goddamnit, shit like this piss me off. I bet they're gonna suspend him for 4 games now, since it's a 2nd violation.

8/2/2008 11:25:07 AM

the people who decide on suspending hims careers wont allow him to be suspended.

if they don't get a winning record (in the worst conference in the NFL) half that coaching staff is gone.

8/2/2008 11:39:22 AM

^ not so...he gets a 2 game suspension

http://www.carolinagrowl.com/Read.aspx?Story=651

8/2/2008 12:43:50 PM

Come week 3...

oh god

Steve Smith will be PISSED

8/2/2008 1:21:09 PM

8/2/2008 4:07:49 PM

lol


the 2 game suspension is gay...wtf...we talkin bout practice...negros fight all the time anyways

8/2/2008 4:16:09 PM

so most likely 0-2 out of the gate?

8/2/2008 4:45:01 PM

most likely 0-1 out of the gate with or without smith

week 2 should be competitive...hackett and moose need to get some chemistry with jake

8/2/2008 4:48:37 PM

most likely 0-2 after the first two games...or DL sucks still......will not be able to stop the run......

8/2/2008 5:02:04 PM

The week 2 game vs the Bears is going to be huge

As Tree said, Sand Diego was going to be heavy favorites whether we had Smith or not

We can't start out 0-2 if we want to have a chance to be a contender this year

8/2/2008 5:03:52 PM

Sand Diego sounds like a mexican beach monster

8/2/2008 5:37:00 PM

Quote :

"Delhomme said Lucas was "overwhelmed." "Everybody came up to tell him hello," said Delhomme. Delhomme said he left Lucas a phone message "from the heart" Friday night."

lmmfao @ delhomme's coverage of the story


http://www.charlotteobserver.com/423/story/104004.html

8/2/2008 5:42:27 PM

maybe that undrafted WR that was making plays in camp will get more playing time before he is cut....well, maybe he will not be cut now.....actually, I think this might be the WRs second year, was on the practice squad last year?

8/2/2008 7:45:13 PM

I am liking what I am hearing from Carter

8/2/2008 7:54:30 PM

^^his name is Jason Carter.

8/2/2008 8:49:17 PM

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8401704/Panthers%27-Fox-sitting-under-microscope-in-%2708

Quote :

"SPARTANBURG, N.C. FAIL - Generally, the national perception is not reality. Supposedly, Rome is burning all around Panthers coach John Fox. This season is supposed to be the end of the line for Foxy and Marty Hurney, the general manager who hired him, if they don't win and make the playoffs. The rumors started to fly last season when Carolina finished 7-9 after being 8-8 in 2006. If owner Jerry Richardson is preparing pink slips, he has kept that information to himself. Bill Cowher, the former Steelers coach and current North Carolina resident, is forever mentioned as a possible replacement, although such a hire would put a financial strain on the Panthers with Fox owed $15 million and Cowher's asking price a lot higher than that. Heck, one reason why Fox got the Carolina job in the first place was because Richardson was still paying two fired coaches in Dom Capers and George Seifert. Finally, what is perplexing about the rumor mongers is that there were extenuating circumstances in Carolina last season. Jake Delhomme may not be Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but what chance did the Panthers have once they lost their starting quarterback? Where would Bill Belichick be without Brady; the Colts minus Manning? Fox was so desperate he actually hired 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde to win a couple games. Testaverde became the first starter at that age to win a game. The team was put in such a predicament when David Carr, their big-money backup, appeared shell-shocked when he had to replace Delhomme, and his teammates immediately lost confidence in him. The feeling probably started with that glove he wore on his passing hand in 80-degree weather. Then, there was the defensive disappearance of all-world defender Julius Peppers. Fox admits that Peppers had a rough season, but it's hard "to be making spectacular plays when the offense is simply running the ball down your throat. Pass rushers like Julius," Fox said, "need the other team to be throwing. You can't make any plays when you have no opportunities to chase the quarterback." Still, the insiders in Carolina figure that Peppers had 10 bad games and six good ones. The reason? Peppers did too much traveling and strayed too far from the workout program. Peppers trained arduously this offseason, and if you saw him this week, well, he looks ready to roll after being flopped from his customary left end spot to right end. Peppers remains a physical freak. With Mike Rucker retired and Kris Jenkins traded, the Carolina front four will look totally different; the big hope being that Charles Johnson, a third-round pick last year, will develop into something special at left end. It's a lot of hope, considering Johnson has seven NFL tackles and zero sacks in his short NFL career. Even though he has many a gray hair, Fox isn't worried about his future. "I guess I approach it like a player," he said. "We tell them all the time that they can't play, and most of them find work someplace else. I think I can still coach, and I believe I would find someone else who believes in me if I really did get fired." Hurney, a man I've known since we were both sportswriters, has taken the rumors a little more personal. He's mad about them and confident that the Panthers will turn it around this season and win. The attitude explains why Hurney traded a couple picks and next year's first-rounder in order to draft Pitt offensive tackle Jeff Otah last April. Basically, the Panthers took two potential offensive starters in Otah, a right tackle, and Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart, who looked fine in camp after having foot surgery in the offseason, in the first round. The Panthers figured they had inside information prior to the draft, considering their team doctor performed the operation and is one of the best foot surgeons in the country. Another draftee, Iowa safety Charles Godfrey, is expected to start alongside Chris Harris in the secondary. In front of those two is everyone's favorite young linebacker, Jon Beason. The key to Otah is that he guarantees that the Panthers will be bigger and, hopefully, tougher along the offensive line. They want to be able to pound the ball better than they did a year ago. But the best news is that Delhomme, who had Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow, appears to have his fastball back. Delhomme said his right elbow had been hurting since early in the 2005 season and that he struggled even warming up on some practice days. After a 7-9 finish last season, John Fox believes that 2008 will be a better year with veteran receiver Mushin Muhammad returning to the Panthers. (Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images) "But there is a big difference between being hurt and injured in this league," Delhomme said. The quarterback said he heard something snap in his elbow when John Abraham sacked him in Atlanta last season. The ball popped loose and Delhomme reached for it while another defender pulled with all his strength. A play later, on a short pass to Brad Hoover, Delhomme realized his elbow was shot. Asked if there was more pressure this summer because of the rumors, Delhomme said: "We're under the gun every single year, but I guess it is different now because we are coming off two mediocre seasons. The funny thing about it, if Foxy does get fired, I bet half of the other 31 owners would hire him in less than 12 hours. He won't stay unemployed long." According to Delhomme, Fox's best trait is that "he relates well to all players, from superstars to guys on the practice field. But the best thing about John is that he doesn't lie. He says it like it really is all the time. Now, there may be times when you don't like it, but it's important to know as a player what he expects and wants. Veterans appreciate that. It may bother some of the younger guys, but the veterans tell them that's the way it is in the NFL." There is no doubt the Panthers expect better things this season and one reason is the return of veteran receiver Mushin Muhammad. In 2003, when the Panthers lost to New England in the Super Bowl, Moose and Steve Smith were just starting to be a prolific tandem. In 2004, Smith missed 15 games and Moose had a 16-touchdown season, the kind of year that earned him a huge contract offer from the Chicago Bears. Moose might be 35, but he knows how to play and he's smart enough to clear out a safety or another defender away from Smith, one of the game's most exciting and productive players. "Moose is extremely strong, plus he does everything right," Delhomme said. "Every route is a clinic film. That's what he brings. He and Steve respect the (blank) out of each other. That's why we expect better things this season.""

8/3/2008 1:57:05 PM

good read

8/3/2008 2:54:45 PM

LOL/WTF going on here

Quote :

"We’re hearing via our network of sources that the fight between Steve Smith and Ken Lucas, which ended with Lucas getting a broken nose, arose from the perception or reality that Lucas has had one or more nose jobs. Seriously. As the rumor goes, some of the players make fun of Lucas for the perception or reality that he has undergone the procedure once or more in the past. And, as the rumor goes, Lucas made a solid play on Smith not long before the fight happened. And, as the rumor goes, those who make fun of Lucas for the perception or reality that he has gotten one or more nose jobs then started to make fun of Smith for being shown up by Lucas. And, as the rumor goes, this prompted Smith to take out his frustrations on Lucas and/or his nose. Again, this is all rumor. However, a search of available photos suggests that, at some point between sitting for his 2005 head shot with the Panthers and his 2007 team head shot, something changed regarding Lucas’ nose. Here’s the photographic evidence. It’s fairly safe to say that, after Friday, his nose has a somewhat different appearance."

8/3/2008 4:39:58 PM

lol

8/3/2008 5:11:53 PM

"ill give ya a nose job"

8/3/2008 9:26:35 PM

Quote :

"Come week 3... oh god Steve Smith will be PISSED"

WILL BE PISSED?

HE BROKE HIS TEAM MATES NOSE FOR GODS SAKE

I THINK HE IS PRETTY PISSED



PRACTICE? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE?

8/4/2008 7:34:39 AM

There's pissed like oh haha you covered me on one play in camp now I'll break your face then there's PISSED like 3 receiving touchdowns and an 80 yard touchdown run on a hook and ladder as time expires to win the game before literally bringing down the roof of the Metrodome.

WEEK 3

8/4/2008 8:50:02 AM

^This man understands the meaning of PISSED

8/4/2008 9:09:30 AM

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp08/columns/story?columnist=yasinskas_pat&id=3516399

8/4/2008 9:16:52 AM

That may be the most unflattering picture of Delhomme ever

8/4/2008 9:27:57 AM

haha, look at the original. not AS bad but still pretty rough

8/4/2008 10:49:55 AM

Quote :

"There's pissed like oh haha you covered me on one play in camp now I'll break your face then there's PISSED like 3 receiving touchdowns and an 80 yard touchdown run on a hook and ladder as time expires to win the game before literally bringing down the roof of the Metrodome."

But what does Smith have to be PISSED about?

8/4/2008 10:58:55 AM

his team's 0-2 record

8/4/2008 11:00:20 AM

haha i couldn't resist photoshoppin' it

and i smell animated gif in the future

8/4/2008 11:10:18 AM

Week 1 had "L" written all over it even before Smith got suspended. The Chargers might just be the best team in the NFL this year, they are playing at home, and they've learned their lesson from last year about starting out slow and overlooking opponents. Couple that with the fact that 21 of 22 starters return, and they should come out of the gates with a full head of steam.

Week 2 is gonna be ugly. The Bears are simply not the team they were 2 years ago, with an aging defense and a neutered, headless offense. Nevertheless, they get Mike Brown back and without Smitty I can't see the Panthers being able to pass the ball against them. I forsee a game similar to some of those stinkers we played against Atlanta in the past few years, where we run the ball 60 times, pass it about 15 times for 80 yards and win the game 7-3.

[Edited on August 4, 2008 at 11:25 AM. Reason : 2]

8/4/2008 11:24:28 AM

our WRs are much improved over the last couple of years. Moose and Hackett can go up and get the ball, plus if Jake can figure out how to throw it to a TE, King is more than capable

8/4/2008 11:48:06 AM

No doubt that Moose and Hackett are an upgrade over Colbert and Carter, but that's not really saying anything. Without Smitty that recieving corps is the worst in the league.

Cromartie and Jammer will steal their lunch money come week 1.

[Edited on August 4, 2008 at 12:38 PM. Reason : 2]

8/4/2008 12:37:48 PM

Quote :

"Ken Lucas just spoke to the media and said he has forgiven Steve Smith for breaking his nose in last Friday's fight on the sidelines of the Panthers' practice. Lucas said he'll need surgery, but he declined to give specifics. Lucas said he shook Smith's hand Monday and that they have begun talking to settle the differences they've had over the past four years. A few minutes before Lucas was interviewed by reporters, Smith spoke and apologized, saying there were not two sides to the story. He said the only side was that he was in the wrong. Smith said he would not let the incident define his life. He apologized to his teammates, the organization and the public. He declined to take questions from the media."

8/4/2008 1:05:05 PM

Quote :

"Without Smitty that recieving corps is the worst in the league."

that's a bit of an overstatement....Chicago, KC, Minn, Buff just to name a few pretty bad ones.

8/4/2008 1:17:02 PM

Now that Chicago lost Bradley for the year, you might be right about that one, although Hester has the tools to potentially turn into a Steve Smith-esque receiver if he can learn the position. Bowe, Berrian & Evans are all clearly better pass-catchers than Muhammad and Hackett, however. I like what Muhammad brings to the table in blocking and leadership, but lets not kid ourselves about his receiving abilities at this point. And Hackett hasn't proven anything yet.



[Edited on August 4, 2008 at 1:28 PM. Reason : 2]

8/4/2008 1:27:12 PM

hackett has proven he can be very good IF he stays healthy, and all accounts say that moose is still looking really good. Granted he has probably lost a step since he went to Chi, but he has never been a speed guy, and his route running/experience with jake will allow him to find the weaknesses in the D....not saying we're great at wr w/o smith, just not the worst in the league.

if anything, I'd be worried about our running attack for those two games....we'll almost certainly be facing a stacked box the majority of the time in those games now.

8/4/2008 1:52:23 PM

good short reads (from charlotte.com):

Quote :

"Smith: "I'm completely wrong" Here's the transcript of Steve Smith's comments to the media a few minutes ago at Panthers' training camp regarding punching Ken Lucas last Friday. It earned Smith a suspension for the first two regular-season games. "First of all, I'd really like to apologize to the orginization, to the coaches, to my teammates, to my family. I have a big responsibility to a lot of people and I know I disappointed a lot of people, but I will not allow this moment in the book of life to define me, despite what people may write or say. "I made a bad decision. I accept my responsibilities and my actions. I will take this opportunity moving forward to try to do the best I can to move forward past it and let this not define me and not get down on myself to the point that I'm not able to help my teammates out and help this organization win a championship. "His issue that happened is going to be an opportunity for the Carolina Panthers and myself as an individual to show our true colors and be able to show the impact we can have and not have this moment leave the legacy of who I am to my children, who I am to my teammates, who I am as a man. "I will not put myself in position where I have to defend myself or state my side of the story. There's only one side, which is a lack of judgment on my part. ... I have no excuse. All I have is the opportunity to gain the respect of my fans, gain the respect of my family, gain the respect of my co-workers and the orgainzation, and also the peers I play against as well. "I'm going to take this opportunity to let God break me, humble me, and continually let me move forward in being the person I can truly be -- and that's a God-fearing man, no matter what people may think or what they may say. "It's an opportunity for me to stand tall and take my punishment, but take it with God on my side and not me standing up trying to be something that I',m not. I'm a fallen man. I'm a man who made a mistake. "I intend to mend the bridges I have burned and help rebuild a bridge if I need to all by myself, but not do it in a spiteful way. But to do it witih the labor and the sound mind that God gives me, which is to do what I'm supposed to do. "I'm not going to get into who's right, who's wrong. I'm completely wrong. (It was) an asinine decision. I'm going to move forward, and move forward better than I probably have had to. "This is the first time in my life that I really haven't forgiven myself. That's what's I'm going to work on." -- Charles Chandler"

Quote :

"Lucas Q&A: "A blessing in disguise" Cornerback Ken Lucas took questions from reporters today about the broken nose he suffered from a punch by teammate Steve Smith last Friday. Lucas had a bruise under his left eye and said he'd need surgery, but didn't provide details on the operation. He said he expected to be back in practice in two or three weeks. Here's a transcript of the highlights of Lucas' interview: Q: How are you? A: "I feel pretty good today. It's just good to be back out here with my teammates. I'm just trying to get prepared for this season coming up. Everybody is positive right now and that's a good thing." Q: When will you be able to return to practice? A: "Probably in two or three weeks, depending on the surgery. We're still waiting on the doctors to tell us the timetable on when I'll have the procedure done." Q: What do you think about what happened: "I feel like what happened was a blessing in disguise. It's something that has brought this team closer together. You all may say I'm crazy for saying that. But I really think it's bigger than me and Steve. "Me and Steve have talked, man to man and one on one. We still have some more talking to do as far as the descrepencies of what we feel like are the issues between us. But we're going to handle it as men. "As far as this incident holding the team back, I don't think it's going to do so. I think it's only going to make us better and bring us closer as a team (as we) work toward the ultimate goal of winning this tropy this year. Q: Tell us about your conversation with him. A: "That's between me and Steve. There are a lot of things that have been brewing for four years now. I can't possibly tell you what the issues are in this one conversation (about) what has happened in four years. "Sometimes when emotions get involved, you do stupid things, and unfortunately that's what humans do. "For me, to be a Christian, I have a forgiving heart and I'm willing to move forward to help this team win this year." Q: Has he apologized? A: "Oh absolutely. I think that was a big step for this team to be able to accomplish the goals we want to accomplish. I felt like if I didn't forgive him, it would divide this team up and we could pretty much throw this season away. I'm a competitor and I hate losing. I felt like I had to do that in order to give this team an opportunity to perform at a high level and perform as a team this year. "I have to admit it's tough as a human. But it's bigger than me and Steve, like I said. Where I get the courage and the grace to do so, I know it doesn't come from me. It comes from God. So I just give all the glory to God for how I'm handling the situation right now. Q: Could you talk about your teammates greeting you Saturday at the stadium and what that meant to you? A: "When I came over to the stadium, I wasn't coming over there to get a warm welcome. I was just coming over there to be a part of the team and not separate myself from the team. But, lo and behold, it was very overwhelming for how they responded to me. It felt pretty good. "Sometimes you can view things as a gift or a curse. I look at this as a gift. We have the team, what it takes to win the Super Bowl this year. This is something I only thing will bring us closer. "For those guys to come and hug me and say, `Man, we're glad to see you over here,' that felt so good to me. Sometimes it takes adversity to really know how much you're appreciated or how much people really care about you. "If I could take it back, I wouldn't. It's a learning process. Trials and tribulations only make you stronger as a man, for me and Steve. I'm sure he regrets the actions he took, but I would be less of a man if I didn't forgive him. I go to Bible study, just like he does, every week. For me not to be able to forgive him, then I'd just be wasting my time going to Bible study. I just think it's bigger than us. "I have forgiven him. I have moved forward. I have shook his hand and looked him eye-to-eye today. We have discussed some things. We still have some more discussions, some more things to talk about as far as what can we do to go out there and co-exist on the same field, the same team and be productive and help this team win this year. "Only two men can do that, and think we have what it takes for us to do so." Q: Why do you think this has been brewing between the two of you for four years? A: "Because he's an ultra-competitor and I'm a ultra-competitor, and we both hate losing. He expects to catch every ball and I expect to defend every ball. When you have those two types of individuals, then something has to give. Sometimes when it's 100 degrees out there, you're sweaty, you're tired, you're frustrated, sometimes emotions get involved. "If he could do it, and if he'd had a calmer head, I'm sure he would have made better decisions. I don't fault him for that. "There are times when maybe I want to hit somebody, but I control myself. I tell some of my other teammates, `You have to keep your composure.' Typically, people do crazy things they regret when they're emotional, and I think he just got too emotional at the time, and that's it." -- Charles Chandler "

seems to me like they're both ready to put this behind them and move on

8/4/2008 3:47:22 PM

In a weird way i feel like this whole situation will go a long way in securing the jobs of fox/hurney. I think the way they handled it will buy them more time with richardson even if we don't make the playoffs this year.

as far as the team goes, this is either going to be really good for chemistry, or really bad....tbd.

8/4/2008 3:54:36 PM

Jon Richardson is the fucking man, I smoked his ass in go carts through at Victory Lane.

8/4/2008 4:19:44 PM

who is Jon Richardson

8/4/2008 4:24:23 PM

http://www.panthers.com/Team/StaffBio.aspx?id=1976

JON SON OF JERRY

[Edited on August 4, 2008 at 4:33 PM. Reason : .]

8/4/2008 4:33:02 PM

ok cool...I know of Mark Richardson, son of Jerry, but didn't know about Jon

8/4/2008 4:37:20 PM

he played football at UNC in the 80s with my girlfriends dad. Im hoping I can get an in as an operations or facilities manager after I get my engineering degree.

8/4/2008 4:40:01 PM

good luck with that...how would you feel if they made you start at the bottom and work your way up? a buddy of mine works for the Panthers and knew some people, but had to start off on some low wage grunt shit and work his way up...just throwing it out there

8/4/2008 4:41:06 PM

I mean, I wouldn't mind living in Charlotte and doing that stuff on weekends or at nights, but i'd probably try to get a job as an engineer to live comfortably in the meantime.

what's your buddy do now? and how long did it take for him to get there?

[Edited on August 4, 2008 at 4:44 PM. Reason : .]

8/4/2008 4:43:25 PM

he started off just helping out with equipment, keeping shit clean, organized, etc...getting paid very little...not sure what he does now but something in the front office...he graduated from State in 96 or 97 i think

8/4/2008 4:45:45 PM

We taking bets now for who gets suspended and for how long after the raiders game?

Hall
smith
or
hall and smith

I'm voting the tandem get 1 game.

8/4/2008 6:22:37 PM

Smith owned Hall when he was a Falcon

nothing has changed except the uniform

8/4/2008 6:24:56 PM

2+2=4

we can go all day if you want

8/4/2008 6:31:51 PM

im sure you wouldnt mind trolling the panthers thread all day

8/4/2008 6:38:06 PM