Carolina Panther GM Marty Hurney says he failed to find a leader

    Marty Hurney, the deposed Carolina Panther general manager, said he failed to find a player who could take over a locker room and compel teammates not to accept losing.

     He said the Panthers have many potential leaders. But they don't have a player who at the moment fills the role Ray Lewis (who is out for the season) did for Baltimore or Tom Brady does for New England.

     "Leadership in the locker room is one of the most underrated parts of this league," Hurney said.

      The Panthers have never won in consecutive seasons and haven't had a winning season since 2008. They're 1-5 this season and have lost four straight.   

      Panther owner Jerry Richardson asked Hurney when the losing would stop, and why would it stop. Hurney couldn't offer an answer that satisfied Richardson.

       "There's something that has to change," Hurney said in an intervew with four reporters Monday afternoon.

       On Monday, the leadership of Carolina's football operation did.

Comments

[Daniel Moore]

Whatever happened to the very aggressive play calling by Chud, first two plays on offence was runs at the middle of the line, high school stuff.More play action calls and less Cam Newton.runs unless he's running for his life as was the case Sunday against the cowgirls of Dallas.They should have easily rubbed their butts in the turf.

[manu4t]

First of all, the lack of leadership amongst the players, if there is any, is Hurney's fault as he chose each and every person in that room, therefore he has only indicted his own stupidity even further by trying to shift the blame to the players.

Second, if we are relying on players to motivate each other instead of the coach firing them up, the mentality of this team is completely broken. One of the HC main jobs is to motivate and challenge people. If Rivera isnt doing that, and it sure looks like he isnt, he needs to join Hurney in the Mayflower moving van line.

Last, I am glad to finally see Hurney make a statement where he doesnt gratuitously work in a mention of the 2003 Super Bowl appearance that he apparently thought he could ride into retirement.

[gary jeffery]

Luke Kuechly has the potential to be that locker room player.

[Chris]

Sacrificial lamb. Never played or coached a down.

Coaches have no fire. It is Dom Capers part four. It's not the roster or the front office.

[charlottean]

aggressive play calling?! the problem is the lack of conservative play calling.

running the option on 3rd and inches isn't exactly intelligent when you can just spread it out and let your athletic 6-5 QB just fall forward through his choice of gap to pick up the yard. consistently getting sacked out of FG range isn't helping either. Some of that's on Cam no doubt but you can't put a guy in such an easy position to fail especially so early in the game.

Be agressive, sure....but be smart.

John fox and his incredibly exciting 3rd down draw plays and field position football would have THIS team winning. this team is WAY more talented than the 2009 and 2010 teams. Injuries haven't even been much of a factor in the record. Only time john fox lost consistently was when he was playing his practice squad with all our pro bowlers on IR.

the grass is brown on this side.

[Mac]

I maybe the minority that says that Hurney should have not been fired. At least not right now. This proves nothing the same players are on the field the same coaches are there what sense does it make to fire the GM now. All it is causing is a distraction within the orgainzation. To me its as much as the owner as the players and coaches and GM fault the team is under acheiving. Jerry has to sign the checks so obviously he agreed to the signing of those high dollar guys yall blasting. To me it is more on the coaches and players. Some one brought up a good point I was listening to on the radio. Chud who is this offensive guro was in Cleveland the year Derek Anderson went to the pro bowl. Can anyone guess what happened the year after. It looks like the same song and dance that went on in Cleveland during Chud's 2nd year there. Just a thought maybe he is not as great a play caller as many think. To me he has a issue making adjustments just as Coah Riveria does.

[George]

The only way to change the locker room is changing QB's. Things are not complicated so don't get bottled up in trying to change what you cannot.

[KnowsIt]

"Leadership in the locker room is one of the most underrated parts of this league," Hurney said.

For those slow people, he is talking about Cam. Cam has as was reported in Yahoo News yesterday, "...the leadership ability of a fifth-grader..."

Tru dat!

[Panthers new GM]

Whoever thinks its CAM fault we are a losing team needs to hang themselves from the top floor balcony. How is one person supposed to win a football game by himself?? Hurney invested 80 million into a backfield that barely touches the football and drafted a bunch of slow average wide outs. As the new GM the first thing i will do is sign Shocky back and go out and get. T.O. Trade Deangelo Williams for a corner or safety. And the my 1st round draft pick will be a pass rusher. Oh yea and get a coach that knows how to win a football game.

[Kevin]

Exactly what we need, sign TO to an already broken locker room. Jesus we have one dumb fan base.

[Gwanedm]

The panthers really just need to get the running game going

[Rick H]

You noticed he mentioned Tom Brady- Enough said!!

[Rick H]

Tom Brady is the persona of a great on the field, off the field and locker room leader. Thats why the Patriots have not had a losing season since he took over as QB. Cam Newton does not have the leadership ability. Even Steve Smith knows this.

[the only person with any sense who still reads the Charlotte Observer]

@ KnowsIt...you should mention that the sentence you refer to was immediately followed by this one,"Let's make one thing clear: Cam Newton is the most important person in the rebuilding of the Carolina Panthers. He is a stunning talent and a guy who has already proven at the college level that he can carry a team on his back (check how quickly Auburn has fallen since he left)." This isn't a presidential debate. You can't pick and choose your quotes to fit your agenda here.

Furthermore, @ RickH, Tom Brady was never asked to be the leader of a bad team as a 22 year old rookie and Tom Brady has had his share of prima donna sulking/crying moments, as well.

[Ben]

How many Super Bowls has Ray Lewis won? Who is the great leader in the Steelers locker room or the Giants? That's a copout, Hurney. You wasted money, made incredibly bad draft choices in rounds 2 and 3, threw away a couple first round picks, and sign ineffective free agents because of the lack of money. The problem is, you won't admit to making a mistake. Everybody knows what you've done and you won't admit it. Yeah, some people can be fooled all the time, but very few.

[PanthersFanD]

"They want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries"--Bill Parcells.

[Where's Cam?]

This should be a slap in the face to Cam Newton. I love the guy, but I'm getting tired of his sulking and sitting on the bench with a towel draped over his head, not interacting with the other players. You would NEVER see a Tom Brady or Payton Manning do this. Whatever Newton's problem is, he better figure it out and do it quickly. Get him a psych - whatever it takes, but he'd better grow up and take on a leadership role with this team.

[John]

I am sure Hurney is right about the lack of leadership. Other problems that fall squarely on him are the fact that this is a passing league and the panthers have the worst receivers and corners in the league. Also letting peppers go may have had to happen, but what he let that do to his decision making is pathetic. Everette Brown and paying Charles Johnson 76 million were the moves of a desperate man. No sports agent ever laughed as hard as Johnson's the day that offer came in. It would of have taken him five seconds to sign a deal for half of that amount.

[ACCW]

Why would you resign the same players from that 2-14 season? Seems to me you would start over at that point and reevaluate all your players and decide who stays and who goes. Instead of rewarding players after a bad season!!

[nosebleed fan]

Trade for Ray Lewis

[Brian]

Hurney has made some questionable personnel moves...letting Peppers go for nothing was unexcusable..giving Delhomme an extension was questionable..why resign thomas davis after 3 acl injuries...beason is extremely overrated

I agree with Mike Logan...the panthers are 2drafts away from being competitive on defense they lost about 7games last season because they dont have an NFL caliber defense

[Bridget Hendges]

You know I have read all the post, and this is coming from someone that travels 5 hours each way to a game and have for 16 years. We are PSL owners. Yes that is my choice to do this. But lets start with Cam the boy yes I said boy needs to start acting like the man he was hired to be. when have you ever seen a QB stand to the side when the rest of the team is in the huddle during breaks...(NEVER... Luke played a great game on Sunday he will be fine. Yes we do need a leader in the locker room and not just the coach. I think Smith is and So is Gross. But all teams look up to the QB most of the time. Yes I know the Ray Lewis's of the game are but majority is the QB and we do not have one that is or that it seems our players respect (do you blame them). Richardson I am proud you are stepping up and doing something now. The cost of our tickets and motel and food, gas and parking runs about $405.00 per game I know wo is me but my point is we want to drive 5 hours home knowing if we lose that our team and entire team really played their hearts and soul out and we do not have an entire team that is doing that. Make things happen now and we might atleast have an end with a respectable season. And just a little petty BS how about with the cost of all that you charge 9.00 nachos 7.50 beer lets have a decent half time.
Bridget

[saintsstevie]

You panthers need to realize that your team bet the farm trying to build a team around a narcissistic media pampered Q B and the loans due and you dont have any thing to repay it with. Stop focusing on that guy who sits on the sideline with a towel over his head smiling weather he's doing good or not and is treated just like obama when it comes to the media and being held accountable for his uselessness. If you do get the #1 draft pick your coaches need to seriously consider picking a Q B

[Hokebuck]

Start Armanti Edwards at QB problem solved!

[joe cool]

put the C on Cam and tell him it's his job to be the captain!