Just after one hour after FA begins, WOW! Brandon Marshall to the Bears. Eric Winston cut?? HOLY CRAP! This is clearly gonna be one wild FA period. Stay tuned...

This post is just gonna keep a running tally of what is happening with our Panthers. Also, I've got some potential targets BAMF might be wanting to sign to solidify this team into a perennial playoff contender. I'm gonna keep our list of potential FA acquisitions realistic here, I trust Big Cat and Hurney aren't misleading when they say they intend to continue to build through the draft.

Geoff Hangartner --> resigned, this will provide excellent depth and a starting G/C option if need be.

Thomas Davis --> restructured his contract to free up cap space.

Geoff Schwartz -->

Jeremy Shockey -->

Travelle Wharton --> Cut by Panthers

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The 2011 Panthers are performing quite well, despite our record. We all know the positions where opportunity exists for improvement, so I will not be addressing those in this article. Between the injuries and the inexperience, nothing has been a shock so far this season. I had previously made predictions on earlier posts that this team would experience at least two ass-kickings and 6-7 losses by a touchdown or less. We are right on schedule!

I know that losing is tough, and by no means am I hoping for losses this season, but I am ecstatic about this team's future! I'm not concerned with our 2012 draft position either. I'm concerned with this teams growth, and what we are seeing is growth. What is usually tough for young players is mastering multiple skills. Once one skill is learned, you must then move on to learn the next skill while keeping the original skill in mind. This would be similar to dancing, especially with the male lead. The male lead must learn the moves, the rhythm, and how to lead with the rhythm. Then the male lead must learn to do all this without running into other people on the dance floor. As one learns each new skill, it is extremely difficult to keep the other skills in mind because they are not automatic yet, so it will appear as though there is regression. This is also similar to learning how to drive a car and often times referred to as muscle memory. With all this in mind...

This team is growing fast, although it may not appear that way. The improvement from key positions has been outstanding. Cam Newton's development is by far the most obvious. Charles Johnson and James Anderson have been stellar and the growth of Greg Hardy has been great to watch. The injuries that this team has had have slowed this progress, but that is to be expected in this game. We are seeing bright spots each week and in some cases regression the following week on those previous breakthroughs. That is what is normal during a growth process. For example, the kick return game finally had a flash of success with Pilares KR TD. Look for some regression on kick returns before that becomes the norm.

Our known weakness will eventually be resolved. The important part to remember is that this team needs solid growth. Lucky wins don't provide long term stable growth, and I'm glad that this team isn't getting lucky. These Panthers will be so much better going forward when they can look back and see that they could've won, but didn't finish the opposing team off. These types of losses have the tendency to build killer instinct. I want to root for a team that goes out to crush it's opponent, not a team that goes out there to keep it competitive and hope for lucky breaks. Growth with a lot of disappointment along the way can develop into that killer instinct attitude.

So when you are feeling down and frustrated about inconsistency resulting in losses, just remember the following: "Without struggle, there is no progress." -Frederick Douglass

FYI: A lot of comments are thrown around about certain veteran players being too old and needing to be replaced. These comments are generally exaggerated and this idea of a player being too old because they reach a certain age are ridiculous. Just because "experts" have coined the idea doesn't make it correct. There are no championship teams lacking older veterans. Players that take care of their bodies and continue to build on their skills are not expendable when they turn 30. I'm referring to Jordan Gross, Travelle Wharton, Steve Smith, Chris Gamble and DeAngelo Williams. The most absurd idea I've read on here was that Gamble is getting old? Gamble is hitting his prime and some folks want to see him off? Your garbage will end up being another man's gold and you will forever be a rebuilding franchise with that type of shortsightedness.

Are you worried about this young and inexperienced team losing close games? To put it in perspective, remember the following:

1.) We are losing games that are close, better to be close than to be out of reach. We are in the games to the very end which is a far cry from last season.

2.) We have seen improvement across the board despite the injuries. Play calling, QB, WR, TE, and CB. We are maintaining the LB play despite the massive injuries.

3.) Our young QB Cam Newton has performed brilliantly to this point. I don't see any reason why his growth won't continue to develop. Veterans seem to want to play with him, that speaks louder than anything else. Also, it takes many young players time to adjust to the speed of the game. I would argue that Cam hasn't even adjusted to that speed yet. That alone is a scary idea for other teams. Assuming his continued development, when the game speed slows down for Cam, watch out!

4.) This team is loaded with talent and is extremely young and inexperienced. Inexperience generally leads to silly mistakes and lapses in concentration. If this team is for real, which I suspect it is, then this tendency will reverse sometime towards the final 5-6 games of this season.

I am basing much of my optimism on the following stats. These stats do not prove my opinion, but I use them to support it. I may end up being wrong of course with egg on my face, but if this team ends up being that hot chick you ask out, date, and then find out she has no personality, then so be it. However, I think this hot chick has got some serious personality going for her.

Young teams with up and coming signal callers with talented yet inexperienced supporting casts generally tend to lose a lot of close games by 7 points or less. The following teams with losses listed were by 7 points or less.

2008 Green Bay Packers: 7 losses

2008 New Orlean Saints: 6 losses

2010 Detroit Lions: 6 losses

I believe that these three teams represent the talent level of the current Panthers team the best. Keep in mind that the 08' Packers didn't even have BJ Raji or Clay Matthews and Tramon Williams was still a backup. The 10' Lions were missing Stafford for 3/4 of last season. We still don't know how far the Lions will go this season, but they look like they are for real. The point is that the main core players of these teams was in place. Pieces would still be added before the Saints and Packers Superbowl runs, but the core is there. I believe that the core pieces of the Panthers is there.

You may disagree with these comparisons, however with the solid mix of talented young players on each of these three teams, I can't help but think that the Panthers are really close. Each loss is bothersome, but these might be some of the easiest losses I've ever had to endure when keeping some of these comparable teams and their future success in mind. Only time will tell.

My original idea heading into the season was that the Panthers would lose at least 6 games by 7 pts. or less. We are almost there.

CB Kelvin Hayden of the Indianapolis Colts was cut yesterday. I suspect the Panthers may have interest, I have no sources. The obvious connection here is with DB coach Ron Meeks. When healthy, Hayden was the Colts top cover CB. He sealed their Super Bowl win against the Bears when he intercepted Rex Grossman. I suspect this could be a possible FA pickup if the price is right and he is healthy. I wouldn't mind this type of CB pickup. However, I must emphasize, that even if they signed Hayden, Chris Gamble should be retained.

Could a reunion with Mike Holmgren in Cleveland be in the cards? I wonder if this is what Holmgren has been waiting for...other teams to screw up and give away talented players.

Great moves in acquiring Bunkley and Greco. Both are very underrated players and test out well on pro football focus. GO BROWNS!

Lofa is a 3-time Pro Bowler and 1-time All-Pro. He would look awfully good in a Browns uniform. I suspect his sideline to sideline tackling ability would work out quite well with the revamped 4-3 DL in front of him, specifically those mammoth sized DT's. Yikes!

Coastal Advisors, a life and disability insurer that has some pro athletes as clients, reports that one NFL player has just taken out a loan for $500,000 at 23 percent interest.

 

This is so sad if it is true.

How can someone be so financially inept you ask? I suppose there are a ton of reasons, we can each speculate as to why someone would be so desperate or just completely incompetent to sign for a loan like this. Not to mention how a player with an NFL salary could have credit so bad to be worthy of a 23% interest rate. Even the mafia didn't charge such a ridiculous interest rate, I believe they usually capped theirs around 17%. 

I wonder if this type of story will turn into a trend and not just a one time incident. When you add up some of the statistical facts, like how 78% of the players end up bankrupt within two years of retirement, the players haven't got a chance in this fight against the owners. I can only imagine what is in store for the NBA.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/post/NFL-player-takes-out-500-000-loan-?urn=nfl-355067

Let's get on out there and sign some RC FA's. Okay, I guess we have to wait until the CBA is resolved, or the stay is lifted or some other legal maneuver lift the lockout for even a day.

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I thought you guys might appreciate that your teams success may play a part of the decision making process in this season's draft. The following article was posted on the Cat Scratch Reader blog for the Panthers. I just wanted you to know that I have a deep appreciation for your franchise and how it is run. I admire the building through the draft mentality and spotting late round talents. I believe my Panthers do a pretty good job, other than that QB spot.

[I think we've all seen the NFL and the copy cat league it is known for. Clay Matthews has drawn a lot of credit for the Packers recent success, including their Super Bowl victory. His dominance was unmeasurable. Think about what the Packers gave up to get him in the 09' draft. An early 2nd rounder and 2 early 3rd round picks. At the time it was a lot to give up for a team that missed the playoffs. Now look at the payoff! Ted Thompson is hailed as a genius to foresee what Clay Jr. would become.

The Clay Matthews Effect- the belief that a pass rush LB can dominate a game from multiple spots on the field and have a direct effect on the overall outcome of the game.

Continue reading this post »

I think we've all seen the NFL and the copy cat league it is known for. Clay Matthews has drawn a lot of credit for the Packers recent success, including their Super Bowl victory. His dominance was unmeasurable. Think about what the Packers gave up to get him in the 09' draft. An early 2nd rounder and 2 early 3rd round picks. At the time it was a lot to give up for a team that missed the playoffs. Now look at the payoff! Ted Thompson is hailed as a genius to foresee what Clay Jr. would become.

The Clay Matthews Effect- the belief that a pass rush LB can dominate a game from multiple spots on the field and have a direct effect on the overall outcome of the game.

Continue reading this post »

I think we've all seen the NFL and the copy cat league it is known for. Clay Matthews has drawn a lot of credit for the Packers recent success, including their Super Bowl victory. His dominance was unmeasurable. Think about what the Packers gave up to get him in the 09' draft. An early 2nd rounder and 2 early 3rd round picks. At the time it was a lot to give up for a team that missed the playoffs. Now look at the payoff! Ted Thompson is hailed as a genius to foresee what Clay Jr. would become.

The Clay Matthews Effect- the belief that a pass rush LB can dominate a game from multiple spots on the field and have a direct effect on the overall outcome of the game.

Continue reading this post »

I think we've all seen the NFL and the copy cat league it is known for. Clay Matthews has drawn a lot of credit for the Packers recent success, including their Super Bowl victory. His dominance was unmeasurable. Think about what the Packers gave up to get him in the 09' draft. An early 2nd rounder and 2 early 3rd round picks. At the time it was a lot to give up for a team that missed the playoffs. Now look at the payoff! Ted Thompson is hailed as a genius to foresee what Clay Jr. would become.

The Clay Matthews Effect- the belief that a pass rush LB can dominate a game from multiple spots on the field and have a direct effect on the overall outcome of the game.

Continue reading this post »

Pro Football Focus believes Dan Williams is a secret superstar. Maybe you should too.

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With the top two spots this year in pass rushing efficiency going to players not selected to the Pro Bowl, the surprising Tamba Hali finally lives up to his 1st round draft status with an astounding 14.41!

The Panthers had two players make  the various lists of top pass rushers or in one case, the worst of the worst!

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A lot of talk  about John Fox and who he will want to trade for, here are a  few options. Based on each trade that Fox will want to make we will be able to judge just how much he wants "his" veteran guys. Please add any that maybe I didn't consider.

Dan Connor for a 2nd rounder or 3rd rounder, hell maybe even both!

Steve Smith for 1st rounder and Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker?  Damn Rookies!

DeAngelo Williams for Knowshon Moreno, Kyle Orton, 1st round pick and 3rd round pick? DWills is a game changer!

Continue reading this post »

What I'm about to write...few will agree with. Most of the time opinions are formed based on what the experts on ESPN and other networks are saying. Proof of that is that no one saw the veteran purge coming last season. The media didn't see it coming. I wrote a fanpost back in the summer of 2010 warning of the coming economic situation that the NFL will have to deal with. Big Cat confirmed what I said in that article in his most recent 40min press conference. The system cannot sustain itself. So it might be a long off-season for all parties involved. The implication for our team is that the players signings will be made with a long-term outlook. This is not to be confused with cheap. We will build through the draft...period.

Big Cat also made it clear that he wants to win...and win consistently. He made it clear that from now on the coaches were going to do what he and Hurney want them to do instead of them doing what the coaches wanted. So with that being said...if I were the owner of the Panthers...here is what I would do. (I'm posting this because it is drastically different from what the media is saying and my fellow Panthers fans are saying/hoping for. I predicted the veteran purge last season to some of my fellow Panther fans...and they thought I was crazy. I was correct in the cutting of Delhomme, Hoover, Muhammad, Kemoeatu, Vincent, and Diggs. I only missed on D. Lewis and the Chris Harris trade.) This does not mean that I will be correct in any of the following moves. However, like I said...this is a very different take...and I'm the Big Cat of this post.

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 Starting 2011 many NFL  players with their over-inflated egos are about to be given a reality check. The economy is getting much worse internally and that will have a ripple effect that will spread into sports. Hockey overall has declining revenues. The NBA is sinking. MLB will be next. The NFL will not be immune to it. I’m happy to be a Panthers fan where our owner seems to be economically informed about what is coming. There will be plenty of money for the players to prosper…but not these ridiculous salaries.

Once the lockout begins the players will eventually fold. Too many players are financially incompetent to be able to survive too long without a paycheck. They will have to settle just like the hockey players had to settle. If 78% of NFL players are broke/bankrupt 3 years after leaving the NFL, then you can bet these guys can’t last a year collectively against the owners who are ready to make a stand.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Why-do-so-many-NFL-players-go-bankrupt-?urn=nfl,190555

This is a power grab by the owners for their own gain but also because anyone who is really paying attention to economic factors knows that sports will take a back seat when the real housing meltdown is finished (2010 and 2011 foreclosure rates are each worse than 2008...and I'm not even going into the whole municipal bond failures!) The wake up call is coming. Players will still be paid high salaries, but the $10 million per year will be few and far between.

I don’t mean to sound so down about the economic future…but runaway freight trains(housing and financial systems) are hard to stop.

Maybe someone can give the before and after lockout comparison of salary levels for hockey.

All right guys...this is the last straw....we cannot sit back quietly anymore! The so called analysts are driving me crazy....and I know I'm not alone. So here is your real chance to let loose...and I mean let loose! All these self-proclaimed analysts and experts who don't even know much about the players they are talking about. They pronounce names wrong. They shoot off the wrong stats. They forget the best players and only talk about the popular ones. But worst of all....they give us their opinions....which is sometimes so absurd it would be equivalent to using a baseball bat to play golf.  These clowns will no longer go unchecked...as we will rate them. 

How can ESPN and NFL network let these guys get away with this. They don't know the players. They don't know the drafts. They don't know the stats. Yet many of us do. These guys get paid to entertain us and they can't even get it right. (Don't make the arguement that since we are irritated it means they are entertaining us...not the point of this post.)

So here is what we'll do...in the comments section...post the links of these guys ridiculous articles and give your take on who the dumbest "Analyst" is. Feel free to make multiple picks. The Pat Yasinskas of ESPN, Bucky Brooks of NFL Network  or anyone else out there who speaks about our team incorrectly will feel our verbal wrath.

Here's an example of stupidity from NFL Networks Bucky Brooks:

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story?id=09000d5d81759b1d&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

He rates Corvey Irvin as a flop ("fumble" in his words). Irvin was injured last season, yet Peria Jerry and William Moore of the Falcons were rated "Jury still out" even though they were injured as well. Well if Irvin is a flop then why aren't Jerry and Moore? I'll tell you why...cause Bucky Brooks is a circus clown....that's why...and he gets paid to not do his research. I suppose we needn't wonder why Brooks wasn't an NFL star, he ignores details and doesn't do his homework. (And don't bother posting the "well at least he made it there" crap, that's not the point of this post) The clown even rates Josh Freeman as a "touchdown" after one season.

Don't hold back people...this post is made to let out frustration and for getting some laughs. Don't worry about spelling these guys names wrong either...most of them can't spell the players names they are writing about either.

When the Cleveland Browns traded Kameron Wimbley to the Raiders for a third round pick....that could have something to do with the Panthers.

Cleveland should be able to trade up into the bottom of the second round with that 3rd rounder and a 5th and 6th rounder and then "potentially" tender Richard Marshall. No one will find a better DB than Marshall in the bottom of the second round in this year's draft. I know that we've discussed extensively that the Panthers dangled Marshall out there with that second round tender. I'm not sure if they would let him go for a late 2nd round pick...but if the tender is really high they may be forced to.

Any one else have any thoughts on this scenario...or maybe see some other teams going after Marshall?

With the offseason of cuts that we've had, would you be surprised to have a wild and wacky draft? Well, just for fun let's take a look at some crazy scenario's to hold us over until the draft.

First, DeAngelo Williams goes to the Patriots for a 1st this year and 3rd in 2011. Belicheck finally gets tired of not having a feature back.  Second, since the Panthers decided to dangle Richard Marshall with a second round tender, the Steelers take advantage and the Panthers receive the Steelers second rounder. Pretty wild stuff. And just for fun, the Panthers pickup Laurence Maroney as soon as the Patriots cut him after acquiring Williams. 

Now the question becomes....who do we draft?? I look forward to hearing many of the ideas. Here's just one scenario...

1st Round...#22 Jared Odrick-Penn State-DT

2nd Round...#48 Devin McCourty-Rutgers-CB

                       #53 Corey Wootton-Northwestern-DE

3rd Round...#78 Dakoda Watson-Florida State-OLB

4th Round...#109 Andre Roberts-WR-Citadel

6th Round...Armanti Edward-Appalachian St.-QB/WR

                      Walter Thurmond-Oregon-CB

The second 6th rounder is assuming the Panthers are awarded a compensatory pick for losing Frank Omilaye or Geoff Hangartner from FA last season.  Many will argue that a third wideout  should be taken with one of those 2nd rounders, but I would argue that the defense will take precedence here in this draft. Charles Godfry will become our starter at corner to replace Marshall and Sherrod Martin will start at FS.

I'm a huge fan of DWills and Marshall, and I would hate to see them go. This is my first fan post here, so let me have it fellas!