Mike Minter Defends Peppers???

[Kevin Greene]

I wouldn't really have expected anything negative from Minter.

Mike Minter was a classy, hard working company man. You are exactly right.

[Jangler]

Really my point is this, Peppers doesn't need an excuse made for him because he isn't doing anything wrong.

Maybe he does have it figured out and just said it. Minter was always a standup guy throughout his time at Nebraska and when he played for us. He worked hard and was a good leader. He wouldn't lie or sugar coat his words to try and cover up something. Buckner on the other hand...

This is my take on this coment:

"He's honored his contract," said Minter, who played with Peppers for five seasons before retiring in 2006. "He stayed here after signing that first contract, which it seems like you never see with a player of his caliber. He's had the opportunity to be the highest-paid defensive player in the league, but he didn't restructure his contract. He did what was on the table for him, and you don't see that very often."

First, I don't blame JP for wanting to go somewhere else. He feels he wasn't used to the best of his abilities in Carolina. I think most of agree that, that is not true.

Second, Yes, he honored his rookie contract without a holdout. But why? The FO offered him a new contract at the beginning of the year and he said "No." Why? Because he didn't want to be here anymore. So he had one of his best seasons, trying out for a new team, not the Panthers. Like I said that's fine. But Minter is trying to spin it, in that he did the honorable thing by not holding out. And in my opinion, that's not true.

[carolinanimal]

sooo, when buckner says pep is lazy, he is telling the whole truth, and when mike minter, one of the classiest panthers ever, says he just is fulfilling his contract, he is trying to spin it.

[Munkey]

Peppers honor his contract? Yes.

Peppers take way too many plays off? Yes.

Point to anyone of this? No. I don't hate Peppers, if he feels bored enough here where he gives up on a pass rush every 9 out of 11 plays not even being double teamed... Then he does need to go somewhere else.

[stankowalski]

Peppers honor his contract? Yes.

Peppers take way too many plays off? Yes.

Point to anyone of this? No. I don't hate Peppers, if he feels bored enough here where he gives up on a pass rush every 9 out of 11 plays not even being double teamed... Then he does need to go somewhere else.

My problem with the whole thing is that I feel the anger is directed at the wrong person. Let's say for the sake of argument that you are correct and Peppers was taking alot of plays off and just wasn't putting in the effort. If that were true then all the players would know it. More importantly the coaches would know it. Then after knowing that Peppers is being lazy at his job, they continue to play him. What kind of message does that send to the team? It would be totally unethical for the coaches to play Peppers and not demand the same from him that they do from everyone else. It would cause the players to lose respect for the coaches in the process.

That's why I think these charges of Peppers being lazy are untrue because if it were true we'd have had a locker room revolt, unless the players didn't give a poo either.

[ckad79]

My biggest problem with Peppers is that he went on ESPN and said that he didn't want to play for Carolina anymore. Somebody else brought this up and after a lot of bickering from fans it is TRUE, no team is going to throw anything good at you if they know the player you have up for trade doesn't want to play for you anyways. Because the bottomline is, somehow or someway, you will end up releasing him and he can just sign with that team without them giving up anything...

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Even if the Panthers put the franchise tag on Peppers for one year and try to force a trade.. it won't matter. If Peppers doesn't want to play here and we tag him, in training camp --- through all his whinning and being a lockerroom cancer, the team will cut him and we'll be right back to where we would be if we just let him walk.

Peppers talking about not wanting to be in Carolina anymore... screwed anything the team could get for him. That is what I'm pissed about. I have no problem with him leaving because I'll take somebody who wants to be here and somebody has the right attitude over Peppers any day of the week.

This team needs draft picks this year, we needed to trade Peppers. I'm afraid, he'll be cut and if any team does trade him, they'll know the circumstances and not offer a lot, like a 3rd rounder or maybe worse.

[stankowalski]

We will get something for him, you are getting a little crazy. There have been other instances pointed out in other threads where players have said the same general thing that Peppers did and things worked out OK.

Peppers may not want to play for Carolina anymore, but he has also stated that he doesn't want to cripple the team, i.e. leave without the team receiving fair compensation.

[Fireball77]

Peppers may not want to play for Carolina anymore, but he has also stated that he doesn't want to cripple the team, i.e. leave without the team receiving fair compensation.

That could also have meant "by not 'having' to pay him 17 large under the franchise tag."

[Fox007]

Minter isn't trying to spin anything, Buckner is a windbag, and people are crybabies.