Playing the game... Winning and losing at football, while maintaining an ethos.

[Bronn]

I doubt this post will rival that of my good e-buddy frash.exe's... not many can... But I hope to at least bring forth a respectable opposing view. It definitely won't be as long, but I promise you I don't have post-length-envy.

If you could say one thing about the Carolina Panthers that would encompass their entire, brief existence, it would be that, even in the toughest of odds, they have maintained an organization that most outsiders would root for and most insiders would work hard for.

I believe the reasoning for that is simple... It is because Jerry Richardson, our beloved but often vilified owner, actually played the game. He's in a unique position that nobody else is in, if I recall correctly.

As a former player, he has a soft spot in his heart for today's players. As a family man, he has a soft spot for family. If you combine the two, he basically loves his football family. He has always tried to foster the environment that blurred the lines of business and doing what he thought was right on a higher level.

As a businessman, he's gotten a reputation of being a little bullish and hard-line. He's fought on the owners' behalf when it comes to CBA stuff, and hasn't really handled the hirings and firings of front office personnel in the best way possible. I don't know many people could argue with that.

Basically, our whole experience as a fan is a combination of Richardson's ethos. He wants to win football games. He wants to surround himself and his locker room with guys he considers family. But, he will forever see and maintain that football is a business. As a CEO, he's going to make business decisions that are influenced by personal decisions that lots of people are going to disagree with. He's comfortable knowing that, regardless of his reasoning, the show will go on and football will be played. It doesn't change his expectations any, but there is validity that it makes it incredibly tough for some people to do their jobs in that kind of environment.

I think Gettleman tried to change that. I honestly think that he was, albeit unintentionally, being somewhat insubordinate at times. I don't know if it was ultimately the clash of character, with Richardson being the "southern gent" and Gettleman being the "brash yankee," or a little more of Gettleman being one of those in-laws that you don't really care for, but have to have them around because they married into the family.

Either way, I do have faith that losing won't really be tolerated. It hasn't been in the past, even though we've given folks a little more rope to hang themselves than most of us would prefer.
 

Playing the game is what the Panthers have always done. We've won and lost with various players and front office staff. Almost every organization has. We've almost had the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. We've come as close as you can get to both of them without actually tipping the scale completely. In business, that's normal. In life, that's normal.

In football, it is expected to mirror both of those. So yes, ups and downs are normal.

I'll do like I have always done. I'll cheer for the Panthers when they are out there on the field. I'll bitch and moan when we lose, and sing our praises when we win. But I'll still be a fan because, overall, I think JR has done a good job making the fans' experience worthwhile.

Yes, I want to win a Super Bowl. Obviously that is everyone's end game. I think we're close, no matter how we got there. If we don't get it, we don't get it. If we don't, we'll be back there again, eventually, with someone else at the helm.

But all the doom and gloom as of late is a little ridiculous.

 

At least we aren't Browns fans...

[Khyber53]

Very well said!

 

[CatMan72]

Good stuff! 

[cvlngnir]

What's this? Some level headed thinking on recent events? I commend you.

[Pejorative Miscreant]

 

1 hour ago, Bronn said:

most insiders would work hard for

This is most likely what JR felt was in jeopardy had Gettleman stayed on.  Maybe not just from a player aspect but from an overall organizational standpoint. 

All craziness of last week aside, I think what JR needs is "Gettleman Light".

[Bronn]

I completely understand where people that hate this are coming from. On the surface and below, it looks like a negative thing.

But, I'm optimistic to a fault on a lot of things. The Panthers are one of them. It's crazy because I am pretty much a misanthropic nihilist in general.

We could lost 16 in a row this year and I'd throw my hands up and say "eff it" for a while... But, I'd likely be back to scouting draft prospects, etc. in the late winter/early spring...

 

That's really the Panthers way, I guess. You take your lumps but you eventually always keep pounding.

[grimesgoat]

Good post.

I don't know what went wrong between Gettleman and Richardson.

I'm not a Gman "nuthugger", but I will miss him.  I loved to hear him talk football.  He seemed really good at finding talent through the draft and outside of it.  He put a competitive product on the field despite being handicapped with several horrible contracts and a franchise tag that went wrong (Hardy).

The 4 years with Gman we were 43-26-1, making the playoffs 3 times and 1 SB appearance. The best run of our existence. We remain in good shape with the cap and our roster appears loaded.  The 4 years prior, we were 23-41 and significantly over the cap. I just don't want to go back to that. 

[Krovvy]

Quality post.

[top dawg]

Bronn, you've always been an even keel, quality poster. Much appreciated!

[Snake]

Why do people hate the Patriots and love the Panthers. Because one is a winner and the other is a loser. People hate the Steelers and laugh at the Browns. We will be laughed at when hurney/JR screws this team and everyone can say Cameron Newton is a loser. I supported JR because he said he would bring a Superbowl win to charlotte and he has reneged. He is not a man of his word. You want to see a truly successful business man that keeps his word to fans look no further than Robert Kraft. Jerry Richards doesn't give a poo about his word or the fans.