves could ultimately reap similarly bad things of the recent past, that it could also reap great benefits. 4) His omission of MC9 (which apparently is not just a thing by some here [*zinger* for the bastards ] 5) Especially the irony in crying about us not wanting to pay the price for his QB that he must REALLY want gone. 6) That he's writing about us at all (especially considering that his team provides plenty of fodder). There are probably other amusing elements to this on different levels yet to be mentioned for anyone that cares to explore them (or not). It's simply just fodder for discussion.

Well, this was mildly entertaining, if not unsolicited. "It seems like only yesterday the Carolina Panthers were reportedly 'laughing off' any potential interest in Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. "Now, they’re heading into the 2022 season with fellow castoffs, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield... “ "Is it funny now?" "The rehabilitation project for Darnold, who saw more ghosts than Haley Joel Osment with the New York Jets, hasn’t gone according to plan. The Panthers still only won five games for a third straight season, and Darnold was still seeing Casper. "Meanwhile, Mayfield is coming from a roster with an embarrassment of riches on the offensive side of the ball—reliable offensive line, two Pro Bowl running backs, a stud tight end and a receiving tandem with eight combined Pro Bowls between them. "What more does one man need to be successful in the NFL?" "Cousins is obviously a cut above both Darnold and Mayfield, and he gets lambasted daily, even following a season where he threw for 4,221 yards, 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. The Vikings’ “problem” would be another team’s treasure." https://sports.yahoo.com/panthers-dismissal-kirk-cousins-proof-151426693.html Well...maybe the grass isn't greener up there in Minny either. I certainly don't think a Vikings fan has a right to be clowning (notwithstanding that terrible pass by Darnold right to their guy).

I think that adding Fitterer to the mix was an excellent decision. Now diluting the GM's power by placing him under a coach who doesn't have very much professional experience might not be good, but it's year three and the moves have been pretty good, if not intriguing, compared to years one and two of the Rhule era.

Here we go. Sure, Baker seems cool and all (like I said: "congenial"), but being cool isn't quite a prerequisite of the job. At the end of the day, he had better be producing at the highest of levels if he plans to talk and taunt, stare down coaches or storm out of pressers. Let your game do the talking! Cam owned any perceived social missteps with class, and he let his game do the talking even amid an imperfect situation, valid and invalid criticism. He never ever chose to fan flames intentionally.

I think that Tepper "strongly suggested" that action, and Rhule (lost and humbled) accepted that suggestion without argument.

I just can't imagine. It would be perverse on several levels. Let him prove that he can win without Brees somewhere else.

I prefer colored gear in general. White gets dirty too quickly. You look and there's some unknown rust-looking spot of unknown origin on your clothes.

I have most of June and July off. Even still, I'm a Panthers addict.

Yeah, many of us already know.

Sad to hear. The untimely deaths of ex-athletes just doesn't want to seem to stop. I wonder what it was this time. I'm going to guess it may have been drugs considering his history.

I meant to say this, but got sidetracked, so glad you brought it up. More than a few NFL types thought that he was a first round talent pre-draft, notwithstanding this so-called "weak QB class." Many people were of the opinion that he was the one with the highest upside and true starting potential, and they still do. They recognized and acknowledged his talent, as did the ones who thought that Corral was very hard to grade and project due to playing in Kiffin's system. That, his untimely injury, all the other trumped up stuff, and the dynamics of the 2022 draft were reasons why no one committed until round three; it wasn't because MC9 was some mediocre talent.

I think that everyone should remember that the Giants never had the best O-lines while McAdoo was there. Of course that played a part in the running and the passing game. It's not something to really gloss over in terms of his run-pass ratio, or even their relative success or failure.

Who knows why people didn't hire McAdoo, or even if he was ready to be hired.

He was mentioned as an aside. Really.

Fair! Though I will say that he was still just dipping his toe in the water with Hurney. He was going through the motions of an inevitable conclusion. I'm not going to ding him for not having enough experience or being cerebral before reacting.

It's better than the other one. He is saying the right things. He seems like a congenial personality. Of course that's easy in July with your new team before training camp, but still. I believe that he's been misunderstood.