Interesting points about our history

[lightsout]

So, I got to thinking about a few things. Throughout our history, we've had (at some point) the best players at their respective positions (granted, some are arguable, and some are taken with an admitted bit of homerism, so bare with me). Plus, this may be good for the bandwagoners who jumped on the past few years who may not know our history so well.

EDIT: I realize that not all of these guys were league leaders every year or anything. My point is that they were AMONG the best in the league at their positions in their prime here. 

Sam Mills
Peppers
Delhomme
Stephen Davis
Jenkins
Smitty
Williams/Stewart (in tandem)
Gross
Kalil
Kuechly
Sauerbrun
Kasay


Now, that's great. Most of those guys were on the roster from 03-now. Until 2009, we were a model of inconsistency, but we were competitive. A few wins from the playoffs every year, and many of those coulda/woulda/shoulda been wins were close losses. From 03-now, we COULD have been in the playoffs every year (excluding 2010). Just a fun fact. On to a more interesting point.



Our coaching. Capers was our first. Thus starts the historical inconsistency. Mediocre first year, but it was our first year. Then in 96 we got our first taste of greatness. It felt good. Stellar defense with an efficient offense. Then the 97 let down followed by the awful 98 season where we started 0-7 and only beat 1 division opponent (the Saints).

Seifert came in. Things were looking damn good in 99. We thought he was here to return us to contention. Back to the 96 season....but not quite. Early, close losses kept us at 8-8. 2000 saw more of the same. Close losses that kept us mediocre, and then the TERRIBLE game to end the year...then 2001 happened. Enough said.

Here comes Fox. Like Seifert, he inherited a team with good potential, but a team that just wasn't used to winning. There were a few young stars that truly developed under him, and he added a few more. He had a longer stay, so I won't give the season run downs, but he went 73-71 in his 9 years. More inconsistency, plagued by injury and close losses once again. However, we stayed competitive for the most part and finished between 7-9 and 9-7 more times than not if we didn't make the playoffs. His time here ended with the 2-14 season that set up the next era of Panthers football.

Ron Rivera, who morphed into Riverboat Ron this season. We know where we have been these past few years. The difference between Ron and all of our former coaches is this: we have gotten better every year.


Let's look at the ultimate point I am making here. Let's compare Ron's first three years to our former coaches' first three years.

Capers: 26-22 (1 playoff appearance)
Seifert: 16-32 (0 playoff appearances)
Fox: 25-23 (1 playoff appearance)
Rivera: 25-23 (1 playoff appearance)



What this tells me is that, for the most part, we're staying mediocre overall. Competitive, but never truly "there" in terms of being a solid team. The first 3 years have seen our coaches having to recover from the past coaches mistakes and terrible seasons. Having to rebuild the culture and add missing pieces.

Ron has us in the best position we've been in since Capers in 96. Capers had Sam Mills and Kevin Greene on that team. We have Kuechly and Davis.


I just thought some of you might enjoy the history lesson. We're set to prove that we've arrived for good. Plenty of talent to build on for years to come. Keep Pounding!

 

[Duncan81]

You lost me at Delhomme

[lightsout]

You lost me at Delhomme

03-05, he was RIGHT there with Brady for the most part. That was my measurement for that time period. Almost didn't include him, but like I said, at SOME point in time, those players were among the best at their respective positions.

[PantherDynasty]

03-05, he was RIGHT there with Brady for the most part. That was my measurement for that time period. Almost didn't include him, but like I said, at SOME point in time, those players were among the best at their respective positions.

 

Dude, you've got to be kidding me. He was nowhere near Brady or Manning. Also, when the hell was Stephen Davis the best RB in football.

 

[lightsout]

Dude, you've got to be kidding me. He was nowhere near Brady or Manning. Also, when the hell was Stephen Davis the best RB in football.

 

7th best in 03, plus his yardage in the postseason that year. I realize I put "the best" in the OP. I should have qualified it with "among", because obviously some of these guys were not league leaders or anything. The point I was making was we had stars on this team.

[Jimmy]

Dude, you've got to be kidding me. He was nowhere near Brady or Manning. Also, when the hell was Stephen Davis the best RB in football.

 

 

Stephen Davis was a 3 time pro-bowler who (within a 4-year period) averaged 1400 yards a season, 10 Rushing TDs a year.  His best year was with Carolina when he ran for 1444 yards. One year with the Redskins he had 17 TDs.

 

To his point, I think he is taking snapshots of these players in their prime.  And in his prime Stephen Davis was a beast. 

[PantherDynasty]

Stephen Davis was a 3 time pro-bowler who (within a 4-year period) averaged 1400 yards a season, 10 Rushing TDs a year.  His best year was with Carolina when he ran for 1444 yards. One year with the Redskins he had 17 TDs.

 

To his point, I think he is taking snapshots of these players in their prime.  And in his prime Stephen Davis was a beast. 

 

Good? Yes. THE Best? No

 

[PantherDynasty]

What I don't understand is how you have Delhomme and Davis but don't have Peppers. We may have ended on bad terms, but dude was a baller.

[lightsout]

Stephen Davis was a 3 time pro-bowler who (within a 4-year period) averaged 1400 yards a season, 10 Rushing TDs a year.  His best year was with Carolina when he ran for 1444 yards. One year with the Redskins he had 17 TDs.

 

To his point, I think he is taking snapshots of these players in their prime.  And in his prime Stephen Davis was a beast. 

Somebody gets it.

[lightsout]

What I don't understand is how you have Delhomme and Davis but don't have Peppers. We may have ended on bad terms, but dude was a baller.

Peppers is second on the list...

[PantherDynasty]

Peppers is second on the list...

 

Crap, how did I miss that? I looked over it twice LOL

 

[lightsout]

Also, to my point about Jake, he had similar numbers to Brady (albeit, TD/INT was worse) on fewer attempts from 03-05. Look up the stats yourself.

[Jimmy]

What I don't understand is how you have Delhomme and Davis but don't have Peppers. We may have ended on bad terms, but dude was a baller.

 

Peppers. Good? Yes.  The best. No.  According to your criteria of having to lead the entire NFL in every statisticin their respective position.  Sheesh.  Stop flaming the OP. 

[OneBadCat]

We should have had a consistent winning team with Fox's roster. But he was an overrated coach. Matt Moore was a more then capable starter. Hell look at GB and what they did without Rodgers. 09-10 Was all on Jon Fox. He was also delusional and believed that Delhomme was always going to get away with his style of play and it did nothing but get us 12,000 INTs in the playoffs against ARZ and ruin us for 2-3 years.

 

What Fox/Hurney should have done was take the 1st round pick from Otah and taken a WR and a DT. Look at how much Star has improved this team. That's how close the 08-09 defenses were. Should have left Moore at QB and pair Smith with a WR that was worthy of playing with him.

 

 

But that said we have Cam and we are 12-4  with the best core group of players in the NFL. This is the brightest future this team has had in a long long time if not ever.