Takeaways: Reading between the lines

[Fox007]

4 minutes ago, davos said:

I loved hearing him clarify what "getting over the hump" is.  "Winning" 

He is just embarrassed.  Can't get rid of an owner and it's clear he wants to win.  Hope he picks a good HC/GM situation for 2023. 

I think its true what someone else said. Him being mad is a good thing in that at least he cares. If he was apathetic or disinterested it would be fugin hopeless. This is the type of goon who will try to prove people wrong b/c they embarrassed him which is honestly a good thing for us, at least he'll try.

[mc52beast]

Tepper was obviously embarrassed by the Rhule hire and all the positive things he said about him. 
 

Guaranteed Tepper doesn’t want to do another one of these pressers and will make sure the process is well thought out.

As for his comments about Wilks, I’m not sure what “excellent job” means. He’s stuck with( unless Ben is let go as well) a horrible OC and an even worse QB situation.

[Evil Hurney]

35 minutes ago, NAS said:

1. Tepper really likes Wilks and he will have a strong shot at being the head coach this year if he shows adequate progress and gains respect of his players. 

I hear the opposite. 

Wilks has to dramatically outperform to even be "considered" for the future HC job.

[Sgt Schultz]

14 minutes ago, stbugs said:

Why not? What trade or draft pick did he make that we can sit here and go damn, that was a great pick? Horn and Iky look fine, not spectacular but they were picks 8 and 6.

I remember reading where Fitterer was supposedly getting the reigns before this off-season as Rhule was being reigned in for being on the hot seat. When Mayfield was gotten for a 4th/5th, Fitterer was lauded and when DJ signed for $20M a year he was lauded. Corral, given kudos. Either he was willing to take a job where he does nothing or he had a lot more to do with everything. Neither seems like a positive that we couldn’t easily replace and maybe do way better.

The problem is we do not know where the lines were between Rhule and Fitterer at any given time.  We can guess, but even "insider reports" were never consistent and clear. 

By the letter of Rhule's contract, if he told Fitterer to go get Darnold, Fitterer had to go get Darnold.  If that was the relationship, all Fitterer could do is go back and tell Rhule the Jets wanted a king's ransom for a guy whose value was going to go down once the draft was over.  But if Rhule responded to get Darnold, well, in words of Captain Picard, Fitterer had no choice but to "make it so."  But, that is by the letter of Rhule's contract. 

We don't know if and when Rhule might have been told that if he was forgoing some of that power and how much or he was out.  We may never know. Obviously Tepper and Fitterer do, and whatever happens with Fitterer will be a direct result of that. 

The whole bizarre division of duties is some odd Rube Goldberg machine.

I feel about Fitterer the same way I do about some of our players: they may be a better than we have seen thus far, and hopefully being out from under the shadow of Rhule will tell us.  Unfortunately, on offense our players are still under the shadow of McAdoo and his flying circus of an offense. 

[Davidson Deac II]

34 minutes ago, Growl said:

so he’s going to commit to yet another head coach without the input of a GM?

i don’t think you’re correct in your reads of this situation 

Agreed.  The only thing we can really glean from this is that Snow and Rhule are gone.  

Actually, when reading what Tepper said, appears that Fitterer might have more power now.

Panthers fire head coach Matt Rhule after 1-4 start to season (nfl.com)

Quote

Tepper did add that a "better balance" in power between the next coach and Fitterer is more appropriate than the previous arrangement under Rhule.

Rhule had to much power, and now the GM is going to have more input. 

Edited October 10, 2022 by Davidson Deac II

[Pimpdaddy]

33 minutes ago, chknwing said:

Fitt dug his own hole, but he got the players the coach wanted, its not Fitts fault that Rhule had zero idea on what kind of team he wanted.  Coach establishes the identity of the team not the GM.  Fitt didnt hire rhule, he shouldnt go down with that ship

...the authority structure kinda hamstrung him I think... keep going back and forth on fitts value...my gut says bye....

[Proudiddy]

45 minutes ago, NAS said:

1. Tepper really likes Wilks and he will have a strong shot at being the head coach this year if he shows adequate progress and gains respect of his players. 

2. Fitterer will likely be replaced as the GM. Lack of commitment or even anything positive to say about utilization of limited resources (draft picks and cap space) tells me he’s likely gone. 

3. Tepper really wants a QB, he just can’t admit to tanking for one

4. Tepper pointing to Charlotte FC as an example of a winning culture and fanbase was really interesting. 

5. He looked embarrassed on the podium, admitted to making mistakes and that he didn’t really know what he was doing as a rookie owner. That’s a positive 

I appreciated his humility in those moments he showed, like the "I'm still learning" and "I understand the fans because I was one," quotes...  but he also was very ornery and hostile with some of the questions that were less than encouraging moments.

[Sgt Schultz]

1 minute ago, stbugs said:

Tepper should know and we had lots of reports in here from the folks in the know that Fitt had more control this off-season. Do you really think Rhule did every single pick and trade? Rhule wanted Fitterer and he knew the situation.

If there were even a couple moves we’ve made where we all said damn, that was a great fuging pick, I’d see where it goes. I haven’t and I’m the videos of draft day it sure didn’t seem like Rhule was stopping picks or shutting people down.

If Rhule managed everything then how can you even say he may be way better than we’ve seen? If he did in fact have more leeway than the now apologists say then he did a poor job. I look at the team and the actual on field results, the drafts, the trades and the contracts and don’t see anything I’d want to keep. Also, Fitt has 0 experience with a new NFL coaching hire so I just don’t see why we wouldn’t rather do a search and find a solid GM prospect along with a solid coach. Do you think Wilks and Fitterer get us to the SB? It sure seems like some people think that.

You are wrapping yourself around the "all or nothing" axle with Rhule did every single pick or trade.  We have no idea.  Say those words......."we have no idea."

You seem bound and determined to assess blame on something and we have no idea who did what.  That was not Rhule's fault, and not Fitterer's fault, that was Tepper's fault (and maybe a little of Hurney sprinkled in).

I don't see Wilks and Fitterer getting us to a SB.  I don't know if Fitterer can or not.  The difference is I can say the words "I have no idea" how this Rube Goldberg machine has operated, I only know that it collapsed earlier today.  Part of it probably/may have collapsed after last season, but how much of it was still standing is not something I can say.  Bad news:  Neither can you, whether you want to admit that or not.

[ickmule]

7 minutes ago, Proudiddy said:

I appreciated his humility in those moments he showed, like the "I'm still learning" and "I understand the fans because I was one," quotes...  but he also was very ornery and hostile with some of the questions that were less than encouraging moments.

20 years from now he may have learned enough to actually be a good owner, but I doubt it. He acted like he was mad at the world and the only person he should be mad at is himself. He needs to take a long look in the mirror.  

[Shotgun]

35 minutes ago, stbugs said:

Why not? What trade or draft pick did he make that we can sit here and go damn, that was a great pick? Horn and Iky look fine, not spectacular but they were picks 8 and 6.

I remember reading where Fitterer was supposedly getting the reigns before this off-season as Rhule was being reigned in for being on the hot seat. When Mayfield was gotten for a 4th/5th, Fitterer was lauded and when DJ signed for $20M a year he was lauded. Corral, given kudos. Either he was willing to take a job where he does nothing or he had a lot more to do with everything. Neither seems like a positive that we couldn’t easily replace and maybe do way better.

Yes, everyone's argument to keep Fitts is that he didn't make any of the decisions...is that who should be running the team?

[Pimpdaddy]

5 minutes ago, stbugs said:

Just think to yourself what did he do that you thought was amazing. Personally, I don’t think he was as hamstrung as people think and we saw video of him negotiating Arnold’s contract and expressing why we should go Deonte Brown. We don’t know everything but again what single top value move did he make? I want the stench of 2018-2022 gone. We got rid of Hurney, Rhule and Snow. What else besides players is worth keeping?

...I think the dude was working under rhule directives... I don't think he did anything amazing... but we'll never know because of the fked up powr/authority structure that tipper put in place... u don't know... they tried to make a diff with what was available...they made plays... but it wasn't to be... I still say bye... like I said..

[Panthera onca]

I love Wilks but he has no shot at removing the interim Head Coach and making it permanent.

[Mr. Scot]

55 minutes ago, Panthercougar68 said:

I read it as Fitt is staying and that there will be a balance between Fitt and the new coach when it comes to personnel.

Yeah, he was very complimentary of the roster, even mentioning that it’s “improved over the past few years”.

Not sure where people are getting any Fitterer hate out of that presser.

[trueblade]

42 minutes ago, mc52beast said:

He’s stuck with( unless Ben is let go as well) a horrible OC and an even worse QB situation.

But Wilks has PJ "Never lost" Walker to start his first game as interim coach.