I am putting my thing down....

[Zod]

For too long I have been reading speculation on this season, why its going wrong, who is to blame, which QB should start... yada yada yada.

I am here now to put an end to it.

Why? Because the Panthers never actually started this season to begin with. At the beginning of camp I warned everyone it would not be a pretty year. Not because of any individual performance, but because of the dismal overall tone in camp. When I hear more talk amongst the players about the lockout than about the task at hand, it does not take a professional analyst to realize this season was lost before it began.

Jerry Richardson set the tone for the season last winter. We all know the "youth movement" was a thinly veiled plan to cut costs and prepare for the looming lockout. The problem is as bad as that was to the physical skill of the team as a collective, it was much worse to the mental preparedness of our Panthers.

The 2010 camp was the most unfocused I had ever witnessed. Players did not rush to assigned drills, and coaches did not urge them to do so. The motions were there, the emotions were not. Aside from a select few players, enough was done to convince a typical fan, but in no way was a winning effort given or even expected.

I have to chuckle when I see the frustration and drama on the field like yesterday. They act as if they didn't know this was coming. I know better. They knew full well going into this season that they had given less than they should in practice, even though they would never admit to it.

I am convinced that there is enough individual skill on this team to be a playoff contender. I am not convinced there is enough motivation and preparedness on this team to be considered an NFL franchise.

The remedy? An off season with a renewed sense of purpose, and nothing less.

So continue on with the Clausen or Moore, whats wrong with the running game, why is our offensive line on roller skates talk. Just understand none of it matters until a new tone is set in 2011 (hopefully).

[CarolinaBlue34]

I think you just made voodoo dolls of Clausen and Moore to make them throw INT's, that's the real reason the Panthers can't win.

[Jangler]

I think it is a sad state when people are willing to sacrifice a year of somebody else's career for money. Some teams play bad. I get it. But when you are playing bad because the owner has set the tone of "eh, 2010?, we'll just write that one off." This is going to come back and bite JR in the ass and might take longer to fix the Panther organization reputation if any of this is taken seriously. Which just looking at the situation, how could any player on the team or FAs not? This is going to be harder to fix than a new coach and a new deal.

[Darth Biscuit]

I have to give it to Zod... he did call it. What's sad to me is that it's us the fans who get the shaft of a crappy season. Oh, I'm sure it will hurt JRs pocket a bit now that the season is essentially over and attendance drops some... but not that much.

[Khyber53]

Zod, you're right.

And people laughed when you said that at training camp this year, the glaring absence was at the end of the day when there was no Jake Delhomme extolling his teammates to run up the hill and give all they had even at the end of practice. You said it would be about leadership and desire and encouragement.

You were right then and you're right now.

[CLTPanther]

Anyone who still has expectations deserves to be let down

[AceMan]

This is damn near the 2nd "throw-away" type season we've had...1st, by Fox/Delhomme...2nd, by JR.

[CarolinaBlue34]

i think it is a sad state when people are willing to sacrifice a year of somebody else's career for money. Some teams play bad. I get it. But when you are playing bad because the owner has set the tone of "eh, 2010?, we'll just write that one off." this is going to come back and bite jr in the ass and might take longer to fix the panther organization reputation if any of this is taken seriously. Which just looking at the situation, how could any player on the team or fas not? This is going to be harder to fix than a new coach and a new deal.

tampa bay won in baseball with no money!

[err456]

I agree completely with Zod on this one but understand why everyone is looking for answers. The alternative is to just give up. We are just 1-6 lol

[Zod]

The answer is simply that no one cared about this season from the start, starting with ownership. Thats it, thats all.

I think plenty of good conversation can be made on who is the better player and such, but assuming any roster change would have made a lick of difference is laughable.

[JungleCat]

I agree. This team hardly looks like they're trying to play for pride. I hope the idea of throwing away this season pays off in the long run.

[CatMan72]

Yup, a team takes on the personality of it's coach and this team has the personality of a coach that's going to move on once he's finished up the last year of his contract.

[Debil]

The answer is simply that no one cared about this season from the start, starting with ownership. Thats it, thats all.

I think plenty of good conversation can be made on who is the better player and such, but assuming any roster change would have made a lick of difference is laughable.

I don't think they "do not care". But I do think that no one expected things to go the way they did.

You are right about one thing... it really doesn't have anything to do with who is the better player. It has everything to do with who is a good leader, which on offense at least, there really isn't one.

[Urrymonster]

It's no surprise that the rookies have fallen one of two ways.

Some such as Hardy & Gettis have been driven and worked hard because they had something to prove. Young guys typicall keep trying no matter what, some also realise the opportunity staring them in the face, especially as late picks.

The project guys though are destined to fail in this environment. Edwards, LaFell, Clausen etc are crying out for someone to get them into a vet state of mind and how to progress as a pro.

If it was as bad as you say, then this youth movement will be pointless as we (The FO) are setting them up to fail. Even the very best rookie needs mentoring to some degree, hard work and determination can only go so far...