PANTHERS' VP OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS RESIGNS

Hmmmm...... Wonder why?


https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/pan...30a5&ei=12

The Carolina Panthers have seen a lot of change this offseason and on Wednesday, the Panthers announced another move. Vice President of Football Operations, Steven Drummond, has decided to resign from his position.

“With the changes this offseason, this seemed like a good time to transition to other interests,” Drummond said in a statement released by the team. “I have enjoyed my time with the Panthers and appreciate the opportunities they gave me. I will continue to root for their success.”

Drummond has been with the organization since 2005, serving in a variety of roles from Assitant Director of Communications to Director of Communications, Director of Digital Media, VP of Communications and External Affairs, and VP of Football Operations.

He is currently pursuing his MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He has been with the Panthers a LONG time. Could be he just decided it was time to move on----or a different direction. Hard to tell about the "WHY" exactly. I guess he could have had a disagreement with the Tepper's or his immediate supervisor (whomever that might be..).

It's not necessarily a 'bad' thing. Upper end executives seldom last forever. By virtue of their position, there just isn't much upward flexibility in the organization. Shouldn't make a visible difference, really. Someone will get promoted from within and a new face will appear lower down the ladder......

Of course no one knows for sure and that leads to opinions except those you KNOW. But it is news worthy, this is the third top person in the pecking order behind Fitterer and Morgan and has been described as Tepper’s right hand.

It’s also the third “executive” position change in the past two years.

Of course we don’t KNOW and may never will but it seems that someone is really throwing their weight around and my odds would be Tepper himself..: but again, just an opinion.

Still, it's interesting.....

He has been with the Panthers, what.... seventeen years.?? Moved up on the "Football Operations" side of the house. He has pretty much "maxed out" his ceiling there, without moving up to the GM or Asst. GM slot. And I don't believe he has the CV (background) to be a GM.  So, unless he wanted to move over into the "business" side of the house, there is really nothing left here for him. No upward mobility.

I can definitely see him wanting to move on somewhere, just to move UP.....

Of course, I don't know anything about his College/University background. Nor do I know anything about the "climate" within Panthers Football Operations. I just think he would have to have really 'screwed up' in order to get "booted" after seventeen years.

But then .......  What do I know.?? 

David Tepper strikes me as someone who might grate against my own personality. A sort of "My way or the highway" kind of guy. Maybe I'm completely wrong, who knows? But I get the feeling he's a, "I'll hear your opinions, but it's MY decision to make".

David Tepper strikes me as someone who might grate against my own personality.  A sort of "My way or the highway" kind of guy.  Maybe I'm completely wrong, who knows?  But I get the feeling he's a, "I'll hear your opinions, but it's MY decision to make".

Yes... I would guess that you're correct. He is THE owner of a multi-Billion dollar 'Sports and Entertainment' enterprise. There are NO venture capitalists.; There are NO partners. There are NO Minor Ownership people involved. He built his wealth by being a successful 'manager.'  He understands risk vs. reward and how to maximize ROI. And he has prior NFL experience in Pittsburgh.  I guess you could say he is sort of an anomaly in major-league sports.

So.... I can see where he might want to exert some control. He has proven over and over that he understands what it takes to be successful. It's HIS business. It's HIS money.  Why shouldn't he exert some control.?? As a franchise owner, the only person or entity he answers to is THE LEAGUE.

But I also believe that he is a realist. He has a good team of executives to do the work. He is a MAJOR contributor to local charities and supports the Carolinas. He has had to learn some lessons, but I THINK (???) he has done so.  He didn't get where he is by being stupid.

As far as his 'management style' is concerned...... who knows.??  He is a rather "brash" individual. Always has been if you can believe what you read. Sort of a "no need to sugar-coat it, just get the job done" kind of guy. OR... "If you want to play on MY team, just realize that it's MY ball."  So yeah, he probably does irritate some of the executives. Those executives need to understand that they "are playing with someone else's money." Tepper doesn't answer to shareholders or a Board of Directors. It's his team and his money. The responsibilities are his, and so are the decisions.

Right way.??  Wrong way.??  You can argue that point. And some folks will always insist that they know how to run things better.... that Tepper is a bungling idiot.  But I sincerely doubt that.... He WANTS to succeed here. And my guess is, he will.  With apologies to Voltaire (I think it was Voltaire.??) "I may not agree with your 'decisions', but I'll defend your right to make them...".....  (I really shouldn't modify historical quotes like that to suit my purposes, but..... Oh well.)

Here's my take on it, though. If you are going to hire sports guys to run your sports team, get the hell out of the way and let them run it. We don't need another Jerry Jones here, and I"m not saying that's what Mr. Tepper is, I'm just saying I hope the powers that be let the hired help do their jobs.

If whomever the Panthers select fails (regardless of if it's Teppers pick or not), it's the Coaching staff who will lose their jobs, not the owner.

Here's my take on it, though.  If you are going to hire sports guys to run your sports team, get the hell out of the way and let them run it.  We don't need another Jerry Jones here, and I"m not saying that's what Mr. Tepper is, I'm just saying I hope the powers that be let the hired help do their jobs.

If whomever the Panthers select fails (regardless of if it's Teppers pick or not), it's the Coaching staff who will lose their jobs, not the owner.

AGREED.... I really think the "guys" DO make the decisions though. Even last year (I remember last year) Tepper was in the draft room and was sitting/standing around watching and listening. As the draft progressed, names came off the board, Rhule spoke with Fitts and the picks were made. Tepper was talking and 'schmoozing' but was not interfering.  I think he gives them all the rope they need. It's not a short leash. But he wants and expects to see some quality on the field, some direction and progress.

That's his right.....IMHO.