backINblack28

the success rate of smaller QBs is way higher than taller dudes. you're choosing to ignore that when kids start playing football most pee wee coaches aren't letting short kids play QB. that bias serves to help yours but luckily our front office isn't letting it deter them from the fact that if you get to the point where you're a consensus #1 overall pick, you've probably done some notable stuff on a football field, which to most objective people should be MORE impressive when you overcome stuff that others are born with

being this outrageously obsessed over this height difference, but completely ignoring the S2 stuff is just strange to me

Sample A 6'4 285 6'2 325 6'4 300 6'2 325 6'4 310 6'5 260 6'2 320 Sample B 6'8 282 6'4 275 6'4 294 6'4 323 6'0 305 6'6 300 6'3 300 One of these teams is the worst team in the SEC's defensive line. One of them is the Falcons defensive line. As you're about to spend some time learning since you weirdly haven't learned yet---being huge is not the main nor only factor in getting to or having success in the NFL, on the DL or otherwise. Bryce has been running from dudes bigger than him his entire football career. You can (or could have) watched. This just reads like you don't and didn't. Thanks for letting us know?

prefacing a mock draft with 'i'm prepared to look like a moron for this' is a bold strategy

The facts that aren't trying to mock anyone is that scoring in the 18th percentile is damning. You're compared to the other guys in the class and you're the worst by far--and the S2 quote about them never have a guy score low and perform well in the NFL. I was pro Stroud for a long time. I have flipped if not because the writing is on the wall and those still fighting against it it just seems a little silly at this point. And the height stuff is going to be fun to throw in away fans faces but I wish there weren't so many damning quotes from our own fans that are either deleted or look insane in a matter of months. Getting a favorite during this process is a natural part of following your team's draft. Ignoring stuff like this and still defending your favorite while more and more information comes out--for Panthers fans objectively rooting for the best for the franchise (who don't run into a wall about size)--it sticks out like a sore thumb. It's going to be much more fun to be on the train of telling falcons fans 'told you so' about everyone making such an asinine deal about size like we don't have pictures of stephen curry in college to tell us we've been stupid about this before. Just disappointing to me the infighting amongst ourselves about our QB of the future who there is PLENTY video evidence out there from every level to say that he's been overcoming/dealing with his size his whole life and he's right where he is because of it

My guess would be Vegas. They are a team far enough down that could benefit from QBs falling. Just an inkling though. Colts are too close to 1 and LV tried to trade up as well.

to be fair, I think teams have tried to play gimmicky get in our head games before and I think lately we have done a much better job of just staying out of it/staying out of the box more. It has doomed us in the past (particularly v Boston) and I think we now look like the more disciplined and experienced team against these lesser playoff seeds. Keep playing our game--that's what's got them frustrated and undisciplined

Any Panthers fan that takes the time to read this and isn't excited--I'm at a loss

Steal this one and the Isles are buried. This will be their kitchen sink game. Get Raanta a rest and get some good puck luck and let's win us a roadie.

i mean. juking Ovy into smashing into the boards was hilarious. And when he tapped the Islanders player on the helmet playing duck duck goose after they made that reference and then got swept was also hilarious. I loved Dougie, but for the money, no way. He would disappear on either or both ends for long stretches, especially in the playoffs. The true difference at least one game in is that Burns has instantly elevated his game (after a historic Canes D reg szn performance). For the money Dougie isn't quite worth it and he won't sustain over the life of that deal.

Blackshear did really well in limited opportunities last year too. I would assume it's pretty safe to say that RB is for sure on our draft radar--there's still plenty of talent both in the draft pool and UFA.

true on Pyotr but Cam Ward was pretty meh/needs more AHL time his rookie year and then we know what happened when Gerber got sick in the first round..

if we're going to make a long run, we'll need to play both and or Pyotr. IMO the road is where you play Freddie because it takes pressure off and can build him confidence. The main point there is right now you just can't not play Raanta at home because he's currently untouchable at PNC

it's not like he's right at getting crushed or taking the hit but he has to 1. pretty quickly step up and make decision and 2. be quick about release while also getting plenty behind the ball

ESPNs hockey broadcast team is so bad. they're straight up just conversing during high leverage scoring chances. The sound keeps going out too. Refs have been bad already tonite can't wait for more of that. random icing on us that straight up hit sorokin. We could have 5. Need to give him all the work he can handle this whole series. We've played a good physical game. Chatfield has been really solid. Staal as always shutting down other teams' line 1. Raanta is ready.

Canes in 2

presidents trophy curseeeee

Raanta starting confirmed by Rod. I like the lineup--we need the experience on the fourth line and that Pool should be our most physical forward doesn't mean that he is--he hasn't been. Statsny is one of those guys that can pot big goals in a playoff series and be a separator.

The Rangers are much worse 5v5 and much slower than the Devils. That matters--but it's also something you can say about the Rangers in their series against the Canes last year--all a team had to do was win on the road once and they did and we didn't. We are to the place where experience matters and considering the Canes and Rangers have it they both salivate at facing the Devils over other similarly good teams because the Devils quite literally havent been here before. It's a thing until they prove it isn't. I hope they beat NYR.

i'm scared of their goalie less than others in the playoffs--still the best matchup for us out there. didn't matter in the season series and also i think we Canes fans aren't allowing ourselves to be objective about a matchup that's favored us in the regular season because of the inconsistency we've got at goaltending. But if one or both (or even Pyotr) plays like they're capable, that's the separator for us and theirs stealing the series is the only hope for them

it is and it isn't because while i don't disagree there--a lot of these extensions and deals were after that window was already starting to close. same thing happened to the canes after 06 we just literally ran into a young crosby/malkin in 09. They could have done a better job of both prioritizing Malkin and Crosby (or even just Crosby) and filling the rest of the roster out with cheaper returns on guys like Letang/Malkin etc. They just did everything to keep everyone even/while they started to all age out together. If it had gotten them one more cup I get it but this line of thinking never worked out after the 2 cup runs and now they inevitably will likely have to trade everyone including Crosby to get to a point to start a rebuild

I think this is why we'll outlast them--and while it could be a long series, what I'm about to say manifested itself very early in the series you talked about previously..... they play a similar wear you down style as us that is built for a playoff series but they do it 1 with worse players and 2 with worse possession numbers & worse special teams. we may have a different ceiling without Svech but I dont think this is the team that will be exploiting it.

i didnt say anything about them improving or not. 20-24th defense w league average offense at best---again...to answer the question phrased by this thread - is it time to take the 20-24th defense seriously paired with best case league average offense? No.

went big on D in free agency is more like went from 30th to 24th IMO which again just doesn't help a league average best case offense much at all. they're not going to be playing trace mcsorley, kyle trask, or PJ walker twice this time either