Friday, November 19, 2010

My Panther prediction and other notes

A couple of notes as we head into the weekend:

-- Sounds like it's going to be a beautiful weekend in Charlotte -- likely one of our last great ones before the cold sets in for good.

With that in mind, I wonder how many people will show up -- and actually stay -- through four quarters of Panthers-Baltimore Ravens football at Bank of America Stadium Sunday?

With Brian "Who?" St. Pierre quarterbacking Carolina, the game at least has an element of mystery. But the Panthers are injury-ravaged and weren't much good before that, and the Ravens are healthy and have been off for 10 days.

I'm 6-3 picking the 1-8 Panthers so far this year week-by-week. This week's pick: Baltimore 24, Carolina 10.

-- I listened to a bit of John Kilgo calling the Davidson basketball game in Puerto Rico Thursday (Davidson lost by 14 to West Virginia). I really like listening to Kilgo -- something about listening to that gravelly voice, mingled with his occasional and outright disgust when something goes wrong, gets me tickled. When Davidson missed its 19th straight 3-pointer in the game, Kilgo said angrily: "That's 19 straight whiffs for Davidson." He sounded like he was ready to go out there and fire a couple of threes himself.

-- If you're going to be in the Birkdale//Huntersville area tonight, I'll be at the Barnes and Noble there from 6-8 p.m. Friday signing copies of some of my sports books (including the one just published called "What It Means to be a Tar Heel" and/or talking about The Observer, story ideas or whatever else is on your mind. Feel free to stop by, and please don't feel compelled to buy anything.

The first 10 people who come by and mention directly to me that they saw this info in the "Scott Says" blog will, however, get a free signed copy of my 2004 Panthers book, "Tales from the Panthers Sideline." Jake Delhomme is on the cover of that one, so you know that was awhile back.

-- I really enjoyed doing my story today on Bob Moore, the 84-year-old high school referee who has reffed for 51 straight seasons in the Charlotte area. Here's the link.

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Scott, sadly, I don't think the Panthers manage a touchdown. I think the Ravens defense will score more than the Panthers offense.

Anonymous said...

I am shocked you think they can score 10 Scott.

Mr. Richardson for the love of god PLEASE do something this year to show you care about us, like firing this MORON coach who has steered this team into oblivion this year.

Anonymous said...

Scott,

Does "What It Means To Be A Tar Heel" has a chapter on John Blake and Butch Davis?

If it does, I will buy a copy!

E. Mortimer Haynes said...

Scott, Scott, Scott.... just HOW do the Panthers get to 10? I think Davidson MADE more 3-pointers than the Panthers will score in points Sunday. My personal "over/under" for the Panthers is 2 points, and I'm taking the under.

Jon H. said...

I think it is funny everyone is calling out Foxy.

The owner clearly decided to go as cheap as he could. The GM is a a former journalist and the VP of Personnel was the AD at a community college.

WTF is Fox supposed to do? He has not had the greatest coaching results this year……but his options are a rookie QB, rookie QB form a community college in the mountains or a 30 year old loser. Not much to pick from.

They have nobody on defense outside of a few linebackers, one quality receiver, and they keep spending current 1st and 2nd round draft picks for 4th round talent. See community college QB from the mountains and stick-man DE from Florida State.

The owner is a joke, the GM is a loser, the VP is a douche. Richardson should give his new heart to someone more deserving.

Fox and Panther fans deserve better. We deserve an owner that will allow people to actually stand up in the stands and cheer without getting thrown out. They deserve better fans than the Bank of America, run an economy into the ground through illegal foreclosures, wine and cheese wimps that occupy the seats now.

Anonymous said...

I hope you are right Scott. I want that first pick, the Harbaugh/Luck 1st pick. Two at one time, the double! Get the youngsters more experience, play hard, but a loss is a good thing at this point for the future of our hometown Panthers. We can be very good in a short time. Go Panthers....next year!

Anonymous said...

November9,2010, 10:10 am. It is not John Fox's fault fuzzy brain. It's called rebuilding. Fox will be a headcoach next year somewhere else, (Dallas? New York?) He is a very good coach. Try to see the big picture. This is called rebuilding. Mr. Richardson is going to make us more like New England, Pittsburgh, and Indy. Have patience guy, 'cause we will win a Super Bowl or two by 2015, I'll be dead but you'll be crazy happy. Harbaugh/LUck will lead us to the promised Super land!

Anonymous said...

Why ould Carolina select another QB? Thats stupid if fans in genera lare giving up on Clausen, they will do the same to Luck as well.


"The GM is a a former journalist and the VP of Personnel was the AD at a community college"?

Sounds like a bunch of excuses into why Fox can't put up back to back winning season. The talent was never the problem, it's the coaching.

Funny how fans aren't factoring we see the same boring plays of run, run, pass, punt every week/year.

No adjustments once so ever.

"They have nobody on defense outside of a few linebackers, one quality receiver, and they keep spending current 1st and 2nd round draft picks for 4th round talent.

Really so Pepper, Gross, Davis, Williams, and Stewart must be 4th round talent? Got damn what a dumbass fanbase this is.

See community college QB from the mountains and stick-man DE from Florida State".

Fox is a lame duck at best, whoever hires him will get tired of seeing run,run,pass, punt.

Great coaches makes adjustments/develop players. Bill B would develop the player on this team into solid, good, to great players.

Anonymous said...

Why would Carolina select another QB? Thats stupid if fans in genera l are giving up on Clausen, they will do the same to Luck as well.


"The GM is a a former journalist and the VP of Personnel was the AD at a community college"?

Sounds like a bunch of excuses into why Fox can't put up back to back winning season. The talent was never the problem, it's the coaching.

Funny how fans aren't factoring we see the same boring plays of run, run, pass, punt every week/year.

No adjustments once so ever.

"They have nobody on defense outside of a few linebackers, one quality receiver, and they keep spending current 1st and 2nd round draft picks for 4th round talent.

Really so Pepper, Gross, Davis, Williams, and Stewart, Otah must be 4th round talent? Got damn what a dumbass fanbase this is.

See community college QB from the mountains and stick-man DE from Florida State".

Brown and Goodson was involve in trading the 1st rounder away. It wasn't for Brown straight up, get your facts right.

Fox is a lame duck at best, whoever hires him will get tired of seeing run,run,pass, punt.

Great coaches makes adjustments/develop players. Bill B would develop the player on this team into solid, good, to great players.

Fox could have a Manning or Brady and still be a mediocre coach.

Anonymous said...

Hey, you guys. Let’s show a little support for our new, underdog quarterback. It wasn’t his idea to be picked up as a third-stringer one week and become the starter the next.

You can knock Fox, Hurney and Richardson all you want, and they deserve it. But Brian St. Pierre is just a guy who has been thrown into a very, very tough situation and is going to do the best he can.

It’s like Fox had gone into the stands just before a game and picked out some guy to be his QB for that day. The fans would cheer for that guy. It isn’t his fault.

Let’s show a little support for our underdog quarterback and give him a little cheer while we’re booing his new bosses.

Anonymous said...

Matt Moore won a couple of games as a rookie. He had been with the team since September of that year. Pike has been with the team since May. Pike was drafted, Moore wasn't. Pike didn't have any veteran leadership, but he does have a coach. Oops! Forgot about the qb coach. Start St Pete, he hasn't been ruined yet by Rip.

catfandave said...

Panthers score 10? Scott, what have you been smoking?

At least they have something to play for - that coveted 1st draft pick. But they'll need some help from the Bills and I think they'll get it.

Ravens 31 Panthers 6

Paul said...

Do you honestly believe Fox wanted to sign St. Pierre as the veteran backup? He is probably starting St. Pierre because he wants to show management what everything has come down to. He knows he won't be back. He wanted to go down with his guys. I'm sorry but if Jake was still with the team, we would have won at least half of our games. Every QB has a very bad year at some point. Say all you want about Jake but the guy took risks down the field. They weren't always positive but at least he tried to get the team going. Fox wasn't allowed to go down with his guys because I bet Richardson felt that Fox might be able to pull it off and would risk having to answer to fans for not giving him a new contract with a good year. So, he dices the roster to where Fox and the Panthers can't even compete and Richardson forces fans to pay ridiculous prices for beyond bad performances because he went cheap. The biggest reason the running game isn't going anywhere is because of Hoover's absence. He saw the holes like a running back and could light some guys up. Unfortunately, Hurney and Richardson felt Tony could easily slide in. WRONG!!! Fox is a great coach but it's a shame his last season is going to define his tenure. All because of pathetic poor ownership. I wish majority of fans would show support to Coach Fox. A new coach may come in and give us success for many years to come but Fox will always be the person that brought life back to the team and Richardson will be the person who sucked the life out of his organization and fan base. Put Fox with the Patriots and they are Super Bowl contenders every year and might win a few. Put a young unproven coordinator or college coach with our team and we'll become the Baltimore Ravens, a fairly good team year in and year out but will never win the big game. Difference is ownership. Fox and Fisher are similar coaches with long tenures but one owner wants to win. Sadly Richardson, you don't.

Dan Hayes said...

Bottom line. The 2010 Carolina Panthers are the WORST team in the NFL.

There's not much more you can say. The Observer is just trying to sell newspapers now.

Anonymous said...

"Put Fox with the Patriots and they are Super Bowl contenders every year and might win a few"?

How is that? He runs a boring elementary school offense of run, run, pass punt.

He can't develop Brady or any QB he's had, they would be used as game managers at best.

Jeff Fisher has back to back winning seasons on his resume, Fox doesn't. Stop making excuses for Fox, he isn't a "great" coach.

He's a decent coach. From 2002-2009 he had a top 10 pay roll, how did that fare out? 3 winning seasons in 8 seasons with his veteran talent.

Child please thats mediocre at best.

"The biggest reason the running game isn't going anywhere is because of Hoover's absence".

Hoover has played in 11 games, started in 4 and the running game was still great.

Hurney and JR have gave him mostly everything to still not winning consistently.

Bill B would develop and win with the players that are on this team consistently. Fox couldn't with the Patriots with his boring philosophy.

Panthster said...

I think you all have been smoking something... How could we possibly score any points? Unless the D scores or puts us in field-goal range, there will be no scoring. The D looks rather dull and tired lately to me.

Panthers 0, Ravens 42