David Tepper: “I am contractually obligated to keep that statue as it is.”

New Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper held a press conference at eleven o’clock this morning to address the media now that his ownership is completely official, and we will have a full breakdown of that presser for you shortly. But, before doing that, we felt the need to address the very last question and answer of the conference on it’s own, because it demands special mention.

When asked about his intentions for the thirteen foot tall statue of Jerry Richardson in front of Bank of America stadium, Tepper flatly stated in what was his most authoritarian and legally prepared line of the day:

“I am contractually obligated to keep that statue as it is.”

My reaction, the CSR staff’s reaction, and probably your reaction was... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? THIS IS A JOKE RIGHT?!?

Well, clearly it is no joke, and it is obviously something that Tepper is not happy about, but has to live with as a condition of the sale.

More importantly, how petty and ego-consumed of a person does Jerry Richardson have to be to make that a sticking point in the sale of the team? To tell someone who just handed you a check for more than two billion dollars that they can’t do absolutely anything they want with their newly purchased property takes a grade of brass balls that I didn’t think the old man had anymore.

So I guess get used to seeing that statue out front on gamedays, because it is going to be there. At least as long as Bank of America stadium is still the host for Panthers football on Sundays...