smith on WFNZ right now

[C47]

@Eric_Edholm  3h

Dave Gettleman just didn't get along with Steve Smith. Simple as that.

 

 

 

[Razeyfingers]

“I want to make sure that whatever team I go to, they’re going to get the best, in shape 35-year-old guy they can get. If that happens to run through Bank of America Stadium, put your goggles on cause there’s going to be blood and guts everywhere,” Smith said

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/13/steve-smith-on-facing-panthers-theres-going-to-be-blood-and-guts-everywhere/

 

Ehhhh hahaha you always brighten my day, Alejandro. When I look at how pitiful your life is and how bad that Saints are doing right now it truly puts things into perspective. . .ya know, how happiness is relative and all.

 

so happy to not be you. lol, phew, I feel much better now.

[Yaboychris28]

I hope we play Smitty next yr just to see him go off. Would not be upset to see him have 200 yards 3 td vs us. Would lol

[Mr. Scot]

Might want to actually read what the reporters who are paid to get the truth are saying. Oh wait that's right the media spins poo, how could I ever forget. Things got personal, Dave took exception, Dave is here Steve isn't. Don't want to believe it that's fine, but plenty of people who would know have been saying it. 

 

You want me to listen to the reporters?  Cool.

 

The reporters have been the ones saying that the decision is based on wanting to pass the leadership torch to Cam and Luke.

[heel31ok]

nm

 

 

 

 

 

[cbully]

You should listen to the interview and hear how genuine he was before making assumptions.  His kids are from here and he wants to continue to raise them here.  His family is happy here.  He said he's a husband and a dad now more than anything - more than football.  He's not going anywhere.  

i get what he's saying and know he's a stand up guy but today does not solidify our feelings for tomorrow. i'll believe this when the season starts in reference to him not going anywhere. otherwise if he's not saying retirement, he's likely going to be offered something elsewhere. guess we'll see because this is very fresh.

[cbully]

I hope we play Smitty next yr just to see him go off. Would not be upset to see him have 200 yards 3 td vs us. Would lol

would love to see this. maybe then we can upgrade our secondary and wrs

[Proudiddy]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which is why I said Gettleman is a bitch.

 

Even if he decided that Smitty was absolutely not part of the plans going forward and had to be moved so the young leaders could grow, he could've gave Smitty, and the fans, the exit he deserved.  But he didn't.  Instead, it appears that Gettleman had his say, but felt disrespected when Smitty came out and said he didn't appreciate not being talked to before Gettleman made his initial statements.  Gettleman, with his panties in a wad, decided that was it, and rather quickly, Smitty was being shopped and then released.  No official presser, nothing...  From all outside appearances, it seems Gettleman took great exception to Smitty "talking back" and tried to dump him quickly.  What's more that makes it so obvious, is that he doesn't have any WRs currently on the roster who caught a ball in 2013.  That definitely lets you know, this move was made emotionally and with haste.  You don't cut your only WR that quickly without knowing you have a backup plan in place, and Gettleman just shat the bed there, especially if Nicks signs with the Colts.

 

[Mr. Scot]

 @Eric_Edholm  3h

Dave Gettleman just didn't get along with Steve Smith. Simple as that.

 

You want to go off of Edholm's article?

 

Have you read Edholm's article?

 

Here's what you're calling "the truth"...

 

No, the bigger significance is that Newton is getting what he wants, and all the responsibility that goes with it. Power, in the wrong hands, can be a dangerous thing.

 

The 12-4 season in 2013 emboldened Newton, Gettleman and Rivera (in that he received an extension in January), and yet it essentially cut the legs out from Smith in his place with the team, even though he had sacrificed one of those legs by returning for the playoff game early after a Week 16 knee injury. Smith's numbers were down overall, and even though he was Newton's most trusted target in key situations this past season, we could start to see life after Smith in Carolina.

Gettleman certainly could. He grew tired of Smith's bold and outspoken personality and wondered if it would run Newton off track, assuming he has been on the right one to begin with. The relationship between Newton and Smith also veered slightly off course in recent years, too, as Newton was coddled more by the team and Smith was made to feel less of the man.

 

Is that Smith's insecurity? Newton's swelling ego? Perhaps both were factors. But there is little question that the team was thinking chiefly about Newton when they cut Smith.

Let's not mince words here: It's highly doubtful that Newton marched into Rivera's or Gettleman's office and demanded a "me or him" situation. It was not that bad. But you can bet that subtly, over time, Newton won some sort of pissing contest, and the team handed him the trophy.

 

Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer correctly reported that Gettleman viewed Smith as a distraction. But does Gettleman view Newton as a leader? Someone who can be accountable in good times and in bad?

Newton has grown a lot since entering the league, but the team also has been very careful to shield him of some outside forces and not let a few stories of his immaturity get out the past few seasons. Granted, none of these have been locker-room-crushing incidents, but there has been a lot of eye-rolling at Newton's antics on all levels of the organization, even during the playoff run last season.

 

Perhaps it's much ado about nothing now, and Newton certainly has the God-given ability to do more great things in the NFL. He honestly cares about winning, too, which is not something to be scoffed at. Not all great players do, sadly. Newton is as strong of mind as he is of body and spirit.

But sometimes that strength is unbridled. Even as he was playing at an MVP level at midseason, he hadn't proven to everyone in the locker room that he could be fully trusted. But the people who matter most in the organization are looking past that. They are making Newton the centerpiece, a move that long has been in motion obviously.

They were not going to let Smith get in the way of that. So that's why they released him Thursday, despite no heir on the roster and despite the team essentially paying him $5 million to go away and be someone else's thing.

 

But more importantly, if you're a Panthers fan, are you ready to put all your chips in with Cam? The team now must re-sign him and go big to do so, following his option season of 2015. Will he be willing to wait that long? And how much do you pay him?

These are all fascinating questions to ponder when you consider the state of the rest of the offense around him. Oh, the Panthers will make moves to help him, there's no question. But they won't replace Smith and Jordan Gross as players or, maybe more importantly, as locker-room buffers to keep the pressure squarely off Newton.

 

But suddenly, it's clear: Cam Newton isn't as well protected as he was previously. And yet, he's more exposed than ever before. This is the way the Panthers want it.

 

Full story here.

 

This is what you're endorsing as "the truth".

 

You really wanna stick by that?

[Mr. Scot]

Which is why I said Gettleman is a bitch.

 

Even if he decided that Smitty was absolutely not part of the plans going forward and had to be moved so the young leaders could grow, he could've gave Smitty, and the fans, the exit he deserved.  But he didn't.  Instead, it appears that Gettleman had his say, but felt disrespected when Smitty came out and said he didn't appreciate not being talked to before Gettleman made his initial statements.  Gettleman, with his panties in a wad, decided that was it, and rather quickly, Smitty was being shopped and then released.  No official presser, nothing...  From all outside appearances, it seems Gettleman took great exception to Smitty "talking back" and tried to dump him quickly.  What's more that makes it so obvious, is that he doesn't have any WRs currently on the roster who caught a ball in 2013.  That definitely lets you know, this move was made emotionally and with haste.  You don't cut your only WR that quickly without knowing you have a backup plan in place, and Gettleman just shat the bed there, especially if Nicks signs with the Colts.

 

 

You might wanna read Edholm's full take (linked above) before you get behind what he's saying, PD.

 

Trust me.

[Proudiddy]

You might wanna read Edholm's full take (linked above) before you get behind what he's saying, PD.

 

Trust me.

 

I just quoted him as a talking point...  Edholm is not the only one saying there is a personal element to this.

 

I could be very wrong, but from the outward appearances of the situation, I truly believe this was an emotional decision by Gettleman.  He felt disrespected.

 

I was thinking, when we were discussing the Pats before and their veteran turnover, I kept thinking of Teddy Bruschi.  Pats lifer, not even that great of a player, but retired, got his presser, and then got his number retired.  Despite all of the guys they sign and dump year-to-year, they still treat their most loyal players with loyalty in return.  That's where Gettleman messed up.

 

I'm sure we won't see eye-to-eye on this Scot, but it's just my take.  I'm sure I'll get over it, but it just isn't right...

 

[Panthers8969]

If we want to be a winning franchise, then we can't make emotional decisions.

And honestly, I seriously doubt there was any easy way to part with a guy like Smitty.

You don't wanna go back to the way it was under Hurney, do you?

Are you sure you quoted the right post? First sentence you said is just plain not true. Second is a little better, but the least you could do is admit he could've been released in a more respectful manner. Third sentence is completely random no one is talking about Hurney. This is about Gettleman and his actions reflecting poorly on this franchise.

As a side note I feel like a lot of people in this thread are just arguing just for arguing's sake. Anytime someone makes a good point and they don't have a response they just ignore it and try to nick pick something stupid. Sometimes you just have to eat crow and admit you are wrong

[Montsta]

maybe but that just means that their leadership was ot at SS level. you are a leader, it is not appointed to you by getting rid of your competition. This also assumes that they both stay with the Panthers, assuming some loyalty on their part.

So your suggestion is to take a team that won last year largely because of chemistry, and turn it into an in-season pissing match between the old guard and the future? No thanks. I'd rather eliminate any potential problems months before the season starts.

[Panthers8969]

Could you guys please leave your logical explanations and reasoning out of this... I am trying to stew in this rage.

I know the reasons, but this one just hurts. I'm angry. I'll have to get over it, but I'm not happy about it and I'll probably have some beef with Gettleman for awhile - although, I'm sure that doesn't have much affect on him, lol.

I will say this though, there are three things that concern me from this debacle -

1) This is the second player, and a leader, that has come out and said they didn't like Gettleman very much, with Gross saying it jokingly and now Smitty saying it wholeheartedly... I don't think that does much for us with players around the league that we may be looking to sign, so that concerns me. He seems to rub a lot of guys the wrong way, initially at least.

2) If you're going to make a bold move like this and humiliate, then unceremoniously cut the greatest player in franchise history, you better have a "wow" move to follow up behind it. Instead, he cuts Smitty, has Nicks in for a visit, who then immediately leaves to go to Indy, and then we bring back in Donald "Hands of Stone" Lafell for a visit after it pretty much being accepted that he wasn't in the plans going forward. Oh, and then we missed on our top OL target to a division rival and bring in possibly the crappiest safety on the market from a division rival in Harper. I thought we couldn't have a worse day than yesterday... I was wrong.

3) Lastly, even if we all agree, something had to be done to remedy the situation with Smitty - which I don't believe he had to be removed to turn the locker room over to Cam and Keek - then, why not give him his just due? Hold a presser. Let him say his piece. Treat him with the respect and class he deserves as our greatest player to ever suit up as a Panther. Instead, he talked about him in the past tense before even talking to him or his agent, dangled him for a trade, then released him and put him on the street. That's garbage. And it reflects badly on us as an organization if that's how we treat "that" guy. JMO...

Quoted for truth