Panther Beat Writers

[Mr. Scot]

So here's a bit of analysis of the guys who are the prime source for Panther info...

For a long time, Darin Gantt and the Rock Hill Herald had been pretty much unchallenged as the best source for Panthers news. He nearly always had the stories before anyone else did, and he was dead on more often than not. These days, he's still one of the best, having arguably the best understanding of how the organization tends to operate as well as being, by accounts of some who know, one of the harder working reporters on his beat.

With that said, these days, I think he actually has some competition.

It's been Charles Chandler at the Charlotte Observer who's been the first to break more than one recent story, and his affiliation with the team - although put off for a few years while Pat Yasinskas took the lead - goes back as far as Gantt's. Chandler was the Observer's original Panthers beat reporter, and his insights have been solid. He and Gantt had different takes on how likely the team was to keep Geoff Hangartner, and in the end it was Chandler who proved right. The two of them had differing opinions also on whether or not the team would ultimately keep Julius Peppers. The jury's still out on that one.

And then there's Steve Reed over at the Gaston Gazette. In the last year or so, he's much improved over prior outings. He lost some credibility with fans a few years back over two ill-written items. One, a firm declaration that the Panthers would never sign Keyshawn Johnson (oops) the other, a mistaken analysis of a player's cap figure (I forget whose). These days though, he's gotten much better at the analysis and even managed to be the first to break one or two items (though it's still rare he has a story first).

The afforementioned Pat Yasinskas is still around, though writing for ESPN and with what often comes off as an anti-Fox bias. The problem with Yasinskas has tended to be his choice of sources. Taking Kris Jenkins word as gospel, for example, only to have us later see that many players had a "thank God he's gone" reaction to his trade. Throw in his pronouncement that Mike McCoy was a lock for the OC spot that eventually went to Jeff Davidson, his prime source for that info being Mike McCoy's agent (oops). Still, Yasinskas often has good insight as well. I think it's a mistake to completely dismiss his take on things. I might disagree with it at times, but it's still very much worth a look.

One who's not around anymore, at least not covering the Panthers, is Joe Menzer from the Winston-Salem Journal. I feel like I'd be remiss writing about the beat writers and not mentioning him. Menzer's insights were generally solid, and his co-written book on the Panthers first season was a great read. Haven't looked at the journal's site for a while, so I couldn't tell you the name of his replacement. Menzer though, was pretty good in his day.

So all in all, I'd say we have a pretty good set of writers. Mind you, all of them are a bit handicapped covering a team that prefers to keep an extremely tight lid on info and a head coach whose post game quotes could be generated by a cliche' machine. Still, they do the best they can with what they have. And overall, I think it's a decent product.

Though obviously, other opinions differ :sosp:

[Fireball77]

And then there's Steve Reed over at the Gaston Gazette. In the last year or so, he's much improved over prior outings. He lost some credibility with fans a few years back over two ill-written items. One, a firm declaration that the Panthers would never sign Keyshawn Johnson (oops) the other, a mistaken analysis of a player's cap figure (I forget whose). These days though, he's gotten much better at the analysis and even managed to be the first to break one or two items (though it's still rare he has a story first).

I agree wholeheartedly that Reed has improved a HUGE BIT over the past year. One of the things that bothered me is that he would often have factual and easily looked up information incorrect, and he would have tons of spelling/grammar errors in his writing. Those two things have gotten better as well.

[Mr. Scot]

There's other guys, of course: Scott Fowler, Stan Olson, David Scott, Tom Sorenson, etc, but for this discussion I only included the guys who cover the Panthers as regular beat writers.

[Fireball77]

Actually I like Andrew Mason a good bit as well. I know he's one people will likely call a shill since he works for the team, but his writing is good, IMO, and he writes interesting takes on things.

[Mr. Scot]

Actually I like Andrew Mason a good bit as well. I know he's one people will likely call a shill since he works for the team, but his writing is good, IMO, and he writes interesting takes on things.

I'd agree. He's not technically a journalist, but I enjoy the stories as he writes them and the multimedia he puts together. Looks like the new site design is in his hands, and he's done well.

With that mention, I'd be negligent not to include our old buddy Brett on here. Much as we kid him on here, he deserves plenty of credit for the job he did as Panthers writer as well.

Kudos Brett :hurray:

[Fireball77]

He does...man I miss those hot potato interviews too!

[Mr. Scot]

Have to admit I'm amused at the sudden level of hate there is for Darin Gantt since he voiced something that a lot of people already believed anyway.

More than once, and even recently, I've had ideas about what I thought would happen on a certain issue contradicted by a story from Gantt or someone else. And so what? They've got inside access. I don't. What does it actually accomplish to get venomous over that? :nonod:

[natty]

I think Gantt is the most accurate because he knows the team well and how the FO thinks and his personal opinion normally is inline with the FO. He doesn't try to stretch and create a story that's not there. Yas has probably been the worst at that and is probably why he's gotten the promotion to espn.

[Woodie]

The recent Gantt hate is directly tied to the Jake hate. Sure, him mocking the nutjobs that are so blinded they cannot understand the realities of the situation has pushed things a bit, but the same people bitching now, have consistently bitched whenever he wrote an article that didn't slam Jake. They seem to take it personally that he doesn't agree with them that Jake must be gone at all costs, and resent the fact he writes about what will actually happen, which is that no matter what anyone wants, Jake is the QB in 2009.

[rayzor]

Actually I like Andrew Mason a good bit as well. I know he's one people will likely call a shill since he works for the team, but his writing is good, IMO, and he writes interesting takes on things.

I'd agree. He's not technically a journalist, but I enjoy the stories as he writes them and the multimedia he puts together. Looks like the new site design is in his hands, and he's done well.

With that mention, I'd be negligent not to include our old buddy Brett on here. Much as we kid him on here, he deserves plenty of credit for the job he did as Panthers writer as well.

Kudos Brett :hurray:

Mason would be better if he didn't try so hard to impress us with his use of the English language. My only complaints about him is that he pulls out the thesaurus too much and will use words and phrases incorrectly. He also is prone to run on sentences. I write for a living so I kind of pick up on those things probably too much, but still...he does OK. I will say I am jealous of his job. I wouldn't want the responsibility of the website but I would gladly take on that writing gig.

re: Brett...is that Dawg?

[Matt Foley]

Mr. Scot, how could you forget David Newton? He is now one of the top NASCAR guys at espn. Menzer is now at nascar.com.

Of all the ones you mention, I like Andrew's writing the best. Probably because I know what a great job he is doing dealing with what he is dealing with. Yes, he uses 50-cent words when 25-cent words would do, but that only makes us all improve our vocabulary.

I'm friends with several of the people you mention, so I don't want to say anything about who's better amongst them, but I will say this....the factual errors that you sometimes put on the writer...a good newspaper staff saves many writers by checking on those. The Observer, for instance, probably has many more qualified eyeballs that look something over before it goes to print than, say, the Gazette.

Most of them are guys you would enjoy having a beer with. They're not Panthers fans, but if you really want your beat writers to be fans, then don't complain when you get blindsided by something negative from a national source.

[Fireball77]

I know you don't drink, but you were too shy to talk to me then Dawg?

I don't mind the 50 cent words from Mason because honestly, reading some of the stuff on the internet forums makes me long for that type of stuff...lol

[Mr. Scot]

Mr. Scot, how could you forget David Newton? He is now one of the top NASCAR guys at espn. Menzer is now at nascar.com.

Of all the ones you mention, I like Andrew's writing the best. Probably because I know what a great job he is doing dealing with what he is dealing with. Yes, he uses 50-cent words when 25-cent words would do, but that only makes us all improve our vocabulary.

I'm friends with several of the people you mention, so I don't want to say anything about who's better amongst them, but I will say this....the factual errors that you sometimes put on the writer...a good newspaper staff saves many writers by checking on those. The Observer, for instance, probably has many more qualified eyeballs that look something over before it goes to print than, say, the Gazette.

Most of them are guys you would enjoy having a beer with. They're not Panthers fans, but if you really want your beat writers to be fans, then don't complain when you get blindsided by something negative from a national source.

But I don't drink :eek:

You'll have to enlighten me about Newton. Which paper was he with?

And come on, didn't you hear that Darin Gantt was a colossal Panthers homer who does nothing but say whatever the team tells him to? Not a fan...HA!

And you're right. I don't want beat writers to be fans. I also don't want them to be haters, but that's apparently what some here would prefer.

I am amazed at how personally some folks seem to take this stuff. Heck, I can recall one fan who never got over being on the wrong side of the Weinke-Delhomme debate and wound up changing teams over it. Sheesh :nonod:

[rayzor]

Of all the ones you mention, I like Andrew's writing the best. Probably because I know what a great job he is doing dealing with what he is dealing with. Yes, he uses 50-cent words when 25-cent words would do, but that only makes us all improve our vocabulary.

If he could use them correctly it would help everyone improve. Larger vocabulary doesn't help when you don't use it correctly. Using them just because they are there and you want to say something different makes you sound like you are trying to impress. Using them incorrectly makes you sound like you are trying too hard.

He's new, I assume. He'll get better.