Why I'll miss Darin Gantt:

I didn’t always agree with Gantt but I appreciiated that that he understood our thirst for all things Panthers and regularly provided us food and drink for thought. He kept it interesting and far closer to the way it really is than any other writer dealing with the Panthers.

Steve Reed is gonna have to get on the ball at Carolina
Growl that 1 story a month aint gonna fly no more w/out my boy Darin around. LOL!!! Darin if you read this, let us know what we can do to get you back to what you do best. We got your back!!!

WHAT THE HELL… WHERE IM GOING TO GET MY PANTHERS NEWS NOW.I AM ALL FOR THIS PETITION. LETS DO IT!! I DONT UNDER STAND ANY ONE KNOW WHY HE WAS REMOVED?…ME AND GANTT DIDNT AGREE ON SOME THINGS BUT I ENJOYED HIS ARTICLES..WHEN YOU THOUGHT OF PANTHERS NEWS YOU THOUGHT DARIN GANTT.I AM A BIG DARIN GANTT FAN

1.) “To give pause,” doesn’t necessarily mean positive things…it means to take a moment to intently think about and appraise something…oftentimes in a way that implies questioning, not appreciating. The connotation otherwise is completely arbitrary.

2.) We signed a high-profile, yet oft-injured, tight end FA who isn’t the long term solution. So with a HC/OC who are proponents of heavy utilization of the TE in their offense scheme, drafting a TE project IS a possibility. But I doubt we’d significantly upgrade from our 3 younger TE’s with any position in the draft we’d actually commit to a TE this year. I think our 3rd and 4th rounders should (and will) be spent on other needs…although it won’t surprise me if we DO pick one on the 2nd day.

3.) If a new coach comes in and wants to have an IMMEDIATE impact in the win-loss column, then taking a QB is usually the best move. However none of the QB’s available in this year’s draft are likely to be an immediate success. The top 2 prospects (obviously Newton/Gabbert) are both projects (much less the rest of the QB crop). Both are nearly universally considered to need 2-3 years of grooming, which isn’t “immediate impact” by any means. Personally I think Ponder and Mallett might be the most pro-ready (due to accuracy and decision making), but each is a 20-25 pick of the first round at best…in the most glowing of scouts’/pundits’ assessments (and neither one is worthy of higher). Andrew Luck? Different story…but we’re not talkin’ Luck, here.

So if Rivera is looking to impact the team immediately (especially with the CBA impasse and how long it takes a QB to learn the pro game), then there are other positions of need to consider. Given those factors, and the fact the Panthers drafted 2 QB’s last year, I can understand Billick’s rationale here. I’m not saying I agree, but I understand. It all depends on how immediately Rivera feels the need to improve the team (compared to long term growth), and whether his present roster options or the 2012 drafts options are better than those on his plate in this draft.

That being said, I agree with all other points you made, Rev. Billick not even doing the most basic research to see if we have a 2nd rounder (unless he has SERIOUS inside knowledge of our draft-day trades)? Just assuming we’re going to run a 3-4 because Rivera coordinated it at SD? When his 4-3 took the Bears to a Super Bowl? Ludicrous. I’ll admit I loved the expansion Panthers when they ran Capers’ 3-4; Lathon and Greene coming off both edges and Mills manning the middle of the defense? LOVED IT. How often do 3 LB’s from a single team start in the Pro-Bowl, fer chrissakes? Capers zone blitz and those 3 guys are a good chunk of the reason I became a Panthers fan. So I have a sentimental attachment to it, but I don’t care which we run. As long as Rivera and McDermott understand the nuances of whatever they run and can exploit other teams’ weakness/maximize our own team’s strengths, I’ll be happy. Shit, if they can find a way to make a 2-5 or 5-2 to work, DO IT! Hell, rush 8 and press cover 3! APPEAL TO MY INSANITY! BWAHAHAHAHA!

What the crap!

Gannt’s gone? We’re stuck with Person? Aw, come ON! He sucks!

This is like losing Delhomme and being told we’re getting Weinke to replace him.

Other than Bill’s problems with grammar, I see a hack writing about a team with which he is not familiar. In his defense, he might be referring to Caper’s 3-4 when he speaks of “re-establishing,” along with Rivera’s statement that his 4-3 would have 3-4 tendencies. It looks as though he thinks we are going to fill draft needs with the 33rd pick: would that Belichek would allow us to do so.

I was given more than pause when Marty picked Clausen: Jimmy is far more concerned with self-preservation than making plays; it’s much like David Carr’s performance after being shell-shocked in Houston. You already know that big men are coming to hit you so you may as well make an actual effort to connect with a receiver instead of throwing the ball away or hitting the ground. Frank Garcia, of all people, made an astute observation: “Matt Ryan is a football player; Jimmy Clausen plays football.” {Most of us can “play football” if you are not expecting results.}