The enthusiasm gap

[CatMan72]

It goes all the way back to Cam being afraid to let the team down during training camp... as great as he has been, he's still a 22 year old "kid" with very limited playing experience and even less losing experience.

He'll continue to learn how to be leader and how to handle himself more constructively after mistakes and losses, I have no doubt about that.

[bleys]

as crazy as it sounds, Cam's biggest hurdle may turn out to be leadership..

[ShutDwn]

It's fuging phenomenal that one of our main weaknesses is that our Rookie QB puts the entire team on himself too much. He only does it because he knows he can.

He's still 22 going out and taking top teams to the brink almost every week. It was stupid how we lost, but it's like playing your little brother in basketball. You may still beat him now and he gets frustrated. But there comes a time where you know how close he was to winning better than he does and your winning days are limited.

[Proudiddy]

I was just thinking about Cam's INTs this year, and it just seems his mistakes, when they do happen, happen in bunches... I think this is a product of what Moose is talking about.

I wonder if it can be attributed to there not being a really vocal guy out there on the field at all times - both offense and defense. That's why I think it looks like our team just dies when they make a mistake, nobody is jacking them up and saying "Get your sh*t together, this isn't going to happen again."

[raleigh-panther]

I think Mare needs to be gone. He sucks the life blood out this team.

I think If he comes back next year as the Panthers kicker, something is terribly terribly wrong with the Front Office.

I think many things suffered offensively on the oline when Kalil went out and the shuffling from Gross and Newton felt very uncomfortable.

I think Newton has a lot of growing up to do as evidenced by his press conference demeanor.

I think if the Panthers don't mix free agency and the draft its going to be another long long year in 2012.

I think I'm getting older and as the country song goes, 'my give a damn is broken'.

[csx]

Mare sucks but the best kicker in the league is not going to keep the offense rolling in the second half or improve the defense.

He's not even on the radar of whats wrong with this team though.

Definitely needs to be upgraded though.

[Dpantherman]

I was just thinking about Cam's INTs this year, and it just seems his mistakes, when they do happen, happen in bunches... I think this is a product of what Moose is talking about.

I wonder if it can be attributed to there not being a really vocal guy out there on the field at all times - both offense and defense. That's why I think it looks like our team just dies when they make a mistake, nobody is jacking them up and saying "Get your sh*t together, this isn't going to happen again."

We didn't really die after his interception though. He lead the team down the field in twice after that.

But agree to a point with what you are saying. When anything bad happens, it reminds me of Bad Jake around 2009 on. The team was flat after that and never recovered.

[Mvp2014]

It is a part of being young and not having experience. I know it is hard for the fans but this thing will turn big time unless the players quit buying into the coaches. There must be patience as hard as that is for us as fans.

I am saying this now that I have cooled down, but there are 3 broken pieces of property laying around my house thanks to that meltdown Sunday.

I had to put a painting over the hole I punched in my wall after Mare missed that kick, cut that loser, please!!

[Proudiddy]

We didn't really die after his interception though. He lead the team down the field in twice after that.

But agree to a point with what you are saying. When anything bad happens, it reminds me of Bad Jake around 2009 on. The team was flat after that and never recovered.

Yeah, I didn't mean after the first one. I actually meant they slowly die, lol.

And yes, it's very much like that.

My main point was that after the first big mistake everything after seems to be like a masquerade... It's like they're going through the motions because they feel they already know the outcome, which results in more mistakes.

I think that's why it hurts so much for us as fans to watch because we can see that they aren't just playing the opponent, as cliche as it sounds, they're having a harder time playing against themselves.

[rayzor]

If you missed what Muhsin Muhammad said on WFNZ this morning, I suggest you check it out. He said that the biggest problem the Panthers have is the lack of enthusiasm at the first sign of adversity in the second half. He talked about how amped the team always is in the first half, but when Cam or someone has a big gaffe in the second half, things spiral out of control. He brought up Cam's demeanor after the first pick and said it affected him mentally where he needs to have a short memory. Then the rest of the team sees Cam start spiraling and they know what's coming.

Very interesting. I recommend checking it out because it makes a ton of sense.

i was thinking the exact same thing the whole 2nd half and even more with time to mull it over.

the team just needs to grow a spine. it has none at all. when things are going good, they're jumping all around but as soon as someone makes a mistake, they crumble...unfortunately that is probably more true for newton and you could even say that it's his fault when everyone crumbles, not that it should be his fault.

the team relies on newton to a fault...not just for playmaking, but for their passion and fire. that's where the team as a whole need to get their own spine instead of borrowing the spine of a very young but very talented 22 year old kid. when he's hyped, they are hyped. when he gets flustered, they get flustered. they just need to grow up and grow a pair.

when newton screws up it eats him up and while i am glad that he won't accept it, the dude just needs to learn to shake it off and move on quickly. he lets it eat him up and he will never get back to winning unless he can do that. he has to have that short memory in the game. he needs to get more balanced psychologically. that will come with age and maturity, but he needs to start working on it now.

he needs to learn that when obsess over the 'why' things messed up or why he made a mistake, he loses the ability to pick things back up the next play. he needs to get over it and get his fire back. unless he changes he's going to be about as clutch as tony romo.

this is one area that his coaches need to be helping him with. part of coaching is motivation and they need to jump on him and tell him to get his head back in the game and get things going again. the whole team needs that.

[rayzor]

It's fuging phenomenal that one of our main weaknesses is that our Rookie QB puts the entire team on himself too much. He only does it because he knows he can.

He's still 22 going out and taking top teams to the brink almost every week. It was stupid how we lost, but it's like playing your little brother in basketball. You may still beat him now and he gets frustrated. But there comes a time where you know how close he was to winning better than he does and your winning days are limited.

i think it's worse that most of the team has no problem riding on his shoulders.

[fjblair]

As other have noted Cam has a lot of growing up to do as far as leadership. He can't get all mopey every time something goes wrong. He's the leader and others are getting their vibes from him.

As far as losing goes he needs to get over it. He's going to lose plenty, deal with it. He's on a young team that will improve and will win. His future is blindingly bright and he's obviously going to win in bunches but losing comes with the territory.

[BigSyke]

sound just like what i said earlier. but yeah its true and cam is a young rookie that is so real and cant fake like others. he will learn to hide it better because it affects the team. and he bounce back in the 4th with the long pass to smith, then that bad playcalling popped up............

[mmmbeans]

sound just like what i said earlier. but yeah its true and cam is a young rookie that is so real and cant fake like others. he will learn to hide it better because it affects the team. and he bounce back in the 4th with the long pass to smith, then that bad playcalling popped up............

it's not about faking anything its about being a professional and not letting your hurt feelings get in the way of doing your job.

that's what a pro is.