Coach Rivera interview on WFNZ today (6/20)

[Marguide]

I did not hear any news in that interview that Otah is gone and I cannot believe this many people did.

well, maybe I can believe it

No. He didn't say he is gone. He said he is going to have to work to be our RT.

He has been given a clean bill of health. He has a training program designed by Dr. James Andrews, the best in the field. The Panthers have done everything they can to make sure he is in excellent shape (not perfect, most veterans have at least a few nicks here and there, Jeff is no different). If Jeff can't get past the occasional soreness and swelling, he is not going to be on the field.

[BEASTfromdaEAST]

I hope people aren't sleeping on Bruce Campbell the guy has potential to be an animal. Byron Bell has good potential as well just needs to stop making stupid penalties all the time. We as fans should not even be counting on this guy being our RT side tackle this year because he barely has played that for us. 4 yrs-----29 games??????? How have we not released him aready is my question.

Loved how Rivera said Captain was pretty much going to have to fight for the Nickle position. John Norman must be really impressing Rivera. Darius/Hogan possible snaking that nickle position would be fine with me. Put Captain back on ST and I really like that scenario.

Rivera is the man plain and simple. Really liking that pick up by JR.

[Ivan The Awesome]

"Building this place as our place, our stadium, making it hard for opponents to play here" Ron Rivera.

I never have had the chance to go to a Panther game. Watched many games on NFL Ticket, or 15 second highlights on numerous sports shows before I was able to afford the Ticket. One thing I have always noticed is how there seems to be a lot of opponent fans at the game. Also, how fans that attend the game is of the wine and cheese type. Rivera wants us to be loud when opponents are on offense, make it hard for them to play here. This was at the beginning of the interview BTW......

Yeah I missed that important part man, My bad. LOL. He did say that he wanted us to take over that stadium and for other teams to fear coming to the stadium.

I hope people aren't sleeping on Bruce Campbell the guy has potential to be an animal. Byron Bell has good potential as well just needs to stop making stupid penalties all the time. We as fans should not even be counting on this guy being our RT side tackle this year because he barely has played that for us. 4 yrs-----29 games??????? How have we not released him aready is my question.

Loved how Rivera said Captain was pretty much going to have to fight for the Nickle position. John Norman must be really impressing Rivera. Darius/Hogan possible snaking that nickle position would be fine with me. Put Captain back on ST and I really like that scenario.

Rivera is the man plain and simple. Really liking that pick up by JR.

You're right, Rivera said himself that he was tried at Guard in Oakland and really misused. He can be a dominant RT for sure.

[Ivan The Awesome]

God I miss Bojangles...I used to have this at least 4 times a week. And I wonder why I used to weigh 300 pounds..

[Swaggasaurus]

I hope people aren't sleeping on Bruce Campbell the guy has potential to be an animal. Byron Bell has good potential as well just needs to stop making stupid penalties all the time. We as fans should not even be counting on this guy being our RT side tackle this year because he barely has played that for us. 4 yrs-----29 games??????? How have we not released him aready is my question.

Loved how Rivera said Captain was pretty much going to have to fight for the Nickle position. John Norman must be really impressing Rivera. Darius/Hogan possible snaking that nickle position would be fine with me. Put Captain back on ST and I really like that scenario.

Rivera is the man plain and simple. Really liking that pick up by JR.

JR/Hurney, gotta give old Marty some cred on that

[Kuech the Sneak]

We could have a couple "sleeper" offseason acquisitions in Campbell and nakamura

[Gallagher]

Does anyone else think Rivera sounds like Hank Hill?

[CatMan72]

Only the Raiders would try to use Bruce Campbell at guard... LOL

The man is 6'7" and ran a sub 5 second 40 at the combine, and they insert him at guard.

RIP Al Davis

[carolinarolls]

No. He didn't say he is gone. He said he is going to have to work to be our RT.

He has been given a clean bill of health. He has a training program designed by Dr. James Andrews, the best in the field. The Panthers have done everything they can to make sure he is in excellent shape (not perfect, most veterans have at least a few nicks here and there, Jeff is no different). If Jeff can't get past the occasional soreness and swelling, he is not going to be on the field.

you and most hear a coach telling the fans that Otah needs to earn the spot and consider him to be behind the 8 ball.

you and most hear that he sits out, gets an MRI, or is absent and assume that he "can't play through the pain"

I hear a coach who plainly said when he arrived in Charlotte that "all" players will have to earn their spot who is not doing what he can to motivate who he feels is the best option when healthy without showing any favoritism.

We both may be wrong. The truth is probably somewhere in between. The truth is that neither of us have spoken to Jeff off the record, have access to his "clean bill of health" or know how much confidence Riv and the entire staff have in Jeff at this point.

It's almost like people around here are hoping that he fails. Like people want him to be proved a pussy and wash out. This continues to shock me. From what I remember I want him to pull through. I want him to start and be as productive as he once was. I don't want a first rounder to wash out.

What is the point of wanting him to wash out or "be gone"? What is the goal here. To be right? To have taken a shot in the dark and be proven right so you can say "hey. I told you guys so. I was right about him"

If so that is fuged up. Maybe these Otah detractors just want to blame somebody for a loss or six over the last couple years. Maybe some of these posters want a scapegoat. If that is the case, that is just sad.

He may prove to be crippled and have zero pain threshold and a worse move than Gilbert. Until that is proven I am pulling for the guy and I believe Riv and the rest of the offense is too.

[Swaggasaurus]

you and most hear a coach telling the fans that Otah needs to earn the spot and consider him to be behind the 8 ball.

you and most hear that he sits out, gets an MRI, or is absent and assume that he "can't play through the pain"

I hear a coach who plainly said when he arrived in Charlotte that "all" players will have to earn their spot who is not doing what he can to motivate who he feels is the best option when healthy without showing any favoritism.

We both may be wrong. The truth is probably somewhere in between. The truth is that neither of us have spoken to Jeff off the record, have access to his "clean bill of health" or know how much confidence Riv and the entire staff have in Jeff at this point.

It's almost like people around here are hoping that he fails. Like people want him to be proved a pussy and wash out. This continues to shock me. From what I remember I want him to pull through. I want him to start and be as productive as he once was. I don't want a first rounder to wash out.

What is the point of wanting him to wash out or "be gone"? What is the goal here. To be right? To have taken a shot in the dark and be proven right so you can say "hey. I told you guys so. I was right about him"

If so that is fuged up. Maybe these Otah detractors just want to blame somebody for a loss or six over the last couple years. Maybe some of these posters want a scapegoat. If that is the case, that is just sad.

He may prove to be crippled and have zero pain threshold and a worse move than Gilbert. Until that is proven I am pulling for the guy and I believe Riv and the rest of the offense is too.

I believe there are very few people here who really want Otah to fail or "wash out". Most people know how good that he is when he is out on the field, but the reality is he is not been there in awhile. People like me want him to succeed, especially for what we gave up for him, but that does not omit him from criticism from me or anyone else who lives for Panthers football.

We do jump to conclusions here a lot, but Rivera has repeatedly said that Jeff coming back is up to Jeff. What this tells me is structurally his body is fine and the team doctors say he checks out. Otah is a big man who has had some injuries, he will continue to have pain from previous surgeries/lower leg injuries due to his 330+lb frame.

I think maybe he is not tough enough, maybe he does not want it bad enough, but I don't know poo about anything....just like everyone else on this board. I like to make light hearted jabs about Otah's issues being due to weight, while everyone knows that is not the real problem, but it is fun and it is the off-season.

My hope is that Otah will start at RT every game this season and fuging dominate. Do I think that will happen? No. Do I think that his days are numbered? Yes.

[Montsta]

I don't think anyone wants Otah to fail. For me at least, it's more I want him to get his poo together and start kicking ass on Sundays or get off the got damn pot and let Bell take all the snaps and develop. This dangling carrot poo with Otah has started to get old is all. He reminds of the guys that looked awesome in camp every year only to choke during the season. You were just left feeling like he's almost there only to get shat on, and with Otah it's been like that for a while. Thomas Davis is actually in a similar boat, but people around here give him more leeway because he at least seems to bust ass and want to be here, and his body just won't seem to allow it, whereas Otah's seems more like a lack of willpower than it is his body not letting him play. I could be wrong, but to me this is how things seem.

[Hairless Cat]

Love Rivera

[fieryprophet]

I can see why Rivera has always been successful as a coach wherever he's been. He refuses to make excuses when things don't go well, is always blunt about where improvements must be made, demands execution and expectations to be championship-worthy, and will openly say which players he's pleased with and who needs to get their act together.

Player's can respect someone who's going to tell them exactly what he expects from them.

[cultclassiccat]

I want the stadium filled w fans and Camwagoners screaming hootn n hollerin., seeing Foxy poo on our sidelines w that blank look on his face wondering "where am I"? You aint in kansas anymore, youre in Peytons rectum. And his rectum has an under armour size 14 firmly implanted.

God i love Ron