Toughness and the Future

[philp]

We want tough 25 year old dudes, not tough 35 year old dudes.

[t96]

I see what you're trying to say and I understand that's what they want, but that's NOT the reason they cut Smitty. He had nothing to do with that. Smitty was cut from a pure future financial situation. The way it was done was ridiculous, but ask anyone on that offense, he was not a distraction.

[OneBadCat]

No offense OP but this all reads like subjective rambling on your part. There's a lot of Panther love in that post, i get it though.

 

Steve  being part of an old regime shouldn't mean anything. He wanted to be here. He wanted to be in the Cam era in the right role. You can't watch the post game interview with Steve after the Pats game and tell me he wasn't on board with it. Hell Cam wrote Steve a letter after he was cut. He obviously meant something to him.

 

 

If Rivera and Cam needed Smith out because of his dominating personality or old guard leadership then they would be equally as childish as Smith supposed antics to not at least talk with the man before out right cutting him. Smith became what he was because he was supremely talented and we, the fans, and the organization made him the leader he was. We never put the right kind of talent around him to match him. Jon Beason was close but we held onto Jake way too long when should have had a new franchise QB by 09.  He was pivotal in our turn around last year at 1-4.

 

 

In my opinion the leadership thing is a secondary excuse as to why DG cut Smith. There maybe some truth to it but after a season like we had I don't understand how it would be so detrimental. 

 

#1.DG made a cost versus production move that will help our cap in the future. I believe his distraction comment is more likely a dig at Smith which was his own self made problem to begin with because he couldn't keep his mouth shut. Nevertheless what's done is done and Gettleman has to put his money where is mouth is. If he doesn't get Cam any weapons he's going to be reamed everywhere in Charlotte.

[SauceBoss]

We want dudes. Not empty spots. Simply...dudes

[jasonluckydog]

Can I get a copy of this in paperback?

[heel31ok]

When you've been the smallest guy on the field your entire life, it takes mental toughness to succeed. Everybody has told Steve all his life that he wasn't big enough, he turned that into a hall of fame career, and that takes mental toughness.

and that he's too old and not worth it anymore. i see a monster season coming.

[heel31ok]

Can I get a copy of this in paperback?

I don't know about that but if you print it at the libray it wil run you about 3 bucks.

[bleys]

I don't think any amount of words can explain why cutting Smitty was a good idea....  

[Way Truth Life]

I would prefer to smell my dogs fart than read this.....

[XClown1986]

Are you close personal friends with steve smith? Because I don't think many people take a psychological diagnosis from a complete stranger very seriously. Especially when your exposure to steve smith consisted of watching him run around in tight pants for an hour once a week.

I'm not pretending to know him or provide any form of "diagnosis." Smitty continues to feel slighted even after he has nothing left to prove. He has been a superstar player for over a decade. It just seems to me it takes just as much mental toughness to utilize critiques as it does to ultimately let them go. Just the way I see it.

[FattyFatFat]

Cause what we all need now is another smith/Getty thread.

Also:

tl/dr

[XClown1986]

No offense OP but this all reads like subjective rambling on your part. There's a lot of Panther love in that post, i get it though.

 

Steve  being part of an old regime shouldn't mean anything. He wanted to be here. He wanted to be in the Cam era in the right role. You can't watch the post game interview with Steve after the Pats game and tell me he wasn't on board with it. Hell Cam wrote Steve a letter after he was cut. He obviously meant something to him.

 

 

If Rivera and Cam needed Smith out because of his dominating personality or old guard leadership then they would be equally as childish as Smith supposed antics to not at least talk with the man before out right cutting him. Smith became what he was because he was supremely talented and we, the fans, and the organization made him the leader he was. We never put the right kind of talent around him to match him. Jon Beason was close but we held onto Jake way too long when should have had a new franchise QB by 09.  He was pivotal in our turn around last year at 1-4.

 

 

In my opinion the leadership thing is a secondary excuse as to why DG cut Smith. There maybe some truth to it but after a season like we had I don't understand how it would be so detrimental. 

 

#1.DG made a cost versus production move that will help our cap in the future. I believe his distraction comment is more likely a dig at Smith which was his own self made problem to begin with because he couldn't keep his mouth shut. Nevertheless what's done is done and Gettleman has to put his money where is mouth is. If he doesn't get Cam any weapons he's going to be reamed everywhere in Charlotte.

 

Subjective? Of course it is, I'm a Panthers fan! haha. Rambling? Ehh... I'll go with lengthy thought-process... sounds nicer, ha. I appreciate the input.

 

I absolutely think Steve meant a lot to Cam. No arguments there. I just know, like we all do, that this decision took a long time to fester out. If it was cost/benefit as far as money was concerned, they could have approached Steve amicably early on and tried to hammer something out. The fact that they didn't, certainly speaks to other motives. Gettleman pulled the trigger but Jerry had to hand him the gun and Rivera had to load it. This had to be collaborative in order to go all the way through, which I think is what took so long to make the decision they did.

[TheMaulClaw]

This is what Ron Rivera and Dave Gettleman are looking for: toughness. They reiterate this trait when assessing how the Panthers will be built. So why did they cut arguably the toughest player in the locker room, Steve Smith? He wasn't the right kind of tough anymore. I'll explain.

 

 

 

I don't think it's a lack of mental toughness.  You have to be mentally tough to make it to the level Steve has made it.  I think you're talking about maturity and mental discipline.  

 

It comes down to accountability. It goes against every fiber in Smith's being to be held accountable by another man regardless of who it is.  Steve is a guy who's not used to being held accountable for his actions.  The Panthers unfortunately protected Smith from a lot of consequences throughout his career.  The Panther's also simultaneously spent years building up Steve's public image. When you have a guy like Steve who says what he wants about whoever he wants in the locker room and refuses to be held accountable for it...what kind of message does it send to the other players?

 

How are you going to hold Cam Newton accountable....when Smith doesn't get the same treatment?  We're a young team...what kind of message does it send to them?

 

Unfortunately the Panther's have invested so much into Steve's image over the years that now that this has come out...the Panthers are the ones that look like the bad guy.

 

Gettleman wouldn't cut a productive team icon to save peanuts unless Steve really was a cancer in the locker room.  The only way that move makes sense is if Steve was either a) More trouble then he's worth and cancer to the team or B) looking to make an extra 5 million this season and Gettleman gave him an opportunity with his comments at the combine.

 

I don't think anyone in their right mind cuts a still productive receiver who's a cost effective team icon and a great teammate.

[Stroupe-a-loop]

I'm not pretending to know him or provide any form of "diagnosis." Smitty continues to feel slighted even after he has nothing left to prove. He has been a superstar player for over a decade. It just seems to me it takes just as much mental toughness to utilize critiques as it does to ultimately let them go. Just the way I see it.

Fair enough, but at times it just read as indictment of his mental toughness. And I think his play for 13 years put him in a place where he proved through playoff games, lousy seasons, and injuries that he was beyond all that.