Here's my latest batch of Paw Prints starting with some 2012 predictions that in my view do not measure up:

First glance at 2012 playoff teams - NFC South Blog - ESPN
The Carolina Panthers are predicted to go 7-9. Again, that’s possible. But let’s remember, Carolina has an explosive offense with Cam Newton and linebacker Jon Beason and defensive tackle Ron Edwards will be coming back from injuries. Add a few more pieces to the defense and the Panthers easily could jump over the .500 mark.

That's a timid prediction in my book, a single game improvement from last year. I think I like this bold prediction much better:

30 Bold NFL Predictions for 2012 | Football Nation
The Carolina Panthers will win 11 games

I would add "Cam Newton will account for 40 TD's in 2012. That's only 6 more that he accounted for in 2011, a performance now labeled a defining moment in the 2011 season:

Newton wastes no time - Defining Moments of the 2011 NFL Season - Photos - SI.com
The No. 1 overall pick needed one week to prove he could play quarterback at the NFL level. And if a rookie-debut record 422 passing yards in Week 1 was not enough for skeptics, Newton topped himself the following week with 432 yards. The Panthers' quarterback threw for a rookie-record 4,051 yards this season. Newton tossed 21 touchdowns and ran in 14 more.

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Hat tip to Tim Long our Social Media Czar for linking this on the CSR Facebook page. If you have not 'Liked' the CSR FB then you need to get on it!

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The Panthers announced a couple things yesterday sure to interest some of you. They notified their PSL owners no increase in ticket prices will occur for the 2012 season:

The Panthers say they have informed permanent seat license (PSL) owners they will not raise season ticket prices for the 2012 season.
There was a spike in interest in Carolina following the arrival of No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Newton, The Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Apparently the Panthers have this hot shot rooke QB that generated a lot more attention to the team in 2011. Maybe you have heard of him? I'm being facetious obviously. So guess how much Panther TV viewership was up last season?

Consequently, television numbers were up in North and South Carolina with the team experiencing a 25 percent increase in viewership. The average weekly telecast was seen by approximately two million people.
The Panthers have sold out 93 consecutive home games and Carolina director of ticketing Phil Youtsey says "that's a tribute to our fans."

25% is a pretty big jump but is still no surprise to me. The kid is just getting started...

Panthers QB Cam Newton officially won the Pepsi Rookei of the Year fan vote tonight. Here's the official announcement from Pepsi:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAROLINA PANTHERS QB CAM NEWTON NAMED

2011 PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Newton Wins Fan Vote On NFL.com/rookies

Carolina Panthers QB CAM NEWTON is the 2011 PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, Pepsi and the National Football League announced today.

Newton set the record for most passing yards by a rookie in a season (4,051), surpassing PEYTON MANNING's previous record of 3,739 in 1998. He set the single-season quarterback rushing touchdown record with 14. He is the first rookie to throw and rush for 10 touchdowns in the same season, and only the second player to pass for more than 20 touchdowns and rush for more than 10 touchdowns in a season. He is the first player in NFL history with more than 4,000 passing yards, 500 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in the same year. Newton, who started all 16 games, finished his first season with a 60.0 completion percentage and 21 touchdowns. He amassed an additional 706 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. The Auburn product was the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and was nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week 11 times, winning three times.

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It looks like the towel on the head thing is gonna pay off. Cam Newton just landed a sponsorship for Gatorade and he actually has a reason for doing so (other than the stew):

"I have used Gatorade since I started playing football and Gatorade products have been an important part of my training and competition regimen for as long as I can remember," Newton said in a release. "As I look to improve my game, what I put in my body is extremely important."

Hey I can't blame the kid for raking in the endorsements as much as he can, at least for reputable products like Gatorade. He certainly found a good use for it in college (link). Soooo...when we going to see Cam in a Bojangles commercial?

It's February 1st and the Super Bowl is upon us. We've had close to a month of offseason but little has been resolved regarding the Panthers offseason priorities and it won't get resolved until the new league year begins. At this point though there remain some clear 'issues' needing resolved regarding the Panthers roster. The issues might require a tough decision by management or they could simply be ignored all together. Here's the top 5 I see right now:

Issue #1: With RB Jonathan Stewart entering the final year of his deal do we offer him a new contract now or wait and see how the 2012 season goes first?

Both options warrant consideration based on the benefit to risk ratio. The risk is having so much $ invested in the RB position that other positions suffer. I can't see how his 2012 performance, whether good or bad, brings any additional leverage to the Panthers short of an injury to Stewart. They certainly wouldn't bank on that scenario. My preference is to go ahead and lock him up since I'm very happy with the double trouble tandem. I'm not positive but I think the Panthers feel the same way give his ability to rush and receive.

Issue #2: What do we offer LB Thomas Davis to return in 2012?

Davis has made it clear he wants to return to Carolina after suffering his third ACL injury in two seasons. The conventional wisdom is the Panthers will bring him back but at a lower salary, much lower I bet. Given the injury history I can't imagine many other teams making a serious run at Davis. The key will be the team medical evaluations in the next couple weeks. I've gotten conflicting reports from 'Davis' rehab is on schedule' to 'He has plateaued in his rehab'. I wouldn't count the guy out but I can't see the Panthers taking a lot of risk in the form of guaranteed salary for Davis. The risk is alienating one of the your team leaders, whether intentional or not, which we have seen how that can turn into a locker room cancer.

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These Paw Prints really have nothing to do with the Super Bowl as it turns out, just a reference to the week. We don't have anything earth shattering so far this week but I do have an absolutely hilarious video of the five Panther players and HC Ron Rivera singing a song to say thanks to a Panther fan. Jordan Gross and Ryan Kalil singing soprano is just too much:

NFL.com news: NFL presents its fans with a big 'thank you'

Words alone cannot express how the NFL feels about its fans. So, the league, some players, owners, mascots and cheerleaders conveyed their gratitude through the powerful medium of song.

American singing idols they are not...as Bad Ass MF Football models they rule!...It seems the change to the Panthers logo has caused quite a stir if you use the number of comments on Scott Fowler's blog as a measuring stick. No worries about a change to the uniforms though:

Scott Says ...: Panther uniforms won't change in 2012
"I don't anticipate any changes at all in the uniforms," Charlie Dayton, the Panthers' team spokesman, said Tuesday.

Hence your investment in that Cam Newton #1 jersey remains the same...

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I'm sure this game didn't go as Newton imagined it would when preparing on Saturday. Newton threw three INTs and was harassed in the backfield constantly by a AFC defensive line that wasn't supposed to be pass rushing. His perform led to some bloggers saying things like this:

Steve Smith was raving about Cam Newton before the game, and he showed why in the third quarter, catching a 55-yard pass from Newton, which traveled all 55 yards in the air. Sometimes Newton makes it look so easy, putting it on the money halfway down the field with just a flick of the wrist.

The sometimes he looks like, well, a rookie. Despite what was probably a better roster of talent (completely subjective observation, of course) the NFC ran out of bullets once Rodgers and Drew Brees took to the bench. That led to a Newton vs. Dalton second half in which Newton showed his inexperience, misfiring on a number of throws, including three interceptions. He definitely heard it from the crowd, too.

In the end, Dalton outplayed his rookie counterpart, finishing seven of nine for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Newton finished nine of 27 for 186 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

What isn't mentioned here and I think is very key to what happened is the AFC got ticked off at the on-side kicks and the fake punt, things that also aren't supposed to be done in the Pro Bowl, though I don' think expressly written like other things. So though I'm not absolving Newton of his bad throws he certainly had more pressure to deal with than he two predecessors.

Let's just add this game to the wild ride of Cam Newton's rookie season. Besides, I still think the kid had a lot of fun though I bet he remembers the surfing longer than the final score.

With three Panther players and a certain WR entourage at the Pro Bowl we have some sightings and some quotes. As usual we start with Super Cam, who isn't letting the honor of attending go to head:

NFL.com news: Pro Bowl showcases NFL's healthy mix of youth and experience

A few hours after he put down his bags, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton ventured into the Ihilani resort's main restaurant and took his seat at a table for one, quickly crushing the nearby buffet without any company.

When a kid needs to eat a kid doesn't wait for an entourage...Smitty on the other hand brought his entourage with him, with one to serve as tour guide:

NFL.com Blogs " Blog Archive Panthers WR Smith flies teammates to Hawaii "

"Us guys, we get to experience his culture," Smith said. "We’re mainlanders, as he calls us, so we get to show him around the mainland. Now it’s his turn to show us around his island. "We knew he was already going to be here. Today or tomorrow, we’re going to go to the North Shore and just experience — not the touristy spots — but this beautiful place and see the parts that if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t find them."

I'm sure Pilares will give them the 'locals' tour of the island... really wish I was there!

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