The Mini Camp Thread....(updated Sunday)

[mantal]

Freudian slip, my dear?

Guys don't like to think of Beavers in pads.

I've never minded...

[Proudiddy]

I always touch beavers in pads. Extra sauce.

now there's your disgusting!

You beat me, I'm gonna go lick my toilet bowl to clean out the taste that joke left in my mouth...

[Kurb]

back on topic please

[mantal]

back on topic please

Well, if someone would actually post something from the camp today we might be able to stay on topic, unfortunately that hasn't seemed to happen and you know us...

[monstercat]

Can somebody explain to me why the Charlotte Observer is the worst one of the bunch when it comes to these Panthers updates? They have three freakin people covering this team and they still can't keep up with Gantt and Reed who are both on their own and working for smaller papers with fewer resources. WTH?

[Zod]

Darin is the first reporter there, and the last one to leave.

I did not see any Observer reporters out there on Friday at all. Must have been at Quail hollow. Reed showed up half way into practice.

[monstercat]

That figures.

Don't these idiots know that the Panthers are the biggest sports story in the Charlotte area? I know the golf tournament is big too, but you would think they could send one damn reporter to cover the Panthers.

[scpanther22]

jamal lee got drafted in the CFL draft today..

[Kurb]

Darin is the first reporter there, and the last one to leave.

I did not see any Observer reporters out there on Friday at all. Must have been at Quail hollow. Reed showed up half way into practice.

Darin should have gotten the ESPN job Yas has. IMO

[Fireball77]

Darin deserved it, but glad he is where he is (selfishly, I admit).

That is something about how many reporters they have for C.com with so little coverage. We get the best coverage right here from Mr. Scot for observations and Zod for pictures.

[Mother Grabber]

The reporting from fans on here is much more thorough than anything that I've read on any of the paper sites, especially the Observer. They've posted one paragraph about this weekend. Stop the madness...

[Mr. Scot]

Well, if someone would actually post something from the camp today we might be able to stay on topic, unfortunately that hasn't seemed to happen and you know us...

You called?

(posting shortly)

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

You called?

(posting shortly)

cue heavenly light and angelic choir.

[Mr. Scot]

Sorry to be so long in typing this. I had a bit of a hectic day after camp.

Plus I took a load of notes (might be information overload)

(yeah, I know; get on with it)

Got there early enough to see guys walking in today but couldn’t stay for the whole thing (work). Saw most of it though. Spent a good bit of time watching the “trench” players (mostly DL but some OL too) and likely a good portion of my comments will be about them.

WALK-INS

Saw WVU LB Mortty Ivy talking to fellow rookie Mike Juergens as they walked to the field. Sounded like Ivy was asking for tips.

Big man Kemo walked up with little man Captain Munnerlyn. Quite the contrast seeing those two together.

DeAngelo Williams walked up together with rookie DL Marlon Favorite. Looked like he was trying to encourage him. Looked up a little info to see if there was any connection between them but couldn’t find anything. Maybe DeAngelo is just being kind to a rookie. In the process, I did learn that Favorite was considered by LSU teammates to be the best rapper on their team. Funny, since later in practice I heard him called “Big Fave” a couple of times (wonder if it’s a stage name).

DC Ron Meeks and DL Coach Brian Baker acknowledged fans as they were walking in. As he turned to go to the field, Baker drawled out an elongated “Aaaaallrighty then.”

Not sure if I mentioned it previously, but it looks like Hilee Taylor might have packed on a little muscle in the offseason.

Once again today, you saw Jake running to the field past some other guys who were just walking. Pretty clear Jake takes the need to “hustle” seriously. By contrast, Steve Smith arrived on a cart and hopped off right in front of me. I nodded to him, but Smith was all business (and no, I don’t think the cart or his demeanor says anything negative).

PRACTICE THOUGHTS

First up today, the offense went to one field while the defense took the next one over. Both sides were working on formations, with the offense running passes and the defense working on flowing to the ball and pursuit. Coach Davidson ran the offensive side and Coach Meeks the defense. Coach Fox stood between the two fields, overseeing and keeping a watchful eye on things but letting his coordinators take charge of their respective units.

One thing you get clearly from early on watching a Panthers practice: It’s very structured and very high energy. There’s always plenty going on and no questions who’s in charge. At the sound of the horn, players move to their next assignment like trained horses. Overall, it runs like a well-oiled machine.

That’s not to say it’s thoroughly buttoned down and no fun. Case in point: At one time during the split unit drills, both units were doing short sprints. Kemo, Lewis and the other defenders were yelling and snarling as they run. Suddenly, someone over on the offensive side (pretty sure it was Delhomme) started mimicking the defensive noises. The rest of the offensive guys joined in, and laughter ensued on both sides. For a little bit there, it was a “battle of the bands” with each unit trying to sound the more ferocious snarl (personally, I’d call it a draw).

Watching him running drills, you quickly get the impression that Ron Meeks is very detail oriented. Early in the session, he was showing the safeties at what point they were “in the box” or “out of the box”. He was also a stickler for proper alignment along the front, dictating just how far the line splits needed to be and where the linebackers needed to look.

Watch a little longer, and you’ll also get the impression that Meeks is not an easy man to please. When running defensive drills, if he doesn’t like what he sees, he wants it run again. And that’s with no respect to who’s rookie and who’s veteran. I’d add that his position coaches seem to share that philosophy.

One thing that really made me perk up, though, happened when the defense was running over to the other field. Meeks voice boomed out loud and clear the words “Where’s Richard Marshall? Where’s Richard Marshall? Is he running?” Immediately made me wonder if Meeks find’s Marshall a bit lackadaisical. All speculative, of course, but there is one thing I can say for certain from this and other things heard at practice. Meeks is a guy who will name names. Blow an assignment or a drill and you can expect he’ll call you out. And clearly, nobody is exempt from criticism.

Rookie RB Mike Goodson was practicing today, and boy is he fast. He took a pitch from Josh McCown and turned it into a really nice run. Also caught a pass over the middle from Delhomme and thoroughly burned a linebacker after the catch. If he stays healthy, there’s definitely the possibility he’ll contribute, and maybe not just on special teams.

Placido (Tony) Fiammetta caught a nice pass out of the backfield from Josh McCown in offensive drills. After the play was over, he stopped and sang an aria from La Bohème (okay I was lying about that last part, but it could happen). So maybe he didn’t sing an aria, but he did do a stirring rendition of “Mama said knock you out (or at least down)” on one play. He was singing to LB Mike Juergens, who was so affected by the performance that he wound up on the ground.

While we’re on the rookie train, let’s talk about Sherrod Martin. On one play today, he made a nice leaping pick of a pass thrown by Josh McCown. Later on he picked Jake too (more about that later).

One of the new stretches coach Jerry Simmons had the guys doing made them all look like they were doing the Wayne’s World “We’re not worthy” bit. Speaking of Simmons, he reminds me of the stereotypical high school phys-ed teacher every time I see him. Getting extra help with today’s stretching: OL Mackenzy Bernadeau.

Among the more flexible looking guys during stretching, Gary Barnidge, Dan Connor, Dante Rosario, Jason Baker, and Rhys Lloyd. I noticed during stretching today that while everyone else was following Jerry Simmons lead, John Kasay and Steve Smith hung out at the back, stretched on their own and chatted. Veteran privilege I suppose, and not likely anyone would question the effort or commitment of either guy.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Got to see a lot of the DL today, which meant hearing a lot more of Coach Brian Baker. I swear he never stops talking, and his demeanor is very much “drill sergeant”. I also have to wonder if he doesn’t have some martial arts background, because a lot of the stuff he’s teaching seems like it comes from that sort of school.

During an agility drill, he was constantly yelling at the guys to make their turns tight. “Don’t circle,” he yelled repeatedly, “We do not want to go in a circle. Plant the toe and snap the hip.” The drill in question had the guys going around a set of pylons, then rushing in and smacking a tackling dummy. The point of the way they were hitting the tackling dummy was to teach yet another technique for going for a strip. Yet again, evidence that this will be a heavy emphasis in the coming season.

It was during this drill, after jumping on Tyler Brayton for being too circular in his movements and seeing Kemo fall to the ground while going for the dummy that Baker blew a gasket. He stopped the drill and went off for over a minute on the whole bunch. Watching this, I really think we might be paying a price for having our prior DL coach be a guy whose main specialty was linebackers. Clearly, Baker thinks DL technique is lacking. And sadly, there’s evidence to back him up.

Yesterday, it was Marlon Favorite who took most of Baker’s wrath. Today, pretty much no one was exempt. Kemo, Corvey Irvin, Everette Brown, Tyler Brayton, Hilee Taylor, each of them got at least one talking to. He actually had Everette Brown walk through one drill just to make certain he got the technique right, telling him “it’s not a race, get it right.”

About the only people who got off without getting jumped on by Coach Baker were Charles Johnson (who was absent), Julius Peppers (ditto, for different reasons) and me (though he looked at me once or twice and probably would have said something had I not hidden behind a tree).

Speaking of Julius, you have to wonder how he’d bear up under a fire breathing coach like Baker. Doubt we’ll ever find out, but I’d pay to see it.

Couple of times I heard Baker saying “Take the air out.” I’m sure he explained what that meant to his guys, but I wasn’t privy to it, so I don’t know what it meant. What I do know is that he definitely “Took the air out” of the DL guys. They were sucking wind pretty badly during drills.

Fatigue came partially because anybody that messed up had to go again, and if they were working as a unit and one guy messed up, the whole unit had to go again. This happened a lot as they were hitting the blocking sled. Baker especially got on to Kemo, Irvin and Brown during this part, getting down and showing them exactly what he wanted in a first step and fire out. At one point, he even demonstrated a movement and smacked Everette Brown across the gut (and here I thought these practices were non-contact). He was clear in this bit, telling them in no uncertain terms “That’s how I want it done.”