More colorful commentary from Mike Florio

[Dpantherman]

Hes been very Panther heavy lately. this time he takes aim at Fox and Hurney:

The good news for Panthers fans is that quarterback Jake Delhomme is not guaranteed to be the team's starter in 2010.

The bad news is that he could still win the job.

G.M. Marty Hurney said Tuesday that the it's "way too early" to decide whether Delhomme, who won four of 11 games in 2009 or Matt Moore, who led the team to three straight wins to finish the season, will be the opening-day starter. Implicit in this message is that it will be one of them.

"I think we all know that we need consistent play at quarterback," Hurney said during a press conference, per Steve Reed of the Gaston Gazette. "I think we have taken time and gone through the process on things. Competition answers most of those questions. We certainly understand [fans' opinions]. We know our job is to win football games and we'll make our decisions with that in mind. But I think competition decides those things."

But doesn't "competition" include consideration of the manner in which a guy has competed in, you know, actual competition? Delhomme has been a train wreck for more than a year, starting with the 2008 division-round loss to Arizona.

Still, Hurney and G.M. John Fox stubbornly cling to Delhomme. Maybe with all the money they've paid him he'll start a business and give both of them jobs after they get fired due in part to their stubborn refusal to realize that the window has closed on Delhomme's NFL career.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/02/23/panthers-gm-says-quarterback-job-is-up-for-grabs/

[Lumps]

This article is actually very accurate.

JAKE IS STARTING IN 2010, BET ON IT, IT WILL HAPPEN.

[beasonfanclub]

who the hell is mike florio anyway????????

[MurkN]

At least this time his dribble makes a little sense.

[Dpantherman]

who the hell is mike florio anyway????????

NBC

[Proudiddy]

Pretty on point article from such a douche. Especially the last line.

My problem with this "competition" thing Hurney talks about is that I don't know that Moore is a good "practice guy." I said this last year during the season... It's the only reasoning I could think of as to why Moore wasn't given a chance earlier. So, I think that decision needs to come off of their performances when the lights are on, and Moore won the job by that criteria this last offseason.

[CatMan72]

Bottom line: Hurney's not going to announce who the starting QB is at a press conference in February... come on guys.

[panthers55]

Pretty on point article from such a douche. Especially the last line.

My problem with this "competition" thing Hurney talks about is that I don't know that Moore is a good "practice guy." I said this last year during the season... It's the only reasoning I could think of as to why Moore wasn't given a chance earlier. So, I think that decision needs to come off of their performances when the lights are on, and Moore won the job by that criteria this last offseason.

Being a poor practice guy is an excuse for someone to coast along and fail to put in the work every day. Sure there are guys who play better than they practice. But I still believe that if they practiced harder they could do even better on game day. If Moore doesn't get the start don't blame Fox, blame the real culprit- Moore. He has everything in his pocket and has only to seize the opportunity. If he doesn't he deserves to sit behind Delhomme and to fail to get a big contract. This is a contract year for him and the time for him to step to the plate. Lets put the blame where it belongs if he fails just like we will put the praise if he succeeds. It is his job to win or lose.

[Lumps]

Bottom line: Hurney's not going to announce who the starting QB is at a press conference in February... come on guys.

I don't want to hear Moore is starting. I want to hear them say they are getting rid of Jake and are working on obtaining picks to bring in fresh competition. Or something along those lines, anything at all. They aren't going to tell us any of that either but right now all they leave you with is the feeling that to them Jake is a strong, viable option which scares the poo out of me.

[CatMan72]

I don't want to hear Moore is starting. I want to hear them say they are getting rid of Jake and are working on obtaining picks to bring in fresh competition. Or something along those lines, anything at all. They aren't going to tell us any of that either but right now all they leave you with is the feeling that to them Jake is a strong, viable option which scares the poo out of me.

You know darn well that they're never going to say that... this organization plays it's cards close and I agree with that approach. What good does it do to make this kind of proclimation in a press conference?

[Proudiddy]

Being a poor practice guy is an excuse for someone to coast along and fail to put in the work every day. Sure there are guys who play better than they practice. But I still believe that if they practiced harder they could do even better on game day. If Moore doesn't get the start don't blame Fox, blame the real culprit- Moore. He has everything in his pocket and has only to seize the opportunity. If he doesn't he deserves to sit behind Delhomme and to fail to get a big contract. This is a contract year for him and the time for him to step to the plate. Lets put the blame where it belongs if he fails just like we will put the praise if he succeeds. It is his job to win or lose.

I can't put that generalization on every player. I know some guys don't perform well in practice/games b/c they don't prepare or put in work - it's been said Dwayne Jarrett is one of those guys.

In basketball, talk has come up recently about Josh Howard, former Wake Forest star and Maverick, now injured Wizard, had missed games in Dallas due to hangovers. There's rumors he partied too much and missed games, etc. The guy was an all-star and considered a top SF in the game a few years ago, the last couple years, he's been an afterthought. He's another guy I would say falls into that category - guys that don't prepare and their performance shows it. It makes sense.

But, as an athlete, I know sometimes, just b/c a guy doesn't perform well in practice or games it's not always due to a lack of preparation. No doubt, putting in that prep work sets you up for nothing but success. But, some guys put in that work, yet there is still a disconnect.

I attribute that to a mental or confidence issue. There were rumors that Moore wasn't knowledgeable of the playbook, so who knows which category he falls under if he hasn't shown out in practice?

[panthers55]

I don't want to hear Moore is starting. I want to hear them say they are getting rid of Jake and are working on obtaining picks to bring in fresh competition. Or something along those lines, anything at all. They aren't going to tell us any of that either but right now all they leave you with is the feeling that to them Jake is a strong, viable option which scares the poo out of me.

More like he is an experienced aging veteran who is already under contract. Hopefully he carries a clipboard this year but honestly I still trust him to come in if needed more than the slim list of available free agent quarterbacks out there. If Moore plays well and stays healthy it will be a good year for us. There are few options out there any better from what I can see. I surely don't want a rookie starting since we aren't in a rebuilding mode at this point.

[Kevin Greene]

At some point the masses are going to have to reconcile with the fact Florio has hit the big time. Is featured on NBC's Sunday Football Night In America and is probably the best source for current NFL news day to day.

Just sayin'.

I'm sure Zod would kill to have his page hits.

[panthers55]

I can't put that generalization on every player. I know some guys don't perform well in practice/games b/c they don't prepare or put in work - it's been said Dwayne Jarrett is one of those guys.

In basketball, talk has come up recently about Josh Howard, former Wake Forest star and Maverick, now injured Wizard, had missed games in Dallas due to hangovers. There's rumors he partied too much and missed games, etc. The guy was an all-star and considered a top SF in the game a few years ago, the last couple years, he's been an afterthought. He's another guy I would say falls into that category - guys that don't prepare and their performance shows it. It makes sense.

But, as an athlete, I know sometimes, just b/c a guy doesn't perform well in practice or games it's not always due to a lack of preparation. No doubt, putting in that prep work sets you up for nothing but success. But, some guys put in that work, yet there is still a disconnect.

I attribute that to a mental or confidence issue. There were rumors that Moore wasn't knowledgeable of the playbook, so who knows which category he falls under if he hasn't shown out in practice?

From what I have read and what I think I know about backups in any sport, most slack off somewhat thinking that since there wasn't a competition and Jake would play, why kill it to sit the bench. Hopefully knowing that he has a great chance to start this year, he gives it his all right off the bat and bust his butt all the time. I can't see how the job isn't his if he does.