Khyber53

Honestly, no more or less than most years. It'd be nice to have two excellent backs to work with, but there's only so many holes that can be filled in one offseason. The days of Williams and Stewart waiting for training camp this time of year are gone. And we traded away, cheaply, the best running back we ever had. Still, Chuba can carry the ball well and while he might not be a star in the league, I've got confidence in him based on the work produced so far. Brooks... I want to see him string together some games, some plays.

As a lifelong journalist, I hate to spur infighting in the industry, but to be honest I've watched sports move from the back pages to the front. It says a lot about our society and what we value. Want to know how your tax dollars are being spent or if the new sewer project is going to disrupt the city for a while? No one wants or will read that. Did some dude get a triple double in one of the four billion games of the NBA playoffs? They'll line up to read that for days, pay money for it and bet on it. fug it, though. Bread and circuses, bread and circuses. Sports reporter throws out a stupid question about some guys roaring around a track turning to the left, to the left, straight, to the left, to the left, straight. We probably shouldn't notice but we'll crucify him for that. Of course, if it's a White House press pool reporter that asks a smart question, they'll crucify that person, too. Make of it what you will.

Especially on the IQ portion. Never seen a dumber guy that somehow got into and mostly through college. Whew.

Never understood the hate for him. Best wishes to him for the future. It's almost unheard of for someone to have a forty year career in journalism nowadays, that speaks volumes.

What was the real reason for kicking Smitty out and sending him off into free agency back in the day?

You know, there's something about this whole JAG thing that really just drives home the idea that to some folks, these players aren't real people, just names and stats. Of course, it goes beyond sports. We're a sad, jaded species, us humans.

Why not? Dude was tough as nails. Came off the field after a vicious hit and showed the coach how his ring finger was knocked out of socket halfway up. You could see the shock on Fox's face. Brad just pulled on the finger, grimaced, got it back in alignment and went back in for the next play and blew up an opposing linebacker or two. Dude is legendary.

Shaq was a fantastic LB, he just happened to have been standing in the shadow of a Panthers great and a Hall of Famer. He was team-lead starter quality for all 32 teams of the NFL. Don't throw shade on him, he was never just a guy.

Grew up there, left as soon as I graduated high school. Just never fit in. Nice city, lot of history and the art scene is good, music scene has had its ups and downs. Live in Greensboro now, seems a better, more relaxed fit. To each, their own, I guess. But honestly, happiness isn't found anywhere but within yourself. You can be happy or miserable anywhere of you put your mind to it.

Jake's elbow, or the Kasay out of bounds kick in the Super Bowl. Luke's first concussion. The dirty hit on Cam in the Super Bowl. If he's going back in time, just pick up Julius Peppers from right before he headed off to Chicago and bring him to this week, and set him back into the Panthers lineup as a young man again.

If only it works out that way. No way of knowing how it will be once we hit the field. Still, it's nice to even be mentioned in the national press for something positive.

Wow, if he does that against the best in college ball, and can bring it to this level... Well, I'd hate to be a center lined up across from him. Especially if I see Brown is crowding in an eating up the guard support.

Just not seeing it. A more likely trade partner is Buffalo (as always). You know what, though? Haven't heard any squawking from inside sources that XL is on his way out. The old adage is that WRs take three years to find their way in the NFL and Canales is a rehabber coach by reputation. I don't think he's ready to give up on XL, yet. Still, this is the Not For Long league and our draft pick this season spent on a WR should be a motivator for XL to play less timidly and compete.

I'm going to be so happy if he can be Jordan Carstens but with a longer career. Carstens was one of the country strong guys to ever play for this team and he was a monster at tying up the center of the field. Injury and illness (I believe it was kidney issues that finally sidelined him). If we can get that guy, we can do a lot. Honestly, though, I just want him to be so good that he becomes the next benchmark for us at the position.

Here we are saying which teams will be tough in May. Last May Seattle would have been third in their division and the Patriots fourth, third at best. And everyone would have said that Kansas City was in the driver's seat for the season again. It's May, very early May.