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Flipping
the Switch During the entire NFL pre-season campaign, I had to force myself to watch more than 10 minutes of Panthers football. It would be true if it were the Panthers, Patriots, Steelers, you name it.....pre-season football is damn near unwatchable. The Panthers took it to a new level, by posting a listless 0-4 record that highlighted terrible tackling and an offense that was dreadful. I listened to fans bitch and complain on my radio show about all of the Panthers' ills in the pre-season. Of course, the fans have still been wired from the disaster better known as the "Arizona playoff game". That night will live in infamy, given what was at stake and the team's brutal effort and performance in the 33-13 loss. I told fans not to panic and over-react to the pre-season results. Wait until the Philly game...if the problems persist, then you have a green-light special to rip away. 38-10, Eagles. Rip away. The Panthers gave their fans a perfect set of bookend clunkers that should light the phone lines for weeks to come...maybe all season, if Jake Delhomme doesn't get a better grasp of the finer points of the game of football. In their last two displays of football, Jake and the Panthers have sported a dozen turnovers in two horrific home performances. The fans have had enough, but apparently John Fox will have Delhomme back under center next week in the Georgia Dome. Believe it or not, he gives Carolina their best chance to succeed...and therein lies the problem. The Panthers have done absolutely nothing to get better from a year ago. With Julius Peppers' franchise tag, Jake's ridiculous contract extension, Jerry Richardson's version of Family Feud, and a pathetic 0-4 pre-season effort, there is something missing from a team with 20 returning starters and apparently a lack of confidence. Many people were hoping the team could "flip the switch" from the pre-season to the real kick-off of the '09 season. We all witnessed the truth on Sunday. After an opening drive for a touchdown (just like Arizona), the team proceeded to get destroyed (just like Arizona). It was ugly. It was dismal. It was the Arizona nightmare all over again. The mass exodus at halftime and the chorus of boos throughout the day tells me one thing...Jerry Richardson doesn't need his unemployed sons to tell him that his team is sucking the energy out of the building and the fans. That was the classic line that Jerry Richardson used after the Seifert firing, and Fox hiring.....and I thought about it as I watched a stadium with maybe 10,000 fans watch the fourth quarter. Thank goodness the Philly fans were still in the building, because the Panther fans have seen this movie before. I don't blame them for getting the hell out of there. The Panthers better find a way to steal a win the next two weeks on the road. A trip to Atlanta, followed by a game in Dallas won't be easy. But if the team continues to play uninspired football, the season could be lost before we reach October. I can assure you that if that happens, Jerry Richardson will not tolerate looking at a stadium filled with opponents' fans and empty seats. He fired his sons, for crying out loud; what do you think he'll do with his coaching staff? There's no need to panic, but there's plenty reason for concern. The Panthers in one week proved that you just can't flip the switch. How great was the college football weekend? Pick a big game, and you probably witnessed an amazing ending. USC
/ Ohio State The list goes on and on... I'm not sure what we can do for an encore this week, but I promise you I'll be watching. In fact, I'll be back on the road on the Southern Fried Football™ Tour, as we head to Chapel Hill for the UNC-ECU game. The Heels were another team that escaped with a miracle finish, by winning thanks to a questionable holding call in the end zone which gave the Heels a safety and a 12-10 win over UConn. What's going on in Boone? The Mountaineers are 0-2, following a disappointing loss at home to McNeese State. It's one thing to lose against East Carolina on the road, but the boys from ASU don't lose at home very often. The Gamecocks might have lost in Athens, but the play of Stephen Garcia should give them confidence as the season progresses. I still can't believe that either team generated as much offense in the Dawgs' thrilling 41-37 win. I have a feeling that both USC and Clemson are bummed out with their Peach state losses, but both of them are confident that they are headed in the right direction. How did Ohio State lose that game against the mighty Trojans? It seemed like the Buckeyes had the upper hand all night long. They appeared to control the line of scrimmage, the crowd was great, and Terrelle Pryor didn't have to try to throw the forward pass. After the game, Pryor claimed, "We should have beat them." Yeah, we've heard that one before from Buckeye Nation. The poisonous nuts have now lost six straight games to the Top 5. It could be worse for the Buckeyes....they could be Notre Dame. Self-professed football genius Charlie Weis, with a slight lead, decided to throw a couple of passes (incomplete by the overly-hyped Jimmy Clausen) to stop the clock , and proceeded to give life and time to Michigan. It's been more than three years since the Irish have beaten a Top 25 team. But don't let the facts get in the way of a good story...ND fans will tell you that they're back. I wonder when the next billboard will be unveiled in South Bend, proclaiming the virtues of Charlie Weis? I would like to thank Serena Williams for her profanity-laced tirade during her US Open loss over the weekend. The Whiner Line thanks you. The Chase for the Cup without Kyle Busch? Wake me up when it's over. I have a feeling that the 12 drivers that made it will be as dynamic as the Panthers' pre-season performance.....or a regular season effort. I caught Michael Jordan's acceptance speech to the Basketball Hall of Fame last Friday. I'm not sure if it was actually a speech or a confession, but it was certainly interesting. I had to laugh when he mentioned that even at the age of 46, he could play and that you shouldn't be surprised if he showed up at 50 and played again. Hey Mike, I'd be more surprised if you actually showed up for work at the Bobcats Arena on a daily basis. Now, that would be amazing. |
Packman
on Sports Commentary
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