Wilks “we are going to evaluate every position”

Start with the leader and simply step down!

It hadn't really dawned on me until this weekend when I heard someone say that we have not had a winning season since David Tepper bought the team.

I started to avoid this topic.....  Then I thought....."Why..??"   "I didn't START it.??"  "Besides, it's an interesting topic."

But then I thought.... "I don't know... Someone will probably get bent out of shape."

Then I thought... "These are all grown up people here.... They need a little adversity in their football lives."

But THEN I thought... "Is that really your job...to create adversity..??" 

Hmmm..??


So, after giving it due consideration, I decided to "think about it."

All positions need evaluating. We have a de, lb(s), dt, cb(s), s, ol(5?), wr(s), te(s) coming back. Where we need to add? Qb, n rb obviously. Then dl, db, lb? I like b smith. I like our roster, but wish I knew how we will supplement.

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Go hobbit. I value ure input. First n 007 too! All u guys. I enjoy debates. N different views. I think we have a talented roster, missing pieces I can’t see.

Brian burns is a great player. Chinn is a great player at the los. Lacking ball skills. Shaq’s awesome. Luvu is a whirling dervish, Browns come around nicely. JC is SO solid. Our oline is supremely solid. DJ’s a star. Thomas impresses with his blocking. Forman is tough, n powerfull. Chuba has the quicker twitch. Sam’s been steady this year. I miss any body? Supposed to be guys to build around list.

I started to reply to this about a week ago, then decided to let it rest. So.... Now I'm back.

I realize the 'topic" here is "Evaluating every position..". My comments here however, are more in 'thoughtful reply' to 007. He commented up there ^^^ about the Panthers lack of winning consistency and a lack of a "winning season" since David Tepper took over..... WAIT ...... let's quote that correctly.

007 said..

It hadn't really dawned on me until this weekend when I heard someone say that we have not had a winning season since David Tepper bought the team.

The emphasis in that quote is mine. We need to be aware (careful..?) to completely understand what that means. Once again, note the "WE" in my statement. It is a "collective" usage. It doesn't mean "YOU" or "ME". It means US. All of us. As far as the Panthers are concerned, David Tepper BOUGHT the team. In 2018 the Panthers changed ownership. Davis Tepper became the sole owner of the Panthers by paying 2.3 Billion dollars for the team. The point I am making is this..... NO one, nowhere, at any time would come out of pocket for 2.3 BILLION dollars with the hope the team would lose ball games. David Tepper WANTS TO WIN.  Believe It.!!!

Having said that, lets take a look at the Panthers currently (and historically..). Keeping in mind that the Panthers were owned by a small conglomerate headed by Jerry Richardson prior to that fateful day in 2018........

What 007 said in that quote up there ^^^ is absolutely correct. The statement is definitive because he said "bought the team". We (all of us..) need to remember that. I don't know about you guys, but I would really have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to come up with that amount. So, I think we owe him the respect due a man who was willing AND ABLE to come up with the purchase price AND agree to keep the team here in the Carolinas.

"Winning Seasons..."  What a can of worms that is. Or, to put a more modern spin on the saying, "down that rabbit hole."  So to begin, the Panthers have been alive (awake, present..??) for 27 years as of the end of 2021. Born as an active team in 1995..... Here are some interesting stats for all of you.

In 27 full years of play, the Panthers have had five (5) full-time Head Coaches (NOT counting "interims"..).

Here are the "Numbers".

1) Dom Capers  ---  1995 through 1998  (4 years)
     W-L Record = (30-34)
     ONE (1) Winning Season = 1996  (12-4)

2) George Seifert  ---  1999 through 2001  (3 years)
     W-L Record = (16-32)
     ZERO (0) Winning Seasons
     ONE (1) Tie Season = 1999 (8-8)

3) John Fox  ---  2002 through 2010  (9 years)
     W-L Record = (73-71)
     THREE (3) Winning Seasons = 2003 (11-5):  2005 (11-5):  2008 (12-4)
     TWO (2) Tie Seasons = 2006 (8-8):  2009 (8-8)

***SO... For the first 16 years of their existence under Jerry Richardson, the Panthers had a total of FOUR (4) Winning Seasons.  119 Wins, 137 Losses, 0 Ties.

4) Ron Rivera  ---  2011 through 2018 + part of 2019  (Call it 8 3/4 years)
     W-L Record = (76-63-1)
     THREE (3) Winning Seasons = 2013 (12-4):  2015 (15-1):  2017 (11-5)

***SO... Through 23 years of Jerry Richardson's ownership, the Panthers had SEVEN (7) Winning Seasons.

5) Matt Rhule  ---  2020 through 2021 + part of 2022  (2 years) (Nothing included for 2022)
     W-L Record = (10-23)
     ZERO (0) Winning Seasons.

The Panthers have had TWO (2) Interim Head Coaches in their history. The first one was in 2019 when Ron Rivera was 'excused'. At that time Perry Fewell took over the Head Coach position and finished out the 2019 season. Fewell's W-L Record in 2019  (0-4).

The second Interim Head Coach is our current one, Steve Wilks.

This ends my records search. I'm totally not certain what any of this means. YES, the Panthers have ZERO Winning Seasons since the purchase by David Tepper.  But I have to ask... So what.??  What point are we trying to make.??  This fact doesn't (CAN'T really..) reflect on Tepper, since it really represents the "same old thing" as the Panthers were before Tepper.  Tepper assumed control in May or June of 2018. ALL of the off-season stuff had long since been completed before he took over. 2018 was just a "ride along" for Tepper, watching and learning. SO, David Tepper has exercised SOME control for three years (+). Given the folks in the front office at that time were previously ensconced, and Tepper's changes have come over the last three years, ...... Can we REALLY lay the 'blame' for "performance" issues at his feet.  Serious question.....