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I listened to Charlotte sports radio a good amount this past week.  I rarely listen to it, so forgive me if I am describing a familiar occurence.  There was hysteria amongst Panthers fans.  Everyone was freaking out, hating all of our offseason moves, and basically giving up on the season…before the preseason has even started.  I don’t like to give too much weight to what a bunch of Gastonians who call in on sports radio think, but this was still very disturbing.  I don’t understand the pessimism.  In fact, this is the most excited I have been for Panthers season in recent memory.  I mean it; I’m even more excited than when we were coming off winning seasons.

The reason for my excitement is the air of change in the organization.  How refreshing will it be to see the first team break the huddle with Matt Moore as its leader?  How exciting will it be to see the new and young faces fighting for a multitude of roster spots?  We are the youngest team in the league.  Guys like Everette Brown, Bradon LaFell, Sherrod Martin, Charles Godfrey, Charles Johnson, Tony Fiammetta, and Dan Connor will be counted on to step up big this year.  The next Steve Smiths and Jon Beasons are on this roster; we just have to find them and let them play.  Sure, there are risks with our predicament.  We could suck this year, but can’t we be excited in early August?  I am excited to see how these guys handle their roles.  I want to see them grow and develop into the future of this franchise.

While all the talk about the young guys is good, it’s not like our cupboard is completely bar.  We still have a bunch of A-list stars.  Jon Beason, Steve Smith, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Jeff Otah, Jordan Gross, and Chris Gamble form a pretty solid core that a lot of teams envy.  Those guys should keep us in most games (especially with an easy schedule) and should serve as great mentors to the young guys.  So, with the first preseason game right around the corner, what should you look for (if you can stay awake through the entire game)?

Special Teams:  The recent Charlotte Observer article said it all.  Click the pull down tab on the side titled “how the mighty have fallen.”  The Panthers have always have good special teams play in their winning seasons.  They will need it again this year, but there is a lot of uncertainty on the special teams.  Both punt return and kickoff return spots are in play.  Also, keep an eye out on how Jason Baker handles kickoffs.  Losing Rhys Lloyd was huge; we enjoyed a huge advantage when he constantly forced teams to start at their 20.  John Fox’s style of football usually means that we will be in most games.  Therefore, a big return or special teams turnover can be the key that gives us the extra boost to victory in a tight game. 

Jimmy Clausen:  I know it’s firmly Matt Moore’s job (and I’m glad that it is), but we haven’t had a big name QB around here in a while.  We haven’t even drafted a QB in years, let alone a highly-rated one.  It’s only natural to want to see him play, even if it is on second team.  That may be what gets me through the second halves of these preseason games.

D-Line:  Are we executing?  Are we stopping the run and getting some pressure on the QB?  It may be tough to tell in the preseason because most teams normally run some very vanilla plays.

Warning:  this article will be biased.  Steve Smith is my favorite Panthers player, so expect a slanted article.  I’m not too bothered by the injury.  Yes, I would probably be angrier if it were any other player, but it’s not.  On a serious note, it’s not very reassuring that Steve Smith is playing flag football.  By the way, he was playing in an adult flag football league at the Y, and not as part of his summer camp.  However, you have to love the fact that he recruited other Panthers on to his team after his squad dropped its first game.  The guy is so competitive – that’s why he’s my favorite Panther. 

The good news is that the injury is relatively minor.  Broken arms heal.  Smitty has broken his arm and injured himself in countless other ways.  He’ll be back.  Training camp is still a month away, and the regular season is over two months away.  I’m not too worried about Smitty being ready for the season.  The Panthers even decided to not fine him, and all indications are that he will heal without complications.  Plus, I agree with Pat Y that this injury will give the other WRs plenty of reps in training camp, and it will force John Fox to put the young guys out on the field.

Could there be a worse time in Charlotte sports?  This is the annual downtime, when we anxiously await the start of training camp and Panthers season.  In normal years, however, we at least have the NBA Draft to serve as a mile-marker of excitement.  Draft night itself is fun, but it also serves as an indicator that the brutal part of the Charlotte sports summer is almost over.  It’s right in the middle of the end of the Bobcats season and the start of training camp.  The draft likely won’t be a big night for the Bobs this year.  They don’t have any picks, and the only real hopes at this time are them trading for a second round pick.  So, there has been very little to blog about, but here are some brief thoughts:

• I don’t understand the NASCAR All-Star Race.  I was in attendance, which was a ton of fun, but it may have been better for a casual observer like me to have watched the event on TV.  I rented the headset, but I bet the TV announcers probably provided a better explanation of the event.  Here’s my beef:  Jimmie Johnson basically dominated the entire way.  Then, they forced everyone  basically back to square one and restarted the race.  JJ’s huge lead was taken away, and some other guy had the better car for the last few laps.  I’m fine with that, but what was the point of running the first 1.5 hours of the race?  Was that just to pass some time so Charlotte Motor Speedway could sell food and booze at the concession stands?  If you are a NASCAR fan and read this blog, please feel free to explain.
• I really don’t want to worry about Larry Brown returning – all signs point to him returning as of now – but I can’t help it.  The guy is an enigma, and it doesn’t help that he’s not talking to the media all of a sudden. 
• Really looking forward to seeing Matt Moore as “the man.”  Sadly, we may not get to him for that long.  The public opinion around town seems to favor Jimmy Clausen.  One or two bad preseason games, and Moore may get pulled.  Either way, I like Moore’s story.  He has grown and matured, he has developed his game, and he has clearly earned this opportunity.  I look forward to seeing him break the first team huddle in the first preseason game.  Hey, you gotta have something to look forward to with these otherwise boring preseason games.  I am pulling for Matt Moore.

Could there be a worse time in Charlotte sports?  This is the annual downtime, when we anxiously await the start of training camp and Panthers season.  In normal years, however, we at least have the NBA Draft to serve as a mile-marker of excitement.  Draft night itself is fun, but it also serves as an indicator that the brutal part of the Charlotte sports summer is almost over.  It’s right in the middle of the end of the Bobcats season and the start of training camp.  The draft likely won’t be a big night for the Bobs this year.  They don’t have any picks, and the only real hopes at this time are them trading for a second round pick.  So, there has been very little to blog about, but here are some brief thoughts:

• I don’t understand the NASCAR All-Star Race.  I was in attendance, which was a ton of fun, but it may have been better for a casual observer like me to have watched the event on TV.  I rented the headset, but I bet the TV announcers probably provided a better explanation of the event.  Here’s my beef:  Jimmie Johnson basically dominated the entire way.  Then, they forced everyone  basically back to square one and restarted the race.  JJ’s huge lead was taken away, and some other guy had the better car for the last few laps.  I’m fine with that, but what was the point of running the first 1.5 hours of the race?  Was that just to pass some time so Charlotte Motor Speedway could sell food and booze at the concession stands?  If you are a NASCAR fan and read this blog, please feel free to explain.
• I really don’t want to worry about Larry Brown returning – all signs point to him returning as of now – but I can’t help it.  The guy is an enigma, and it doesn’t help that he’s not talking to the media all of a sudden. 
• Really looking forward to seeing Matt Moore as “the man.”  Sadly, we may not get to him for that long.  The public opinion around town seems to favor Jimmy Clausen.  One or two bad preseason games, and Moore may get pulled.  Either way, I like Moore’s story.  He has grown and matured, he has developed his game, and he has clearly earned this opportunity.  I look forward to seeing him break the first team huddle in the first preseason game.  Hey, you gotta have something to look forward to with these otherwise boring preseason games.  I am pulling for Matt Moore.

Could there be a worse time in Charlotte sports?  This is the annual downtime, when we anxiously await the start of training camp and Panthers season.  In normal years, however, we at least have the NBA Draft to serve as a mile-marker of excitement.  Draft night itself is fun, but it also serves as an indicator that the brutal part of the Charlotte sports summer is almost over.  It’s right in the middle of the end of the Bobcats season and the start of training camp.  The draft likely won’t be a big night for the Bobs this year.  They don’t have any picks, and the only real hopes at this time are them trading for a second round pick.  So, there has been very little to blog about, but here are some brief thoughts:

• I don’t understand the NASCAR All-Star Race.  I was in attendance, which was a ton of fun, but it may have been better for a casual observer like me to have watched the event on TV.  I rented the headset, but I bet the TV announcers probably provided a better explanation of the event.  Here’s my beef:  Jimmie Johnson basically dominated the entire way.  Then, they forced everyone  basically back to square one and restarted the race.  JJ’s huge lead was taken away, and some other guy had the better car for the last few laps.  I’m fine with that, but what was the point of running the first 1.5 hours of the race?  Was that just to pass some time so Charlotte Motor Speedway could sell food and booze at the concession stands?  If you are a NASCAR fan and read this blog, please feel free to explain.
• I really don’t want to worry about Larry Brown returning – all signs point to him returning as of now – but I can’t help it.  The guy is an enigma, and it doesn’t help that he’s not talking to the media all of a sudden. 
• Really looking forward to seeing Matt Moore as “the man.”  Sadly, we may not get to him for that long.  The public opinion around town seems to favor Jimmy Clausen.  One or two bad preseason games, and Moore may get pulled.  Either way, I like Moore’s story.  He has grown and matured, he has developed his game, and he has clearly earned this opportunity.  I look forward to seeing him break the first team huddle in the first preseason game.  Hey, you gotta have something to look forward to with these otherwise boring preseason games.  I am pulling for Matt Moore.

Could there be a worse time in Charlotte sports?  This is the annual downtime, when we anxiously await the start of training camp and Panthers season.  In normal years, however, we at least have the NBA Draft to serve as a mile-marker of excitement.  Draft night itself is fun, but it also serves as an indicator that the brutal part of the Charlotte sports summer is almost over.  It’s right in the middle of the end of the Bobcats season and the start of training camp.  The draft likely won’t be a big night for the Bobs this year.  They don’t have any picks, and the only real hopes at this time are them trading for a second round pick.  So, there has been very little to blog about, but here are some brief thoughts:

• I don’t understand the NASCAR All-Star Race.  I was in attendance, which was a ton of fun, but it may have been better for a casual observer like me to have watched the event on TV.  I rented the headset, but I bet the TV announcers probably provided a better explanation of the event.  Here’s my beef:  Jimmie Johnson basically dominated the entire way.  Then, they forced everyone  basically back to square one and restarted the race.  JJ’s huge lead was taken away, and some other guy had the better car for the last few laps.  I’m fine with that, but what was the point of running the first 1.5 hours of the race?  Was that just to pass some time so Charlotte Motor Speedway could sell food and booze at the concession stands?  If you are a NASCAR fan and read this blog, please feel free to explain.
• I really don’t want to worry about Larry Brown returning – all signs point to him returning as of now – but I can’t help it.  The guy is an enigma, and it doesn’t help that he’s not talking to the media all of a sudden. 
• Really looking forward to seeing Matt Moore as “the man.”  Sadly, we may not get to him for that long.  The public opinion around town seems to favor Jimmy Clausen.  One or two bad preseason games, and Moore may get pulled.  Either way, I like Moore’s story.  He has grown and matured, he has developed his game, and he has clearly earned this opportunity.  I look forward to seeing him break the first team huddle in the first preseason game.  Hey, you gotta have something to look forward to with these otherwise boring preseason games.  I am pulling for Matt Moore.

Jimmy Clausen could become the face of the franchise. Even if he doesn't, the Panthers made the right call by selecting him.

No one really knows how a team’s draft picks will turn out.  That usually takes a few years to determine, but Panthers fans have to be excited with what we did over the past two days.  For once, you can’t say that we didn’t try at the QB position in the draft.  Not only did we draft Jimmy Clausen, we also took Tony Pike, a player who I really liked.  Both were value picks; they went much lower than expected.  I am certain that they were both the best available player on the Panthers draft board when they were picked.  At QB and WR, the Panthers are taking a very similar approach to what the Jaguars did with their WR position last year.  They are throwing as much as they can against the wall, and hoping that something sticks.  The Jags brought in a bunch of young receivers into camp last season, and guys like Mike Sims-Walker established themselves.  The Panthers will now bring Brandon LaFell, Armanti Edwards, David Gettis, Dwaynes Jarrett, and Kenny Moore into camp with the hopes that one of those guys establishes himself opposite of Steve Smith.  One out of those five should step up and seize the starting spot.  Otherwise, Marty Hurney needs to bring in a separate scout for WRs because what we’re currently doing clearly does not work.  We’re still terribly young at QB, but we also have a bunch of young guys there.  We may only carry two on the roster, with the knowledge that Edwards could take some snaps at QB during a game if needed. 

The beauty of this draft was that we were able to address our needs and get some great players without diverging from our best available player strategy.  The one negative was that the best available player often was not a defensive lineman.  Look for the Panthers to try to address that through some veteran acquisitions around training camp time, kind of like we did last year with guys like Hollis Thomas and Tank Tyler.  Here are my thoughts on our picks:

Jimmy Clausen:  This was a no-brainer.  Many people had him rated as a top 10 player in the draft, and he was sitting there at 48.  I got some calls from friends asking what I thought about the pick since I didn’t want us to pick  a QB.  Hey, I never said to avoid a QB.  I said don’t force a pick at QB in the second round just because you need him.  I just don’t think Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow are going to be good NFL QBs.  I didn’t want us to reach for either of them at 48 (Tebow turned out to be gone by then) when we had other needs.  Next year is going to be a good QB class, and Moore is likely going to start this year even with Clausen and Pike on the roster.  If Moore sucks, we’re likely going to have a high pick next year to use on a QB.  If Moore lights it up, we won’t need a QB.  Clausen, however, wasn’t a reach.  He was clearly the best available player, and he happened to address a position of need. 

I’m not too concerned about Clausen’s character issues.  I obviously don’t want him to be a team cancer, but I don’t think that’s likely.  This draft must have humbled him, but also made him hungry.  I want my QBs to have a little edge.  Let’s face it, most NFL QBs are egomaniacs.  Dan Marino had character issues.  John Elway and Eli Manning forced trades.  I can’t recall Big Ben having character issues as a concern before he was drafted, and look how that turned out.  I support the pick.  Plus, everyone knew it was coming.  John Fox is good friends with Charlie Weis.  Fox even tried to make Weis his offensive coordinator when he was first hired by the Panthers. 

Brandon LaFell:  If he can become a Muhsin Muhammad-type player, then mission accomplished.  He doesn’t seem to have lightning speed and occasionally drops the ball, but he is a big possession receiver who can block down the field. 

The Next Antwaan Randle El?

Armanti Edwards:  This is a great pick.  I’m always hesitant about giving up a future pick, but Edwards was supposedly a stud at his pro day workout at App State.  He is so versatile and can help us out in so many ways.  Who says that Charlotte pro teams can only cater to the base by picking UNC guys?  I like us getting an App guy.  The 500 sections will be rowdy next season with the mountain folk!

Lesson learned about the draft:  believe what you hear early.  A lot of people had the Panthers interested in Edwards and Pike early on, but we didn’t hear about those two over the last couple of weeks.  That is because teams send out tons of misinformation in the weeks leading up to the draft to confuse other teams.  That may have been the case with Taylor Price.  Keep in mind, the Panthers had a chance to draft Price, but they chose Edwards.  The Observer even had a story about a month back on how the Panthers were really interested in Edwards, but I still fell for the Price hype.  The Panthers had clearly targeted Edwards, and they got their guy.

Eric Norwood:  This guy could be a heck of a steal.  The Panthers are excellent at drafting LBs, so they must have really seen something they liked in Norwood.  He is a little undersized, but he is a flat out football player.  You can do worse than that in the 4th round.  Even if he doesn’t compete for a starting job, we lost some veteran LBs, so Norwood helps out with depth.

Greg Hardy:  If he doesn’t get injured every other play, then we could have a good pash rusher.  He could basically play the role played by Charles Johnson the past few years.  Have you noticed the Panthers are drafting for speed and talent?  I like it.

David Gettis:  Never heard of this guy, but let’s throw him into the WR mix.

Tony Pike:  He’s 6’5″, which makes him even more of a physical presence than Clausen.  A lot of the scouts tore him up during the combine and workouts.  He may have arm strength issues, but I really liked what I saw out of him in college.  Who knows, he may grow into a very good QB in a couple of seasons.

Jordan Pugh, R.J. Stanford, Robert McClain:  The Panthers scored a late round coup last year with Captain Munnerlyn.  It would be nice if one these guys provides some much-needed help at corner next season.

Schedule:  The 2010 schedule was released today.  There are some pros and cons for the Panthers.  Overall, I think the schedule is pretty favorable.  Keep in mind, the Panthers finished third in the division last season.  So, their schedule should be relatively easy.  It’s not always easy to predict these things because teams change so much from season to season in the NFL, but I definitely see some beatable teams on our schedule. 

I like that our bye is fairly close to the middle of the season.  It’s not perfect, but at least it’s not in week 3.  We have a brutal close to the season.  Two straight road games, and they’re at Pittsburgh and Atlanta.  Before that, we have two tough home games against Atlanta and Arizona.  An 0-4 end to the season is very possible, which very well could mean the end of the John Fox era.  Then again, we have no idea how good Pittsburgh and Arizona are going to be this season.  For different reasons, both teams face QB issues. 

The early part of our schedule is manageable, and I love the midseason matchups.  I realize this is quite a stretch and that I’m thinking far in advance, but we could realistically go into the bye at 3-2.  Then, we host SF and go to St. Louis.  I will take 5-2 any day, and then we would host the defending champion Saints with a ton of momentum and a fired-up home crowd behind us. 

I think it’s cool we get to help open up the new Giants Stadium.  We closed out the old one with an ass-whooping of the G-Men, and I would love nothing more than to beat them again on their big day.

Draft:  I have my gripes about Marty Hurney, but one thing I like about him is that he is a best available player guy.  That’s why I never pay much attention to mock drafts conducted by national journalists.  They always predict our pick based on our need, but Hurney does not draft for need.  He picks the best available player, regardless of position.  There is a good chance that we would not have Jon Beason, Jonathan Stewart, and Ryan Kalil if Hurney drafted for need.  Can you imagine that?  Those three are the core of our team.  When you’re as bad as we were last year and have as many needs as we do, you can’t afford to hone in on just one position.  You need to improve your team wherever possible.  Just try to stock the roster with as much talent possible.

A lot of mock drafts have us drafting Tim Tebow (because we have a need at QB) or a WR (because we have no proven receivers beside Steve Smith).  The Panthers supposedly really like Taylor Price, a WR from Ohio.  We may draft a QB or WR, but this draft is supposedly stock with defensive talent.  If a big defensive lineman falls to us in the second round, I say we have to go with that guy over a Tebow or receiver.  Get the big guys early.  Also, what about Armanti Edwards.  The Panthers supposedly like him.  If Terrence Cody falls to us, I think we have to pick him.  Pat Y. us drafting Al Woods, another big defensive guy from the SEC (LSU). 

So what are our needs?  I think we have to acknowledge the fact that we technically have a need at every position.  That’s the beauty of the NFL.  It’s a true display of economics – making the most of scarce resources.  Every team in the NFL would love to have their unlimited pick of players at every position, but they will instead have to make do with what they have.  Even the eventual Super Bowl champion will likely have to plug mid-round drafts picks at key positions.  So, we have to be realistic.  I think it’s fair to say that the Panthers are set at RB.  Despite losing some depth at LB, we’re pretty good there as well.  Our secondary isn’t stellar, but we have a bunch of guys we can plug in at those four positions.  Most of them are young and have shown some potential.  Between Chris Gamble, Chris Harris, Richard Marshall, Charles Godfrey, Sherrod Martin, and Captain Munnerlyn, I think we’re in pretty good shape.  O-line is respectable too. 

That leaves QB, WR, and D-Line.  It doesn’t mean we won’t take a player who plays another position to add depth, but I think our player rankings will be skewed towards featuring those three positions.  2011 is supposed to feature a great QB class.  I don’t see the reason to force a QB pick in the second or third round if that player isn’t the best player available on our draft board.  We can draft a guy in a late round this year, sign a veteran, and give Matt Moore year at the helm.  If it doesn’t work out, let the new coach and GM use their first round pick next season on a QB.  You can never have too many big guys up front on defense.  Last season should have taught Panthers fans that much.

One final note:  we’ve traded for a first round pick the last two drafts.  Just because we currently don’t have a first round pick, it doesn’t mean that Panthers fans should blindly take Thursday night off.  Let me be clear, I do not support us trading next year’s 1 for a pick this year, but that certainly doesn’t mean that it won’t happen.

To all my concerned readers (all five of you), the QCSB is back online.  My laptop died, and it took some time for the new one to arrive.  This blog never died; it’s just that it’s not very fun to blog on a desktop.  So, let’s catch up with some tidbits on what’s been going on in the QC sporting scene:

Lutz Fired:  Bobby Lutz seemed like a good guy, but I think this was the right move for the 49ers.  Lutz simply had not been getting it done the last few years.  Naturally, Scott Fowler thought he should have been given another year.  So, Fowler now thinks that Delhomme, Fox, and Lutz all deserved another year.  Dude, these guys get paid a ton of money for what they do.  Getting fired in pro sports is different than getting fired in real life.  They won’t go hungry. 

It’s kind of sad, but the 49ers seem to have had a much bigger following in the 1990′s than in the most recent decade.  It should be the opposite; a team’s fan base should increase as a coach builds a program over the years.  It helped that Charlotte had many more intense rivalries when it played in C-USA, but I think there are other factors that led to the decline.  Have you noticed that the Niners simply have not had faces to their program in recent years?  Do they even recruit four-year players who come in as freshmen and grow as players during their time at the school?  It seems as if Lutz was just getting random transfers each year.  In contrast, the Niners of the past had definite student-athletes who were faces of the program in DeMarco Johnson, Joby Thomas, and even Rodney White.  Johnson and White were drafted (people forget that White was a lottery pick).  Those days have been missing the last few years.  I don’t think the Niners can go wrong with either Pat Kelsey or Mike Hopkins.

More MJ News:  The price tag is supposedly $275 million.  MJ is open to changing the team name, which is awesome.  He also seems to be buying a house in Charlotte.  You know what I think:  just win.  The Bobs are trying to do so, but they are still frustratingly inconsistent.  One good game; one bad game.  A win over a very good team followed by a loss to a terrible team.  Thankfully, the playoff spot is still theirs to lose.  Big game against Atlanta coming up next week.  Let’s pack the Cable Box for that one. 

Panthers:  Bunch of random stories, but it basically comes down to the draft.  All of the lead-up will be for that.  Unfortunately, we have no first-round pick.  I don’t care about the raised ticket prices, cutting the veterans, or rebuilding.  However, if you want to rebuild, you need draft picks.

A Day of Cuts:  Jake Delhomme, Kemo, Damione Lewis, Na’il Diggs, Landon Johnson - all cut today.  The cuts happened to quickly that I very well may have forgotten about someone.  While the loss Delhomme won’t mean any more football-wise than any of those others players – arguably, his loss will mean less than the other players – all the talk centered around Jake today. 

This was absolutely the right move.  The financial hit was going to be great either way.  Paying that much for a terrible player was going to be bad, and Delhomme was going to eat up a roster spot that could be used on a young guy.  Letting him take $12.7 million and walk away sucks too, but it had to be done going into a cap-free season.  Plus, if you’re going to commit to Matt Moore as your starter, than you can’t have him looking over his shoulder every time he throws a bad pass.  I am all for competition, but QB is probably the one position you want to have solidified – see Cleveland last season. 

Don’t worry though, leave it to Scott Fowler to stand up for Delhomme.  He thinks releasing Delhomme was a “big mistake.”  I am baffled.  First of all, Fowler ranted all season against him.  Now, he has changed his mind.  He is even surprised.  Side note – the titles of the Observer articles on both the Lewis and Delhomme cuts both start with “In a surprising move.”  You guys are professional football writers.  What are you surprised about?  It’s the NFL.  Players get cut every offseason in salary cap moves, and it was expected to be even more prevalent this offseason.  Oh by the way, let’s not feel too sorry for Jake Delhomme.  Despite the tears, he just got $12.7 million to do nothing!  He can sign with another team and he will still get the $12.7 mil.  I think he will be okay. 

I have no problem with writers developing friendships with players they have covered for a long time and saying nice things about them, but it’s ridiculous that Fowler’s football opinions are generally based on whether he likes a player personally. 

Pat Y wasn’t surprised by this one bit, and he thinks it’s a good move.  He also notes that only five players are left from the Super Bowl squad.  Out of those five, Dante Wesley is in his second stint with the team.  With the release of Jake, the window has officially closed, but that’s not a bad thing at all…

Embrace Change:  With the exception of November 2008, it seems as if North Carolinians are very hesitant to change.  While most fans are happy with the decision to release Jake, I get the sense that fans are in a little panic mode.  I have even read facebook posts from people who don’t know what the Panthers are going to do, and how they don’t own jerseys of any current players now that Jake and Pep are gone.  They don’t necessarily mind letting those two go, but they’re not sure about who is left on our team or who we are going to bring in to replace the guys we lost.  Get used to it, the offseason is going to be like that.

The 2003 team entered the season unproven at just about every position.  We had no solution at QB, our receivers weren’t very good, and we had an old veteran at RB in Stephen Davis.  We had a bunch of young guys on D.  They grew up quick, and the Panthers went to the Super Bowl.  I’m not saying that fans should have the same expectations for this upcoming season, but the cupboard is not as bare as some think.  Football is the ultimate team sport.  Most guys can be replaced, and losing one guy usually doesn’t make a huge difference.  Pep is the only important player we lost.  All the other veterans can be easily replaced, and in the case of Delhomme, it may be a case of addition by subtraction.

I personally can’t wait to see the young guys compete for these open spots.  Replacing Pep won’t be easy, but I don’t mind having a couple of young guys compete for the job.  They may not be as talented, but they will be hungry and won’t take plays off!  As a football fan, I am refreshed and ready for the season to start.  I can’t wait to see the next Steve Smiths and DeAngelo Williams and Jon Beasons and Chris Gambles develop.  I don’t know how many games we will win, but it will be fun to watch.

It’s Not a Fire Sale:  Personally, I am shocked that people think the Panthers are unloading players to save money.  John Fox and Marty Hurney were even asked that in their press conference.  Huh?  Again, Pat Y nails it on the head.  They just took a $12.7 million hit to let a guy go without having to do his job.  Say many things about Jerry Richardson, but he ain’t cheap.  The guy wants to win badly, and he will pay whatever it takes to do so.  It just did not make sense to keep those guys around.  The vets were old, and Pep did not want to be here.  It’s a young man’s game.  Let’s develop new stars.