I Don’t Understand the Pessimism

I listened to Charlotte sports radio a good amount this past week.  I rarely listen to it, so forgive me if I am describing a familiar occurence.  There was hysteria amongst Panthers fans.  Everyone was freaking out, hating all of our offseason moves, and basically giving up on the season…before the preseason has even started.  I don’t like to give too much weight to what a bunch of Gastonians who call in on sports radio think, but this was still very disturbing.  I don’t understand the pessimism.  In fact, this is the most excited I have been for Panthers season in recent memory.  I mean it; I’m even more excited than when we were coming off winning seasons.

The reason for my excitement is the air of change in the organization.  How refreshing will it be to see the first team break the huddle with Matt Moore as its leader?  How exciting will it be to see the new and young faces fighting for a multitude of roster spots?  We are the youngest team in the league.  Guys like Everette Brown, Bradon LaFell, Sherrod Martin, Charles Godfrey, Charles Johnson, Tony Fiammetta, and Dan Connor will be counted on to step up big this year.  The next Steve Smiths and Jon Beasons are on this roster; we just have to find them and let them play.  Sure, there are risks with our predicament.  We could suck this year, but can’t we be excited in early August?  I am excited to see how these guys handle their roles.  I want to see them grow and develop into the future of this franchise.

While all the talk about the young guys is good, it’s not like our cupboard is completely bar.  We still have a bunch of A-list stars.  Jon Beason, Steve Smith, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Jeff Otah, Jordan Gross, and Chris Gamble form a pretty solid core that a lot of teams envy.  Those guys should keep us in most games (especially with an easy schedule) and should serve as great mentors to the young guys.  So, with the first preseason game right around the corner, what should you look for (if you can stay awake through the entire game)?

Special Teams:  The recent Charlotte Observer article said it all.  Click the pull down tab on the side titled “how the mighty have fallen.”  The Panthers have always have good special teams play in their winning seasons.  They will need it again this year, but there is a lot of uncertainty on the special teams.  Both punt return and kickoff return spots are in play.  Also, keep an eye out on how Jason Baker handles kickoffs.  Losing Rhys Lloyd was huge; we enjoyed a huge advantage when he constantly forced teams to start at their 20.  John Fox’s style of football usually means that we will be in most games.  Therefore, a big return or special teams turnover can be the key that gives us the extra boost to victory in a tight game. 

Jimmy Clausen:  I know it’s firmly Matt Moore’s job (and I’m glad that it is), but we haven’t had a big name QB around here in a while.  We haven’t even drafted a QB in years, let alone a highly-rated one.  It’s only natural to want to see him play, even if it is on second team.  That may be what gets me through the second halves of these preseason games.

D-Line:  Are we executing?  Are we stopping the run and getting some pressure on the QB?  It may be tough to tell in the preseason because most teams normally run some very vanilla plays.

Bobs Make Moves, but Diaw Stays Put For Now

The Charlotte Bobcats got cold feet and didn’t pull the trigger on the Jose Calderon for Boris Diaw and Tyson Chandler deal.  Instead, they sent Chandler and Alexis Ajinca to Dallas, and they received Erick Dampier, Matt Carroll, and Eduardo Najera in return.  We get three blue collar veterans.  Well, Najera is one.  You also know what Carroll is going to give us – outside shooting.  The headliner of the deal, Dampier, may be the weakest link – Shaq used to call him “Ericka.”  This trade, however, isn’t about acquiring blue collar guys.  This deal was all about salary cap implications, and it was likely done to set us future moves.  At least I hope it was, because I do not like our roster as it currently stands.  We have holes at PG and C, and we have two washed-up centers from the Mavs Finals chokejob against the Heat (although the refs had something to do with that). 

I would not be surprised to see the guys we just acquired in this trade (especially Dampier) along with Diaw involved in a future trade.  If the Bobs can’t make anything happen, they can simply cut Dampier and save $13million outright, or they can use that money to sign other players.  The problem is that most of the notable free agents are gone.  So, the Bobs will likely have to pull off another deal.

End of the Ajinca Experiment:  The trade does spell the end of the Alexis Ajinca era in Charlotte.  Talk about a trade done awry.  Ajinca is a first round pick who has a total of 30 made field goals in his two year career.  He’s still young and he can still make something of his career, but it wasn’t going to happen in Charlotte.  Once Larry Brown gives up on you, he’s done with you and there is no turning back.

Boris Diaw to be Traded?

ESPN says that the Toronto Raptors plan to use the trade exception they created in the Chris Bosh sign-and-trade to acquire Boris Diaw. The article says we’re only getting Dwayne Jones in return, which doesn’t seem fair.  Must be a cap-clearing move since Diaw is expendable after Tyrus Thomas was locked up for a new five-year deal.

Update:  The potential deal now has us acquiring Jose Calderon.

MJ’s Impact Being Felt

There is no doubt that Michael Jordan has made his fair share of bad moves when he has been given control over an NBA franchise.  These poor decisions usually come in the form of terrible draft picks.  However, MJ has only been the majority owner of an NBA team for less than five months.  I really like what he is doing with the Charlotte Bobcats now that they are truly his team.  I admit that I am pro-Jordan as owner, but can you think about a poor decision he has made since he has assumed majority ownership of the team?  He has said the right things, and his moves make sense.  Time will tell whether the moves are correct, but they seem to be the right moves given the facts that are currently available.  I think the Tyrus Thomas move could turn out to be a home run.  The kid has a ton of potential and seems willing to be coached by Larry Brown.  If he can only keep his head straight, he could turn out to be a very solid PF for us.  I also love the camps that the Bobs are running for adult season-ticket holders and their children.  It’s a great PR move.  For those who couldn’t get into those events, Bobcats summer camp for kids kicks off at Time Warner Cable Arena next week.

Update:  Scott Fowler has an article in today’s (7/11/2010) Observer about how MJ is getting acquainted to the city.

Bobs Re-Up with Thomas; Felton Likely Gone

T-Rex is staying in the QC.

The Bobs ended up not making any moves on draft night.  No trades, not even for a 2nd round pick.  In hindsight, I can’t say I’m upset.  Sure, it’s great to have a little excitement during the draft.  There is nothing like the hope and optimism created on draft night when your team picks up a young player, but the truth is that the Bobcats suck at drafting.  There is no use chronicling all our draft failures, and we have only been around for six years.  I have no problem with us sitting out of something we’re not very good at and focusing on something that we have done well in the past, which is to make trades and improve our roster in ways that don’t involve the draft.  There was no use in being hasty and trading a proven player for an unknown commodity.  As Queen City Hoops said, remember what the Alexis Ajinca trade got us a few years ago:  nothing.

The Bobs didn’t exactly start off free agency with a bang either.  Despite Scott Fowler’s illogical rant (why is this guy always obsessed with overpaying for overrated free agents?), they really didn’t have the cap room to do anything (since Michael Jordan does not want to pay luxury tax).  However, they made their first moves today.  They locked up Tyrus Thomas to a five-year deal and bulked up the far end of the bench by adding Dominic McGuire.  However, it looks like Raymond Felton is gone.  

I like what the Bobs are doing.  There was no way they could justify overpaying for Felton.  I like Felton, but the guy turned down the money when it was offered to him last season and sucked in the playoffs.  Don’t feel bad for Raymond, he got the Knicks, who were forced to overreact and make a splash after losing out on the LeBron sweepstakes, to overpay for him.  The Bobs have a hole to fill at PG, but all indications are that they are not done with their offseason moves.  They didn’t pay Thomas $8 million a year for him to be a backup.  It was pretty clear during the playoffs that Thomas should be starting over Boris Diaw, and that may happen.  Diaw is the one guy the Bobs could likely part with to clear some cap room and acquire help at PG (he is the only guy that we would be willing to give up and that others teams would actually be willing to take). 

I like it when my teams make moves that make sense.  Thomas played great since he arrived in Charlotte.  Larry Brown’s coaching has really improved his game, and it should only get better.  By the end of the season, he was outplaying Diaw.  So, we lock him up and he very well may open the season as the starting PF.  On the other hand, Jameer Nelson schooled Felton, and we let him walk.

I’m not going to get delusional about the Bobs.  A 6 seed in the East is the ceiling for them.  Yet, I don’t buy all the talk around town about how they have not done anything to improve this team.  Keep in mind that half of this team wasn’t even on the roster when last season started.  The Bobs record improved significantly after the Stephen Jackson trade.  The Bobs finished last season with a 44-38 record, but they played better than 44-win basketball after the Jack trade.  For once, we may have some continuity.  Give these guys an offseason and training camp together, and we should be able equal or slightly improve upon last season’s record.

Thoughts on the Steve Smith Injury

Warning:  this article will be biased.  Steve Smith is my favorite Panthers player, so expect a slanted article.  I’m not too bothered by the injury.  Yes, I would probably be angrier if it were any other player, but it’s not.  On a serious note, it’s not very reassuring that Steve Smith is playing flag football.  By the way, he was playing in an adult flag football league at the Y, and not as part of his summer camp.  However, you have to love the fact that he recruited other Panthers on to his team after his squad dropped its first game.  The guy is so competitive – that’s why he’s my favorite Panther. 

The good news is that the injury is relatively minor.  Broken arms heal.  Smitty has broken his arm and injured himself in countless other ways.  He’ll be back.  Training camp is still a month away, and the regular season is over two months away.  I’m not too worried about Smitty being ready for the season.  The Panthers even decided to not fine him, and all indications are that he will heal without complications.  Plus, I agree with Pat Y that this injury will give the other WRs plenty of reps in training camp, and it will force John Fox to put the young guys out on the field.

Larry Brown Makes Draft Worth Watching for Bobcats Fans

If there is one thing we have learned about Larry Brown in his two seasons in Charlotte is that the guy isn’t very subtle.  He says what he is thinking, and everything he says has a purpose.  Unlike the other pro coach in town, John Fox, Brown does not try to hide much.  So far, whenever Brown has mentioned a possible trade involving the Bobs, they usually pull the trigger on a deal soon afterwards.  Well, Brown has hinted that the Bobs may trade into the draft.  Rick Bonnell has reported that the word around the league is that the Bobs are looking to make a move, and he has repeatedly mentioned the possibility of us making a trade.  Ownership is even willing to increase the payroll significantly to improve on the court.  Sounds like something is up.  All of a sudden, Bobcats fans have to tune in Thursday night even if they don’t care about the other 29 teams in the NBA.

The problem with all of these rumors are that they might be true, but the Bobs may still not make much of a splash.  They seem interested in a late first round or second round pick.  That won’t exactly blow anyone’s hair back.  They may not even trade for a pick.  Bonnell reports that the T.J. Ford trade is still a possibility and Jarrett Jack is also on the trading block.  It seems as if Brown may just try to get the kind of backup point guard he covets.  Nothing really major.  Yet, there is still a chance we do something big.  Larry Bird is willing to trade the 10 pick for a point guard.  Oh yeah, CP3 seems to be available too.  I know these are long shots, but for once, we have the risk-taking owner who isn’t afraid to open up his wallet to build a winner.  It’s pretty clear that Michael Jordan will do anything to win a championship.

The Quiet Offseason Ends on a Tear

Thomas Davis tore his right ACL for the second time in less than one year.  This is bad news for the Panthers, but it is terrible news for Davis.  The Panthers will have time to regroup and address this new-found void at outside LB, but this injury will likely have lasting consequences for Davis.  It is going to cost him an awful lot of money in free agency.  He was going to play this season on a one-year tender, and he was going to be a free agent next offseason.  He may have gone from a surefire starting LB who may have been one of the top free agents next season to a guy who very well may be looking for a roster spot somewhere for a mid-level veteran contract. 

I feel terrible for Davis.  Sure, the guy hasn’t been the “stud” you would expect out of a first round draft pick, but you have to love the way he plays.  Plus, it took him a couple of years to officially settle in at LB.  Keep in mind that the Panthers initially didn’t know whether they would play him at safety or LB, and then he eventually had to switch from safety to LB.  By last season, it appeared as if he had finally figured out how to play the NFL LB position and was likely on his way to his first Pro Bowl.  Then, he suffered his first torn ACL through a freak injury, and this one was even worse because Davis wasn’t even playing football.  Instead, he just participating in a menial drill.

There is one thing about this injury that really struck as being interesting – the cover up.  Players go down all the time in practice.  They tweak an ankle, pull a hamstring, etc.  That’s exactly what Davis’ injury appeared to be yesterday.  The Observer Panthers blog even reported that the word on the street was that it wasn’t a serious injury.  The team was hush-hush about this injury for over 24 hours, and then we all of a sudden learn that Davis is likely done for the season.  Some of the explanation for the delay in revealing the injury may be due to the fact that the sought a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews.  Still, it makes me wonder whether Davis rushed to return from last season’s injury, even though his knee may not have been fully healthy.  It Even worse, did the Panthers medical staff botch his rehab and allow him to return too soon?  Neither of these are likely true.  It’s probably just bad luck, but it’s still weird.  Oh by the way, there is likely no way the Panthers could have won, but could you imagine if they tried to prevent Davis from signing his tender after he injured himself on Tuesday?  That would make for some great drama.

The Panthers do have some options at LB, but this injury definitely makes them much thinner at the position.  It appears as if James Anderson had been getting all of the first team snaps opposite of Davis.  The team had been keeping Dan Connor inside as Jon Beason’s backup, but he will now get a look at outside along with Jamar Williams.  That Chris Harris trade is at least looking a lot better now.  Also, don’t forget about the rookie Eric Norwood.  I think the Panthers had planned to start him out at DE, but he may now get a look at OLB.

I am Bored

Could there be a worse time in Charlotte sports?  This is the annual downtime, when we anxiously await the start of training camp and Panthers season.  In normal years, however, we at least have the NBA Draft to serve as a mile-marker of excitement.  Draft night itself is fun, but it also serves as an indicator that the brutal part of the Charlotte sports summer is almost over.  It’s right in the middle of the end of the Bobcats season and the start of training camp.  The draft likely won’t be a big night for the Bobs this year.  They don’t have any picks, and the only real hopes at this time are them trading for a second round pick.  So, there has been very little to blog about, but here are some brief thoughts:

• I don’t understand the NASCAR All-Star Race.  I was in attendance, which was a ton of fun, but it may have been better for a casual observer like me to have watched the event on TV.  I rented the headset, but I bet the TV announcers probably provided a better explanation of the event.  Here’s my beef:  Jimmie Johnson basically dominated the entire way.  Then, they forced everyone  basically back to square one and restarted the race.  JJ’s huge lead was taken away, and some other guy had the better car for the last few laps.  I’m fine with that, but what was the point of running the first 1.5 hours of the race?  Was that just to pass some time so Charlotte Motor Speedway could sell food and booze at the concession stands?  If you are a NASCAR fan and read this blog, please feel free to explain.
• I really don’t want to worry about Larry Brown returning – all signs point to him returning as of now – but I can’t help it.  The guy is an enigma, and it doesn’t help that he’s not talking to the media all of a sudden. 
• Really looking forward to seeing Matt Moore as “the man.”  Sadly, we may not get to him for that long.  The public opinion around town seems to favor Jimmy Clausen.  One or two bad preseason games, and Moore may get pulled.  Either way, I like Moore’s story.  He has grown and matured, he has developed his game, and he has clearly earned this opportunity.  I look forward to seeing him break the first team huddle in the first preseason game.  Hey, you gotta have something to look forward to with these otherwise boring preseason games.  I am pulling for Matt Moore.

Don’t Feel Bad for Quail Hollow

Years from now, we may look back at the 2010 Quail Hollow Championship as the place where it all began for Rory McIlroy.

I kind of did feel bad for the course on Friday.  On Thursday, the Observer was publishing bold articles talking about the city enjoying its week in the spotlight.  All eyes were on Tiger, but they also paid some attention to MJ and Fred Couples at the Pro-Am.  By Friday, Tiger had failed to make the cut and a lot of the tournament’s glimmer had been lost.  Phil was even crying about the course.  How was the tourney going to remain relevant through the weekend? 

Rory McIlroy, that’s how.  I’m not going to lie; when I first overheard an announcer mention that a “Rory” was in contention, I thought he was talking about Rory Sabbatini.  This may have been lost in the shuffle due to all of the attention being on Tiger, but Sabbatini also missed the cut.  On the other hand, McIlroy, a 20 year-old from Northern Ireland, shot a -16 for the weekend and blew out the field.  The kid had so many impressive stats that I can’t even list them all, but I will say that 5 under on the final 5 holes is pretty damn clutch.  Combine the suspense of McIlroy’s coming-out party with the weather holding up and sellout crowds, and you have yet another successful Quail Hollow Championship.

MJ’s Letter to the QC

This is a good start by our new owner, and something our old owner should read and learn from.  Looking forward to next season already.

End-of-Season Bobcats Thoughts

Game 4:  I think that we had all accepted the reality that the Magic were just plain better than the Bobs by the time Game 4 rolled around.  A week late, though, I still have some thoughts.  Gerald Wallace missed two free throws and Jameer Nelson hit a three on the other end.  Five point swing, and it perfectly summarized my previous post about this series.  If there was any positive, it was the crowd.  I was sitting there about midway through the game, and all I could think about was “this reminds me of the Hornets days.”  We’ve had the Bobcats for six years now, and it was the first time I had that thought.  The enthusiasm by the crowd was especially impressive considering we were down 3-0 and our elimination was a foregone conclusion. 

Larry Brown:  I certainly hope he returns next season, and the more I read about him and Jordan in the Observer, I become more assured that he will in fact stay in Charlotte.  That being said, it’s Larry Brown.  You are almost being dishonest with yourself if you don’t think there is at least a 50% chance that he leaves.  That’s just what Larry does, and you can’t be offended by it.  I don’t think we’ll really know his final answer until around draft time in June.

Next Season’s Roster:  There is a consensus that we can’t really do much to improve/change the roster for next season due to the fact that we really don’t have much room under the cap, and that MJ is not willing to pay the luxury tax.  That is true and we won’t make a splash in free agency, but it doesn’t mean that MJ won’t pull off some trades.  I’m not going to pretend that I fully understand the salary implications of making various trades work, but I think that just about anyone on our roster other than Gerald Wallace can be had by another team.  Guys like Boris Diaw, D.J. Augustin, and Tyson Chandler are all candidates to be traded if it will improve our team.  Stephen Jackson will likely be back, but even he can be had for the right price.  I have no idea what will happen with the Raymond Felton situation after his disastrous playoff performance.  Will the Bobs let him walk for free?  Will they make a low offer?  Will they sign and trade?  It should be an interesting offseason – the first with MJ as the principal owner.

Panthers Strike it Rich in the Draft

Jimmy Clausen could become the face of the franchise. Even if he doesn't, the Panthers made the right call by selecting him.

No one really knows how a team’s draft picks will turn out.  That usually takes a few years to determine, but Panthers fans have to be excited with what we did over the past two days.  For once, you can’t say that we didn’t try at the QB position in the draft.  Not only did we draft Jimmy Clausen, we also took Tony Pike, a player who I really liked.  Both were value picks; they went much lower than expected.  I am certain that they were both the best available player on the Panthers draft board when they were picked.  At QB and WR, the Panthers are taking a very similar approach to what the Jaguars did with their WR position last year.  They are throwing as much as they can against the wall, and hoping that something sticks.  The Jags brought in a bunch of young receivers into camp last season, and guys like Mike Sims-Walker established themselves.  The Panthers will now bring Brandon LaFell, Armanti Edwards, David Gettis, Dwaynes Jarrett, and Kenny Moore into camp with the hopes that one of those guys establishes himself opposite of Steve Smith.  One out of those five should step up and seize the starting spot.  Otherwise, Marty Hurney needs to bring in a separate scout for WRs because what we’re currently doing clearly does not work.  We’re still terribly young at QB, but we also have a bunch of young guys there.  We may only carry two on the roster, with the knowledge that Edwards could take some snaps at QB during a game if needed. 

The beauty of this draft was that we were able to address our needs and get some great players without diverging from our best available player strategy.  The one negative was that the best available player often was not a defensive lineman.  Look for the Panthers to try to address that through some veteran acquisitions around training camp time, kind of like we did last year with guys like Hollis Thomas and Tank Tyler.  Here are my thoughts on our picks:

Jimmy Clausen:  This was a no-brainer.  Many people had him rated as a top 10 player in the draft, and he was sitting there at 48.  I got some calls from friends asking what I thought about the pick since I didn’t want us to pick  a QB.  Hey, I never said to avoid a QB.  I said don’t force a pick at QB in the second round just because you need him.  I just don’t think Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow are going to be good NFL QBs.  I didn’t want us to reach for either of them at 48 (Tebow turned out to be gone by then) when we had other needs.  Next year is going to be a good QB class, and Moore is likely going to start this year even with Clausen and Pike on the roster.  If Moore sucks, we’re likely going to have a high pick next year to use on a QB.  If Moore lights it up, we won’t need a QB.  Clausen, however, wasn’t a reach.  He was clearly the best available player, and he happened to address a position of need. 

I’m not too concerned about Clausen’s character issues.  I obviously don’t want him to be a team cancer, but I don’t think that’s likely.  This draft must have humbled him, but also made him hungry.  I want my QBs to have a little edge.  Let’s face it, most NFL QBs are egomaniacs.  Dan Marino had character issues.  John Elway and Eli Manning forced trades.  I can’t recall Big Ben having character issues as a concern before he was drafted, and look how that turned out.  I support the pick.  Plus, everyone knew it was coming.  John Fox is good friends with Charlie Weis.  Fox even tried to make Weis his offensive coordinator when he was first hired by the Panthers. 

Brandon LaFell:  If he can become a Muhsin Muhammad-type player, then mission accomplished.  He doesn’t seem to have lightning speed and occasionally drops the ball, but he is a big possession receiver who can block down the field. 

The Next Antwaan Randle El?

Armanti Edwards:  This is a great pick.  I’m always hesitant about giving up a future pick, but Edwards was supposedly a stud at his pro day workout at App State.  He is so versatile and can help us out in so many ways.  Who says that Charlotte pro teams can only cater to the base by picking UNC guys?  I like us getting an App guy.  The 500 sections will be rowdy next season with the mountain folk!

Lesson learned about the draft:  believe what you hear early.  A lot of people had the Panthers interested in Edwards and Pike early on, but we didn’t hear about those two over the last couple of weeks.  That is because teams send out tons of misinformation in the weeks leading up to the draft to confuse other teams.  That may have been the case with Taylor Price.  Keep in mind, the Panthers had a chance to draft Price, but they chose Edwards.  The Observer even had a story about a month back on how the Panthers were really interested in Edwards, but I still fell for the Price hype.  The Panthers had clearly targeted Edwards, and they got their guy.

Eric Norwood:  This guy could be a heck of a steal.  The Panthers are excellent at drafting LBs, so they must have really seen something they liked in Norwood.  He is a little undersized, but he is a flat out football player.  You can do worse than that in the 4th round.  Even if he doesn’t compete for a starting job, we lost some veteran LBs, so Norwood helps out with depth.

Greg Hardy:  If he doesn’t get injured every other play, then we could have a good pash rusher.  He could basically play the role played by Charles Johnson the past few years.  Have you noticed the Panthers are drafting for speed and talent?  I like it.

David Gettis:  Never heard of this guy, but let’s throw him into the WR mix.

Tony Pike:  He’s 6’5″, which makes him even more of a physical presence than Clausen.  A lot of the scouts tore him up during the combine and workouts.  He may have arm strength issues, but I really liked what I saw out of him in college.  Who knows, he may grow into a very good QB in a couple of seasons.

Jordan Pugh, R.J. Stanford, Robert McClain:  The Panthers scored a late round coup last year with Captain Munnerlyn.  It would be nice if one these guys provides some much-needed help at corner next season.

Stephen Jackson Doesn’t Make Love to Pressure

Big miss for Captain Jack down the stretch.  His 3-point attempt wasn’t even close, bricking off the side of the rim, and it ended the series for the Bobs.  Game 4 is now just about pride.  I would have preferred that the Bobs take it inside – what was the whole point of fouling out Dwight Howard?  However, I understand what Larry Brown was probably thinking.  He wanted the quick 2 for 1.  A 3-pointer would have given us a 2 point lead, which is important against a team that jacks up as many 3′s as Orlando.  The title of this post is a little unfair to Jack, though.  Gerald Wallace and Jack have carried us this series; here is the list of culprits:

• Boris Diaw:  I cringe as I type this.  Diaw is one of my favorite players, and I absolutely loved watching him during the early part of his stint in Phoenix.  I have no idea what has happened since then, but the guy has not been the same player.  The playoffs, however, have been a new low.  I can’t think of a really dynamic or positive play that guy has made.  Considering he has been invisible and that Theo Ratliff is not an offensive threat, it’s basically 3 on 5 on offense when the two teams have their starting lineups on the floor.  It’s very rare that I question Larry Brown’s coaching, but I do have a couple of gripes.  I apologize for not blogging after Game 2, but my two main thoughts were about why Ratliff continues to start in the playoffs now that Naz’r and Tyson are healthy, and whether LB should consider starting Tyrus Thomas in Game 3 since Diaw has been nonexistent.  I really think Thomas needs to start.  He plays with energy and passion, and he doesn’t appear to merely go through the motions like Diaw.
• Raymond Felton has been absolutely schooled by Jameer Nelson this postseason.  Wow, talk about killing your free agency value.  There really isn’t anyone else for Felton to blame.  Nelson and Felton have been allowed to go one-on-one, and Nelson wins that matchup 90% of the time. 
• Mistakes have killed us.  It’s not just turnovers, although the Bobs have had a ton of those.  It looked like we had that problem cured through one half today.  Then, we go up by 9 in the third, only to turn it over the next three possessions.  Killers, but it’s been more than turnovers.  It’s been the “swings.”  It’s Felton giving up a four-point play at the end of the first quarter.  I believe Gerald Wallace has missed two consecutive free throws each game of this series, and Orlando always hits a 3 at the other end of the court.  I feel bad being critical about Wallace missing free throws – it happens to everyone – but he was 50% at the line today.  I was wrong – we do not match up well against the Magic.  Therefore, we have to be absolutely perfect to beat them.  It’s unfair to Wallace, but it’s reality – we cannot miss free throws.  One final example:  we’re making a comeback in Game 2, get a steal, start a fast break, get careless with the ball at half court, turn it over, and the Magic hit a 3.  Comeback was officially dead.
• Why do we play worse when Howard is off the court?  The Magic always expand their lead with him out.  It was never more evident than in the final 3 minutes of Game 3.  I will never understand that. 

My Game 4 tickets suddenly are a lot less valuable.  That’s OK, I will still be there and wearing white.  Go Bobs; play for pride!

Panthers Schedule and Draft Analysis

Schedule:  The 2010 schedule was released today.  There are some pros and cons for the Panthers.  Overall, I think the schedule is pretty favorable.  Keep in mind, the Panthers finished third in the division last season.  So, their schedule should be relatively easy.  It’s not always easy to predict these things because teams change so much from season to season in the NFL, but I definitely see some beatable teams on our schedule. 

I like that our bye is fairly close to the middle of the season.  It’s not perfect, but at least it’s not in week 3.  We have a brutal close to the season.  Two straight road games, and they’re at Pittsburgh and Atlanta.  Before that, we have two tough home games against Atlanta and Arizona.  An 0-4 end to the season is very possible, which very well could mean the end of the John Fox era.  Then again, we have no idea how good Pittsburgh and Arizona are going to be this season.  For different reasons, both teams face QB issues. 

The early part of our schedule is manageable, and I love the midseason matchups.  I realize this is quite a stretch and that I’m thinking far in advance, but we could realistically go into the bye at 3-2.  Then, we host SF and go to St. Louis.  I will take 5-2 any day, and then we would host the defending champion Saints with a ton of momentum and a fired-up home crowd behind us. 

I think it’s cool we get to help open up the new Giants Stadium.  We closed out the old one with an ass-whooping of the G-Men, and I would love nothing more than to beat them again on their big day.

Draft:  I have my gripes about Marty Hurney, but one thing I like about him is that he is a best available player guy.  That’s why I never pay much attention to mock drafts conducted by national journalists.  They always predict our pick based on our need, but Hurney does not draft for need.  He picks the best available player, regardless of position.  There is a good chance that we would not have Jon Beason, Jonathan Stewart, and Ryan Kalil if Hurney drafted for need.  Can you imagine that?  Those three are the core of our team.  When you’re as bad as we were last year and have as many needs as we do, you can’t afford to hone in on just one position.  You need to improve your team wherever possible.  Just try to stock the roster with as much talent possible.

A lot of mock drafts have us drafting Tim Tebow (because we have a need at QB) or a WR (because we have no proven receivers beside Steve Smith).  The Panthers supposedly really like Taylor Price, a WR from Ohio.  We may draft a QB or WR, but this draft is supposedly stock with defensive talent.  If a big defensive lineman falls to us in the second round, I say we have to go with that guy over a Tebow or receiver.  Get the big guys early.  Also, what about Armanti Edwards.  The Panthers supposedly like him.  If Terrence Cody falls to us, I think we have to pick him.  Pat Y. us drafting Al Woods, another big defensive guy from the SEC (LSU). 

So what are our needs?  I think we have to acknowledge the fact that we technically have a need at every position.  That’s the beauty of the NFL.  It’s a true display of economics – making the most of scarce resources.  Every team in the NFL would love to have their unlimited pick of players at every position, but they will instead have to make do with what they have.  Even the eventual Super Bowl champion will likely have to plug mid-round drafts picks at key positions.  So, we have to be realistic.  I think it’s fair to say that the Panthers are set at RB.  Despite losing some depth at LB, we’re pretty good there as well.  Our secondary isn’t stellar, but we have a bunch of guys we can plug in at those four positions.  Most of them are young and have shown some potential.  Between Chris Gamble, Chris Harris, Richard Marshall, Charles Godfrey, Sherrod Martin, and Captain Munnerlyn, I think we’re in pretty good shape.  O-line is respectable too. 

That leaves QB, WR, and D-Line.  It doesn’t mean we won’t take a player who plays another position to add depth, but I think our player rankings will be skewed towards featuring those three positions.  2011 is supposed to feature a great QB class.  I don’t see the reason to force a QB pick in the second or third round if that player isn’t the best player available on our draft board.  We can draft a guy in a late round this year, sign a veteran, and give Matt Moore year at the helm.  If it doesn’t work out, let the new coach and GM use their first round pick next season on a QB.  You can never have too many big guys up front on defense.  Last season should have taught Panthers fans that much.

One final note:  we’ve traded for a first round pick the last two drafts.  Just because we currently don’t have a first round pick, it doesn’t mean that Panthers fans should blindly take Thursday night off.  Let me be clear, I do not support us trading next year’s 1 for a pick this year, but that certainly doesn’t mean that it won’t happen.

Late Rally by the Bobs Falls Short

The Charlotte Bobcats almost stole Game 1 in Orlando, but they Magic were able to hang on late for the win.  If the Bobs had won, I don’t know if they would have deserved it.  At times, the played like crap.  At other times, they were absolutely unbelievable.  Total polar opposites not just in the two halves, but almost every other possession (or at least so it seemed). 

Great job by TNT picking up Larry Brown’s pep talk in the huddle.  It was the story of the game.  After that timeout (I think it was early in the 3rd quarter), the Bobs started punching the Magic in the nose.  It was almost enough to come back from 22 down and win, and that’s a huge testament to Larry Brown.  It’s amazing how much NBA players respect him.  That’s really saying something considering that most of these guys are known for their disrespect.  The Bobs were down 22, but they held their heads up and fought their hearts out for Brown.  The Magic, on the other hand, were blowing us out but they were still so mentally fragile.  Vince Carter pouted about ticky-tacky fouls that were irrelevant at the time. 

America, meet Gerald Wallace.  Brown’s influence is most evident with Gerald Wallace.  There is a story floating around Charlotte about how Brown is the first real coach Wallace has ever had.  After two years of Brown’s coaching, Gerald Wallace was clearly the best player on the court in the NBA Playoffs.  Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, and Stephen Jackson were on the same court.  Brown just has a way with these guys; they want to listen to him, and he makes them better.  He made Wallace an All-Star.

I can deal with this loss.  It’s the playoffs; we weren’t going to sweep these guys.  The goal is to get one out of two in Orlando, and we still have a great chance to do that.  That being said, I don’t think game 2 is a must-win.  I don’t think all those 3s will fall for the Magic on the road.  However, I do expect us to play better Monday night.  While a good bulk of our roster has playoff experience, it was the first time Wallace and Raymond Felton have gotten some game time in the playoffs.  Those are two key players, and the inexperience really showed with Felton in the first half.  Jameer Nelson absolutely ate his lunch.  Felton and the Bobs regrouped in the second half, but I expect a full 48 minutes from us in game 2. 

I’m also looking forward to seeing what kind of adjustments Brown will make for game 2.  Bill Simmons was right on (he also shows some Steph Curry love).  The Magic were the better team, but Brown’s coaching kept us in it tonight.  He now has two nights to play some chess with Stan Van Gundy.  Hopefully Jack will feel better by Wednesday as well.  Go Bobs!

Tiger to play at Quail Hollow

ESPN is reporting that Tiger Woods plans on playing at Quail Hollow. Should be a good golf week in the QC.

Bobcats to Face Orlando in the Round 1

The Charlotte Bobcats, the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference, will face the 2nd seed Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2010 NBA Playoffs.  The Bobs can still tie Milwaukee for the 6 seed, but the Bucks have a better conference record (the team split the regular season series 2-2).  So, we’re guaranteed a showdown with the defending Eastern Conference champs and a heavy dose of the most dominant big man in the NBA, Dwight Howard.  This is not the series I wanted, and I think most Bobcats fans feel the same way.  We were all clamoring for Atlanta.  If not Atlanta, we would have accepted a card against Boston, who has struggled down the stretch.  Some even wanted to face the Cavs.  The Bobs certainly had their way with Cleveland in the regular season, but I think it would be a different story in the playoffs when they have plenty of time to prepare for us.  Either way, no one really wanted the Magic.

The more that I think about this matchup, the less impossible it seems.  Don’t get me wrong – our chances are not that good.  Orlando is really really good, and they are playing their best basketball right now.  They look pretty good on paper, but I think they are one of those teams that is even tougher when you actually see them in person.  Dwight Howard is a really big dude, and you really don’t get a feel for that until you’re up close to him.  Howard, however, is not my main worry.  I say “let him have his.”  He’s going to be a force on the inside.  He’s going to cause havoc, disrupt shots, buy Orlando second-chance opportunities, and even score some points in the paint.  It’s going to be frustrating at times, but we can live with Howard doing his damage as long as we also do not let their perimeter guys beat us.  Make Howard work hard and try get him in foul trouble when we have the ball.  We have a ton of big guys, even if none of them are exactly stars.  Don’t be afraid to use the 30+ fouls per game that we have in the paint with Nazr, Boris, Tyson, Tyrus, Ratliff, and Diop.  If he still beats us, then so be it, but don’t let their three-point threats also get in on the action.  The Magic killed their opponents with their perimeter play in last season’s playoffs.  This is easier said than done, but I can’t think of a better pair of wings than Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson to go into a series against Orlando.  Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin will also have to win the battle at point guard.  Bottom line, if we can win the perimeter, we have a chance.

The Playoff-Bound Charlotte Bobcats

This post is a little late, but still worth writing because it is awesome we are in the playoffs.  After watching this team for six years, it was no given that I would ever be able to write an article about the Bobs making the playoffs.  I for one am stoked too.  I know our chances aren’t that great, especially if we play Orlando, but it will certainly give the town something to look forward to at the end of April and hopefully into May.  It will delay and shorten the dead time in Charlotte sports – between the end of Bobcats and the start of Panthers training camp.  I remember when I was a kid and the Hornets were in the playoffs.  The weather was warm, school was almost out for the summer, and you had a huge Hornets national TV playoff game to look forward to every couple of nights.  That feeling is coming back to Charlotte, and this time I think that national TV will actually embrace us.  I can see a lot of camera shots being on MJ courtside.

Did anyone else notice the symbolism of Charlotte new team clinching its first ever playoff spot on the road in the town where its old team now plays?  How about the fact that its old team is not having a good season?  Or, that our new center outplayed the former cornerstone of our franchise?  While the Bobs are winning and have a cool new owner, George Shinn wants out in New Orleans.  Thanks, George.  Steal a franchise and awesome team name from a city only to turn around and sell the team a few years later.  Oh well, the good news is that Charlotte seems to finally be embracing its new team despite the crappy name.  Can’t wait for the playoffs.  They’re only about a week away.  It should be a fun ride, and hopefully a long one.  Go Bobs!

Is Pro Basketball Back in Charlotte?

I realize it may be a bit premature to say that the NBA’s woes in Charlotte are officially over, but I was pretty impressed with what I saw last night.  It wasn’t just the play on the court, although that was pretty damn intense.  It was what I saw in the stands that was stunning.  It was a packed house, at least from what you could see of the lower deck on TV.  The attendance was listed at over 18,000.  It was a standing room only crowd for the 4th quarter.  All of this against the Bucks!  Anyone can sell out against the Lakers or Cavs, but the Milwaukee Bucks are not exactly a sexy team that draws fans to NBA arenas.  Yet, they are a good team and anyone who follows the Bobs knew that last night was a huge game.  It appears that there are now a good bit of Bobcats fans in Charlotte because the arena was packed, and it was loud.  Good job, Charlotte.  Check out some highlights and recaps here and here.

Yesterday’s game was very physical and close throughout.  Larry Brown was ejected, and John Salmons continued to be a Bobcat killer, but we had just enough to pull out the win.  the Bobs have anything left in the tank after last night’s hard-fought OT win when they play in Chicago tonight?  Thankfully, the Bulls played last night as well.  Magic number to our first playoff appearance is 4.  Go Bobs!