Article on Jerry Richardson's Succession Plans

[CatMan72]

Jon Richardson I'd be fine with.

Mark? Not so much.

Yeah, I would be especially concerned with Mark - never met the man but by all accounts he's a real piece of work.

I would have felt comfortable with Jon prior to him being fired... but if Mark was the problem then why did JR fire both of them?

[Mr. Scot]

Yeah, I would be especially concerned with Mark - never met the man but by all accounts he's a real piece of work.

I would have felt comfortable with Jon prior to him being fired... but if Mark was the problem then why did JR fire both of them?

Choosing one son over the other? Would have been a civil war in his family.

That's the kind of thing that's easier to do in your will than while you're alive.

People who worked for Jon loved him. Not so much with Mark.

[Fan01]

Yeah, I've always heard some not nice things about Mark Richardson and little about Jon but the little I've heard was good.

I've always had the impression that Jon was the nice buy but maybe not a tough enough businessman and that Mark is the corporate asshole boss type.

[GRWatcher]

All that could be sold are his shares and maybe those of this family. And if they don't want to sell, tough luck. Wills with stipulations like this have successfully been challenged in court.

Look, at least we aren't in the Bills' situation. Their owner is 94, has no children, and lives outside of Detroit. There have been various ownership groups who want to keep the team in Buffalo that have approached him about selling and it hasn't happened yet. To them, signing the stadium lease last year was a very big deal.

[Mr. Scot]

Yeah, I've always heard some not nice things about Mark Richardson and little about Jon but the little I've heard was good.

I've always had the impression that Jon was the nice buy but maybe not a tough enough businessman and that Mark is the corporate asshole boss type.

A couple of years back, the team wasn't able to give Christmas bonuses. Mark apparently just said "too bad" to his people. Jon called them all in and handed them 100 dollar bills from his own money. He even apologized that he couldn't give more.

That was apparently the start of the friction between the brothers. Mark got pissed and screamed to Papa because he said it made him look bad.

(in reality, being a prick is what made him look bad)

[BIGH2001]

Sure man. Your bff Bobcat Johnson did a great job and he wasnt local. As usual, a worthless troll post from you.

I pray that our next owner is someone not from NC. The whole "it must be a local" philosophy is a big reason Charlotte sports sucks. We keep giving our trust to local big wigs who care more about making money off their people than giving them a winner. Keeping it in the family has only led to losing.

[mountainpantherfan2]

Jim Goodnight has a fug ton of money.

He has a large net worth not sure how much cash he would have to actually buy a franshise. But him and John Sall together would probably be able to cover it. But would they want to?

[The_Light_Brigade]

But would they want to?

good point.

[MHS831]

I am not sure the remaining owners with loyalties to JR would vote to move the team. Selling out every game and getting financial support from the community...Not smart. Does Florida really need 3 teams?

[Scrumtrilescent]

Sall wouldn't, he lives in his own little world but is one of the nicest guys I've met at any level. I can just picture constant talk of Goodnight moving the franchise to Raleigh by the media when they get bored.

As a minority partner, that'd be cool.

[Fan01]

A couple of years back, the team wasn't able to give Christmas bonuses. Mark apparently just said "too bad" to his people. Jon called them all in and handed them 100 dollar bills from his own money. He even apologized that he couldn't give more.

That was apparently the start of the friction between the brothers. Mark got pissed and screamed to Papa because he said it made him look bad.

(in reality, being a prick is what made him look bad)

I'd heard that same story.

[Panther4Ever]

George Shinn

[CatMan72]

Choosing one son over the other? Would have been a civil war in his family.

That's the kind of thing that's easier to do in your will than while you're alive.

People who worked for Jon loved him. Not so much with Mark.

Understood, but firing an otherwise good man in the interest of fairness doesn't seem fair at all.

This leads me to believe that JR felt Jon was contributing to the problem on some level, the people that worked for Jon may have loved him, but that doesn't mean Jon didn't engage in some sort of pissing contest with Mark to the detriment of the franchise.

[Mr. Scot]

Understood, but firing an otherwise good man in the interest of fairness doesn't seem fair at all.

This leads me to believe that JR felt Jon was contributing to the problem on some level, the people that worked for Jon may have loved him, but that doesn't mean Jon didn't engage in some sort of pissing contest with Mark to the detriment of the franchise.

Word was that rather than pick sides with one son, he cut them both loose. Right decision? No idea. I just think it was one of those "Solomon" moments, or perhaps one where there was no good option.