Too Much Sportsmanship?

[Badbak]

I would rather see my team play with hate...not acting like they're BFF's are on the other damn team.

Playing with hate got the Panthers their only penalty of the game! If Smitty had controlled his "hate" things may have gone better.

[Carolina890]

ehh...I didn't see anything wrong with what he did...

but srstly...I guess I mean intensity...not hate. Just like they have something to prove.

[ThPantherFan]

Listen I'm all for sportsmanship. I think players should talk to each other and wish them good luck before the game. And tell them "good game" after.

But it seem to me that the Panther defense was going out of their way to help up the Giants or slap them on the butt or tell them "great run" or "great catch."

I'm sorry, I'm not a fan of that. There is plenty of time for sportsmanship before and after the game. NOT DURING!

That bothered me a little. Anyone else?

No.

[Go To Girl]

I enjoyed seeing each team play to kill and then display sportsmanship after the plays. That's the way it should be. When they went in for the coin toss in OT, I could just hear the captains of each team saying to each other - holy crap, I can't believe we've got to keep doing this.

I suspect the same people who don't like to see players show sportsmanship are the same ones who get angry over Julius Peppers smiling or of John Fox clapping to try to keep his team up and positive after a bad series.

[Blue Heaven]

Brentson Buckner said it best..Just 2 many pretty boys on this defense! We need more guys like Ray Lewis, Jared Allen, and Haynesworth.

[bryn10]

Im all for sportsmanship as well, but seriously....your gonna help an opposing player up even if they just fell over. Its one thing if you truck a dude and lay him out, but dont just help a guy up cause he fell..

I agree, it takes alot of enery to get up 30 times a game if your 300 plus pounds, let them ware them selves out

[Go To Girl]

Sounds like Buckner might have some sour grapes going on.

[jdl]

Brentson Buckner said it best..Just 2 many pretty boys on this defense! We need more guys like Ray Lewis, Jared Allen, and Haynesworth.

guys that should be in jail? didnt you have pacman?

[Johnny Rockets]

Anyone else see the ref helping one of the Giants players up from the bottom of the pile last night? I think it was Jacobs, but not sure.....seemed odd to me.

I prefer that they didn't help opposing players up but it doesn't eat at me like some other things. What kills me is seeing players from opposing teams laughing it up before a game. McNabb was throwing warm up passes to Ocho Cinco and laughing it up before the game against Cincinatti and I wanted to reach through the TV and strangle him.

[Blue Heaven]

Sounds like Buckner might have some sour grapes going on.

Yeah he's hard on Pep..and I don't care 2 much for Buck but he's right..Name one guy on this SOFT zone defense that scare guys like Earth, Wind, and Fire...? Most people like good character guys but I like ol' school, no teeth broken finger football players..I really think guys like Rae Carruth changed this organization..You will never see guys like Tank Johnson, Plax or a Pacman on this team because of the negative rep this franchise took in the 90's.

[Blue Heaven]

guys that should be in jail? didnt you have pacman?

What is the difference between tough guy and thug? We probaly have 1 tough guy on this team and he is a wide receiver for peeks sake...Just because a guy has a nasty attitude on the field doesn't mean he is like that off the field.

[Johnny Rockets]

Yeah he's hard on Pep..and I don't care 2 much for Buck but he's right..Name one guy on this SOFT zone defense that scare guys like Earth, Wind, and Fire...? Most people like good character guys but I like ol' school, no teeth broken finger football players..I really think guys like Rae Carruth changed this organization..You will never see guys like Tank Johnson, Plax or a Pacman on this team because of the negative rep this franchise took in the 90's.

You can have both......you don't have to be a punk in real life to play hard nose hard hitting football. For every trouble maker there are a hundred that play hard every play and leave it on the field and are great model citizens. you just don't hear about them. I think what the Panthers have done a great job with that balance. There are countless number of guys like that. One of the reasons I like Brian Dawkins so much. The Steelers are consistantly one of the hardest hitting teams in the league and they don't have trouble making guys like that on defense.

[jdl]

What is the difference between tough guy and thug? We probaly have 1 tough guy on this team and he is a wide receiver for peeks sake...Just because a guy has a nasty attitude on the field doesn't mean he is like that off the field.

When you are a role model, and yes sadly athletes are role models, there is no reason to be a thug like ray lewis.

The difference?

Ray lewis is a thug.

Polamalu is a tough guy

[Blue Heaven]

You can have both......you don't have to be a punk in real life to play hard nose hard hitting football. For every trouble maker there are a hundred that play hard every play and leave it on the field and are great model citizens. you just don't hear about them. I think what the Panthers have done a great job with that balance. There are countless number of guys like that. One of the reasons I like Brian Dawkins so much. The Steelers are consistantly one of the hardest hitting teams in the league and they don't have trouble making guys like that on defense.

And that's why the Panthers are so respected around the league..and that's why it's so hard for a team or fans to hate us. Who is our rival opponent? Brian Dawkins will bring the lumber and so will Chris Harris. But what makes Dawkins a Pro Bowler? Have you ever watched a Duke Basketball game? Most folks say Duke is a team filled with book nerds..But they play hard nose in your face ball..My point is that it starts from the top. If you have hard nosed coach most of the time you get tough players. If you have a guy like foxy you get good character guys who play inconsistently hard. It is what it is.