Rick Bonnell and Tommy Tommilson

[blackcat]

Stick to the NBA and basket weaving with your opinion pieces. It's funny how the local media seems to be the ones most 'hurt' by JR's news conference and I for one don't care. JR owns this team and while he does owe the fans, psl owners, and other business partners his best effort, he owes the media nothing. Rick and tommy, stick to what you know and what some might take you seroiusly about.

[bleys]

That Tommy Tommilson (whoever that is) was absolutely off the wall.. never seen an article so off base..

[Chaos]

Glad I didn't read Tommy's article. Quite sure I won't either.

[Cavscout]

They are just trying to get put in the front row next time with the blonde girl from the Fox affiliate

[panthers55]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/01/06/1958623/richardson-fumbled-fans-simple.html

Here is the Tomlinson article and frankly I agree with him. As a PSl owner I have a stake in the team and have a right to be at least treated like a partner in this venture. We are the Panthers shareholders because without us he wouldn't have gotten the team. As such we deserve more than one press conference every nine years typically after a horrible season. We also deserve an owner with a plan who is apologetic after how bad we were as he raised prices across the board. The PSls and the fact that we are locked into buying them every year unless we can find a buyer is exactly why he can act indifferently. He knows he will get his money no matter what product he puts out on the field. Look at Blank for Atlanta in the middle of a similar debacle when Vick went to jail. He did a bunch of PR, lowered prices and a number of things to restore confidence with the fans who were not obligated to buy season tickets.

He spent his time lobbying about the CBA, berating the media and rambling about a cellphone when he should have been apologizing to the fans and talking about how he plans to fix things.

[Debil]

Good grief.

[MHS831]

THese reporters were defending their colleagues who are not interested in taking a crap where they eat./

[bleys]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/01/06/1958623/richardson-fumbled-fans-simple.html

Here is the Tomlinson article and frankly I agree with him. As a PSl owner I have a stake in the team and have a right to be at least treated like a partner in this venture. We are the Panthers shareholders because without us he wouldn't have gotten the team. As such we deserve more than one press conference every nine years typically after a horrible season. We also deserve an owner with a plan who is apologetic after how bad we were as he raised prices across the board. The PSls and the fact that we are locked into buying them every year unless we can find a buyer is exactly why he can act indifferently. He knows he will get his money no matter what product he puts out on the field. Look at Blank for Atlanta in the middle of a similar debacle when Vick went to jail. He did a bunch of PR, lowered prices and a number of things to restore confidence with the fans who were not obligated to buy season tickets.

He spent his time lobbying about the CBA, berating the media and rambling about a cellphone when he should have been apologizing to the fans and talking about how he plans to fix things.

dude.. I feel ya on wanting more explanations and all that.. but this guy lost me here...

"I think if we think about a number of things, and we look back over time - and time for me is a long time - I guess I would want to start by saying that, I think it was the Meineke Bowl that we went to ... What's your name? Young lady. Nicole? Who are you with? OK. Welcome, Nicole, I don't know you. In fact, I don't know a lot of people. It has been a while since I've been here."

It didn't improve after that.

so JR told a joke and he uses that to bash JR?

LOL

come on man... this was a poorly written article with an agenda..

whatever you were looking for from JR.. I respect where you are coming from.. but as a guy I guess you could say "on the outside", JR spoke to fans without a script- who is 100 years old and had a heart transplant. if he rambles on about a cell phone, I think we can give him a pass.. but he didn't come out and talk to you with a script and try to shove some peaceful words up your ass..

he said Fox is gone because the goal is winning back to back seasons and getting youth on the field instead of riding vets until their legs fall off (i.e., Minter, Rucker, Diggs, Hoover)

As a fan, that's what I wanted to hear.. I wanted to hear him say winning is the main goal and we do a better job replenishing the roster.. well, he addressed that..

as for other explanations, well I don't know what everyone else was looking for, but I do know the part I outlined from that article.. I find it hard to believe anyone is going to sit here and tell me anything other than that quoted part is a completeeeeeeeeeee joke.. and speaks volumes to where that writer is coming from..

the fogerty thing was blown out of proportion more than Jerry's bad hip, and he answered questions from the media and if he put them in their place, well quite frankly I'm glad someone finally did..

but this is JMO... and I've gone back and forth plenty with people and have yet to hear anything valid other than generic random, off the wall responses.. perhaps you can afford me a better explanation from what JR actually said.. then again, it might not be that important if time is of the essence..

[Happy Panther]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/01/06/1958623/richardson-fumbled-fans-simple.html

Here is the Tomlinson article and frankly I agree with him. As a PSl owner I have a stake in the team and have a right to be at least treated like a partner in this venture. We are the Panthers shareholders because without us he wouldn't have gotten the team. As such we deserve more than one press conference every nine years typically after a horrible season. We also deserve an owner with a plan who is apologetic after how bad we were as he raised prices across the board. The PSls and the fact that we are locked into buying them every year unless we can find a buyer is exactly why he can act indifferently. He knows he will get his money no matter what product he puts out on the field. Look at Blank for Atlanta in the middle of a similar debacle when Vick went to jail. He did a bunch of PR, lowered prices and a number of things to restore confidence with the fans who were not obligated to buy season tickets.

He spent his time lobbying about the CBA, berating the media and rambling about a cellphone when he should have been apologizing to the fans and talking about how he plans to fix things.

couldn't agree more

[bleys]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/01/06/1958623/richardson-fumbled-fans-simple.html

Here is the Tomlinson article and frankly I agree with him. As a PSl owner I have a stake in the team and have a right to be at least treated like a partner in this venture. We are the Panthers shareholders because without us he wouldn't have gotten the team. As such we deserve more than one press conference every nine years typically after a horrible season. We also deserve an owner with a plan who is apologetic after how bad we were as he raised prices across the board. The PSls and the fact that we are locked into buying them every year unless we can find a buyer is exactly why he can act indifferently. He knows he will get his money no matter what product he puts out on the field. Look at Blank for Atlanta in the middle of a similar debacle when Vick went to jail. He did a bunch of PR, lowered prices and a number of things to restore confidence with the fans who were not obligated to buy season tickets.

He spent his time lobbying about the CBA, berating the media and rambling about a cellphone when he should have been apologizing to the fans and talking about how he plans to fix things.

dude.. I feel ya on wanting more explanations and all that.. but this guy lost me here...

"I think if we think about a number of things, and we look back over time - and time for me is a long time - I guess I would want to start by saying that, I think it was the Meineke Bowl that we went to ... What's your name? Young lady. Nicole? Who are you with? OK. Welcome, Nicole, I don't know you. In fact, I don't know a lot of people. It has been a while since I've been here."

It didn't improve after that.

so JR told a joke and he uses that to bash JR?

LOL

come on man... this was a poorly written article with an agenda..

I understand the points you've raised, but I can't tell if the article makes just enough similiar points that you are heated about or if you really like hte article..

to me the article is a joke and up above is pretty clear why.. "it didn't improve after that" clearly spells out the agenda when he's referencing JR telling a joke..

if JR was a comedian and this was standup, perhaps that's a good lead in to an article.. since that wasn't the case, the writer is looking for anything to jump JR's bones..

The media asked him questions.. JR didn't just stand up and berate them.. The media asked them the questions they wanted to ask and JR set them straight. "Do you think paying 11 mil to a coaching staff is cheap? do you think being top 5 in coaching salaries is cheap?" Reporter: long pause... "No"..

so where did JR come out and start ripping the media a new one? was it when he took 2 minutes to point out 2 newspaper articles.. 1 he didn't talk about, the 1st he did, when he called the media out for being unaccountable with their sources? well I don't know about you, but this has been one of my BIGGEST pet peeves, and I'm glad someone took 2 measly minutes to address that...

they directed the press conference as much as JR did.. you could say, I'm tired of the media looking for drama instead of looking for football knowledge.. like "JR... what is your plan to turn this franchise around?" "are you looking for a 4-3 HC or 3-4?" "Are you looking for assistants that have previous connections to the Panthers?"

the questions had as much to do with the direction of the press conference as anything.. matter of fact, that's the point of the Q&A. Reporters, you direct the flow now.. ask me anything.. but I fail to see why JR being stern and setting the media straight is a bad thing.. more owners should do this, as with more coaches and players.. and public figures in general..

JR told us 2 important factors of the future... Winning back to back seasons and reloading the roster with new talent instead of riding the wheels off of old vets..

I mean, I don't know how deep you want him to go but right there he told us WINNING is the #1 priority and drafting/coaching up our young guys needs to improve like hell..

I like hearing that..

I understand your irritation with JR, but is there anything JR could have really done differently other than say, again, Sorry fans, I thought it would be better? and I don't know the deal with ticket prices other than he raised them 1 in the last 3 years.. 2 in the last 4 after this year.. is that bad? if he did raise it in '09 instead of this year, would you all feel better?

just my response to you.. I've been over this with others and all I hear are generic, non-factual responses that are really neither here nor there to my rebuttals.. I know you'll do a better job..

[bleys]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/01/06/1958623/richardson-fumbled-fans-simple.html

Here is the Tomlinson article and frankly I agree with him. As a PSl owner I have a stake in the team and have a right to be at least treated like a partner in this venture. We are the Panthers shareholders because without us he wouldn't have gotten the team. As such we deserve more than one press conference every nine years typically after a horrible season. We also deserve an owner with a plan who is apologetic after how bad we were as he raised prices across the board. The PSls and the fact that we are locked into buying them every year unless we can find a buyer is exactly why he can act indifferently. He knows he will get his money no matter what product he puts out on the field. Look at Blank for Atlanta in the middle of a similar debacle when Vick went to jail. He did a bunch of PR, lowered prices and a number of things to restore confidence with the fans who were not obligated to buy season tickets.

He spent his time lobbying about the CBA, berating the media and rambling about a cellphone when he should have been apologizing to the fans and talking about how he plans to fix things.

dude.. I feel ya on wanting more explanations and all that.. but this guy lost me here...

"I think if we think about a number of things, and we look back over time - and time for me is a long time - I guess I would want to start by saying that, I think it was the Meineke Bowl that we went to ... What's your name? Young lady. Nicole? Who are you with? OK. Welcome, Nicole, I don't know you. In fact, I don't know a lot of people. It has been a while since I've been here."

It didn't improve after that.

so JR told a joke and he uses that to bash JR?

LOL

come on man... this was a poorly written article with an agenda..

I understand the points you've raised, but I can't tell if the article makes just enough similiar points that you are heated about or if you really like hte article..

to me the article is a joke and up above is pretty clear why.. "it didn't improve after that" clearly spells out the agenda when he's referencing JR telling a joke..

if JR was a comedian and this was standup, perhaps that's a good lead in to an article.. since that wasn't the case, the writer is looking for anything to jump JR's bones..

The media asked him questions.. JR didn't just stand up and berate them.. The media asked them the questions they wanted to ask and JR set them straight. "Do you think paying 11 mil to a coaching staff is cheap? do you think being top 5 in coaching salaries is cheap?" Reporter: long pause... "No"..

so where did JR come out and start ripping the media a new one? was it when he took 2 minutes to point out 2 newspaper articles.. 1 he didn't talk about, the other he did, when he called the media out for being unaccountable with their sources? well I don't know about you, but this has been one of my BIGGEST pet peeves, and I'm glad someone took 2 measly minutes to address that...

the questions had as much to do with the direction of the press conference as anything.. matter of fact, that's the point of the Q&A. Reporters, you direct the flow now.. ask me anything.. but I fail to see why JR being stern and setting the media straight is a bad thing.. more owners should do this, as with more coaches and players.. and public figures in general..

JR told us 2 important factors of the future... Winning back to back seasons and reloading the roster with new talent instead of riding the wheels off of old vets.. I mean, I don't know how deep you want him to go but right there he told us WINNING is the #1 priority and drafting/coaching up our young guys needs to improve like hell..

I like hearing that..

I understand your irritation with JR, but is there anything JR could have really done differently other than say, again, Sorry fans, I thought it would be better? and I don't know the deal with ticket prices other than he raised them 1 in the last 3 years.. 2 in the last 4 after this year.. is that bad? if he did raise it in '09 instead of this year, would you all feel better?

just my response to you.. I've been over this with others and all I hear are generic, non-factual responses that are really neither here nor there to my rebuttals.. I know you'll do a better job..

[Debil]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/01/06/1958623/richardson-fumbled-fans-simple.html

Here is the Tomlinson article and frankly I agree with him. As a PSl owner I have a stake in the team and have a right to be at least treated like a partner in this venture. We are the Panthers shareholders because without us he wouldn't have gotten the team. As such we deserve more than one press conference every nine years typically after a horrible season. We also deserve an owner with a plan who is apologetic after how bad we were as he raised prices across the board. The PSls and the fact that we are locked into buying them every year unless we can find a buyer is exactly why he can act indifferently. He knows he will get his money no matter what product he puts out on the field. Look at Blank for Atlanta in the middle of a similar debacle when Vick went to jail. He did a bunch of PR, lowered prices and a number of things to restore confidence with the fans who were not obligated to buy season tickets.

He spent his time lobbying about the CBA, berating the media and rambling about a cellphone when he should have been apologizing to the fans and talking about how he plans to fix things.

Tomlinson could care less about PSL owners. He only cares that him and his colleagues were called out on their "sources", and didn't let them control how things went. Plus, he's probably mad JR didn't send him some BBQ to eat while he watched the video of the presser.

I can feel for ya as a PSL owner, but just because you didn't hear him say exactly what you wanted to hear does not mean that he didn't tell you how he was going to fix things. Richardson isn't Blank. Neither are most other owners. So using Blank as the standard for all NFL owners is just not very reasonable.

[bleys]

Tomlinson could care less about PSL owners. He only cares that him and his colleagues were called out on their "sources", and didn't let them control how things went. Plus, he's probably mad JR didn't send him some BBQ to eat while he watched the video of the presser.

I can feel for ya as a PSL owner, but just because you didn't hear him say exactly what you wanted to hear does not mean that he didn't tell you how he was going to fix things. Richardson isn't Blank. Neither are most other owners. So using Blank as the standard for all NFL owners is just not very reasonable.

I guess I could have just wrote that instead of a long winded response.. lol

[Debil]

I guess I could have just wrote that instead of a long winded response.. lol

Well, here's my long-winded response

I can understand having money tied up in something and wanting a good return for it. I'd like nothing better myself. But I know what is on that PSL agreement. There is nothing on there stating "you are promised better than a 2-14 season, or an apology". You are not promised back-to-back winning seasons. Nor is there any promise that you will get all of your money back if you decide to sell the PSLs. You sign it, you accept it as-is. If you bought PSLs as an "investment", then maybe you should have invested in something with less risk.

I know there is going to be an argument that in buying a PSL, "I have helped build that stadium, and thus helped JR bring the NFL to Charlotte, and he owes me an explanation/apology." Well, yeah... in a way you/we did. But all that was promised to you in return on that PSL agreement was the rights to specific seats and the rights to purchase season tickets for those same seats every year. That is all.

As a PSL owner, you don't "own" the team, or even "co-own" the team. You do not have any partnership rights to the team. You have no say in how the business or the team is run. You have to take the bad along with the good. If someone signs that agreement thinking otherwise, then they are setting themselves up for a huge disappointment, as some seem to have done.

If you own a PSL and don't like what JR is doing, then there are two options you have, as I see it:

1 - Ride it out

2 - Sell out

Actually, that goes for non-PSL owners too.