Wednesday, May 27, 2009

DeAngelo Williams on Delhomme

Stumbled across this post right here.

Running back DeAngelo Williams defended the organization's decision to give starting quarterback Jake Delhomme a five-year, $42.5 million contract extension this off-season.

"We love Jake," Williams said. "That’s our quarterback. Contrary to what fans believe, or those non-fans that call themselves fans, Jake’s a great quarterback. He knows this system inside out."

Well it's nonetheless an emotionally charged endorsement for Delhomme, but DeAngelo proves himself a class act here. Whether or not I'm a fan of paying a guy who didn't play like 42 million dollars last year by a longshot, Williams is just a teammate and a contributor. It's his obligation to have faith in Delhomme, otherwise, he'd be just another selfish Terrell Owens.

That said, Delhomme's far from a great quarterback, and he's been put on a golden throne by the Panthers' organization as some kind of demigod with Joe Everyman-level QB talent. So it will be up to Williams to score like 25 touchdowns and rush for 1800 yards, <------while splitting time with Jonathan Stewart who scores 15 in addition and 1200 more rushing yards, to be the breadwinners for the offense. Delhomme's just a QB who, considering all 17 games the Panthers played last year that mattered, averaged more interceptions than touchdowns, had a sub 60% completion percentage, and a 79.6 QB rating. <----not exactly glaring characteristics of a great QB.

"Every guy has a bad game at some point in his career," Williams said. "Unfortunately for him it happened that game. But he’s a great quarterback. It happened to us. I know I'm going to have a bad game one of these times and they’ll be calling after my head."

^DeAngelo, you're a running back. You actually do your job and are one of the best at what you do. You led the entire league in TDs IIRC last year. You are not the object of any kind of criticism and I remember for two years wishing John Fox would have a fucking epiphany out there on the sidelines during a game and give you more playing time because DeShaun "a feather could tackle me" Foster was like the RB version of Delhomme. So keep up the good work you're doing and kick some ass because if we make playoffs this year, I can guaran-damn-tee you will be a BIG reason why if you aren't injured.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Reality Check for Panthers fans (Re: Media "Respect" Level)

It seems to me there's this common feeling in the Panthers fanbase that is entirely sold on the hypothesis that our success is contingent on how many minutes ESPN spends sucking our dick comparative to sucking the Cowboys or Steelers.

The metric they usually use for this is the "radar". Apparently if we are "under" the "radar", Delhomme will throw 3 touchdowns a game, John Fox will use his brains when he gameplans every week, DeAngelo Williams will get through the front seven every single running play, and the teams we face will forget we are on the schedule, causing for a very unprepared performance against us because they didn't know the Carolina Panthers existed prior to the day they played us, because they watched ESPN and Mike Tirico didn't mention us at all as a contender on MNF.

In contrast, if we are "on" the "radar", Jake Delhomme will turn into an unresponsive shell of himself and throw dead ducks and passes that are so inaccurate you are sitting on your couch ready to fair catch the fucking ball because it seemed for a second there it was going to you through the fucking TV screen. John Fox will forgo the weekly film sessions, instead flying to Nevada and soliciting transvestite prostitutes on the Las Vegas Strip. DeAngelo Williams will lose his sense of motivation and spend most of his time eating Kentucky Fried Chicken so he can balloon up and become King Kong Bundy fat. The teams we are facing will also know exactly what we are doing and when we are doing it, because Mike Tirico said "watch out for those Panthers they are going to be good this year".

Too many times I'm reading a Panther fan comment that is something along the lines of this...
"I liek teh fact that we ar undurr teh radar. becuz we play our best football wen teams don't know who we arrr. now taht teh media is disrispectin us we shud win the 13 gamez we arn't playing prime time."

"OMFG i cant beleev dat ESPN ranked us 16th in the power rankings that is such a spit in teh face! Now DeAngelo's gonna run harder cuz dey said his teem wouldn't doo good and muh Panthers ar gonna whip sum ass"

^
It's crap like this that gets posted that makes me almost lose complete faith in the ability of our fanbase to become anything more than a group of people with retarded superstitions and these baseless intuitions that gained ground all the way back in 2003 when nobody was talking about us and that the idea that we started blazing trails was a direct result of our being "under" the "radar".

It's this fucking illusion that people have convinced themselves THE ONLY way this franchise can gain success is if Tony Kornheiser says we're not anything to worry about on PTI, or we have little or no nationally televised and/or primetime games to play on our schedule.

...as much as I despise some of Fox's quirks (there are a lot of them), I still harbor a lot of good vibes and optimism for the guy. I never would expect him to believe for one minute that we're a slave to the media attention level we get or how many primetime games we're playing. However, if he actually does, that's how I'll know there is absolutely no chance for him to coach the Panthers to a superbowl championship, because, every single playoff game is a primetime and/or nationally televised football matchup, where you are recognized as a good team and people see you're a serious football club. And that's when I've lost absolutely all hope for the coaching staff and not the least bit open-minded to the thought of a future with John Fox as the coach.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Return of the Kool Aid man.

Stop the presses



Panthers resident Kool Aid man and beat writer Gantt has awakened from his slumber to offer another tall order of monkey crap and pro-Fox fluff.

What do you have to say?

First things first, I haven't been fired, or left for greener pastures (as if that's possible). Just took some time off, at a time when not much is happening. Of course, that came at the expense of turning into a contractor/landscaper for a week or so, but hey, the place looks better.

Oh no we all knew EXACTLY where you were all this time. On vacation, that's good. ...See this is why I don't really respect these Carolina writers all that much. In New York sports journalists don't get to take prolonged haitus from writing short posts just because there's "nothing going on". Giant's beat writer Ralph Vacchiano even has a fucking TWITTER set up! The Panthers' writers, on the other hand, get weeks, months off to do whatever the fuck just because John Fox burns pictures of Saints in the hands of newly hired organization executives so nobody knows we talked to a fucking practice squad WR until they cut a deal.

Maybe it's that New York attitude of the unquentiable pursuit of career advancement. Or maybe it's the fact that the further and further south you go, the more people become kinda.... slower. Me, I could drive 70 miles down to South Jersey and people there can't keep the fucking pace up with me.

And in reality, there's not much going on right now. There's a lull between the draft and June OTAs (which start May 27), but there are a few odds and ends to address:

-- Peter King ranks the Panthers 18th in offseason power poll

Frankly, this borders on asinine. I'm not saying the Panthers are a top five team going into 2009 (their history points to bad luck and 7-9 after a good season), but to say they're in the bottom half of the league doesn't make sense.

Really, Darin? How fucking petty can we Panthers fans be? Who gives a fuck what Peter King has to say? We're getting pissed because an ESPN writer ranked a small market team in the lower half of the league? I hope you realize that we've followed up every single season we've made the playoffs thus far in franchise history with a .500 or below record the next year. So don't get all pissy at the guy because Carolina's not his favorite team and that history agrees with him and,... who gives a fuck? Seriously Darin if this is all you had to write about you could've stayed on vacation.

-- Mike Minter mulls run for Congress

The former Panthers safety is kicking around the idea of becoming a public servant.

Is this really breaking news?

Minter's as forthright as any player I've covered. He could have hung on in 2007, and collected checks, and been beloved as a player. But his knees were shot, he knew it, and he wasn't able to do his job. He's also a man of principle, who agonized over an early free agent decision, coming within hours of boarding a plane for Cleveland and more money to stay where he started.

Lol. Minter had many good years in a Panthers uniform, but alas, he aged and couldn't play anymore. ...just like every other player. He actually made a good decision for the Panthers as well as himself. His retirement led to the acquisition of Chris Harris for penny candy in order to fortify Safety.

They repaid the favor later, hanging onto him past his expiration date as an impact player. Professional teams don't extend that courtesy to many, but Minter deserved it.

Nice, so we sacrificed talent replenishment, <=== a characteristic of good football team management, and suffered through the inadequacy of an aging, past-his-prime player because we owed it to Minter? Are you fucking kidding me? We might as well give him a plaque on the front door and a pension while we're at it. Gantt this isn't a fucking GM manufacturing plant this is the fucking gridiron. The more we put these players on a pedestal and make decisions in the best interest of them, instead of the team, the longer we are going to go nowhere.

(Although, I am intrigued at Jason Taylor signing a cut-rate deal with Miami, not New England. The Pats would love to have Peppers, but it sounds like they're struggling with the two-pronged compensation required to get him. Know this, they're lurking.)

Okay, first of all, New England does NOT need Julius Peppers by any stretch of the imagination. Their defense is well-talented and well-coached, they have no room for a spoiled crybaby prima donna defensive end who wants to play in a position where he doesn't have much of an assignment to take on blockers so he can roam free because he's pretty much all brute force and little technique to beat LTs which is why he is so hot and cold on the field.

Second of all, do you know what Kraft and Belichick will do to get Peppers? They will fucking rip Hurney off if they wanted to. I don't want to see the Patriots trading with us because they are some conniving cunning bastards, ...and they're good because of the way they do business.

Otherwise, if anybody wants to come help pull weeds and rocks out of the garden, let me know.

Ugh.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Panther Excuses: 2009 edition

in the event of a failed effort in the 2009 season, say for example, another 7-9 record or worse, the following are the excuses you're likely to hear.

It is what it is

The other team practices too

we picked a bad day to have a bad day

he didn't play well but it was only one game

...kind of the same retread we go through loss after loss year by year. Panther Journalists, beat writers, and self proclaimed "real" fans might be bought off by those shit copouts but the realest most down to earth Pantherites won't. It's clear Fox has wooed many supporters just based on his aloofness and good ole boy charm. He's almost like a cartoon character, quirky in many ways, but that's what people like about him. ...This is the same reason people like Jake Delhomme and will forget every single game he makes awful throws and turns the ball over more than once just because his personality is great and that's good enough for them.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Best QBs: Last 16 years

Here are the top ten QBs in passer rating and pass yards the last 16 years. Players in bold ranked in the top ten in both categories. The # next to the team which they played for is what round they were drafted in.

Year

Passer Rating

Passing Yards

2008

Philip Rivers (SD) 1st

Chad Pennington (MIA) 1st

Kurt Warner (ARI) UD

Drew Brees (NO) 2nd

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Aaron Rodgers (GB) 1st

Matt Schaub (HOU) 3rd

Tony Romo (DAL) UD

Jeff Garcia (TB) UD

Matt Cassel (NE) 4th

Drew Brees (NO) 2nd

Kurt Warner (ARI) UD

Jay Cutler (DEN) 1st

Aaron Rodgers (GB) 1st

Philip Rivers (SD) 1st

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Donovan McNabb (PHI) 1st

Matt Cassel (NE) 4th

Chad Pennington (MIA) 1st

David Garrard (JAX) 4th

2007

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) 1st

David Garrard (JAX) 4th

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Tony Romo (DAL) UD

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Jeff Garcia (TB) UD

Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) 6th

Donovan McNabb (PHI) 1st

Kurt Warner (ARI) UD

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Drew Brees (NO) 2nd

Tony Romo (DAL) UD

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Carson Palmer (CIN) 1st

Jon Kitna (DET) UD

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) 6th

Derek Anderson (CLE) 6th

Jay Cutler (DEN) 1st

2006

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Damon Huard (KC) UD

Drew Brees (NO) 2nd

Donovan McNabb (PHI) 1st

Tony Romo (DAL) UD

Carson Palmer (CIN) 1st

Marc Bulger (STL) 6th

Philip Rivers (SD) 1st

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Mark Brunell (WAS) 5th

Drew Brees (NO) 2nd

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Marc Bulger (STL) 6th

Jon Kitna (DET) UD

Carson Palmer (CIN) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) 1st

Philip Rivers (SD) 1st

Chad Pennington (NYJ) 1st

2005

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Carson Palmer (CIN) 1st

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) 1st

Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) 6th

Marc Bulger (STL) 6th

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Jake Plummer (DEN) 2nd

Trent Green (KC) 8th

Byron Leftwich (JAX) 1st

Drew Brees (SD) 2nd

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Trent Green (KC) 8th

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Carson Palmer (CIN) 1st

Eli Manning (NYG) 1st

Kerry Collins (OAK) 1st

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Drew Bledsoe (DAL) 1st

Drew Brees (SD) 2nd

Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) 6th

2004

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Daunte Culpepper (MIN) 1st

Drew Brees (SD) 2nd

Donovan McNabb (PHI) 1st

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) 1st

Brian Griese (TB) 3rd

Trent Green (KC) 8th

Marc Bulger (STL) 6th

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Daunte Culpepper (MIN) 1st

Trent Green (KC) 8th

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Jake Plummer (DEN) 2nd

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Marc Bulger (STL) 6th

Jake Delhomme (CAR) UD

Donovan McNabb (PHI) 1st

Aaron Brooks (NO) 4th

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

2003

Steve McNair (TEN) 1st

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Daunte Culpepper (MIN) 1st

Trent Green (KC) 8th

Jake Plummer (DEN) 2nd

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Aaron Brooks (NO) 4th

Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) 6th

John Kitna (CIN) UD

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Trent Green (KC) 8th

Marc Bulger (STL) 6th

Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) 6th

Brad Johnson (TB) 9th

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Jon Kitna (CIN) UD

Aaron Brooks (NO) 4th

Daunte Culpepper (MIN) 1st

Tommy Maddox (PIT) 1st

2002

Chad Pennington (NYJ) 1st

Rich Gannon (OAK) 4th

Brad Johnson (TB) 9th

Trent Green (KC) 8th

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) 6th

Drew Bledsoe (BUF) 1st

Donovan McNabb (PHI) 1st

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Mark Brunell (JAX) 5th

Rich Gannon (OAK) 4th

Drew Bledsoe (BUF) 1st

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Kerry Collins (NYG) 1st

Daunte Culpepper (MIN) 1st

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Trent Green (KC) 8th

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Aaron Brooks (NO) 4th

Steve McNair (TEN) 1st

2001

Kurt Warner (STL) UD

Rich Gannon (OAK) 4th

Jeff Garcia (SF) UD

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Steve McNair (TEN) 1st

Tom Brady (NE) 6th

Donovan McNabb (PHI) 1st

Mark Brunell (JAX) 5th

Chris Chandler (ATL) 3rd

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Kurt Warner (STL) UD

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Aaron Brooks (NO) 4th

Rich Gannon (OAK) 4th

Trent Green (KC) 8th

Kerry Collins (NYG) 1st

Jake Plummer (ARI) 2nd

Jeff Garcia (SF) UD

Doug Flutie (SD) 11th

2000

Brian Greise (DEN) 3rd

Trent Green (STL) 8th

Kurt Warner (STL) UD

Daunte Culpepper (MIN) 1st

Jeff Garcia (SF) UD

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Rich Gannon (OAK) 4th

Elvis Grbac (KC) 8th

Doug Flutie (SD) 11th

Mark Brunell (JAX) 5th

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Jeff Garcia (SF) UD

Elvis Grbac (KC) 8th

Daunte Culpepper (MIN) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Vinny Testaverde (NYJ) 1st

Steve Beuerlein (CAR) 4th

Mark Brunell (JAX) 5th

Kerry Collins (NYG) 1st

Rich Gannon (OAK) 4th

1999

Kurt Warner (STL) UD

Steve Beuerlein (CAR) 4th

Jeff George (MIN) 1st

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Brad Johnson (WAS) 9th

Rich Gannon (OAK) 4th

Ray Lucas (NYJ) UD?

Charlie Batch (DET) 2nd

Gus Frerotte (DET) 7th

Chris Chandler (ATL) 3rd

Steve Beuerlein (CAR) 4th

Kurt Warner (STL) UD

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Brad Johnson (WAS) 9th

Drew Bledsoe (NE) 1st

Rich Gannon (OAK) 4th

Elvis Grbac (KC) 8th

Jon Kitna (SEA) UD
Doug Flutie (BUF) 11th

1998

Randall Cunningham (MIN) 5th

Vinny Testaverde (NYJ) 1st

Steve Young (SF) 1st

Chris Chandler (ATL) 3rd

John Elway (DEN) 1st

Neil O’Donnell (CIN) 3rd

Mark Brunell (JAX) 5th

Troy Aikman (DAL) 1st

Steve Beuerlein (CAR) 4th

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Steve Young (SF) 1st

Peyton Manning (IND) 1st

Jake Plummer (ARI) 2nd

Randall Cunningham (MIN) 5th

Drew Bledsoe (NE) 1st

Dan Marino (MIA) 1st

Trent Green (WAS) 8th

Vinny Testaverde (NYJ) 1st

Steve McNair (TEN) 1st

1997

Steve Young (SF) 1st

Chris Chandler (ATL) 3rd

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Mark Brunell (JAX) 5th

Jeff George (OAK) 1st

Drew Bledsoe (NE) 1st

John Elway (DEN) 1st

Jim Harbaugh (IND) 1st

Brad Johnson (MIN) 9th

Bobby Hoying (PHI) 3rd

Jeff George (OAK) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Dan Marino (MIA) 1st

Drew Bledsoe (NE) 1st

Warren Moon (SEA) UD

John Elway (DEN) 1st

Scott Mitchell (DET) 4th

Troy Aikman (DAL) 1st

Mark Brunell (JAX) 5th

Tony Banks (STL) 2nd

1996

Steve Young (SF) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Brad Johnson (MIN) 9th

John Elway (DEN) 1st

Vinny Testaverde (BAL) 1st

Dan Marino (MIA) 1st

Mark Brunell (JAX) 5th

Drew Bledsoe (NE) 1st

Jeff Hostetler (OAK) 3rd

Ty Detmer (PHI) 9th

Mark Brunell (JAX) 5th

Vinny Testaverde (BAL) 1st

Drew Bledsoe (NE) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Jeff Blake (CIN) 6th

Gus Frerotte (WAS) 7th

John Elway (DEN) 1st

Bobby Hebert (ATL) UD

Troy Aikman (DAL) 1st

Scott Mitchell (DET) 4th

1995

Jim Harbaugh (IND) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Troy Aikman (DAL) 1st

Erik Kramer (CHI) UD

Scott Mitchell (DET) 4th

Steve Young (SF) 1st

Warren Moon (MIN) UD

Dan Marino (MIA) 1st

Jeff George (ATL)1st

Chris Chandler (HOU) 3rd

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Scott Mitchell (DET) 4th

Warren Moon (MIN) UD

Jeff George (ATL) 1st

John Elway (DEN) 1st

Jim Everett (NO) 1st

Erik Kramer (CHI) UD

Jeff Blake (CIN) 6th

Dan Marino (MIA) 1st

Dave Kreig (ARI) UD

1994

Steve Young (SF) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Dan Marino (MIA) 1st

John Elway (DEN) 1st

Troy Aikman (DAL) 1st

Jim Everett (NO) 1st

Jim Kelly (BUF) 1st

Joe Montana (KC) 3rd

Jeff George (ATL) 1st

Craig Erickson (TB) 4th

Drew Bledsoe (NE) 1st

Dan Marino (MIA) 1st

Warren Moon (MIN) UD

Steve Young (SF) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Jim Everett (NO) 1st

Jeff George (ATL) 1st

John Elway (DEN) 1st

Jeff Hostetler (OAK) 3rd

Joe Montana (KC) 1st

1993

Steve Young (SF) 1st

Troy Aikman (DAL) 1st

John Elway (DEN) 1st

Phil Simms (NYG) 1st

Joe Montana (KC) 3rd

Vinny Testaverde (CLE) 1st

Bubby Brister (PHI) 3rd

Boomer Esiason (NYJ) 2nd

Scott Mitchell (MIA) 4th

Bobby Hebert (ATL) UD

John Elway (DEN) 1st

Steve Young (SF) 1st

Warren Moon (HOU) UD

Boomer Esiason (NYJ) 2nd

Jim Kelly (BUF) 1st

Brett Favre (GB) 2nd

Jeff Hostetler (OAK) 3rd

Neil O’Donnell (PIT) 3rd

Steve Beuerlein (ARI) 4th

Troy Aikman (DAL) 1st