The day after their NFL season ends, there are certain things the Panthers do every year. They always report early -- usually by 8 or 9 a.m. They always go to the big meeting room to hear their current head coach tell them to go home, enjoy themselves for a little while and then come back for offseason training sessions ready to work.
Then they leave, the belongings from their lockers generally stuffed into trash bags. They are interviewed on the way to their cars by assorted media people and say things like they are looking forward to healing up and competing again next year (Jake Delhomme and Jordan Gross on Monday said exactly that sort of thing).
It's not a real glamorous day, but it's a useful one.
The oddity this year? The head coach almost always has a "end-of-season" press conference after the players leave. This time, there was none of that -- Panther coach John Fox didn't want one.
What does that tell you? Well, I put a lot of my educated guesses about Fox's current contractual situation in today's column for The Charlotte Observer.
Basically, I think Fox didn't want to dance around questions about his contract situation in public, but I would imagine his agent is having plenty of discussions in private. Fox has one year left on his deal and it sounds like Jerry Richardson is going to take a "wait-and-see" approach on whether he will coach the Panthers after the 2010 season.
So you've got a stalemate, and someone at some point is going to have to break it. In the meantime, I'm not holding my breath awaiting a Fox press conference anytime soon.
We're moving!
9 years ago
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16 comments:
I know you want a coach who has better quotes and is a better interview, but I still don't understand why you think another coach would do a better job. We had George Siefert. That should scare anyone. The Panthers were built from the beginning as a team with a strong defense and boring offense. Doesn't that suggest that maybe it's Jerry Richardson's preference, more than the head coach's?
Scott, this is really horrid access journalism. The guy is obviously dancing around in a braindead presser -- the most artificial of information imparting situations -- and you want to turn it into the Gettysburg Address.
Pressers are so 20th century. Let them go. They distract and confuse, not inform.
The facts are that Foxy does not want to walk away from a sure $6m. in a possible lock-out, labor-strife year on one side, and that the Big Cat does not want to pay $6m. for Foxy to leave while paying at least that much more for a new coach -- in a possible lock-out, labor-strife year.
The Big Cat fired his own son to make sure this upcoming legal speedbump did not wreck him, and now he is playing fast and loose like Danny Snyder? And Foxy is gonna come out and declare his undying desire to come back, punting leverage which might help with staff slots and maybe the GM slot? (Maybe he loves Marty, maybe not either way.)
Please. Let 2010 be the year you resolve to treat your readers like grown ups.
I would still like to hear from Richardson about the comment on Fox's job. Who is this "source" that the Observer supposedly has? Maybe theyre all quiet about it because theyre trying to find the rat thats telling the Observer false information. Or it could just be that Fox doesnt want to talk about it until he hears what his agent has to say. I guess it would be asking too much for an Observer reporter to go out & do reporter work, like talking to the owner, or calling Fox's agent. Its much more informative to speculate on things of this nature.
Susan, I agree with you. I think the Observer guys want Fox out because he isn't quotable enough, or isn't "nice" enough to them.
About the middle of the season I thought I wanted him gone too. But the reality is he is a good coach. He was too stubborn in leaving Jake in as long as he did. The passing game and special teams needs work, but mostly they just need playmakers. There are a lot of teams a lot worse off than the Panthers. I'm glad we aren't the Redskins or the Raiders.
In today's MMQB, Peter King seems to think Fox doesn't want to leave. What info does he have that the Observer reporters can't access?
Guys: Just to be clear. I think some of my posters here haven't read today's column. I advocate bringing Fox back in 2010, not firing him. I wrote that last week as well. While I certainly would personally enjoy a coach who was more quotable, I respect Fox's work and believe he should (and ultimately will) be back here in 2010.
Scott, regardless of what these folks say, I respect the work that you guys do. I enjoy reading you, Sorensen, Chandler, and Scott. If I didn't I wouldn't click on your link. Thanks for another great season of keeping us as informed as you can. I know I at least appreciate it!
Fox is a joke as a head coach! even if Richardson made him play Jake, nobody made him commit to Luke as the backupand not Matt Moore. Give the fans what they pay for and stop the excuses!!!
I have been a PSL owner for 8 years. Fox is a great coach but if Richardson doesn't want to extend Fox's contract and am giving him a year why not go ahead and get Cowher. Just remember it took Cowher 14 years to win a Super Bowl.
Ditto on what Dale said...not sure how the rest of these posters think they'd have access to any of these tidbits. These reports inform you of what is going on - you are free to draw your own conclusions from them. Your speculation may be different from Scott's but give the whole "why can't we have nobel prize reporting on the Monday after the end of the season" rants a rest. It's nonsense.
It's interesting...in this day and age, where quick information is considered the "norm" and is always expected, people seem so irate when their local sports blog isn't equivalent to Muller's 2009 Nobel Prize winning literature.
You would think people would be appreciative that there are reporters out there, talking with the guys, showing up for days like today, giving you info (for free no less) that you normally wouldn't get. It's insight into your team. Appreciate it.
Whiners.
Also want to echo Dale and Curtis and thank you for your reporting all season. I am certain half the posters on here just rant without actually reading anything you write. Interview Richardson? I know Scott would love to do that (as he has written in previous articles), but he doesn't give interviews during the season.
NFL just released opponents for 2010. Home = our division + Arizona, SF, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Baltimore. Away = our division + St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Giants. No excuses next year...
When Coach Fox is unemployed after next season, he can thank the "idiots that be" who continued to push for Jake to be the starting quarterback long after it was evident that he has simply lost his ability to throw anything other than interceptions!
Matt Moore was the clear choice from the first day of the season and Coach Fox will always be haunted by the fact that he should have been the starting quarterback. At least then he would not have had a losing season this year. That is where he failed as a coach this past season.
Common sense and logic clearly do not prevail in Pantherland...
I am amazed at these fans who think journalism is easy. Access to people you want to interview is often restricted...there is so much competition...these reporters who cover the Panthers do a pretty good job....Scott's insights are welcome and Sorenson's wry response to the ridiculous dance with playedrs and coaches is always good for a laugh. To all the critics: "Chill".
Fowler, since you want Fox back in 2010, how about reserving future judgement on him until the end of next season.
Personally speaking, I could do w/o 14 weeks of Fox is on the hot seat morphing into Fox should return for weeks 16 & 17..arghh
JAT wrote: "Please. Let 2010 be the year you resolve to treat your readers like grown ups."
Well, JAT... after reading so many forum quotes on Panthers stories of late... I'm not sure an argument could be made that many of the readers ARE grown ups! All too often, they just don't sound like it!
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