Feb 4, 2000 Shula fired as OC...

[Sloth]

They also had a different starting QB, RB, and signed Keyshawn Johnson at WR.

In your opinion, who was a better QB, Dilfer or Shaun King? Was Johnson the main reason they shifted up 21 spots in scoring?

[Cyberjag]

I seriously doubt that anyone here defending the selection would have had him on a short list of potential OCs had RIvera not put him there. A month ago, if you had polled the board about Shula the consensus would have been that he's a great QB coach, but a lousy OC. That's exactly what was said about him when he was hired.

But now, a head coach with two years left on his contract and one real year to win decides to promote him to OC, and suddenly he's not only the logical choice, he's going to be really good and his prior performance should not count when we talk about his qualifications. And besides, there are a ton of excuses available for why he did so poorly when he was actually calling plays.

Wouldn't it be nice, for a change, if we had coaches that didn't need excuses?

[panthers55]

I seriously doubt that anyone here defending the selection would have had him on a short list of potential OCs had RIvera not put him there. A month ago, if you had polled the board about Shula the consensus would have been that he's a great QB coach, but a lousy OC. That's exactly what was said about him when he was hired.

But now, a head coach with two years left on his contract and one real year to win decides to promote him to OC, and suddenly he's not only the logical choice, he's going to be really good and his prior performance should not count when we talk about his qualifications. And besides, there are a ton of excuses available for why he did so poorly when he was actually calling plays.

Wouldn't it be nice, for a change, if we had coaches that didn't need excuses?

I don't think he needs excuses. What he needs, is to be judged based on his current merits rather than the way he performed 6 or 15 years ago. People defending the choice are being loyal to the Panthers or Rivera and hoping for the best. People deriding it, are disappointed their favorite wasn't chosen. I wanted Jackson but it didn't happen so we are going with Shula. Not my choice but one I am going to get behind and support. After all why not hope for the best.. Especially in the offseason. There will be plenty of time to harpoon him in preseason or during the year the minute our offense stalls. I guess it is too soon to expect people to accept it, whether they like it or not. Not agree or even support it, just minimize the grumbling until justified.Then again it is the off-season and what else is there to talk about. I would love to be talking about playing right now instead of next year. Here is hoping that next year is our year.

[Cyberjag]

I don't think he needs excuses. What he needs, is to be judged based on his current merits rather than the way he performed 6 or 15 years ago. People defending the choice are being loyal to the Panthers or Rivera and hoping for the best. People deriding it, are disappointed their favorite wasn't chosen. I wanted Jackson but it didn't happen so we are going with Shula. Not my choice but one I am going to get behind and support. After all why not hope for the best.. Especially in the offseason. There will be plenty of time to harpoon him in preseason or during the year the minute our offense stalls. I guess it is too soon to expect people to accept it, whether they like it or not. Not agree or even support it, just minimize the grumbling until justified.Then again it is the off-season and what else is there to talk about. I would love to be talking about playing right now instead of next year. Here is hoping that next year is our year.

It's not a question of whether or not we support him and hope he does well, I hope everyone here does that and I certainly will.

It was still a shitty hire, and it pisses me off as a fan that I have to support it. I want a real reason to get excited about the next season, not some manufactured bullshit based on ignoring all the failures a hire had at calling plays before he came to Carolina.

[goodoleboy]

Honestly Shula is probably as good as we were going to get. How many good OC's are willing to hitch their wagons to Rivera's sinking ship? Unless they thought they might get a shot at the head coach job.

[CRA]

Why would anyone go back 12 years as an indication of what a person is capable of doing as if he has lived in a cave and learned virtually nothing. Most posters on here were in grade school or high school 13 years ago. Should we base how you will do today or you level of competence back then. Then why go back that far to point to Shula's performance? Just being with Chud should have opened up his eyes quite a bit Here is an article from Yaz suggesting the move was a good idea.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/44468/panthers-make-right-call-on-mike-shula

He says that Alabama was coming off NCAA sanctions and it was Dungy that demanded such a conservative offense not Shula. Neither situation was a set up for success like this one. From what I read, much of Cam's improvement and therefore the offensive improvement was due to Shula.

Yep. Jeff Davidson ran what Fox wanted him....as another example. It was basic and safe. We exploded in 2008 simply bc Williams and Smith beasted. They weren't great playcalls and everyone knew what we were doing.

[FutureDynasty]

that was a long time ago. This is a good hire because things won't drastically change from the current system.

hell yeah our system is so great, I would HATE to see it change... what with all the winning it has produced over the years

[Guest Barry McCaulkinor]

fug Shula. He can't leave fast enough.

[MThornton1]

Our offense was much better in the first half of the year than the last. Coaching became progressively worse on offense the further in the year we got. Not a good sing heading into next year. We need a playmaker wide receiver and an OC that can utilize THE PLAYMAKER we have in CAM!!!!!