Tom Talks

Crescent City Kasay

    I'd love to see John Kasay retire a Panther. I'd love to see him retire. He's had an exceptional career. He was a kicker and a leader. How many kickers are leaders? Leadership has to be earned, and most kickers aren't on the field enough to earn it. Kasay led quietly.

     Most of us like to see the athletes we admire retire before their work diminishes. We shudder when we see Willie Mays, Joe Namath,Joe Montana or Emmitt Smith wearing the uniform of another team. The colors are never right. The athletes look like temps.

      We'd like to preserve the legacies of our athletes behind thick glass.

      Players, however, don't want to be preserved, not when they think they still have something to give. And after the success they've enjoyed, of course they think they can still contribute.

       Rather than quietly retire a Panther, Kasay is in New Orleans, an injury replacement for the Saints. He gets to be one of the guys in the locker room again, and he gets to again do the work that has distinguished him since he left college.

       Hope he stays as long as he wants. Hope he enjoys himself. Hope that when he leaves, he's ready for whatever comes next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Miami so far

   Panther offense handled so far. Can't run, can't sustain a passing attack and can't pick up a third down. They''ve failed three times on third down.

     Cam Newton has completed four passes, two to tight end Jeremy Shockey and two to tight end Greg Olsen. But he's badly missed on two out patterns.

      Be interesting to see what Panthers to do to get untracked on their next series. If they get a series before halftime. Once Dolphins get the ball, they tend to keep it, moving it in short steps down the field. 

What defense?

    Bad defensive stand for Carolina on Miami's second drive. Panthers recovered a Miami fumble on their 1-yard-line but had 12 men on the field.

    Panthers needed all 12. Panthers couldn't stop Reggie Bush, or anybody else. Although Miami QB Chad Henne failed to see receiver Brandon Marshall, who was wide open deep, he did methodically lead the Dolphins 80 yards in 12 plays. Running back Lex Hill scored on fourth down from the 1.

    Panthers generated no pass rush, and Bush ran like the player New Orleans thought it drafted out of Southern California.

    With less than a minute to go in the first quarter, Dolphins lead 7-0.

 

 

 

12 80 6:41. 

 

Why do adults get hung up on hanging out with college athletes?

    One of the problems with college football is big-time boosters such as Nevin Shapiro who give thousands of dollars to a school so they can hang out with athletes much younger than they are.

     Hey, guys, look how cool I am. I'm hanging out with a 19-year-old. It's almost like having a friend.

     Shapiro allegedly gave gifts and favors, money and women and time on the yacht, to Miami Hurricane football players present and past.

     Why would any adult do this? What do they get out of it? Aren't they embarrased?

    Hey, ma, I slipped some football players a few grand and they acknowledged me in public. I finally made it, ma. Aren't you proud?

     Those of us who rip the players for accepting favors forget what it was like to be in school. I didn't have money; most of my friends didn't. But unlike the athletes, we could work. Working meant giving up most weekend nights to move copy -- this was before computers -- at the local newspaper.

     If a rich guy had flung cash at me, I assume I would have taken it. If I were an athlete, and all my friends were getting a boost, I assume I would have, too.

     Many boosters undoubtedly mean well. They kick in their money and expect nothing more in return than a good seat, a great parking spot and a casual relationship with the coaching staff.

      But twisted folks require more. They see the special little sophomore on the field and get excited about the prospect of getting together with him. 

      Hey, guys, today is the best day of my life. The special little sophomore called me by name in public. 

        Shapiro is doing time for a Ponzi scheme. Wonder how many of those players are calling him now?

 

 

Who made the best catch of the night? Armanti Edwards did.

    Best catch of Carolina's practice Monday night was supplied by Armanti Edwards. Edwards broke open across the middle, and Cam Newton's pass appeared to be over his head. But Edwards reached high and plucked the ball out of the air.

     Tight end Jeremy Shockey probably caught more passes than anybody Monday, punctuating each by throwing the ball.

     Nice play near the end of the session. The Panthers flooded the left side and found Steve Smith, who zagged and darted between blockers and through defenders and suddenly was free.

     Running back Mike Goodson grabbed a hard pass over the middle, achieved separation with an instant spin move and didn't fumble. Goodson fumbled twice Saturday against the New York Giants, losing one. But when he hangs on, he's a factor. He's as quick as anybody on the roster, and has size and speed. His white shoes make him look even faster.

 

 

Not bad at Bank of America Stadium Saturday. Not bad at all.

      When old fails, we love new. John Fox didn't fail as coach of the Carolina Panthers, but his 2010 team did.

      So it was fun at Bank of America Stadium Saturday to see new. We saw a  reverse, saw the empty backfield and saw the absence of a third-and-long draw play. We did not see one all night.

     It was fun to see Armanti Edwards make two nice punt returns, the first of them dazzling, and catch a 36-yard pass. It was fun to watch Cam Newton make his NFL exhibition debut and see rookie receiver Kealoha Pilares sprint down the left sideline with a touchdown pass.

    I have no idea how effective the Panthers will be in 2011. It's too early. There are too many variables.

    Carolina beat the New York Giants 20-10, and fans had a good time watching the Panthers do it.

    Football, at least on this night, was fun at Bank of America Stadium. And when was the last time you could say that?

 

 

   

Armanti lives

    Armanti Edwards grabbed a punt, ran right almost out of bounds, reversed field and took off. He returned Matt Dodge's punt 22 yards. It was an all-Carolina play: Edwards played for Appalachian State and Dodge played for East Carolina.

    The play was entertaining. We haven't had many of those, not on punt returns, not lately, in these parts.

     

Carolina Panther owner Jerry Richardson, Take II

      I interviewed Jerry Richardson, the Carolina Panther owner, Monday. Ran most of it in Tuesday's Charlotte Observer. But here's some of what I didn't use.

     I offer names.

     THOMAS DAVIS.

     "He's one of the most favorite players we've ever had on the team," says Richardson. "A no-nonsense man. He takes contructive ideas in the right way. He wants to please. He came into the league not really having a position. And now we've found the spot for him. He's just a wonderful man. And he said this is where he wanted to be."

     JON BEASON.

     "I don't know him as well as I do Thomas. But he did what he said he was going to do. He and I had a handshake agreement, and he lived up to his word."

      RYAN KALIL.

      "He and I had a discussion about him staying here and he tells me he wants to. I'm told he's a very smart football player and I think he's our kind of guy."

    DeANGELO WILLIAMS and JONATHAN STEWART.

     "DeAngelo and Jonathan are great the way they interact among themselves. They could take the position that one takes away from the other and I've never seen that."

    Who are former players with which you stay in contact?

     "Mark Carrier is near the top. Tshimanga Biakabutuka. Wesley (Walls). Kevin Donnalley. Lamar Lathon. Sam Mills, of course. He gave me a hug and I said, I need a real hug. He called me to visit him right at the end of his life and he was really sick and weak and frail and he said he wanted a real hug."

    RON RIVERA

    "He had great recommendations from all the people I talked to personally. He has presence. He's confident but not trying to sell, he talks to me about chain of command and that he's a chain of command person. He's exceptional. We'll see.

 

 

  

Don't haze me, bro

    Hazing is stupid. Hazing belongs to a different time -- 1780, maybe. It's one of those unfortunate fads we should have outgrown by now but somehow failed to.

    Think about it. If you want to join my group, my team, my fraternity, you have to pay your dues. So we'll do dumb stuff to you, and the weaker among us will get carried away with our temporary power, and whack the crap out of you.

    I salute Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio for banning the hazing of rookies. Rookies still are subjected to the harmless stuff, participating in a talent show and carrying a veteran's helmet. But they aren't going to be taped to a goalpost.

    It's 2011 in Jacksonville.

     The theory behind hazing is that by submitting to a demeaning ritual you'll feel as if you earned your place in the new group/team/fraternity. Wow. Somebody shaved my head. Now I know what it's like to be a man.

     It's a foolish theory.

    And no, I've never been hazed. I couldn't join a fraternity. I wasn't the type. Plus, I don't own khaki pants.

    In training camp NFL rookies play at a level to which they aren't accustomed. That's big-time talent they share the field with.  You don't think that throwing blocks and fighting through them, catching passes and trying to stop others from catching passes, running and tackling and throwing and hammering and competing are dues enough?

     Football is real. Hazing is contrived.

     What year is it where you live?  

 

 

 

 

Panthers can't be stopped by Panthers

    Jimmy Clausen led the Panthers to a touchdown on his first drive at Fan Fest. He was helped by a great catch by Steve Smith in front of rookie cornerback Kendric Burney. Smith spun the ball and Burney gently kicked it.

     Tight end Greg Olsen made an even better catch in the end zone. Olsen tipped the ball, fell to the end zone turf and grabbed it before he landed.

     Cam Newton's turn. Newton hit Gary Barnidge on the left side, hit rookie Kealoha Pilares over the middle, hit Mike Goodson twice on the right side, and Goodson ran the ball in for a TD.