Richardson's letter (with commentary)

For many months, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has not communicated to the team’s fans at all, except apparently through the occasional random phone call placed to a fan who wrote a letter of complaint and e-mailed it to the Panthers’ website.

That has now changed. Richardson has written a letter that has been sent to all permanent-seat license owners. (UPDATE: And, on Wednesday, coach John Fox said he had no idea what a reporter was talking about when asked about the letter. Fox never saw it before it went out -- another sign of the disconnect between owner and coach).

Although this certainly isn’t a substitute for actually answering questions about the team, it’s a good first step for Richardson. I thought the letter was too vague in parts but quite well done in others.

Here, I have put the contents of Richardson’s letter in my blog and have offered my comments on it in parentheses. Again, Richardson’s letter is restated in full here, but everything in parentheses and italics is what I’m thinking as I’m reading it. I’m not trying to be snarky here, just truthful.

So below you'll find a copy of Richardson's letter to PSL holders. If you’d prefer to read it without my commentary -- and I certainly understand some folks would rather do that -- click on the “Inside the Panthers” blog.

From Jerry Richardson to PSL holders:

"I know how difficult the season has been for you. As the person ultimately responsible for putting a team on the field, I take full responsibility for our shortfalls (Nicely done – no excuses, just taking the blame). It is agonizing that we have not performed at the level we had planned for and expected (agonizing is a strong word, but Richardson hates losing enough I believe that it’s true).

"When the season began, we believed there was every opportunity for success. (Really? Every opportunity? Oh, c’mon now). Many of the players were returning from a team that had finished last year very strong (and many more weren’t, including Jake Delhomme, Julius Peppers, Chris Harris, Brad Hoover and so on). The motivation for this approach was both performance-based and a commitment to the future. Obviously we have fallen short (by only a couple of thousand miles), but our faith and commitment are still the same.

"Going forward, our plan of attack is to build through the draft while retaining our core players (good to restate this). We have one of the youngest teams in the League, and a number of those younger players have shown genuine promise in this otherwise disappointing season (true). We won't give up on them. We also have a solid nucleus of veterans that we will seek to keep intact.

"I want all of you to know that we plan to look at every aspect of our organization (this is the only place where Richardson hints that he’ll have a new coach in 2011). What we do in the future will entirely be geared toward putting the best possible team on the field. I am committed to fielding a winning team, and I'm willing to invest the resources necessary to make it happen (this needed to be said, as many fans believe Richardson is doing this year on the cheap).

"Allow me to raise another personal issue. Much has been made of my reluctance to address the play of the team in the media. Throughout the history of the franchise, I have rarely done in-season interviews (this is true, but it’s also true that Richardson used to do offseason interviews with some regularity, and that hasn’t happened for a long time, to the detriment of many, including, of course, those of us like me who are in the media business).

"It's just not my style. In my opinion, comments from ownership during the season are a distraction, and I do not want my comments to interfere in any way with the performance on the field (but at 1-11, how could it get worse? And you answer questions from individual fans frequently. But, I digress).

"This year is further complicated with the uncertainty regarding Collective Bargaining Agreement. (Richardson plays a huge role for the owners in this CBA and is considered a "hard-line" owner). Let me be clear: A successful CBA is critical in sustaining the competitive balance of the NFL. We're all in this together, and what is good for football is good for the continued success of each and every team. It's important for us to reach an agreement that benefits the fans, players, and teams (and, of course, its owners). I want the players paid fairly, and I want us to play winning and exciting football (My contention is still that there will be a lockout but ultimately won’t be any regular-season games missed in 2011, but I’ve been wrong before).

"I understand that in a season like this, words can sound hollow (a nice admission here), but, as PSL Owners, you have my commitment to provide you a team that will make you proud (well-done here as well – and it sure better be true). With three NFC championship game appearances, we have come close. I can assure you we will be aggressive in getting there again (no Super-Bowl-in-10-year prediction this time from Richardson -- smart).

"Thank you for your patience and support in a very challenging time."

Respectfully,
Jerry Richardson

On Dandy Don and the Panthers

4 notes on a cold Tuesday:

1) Like many NFL fans, I used to watch Dandy Don Meredith and Howard Cosell go at it on "Monday Night Football" and revel in their rivalry. It was a rite of passage for me when I was finally old enough to stay up late enough to hear Meredith sing, "Turn out the lights, the party's over" when the game's outcome was decided. Meredith was a former NFL star who didn't take the game that seriously -- he was playing a Texas cornpone role in those broadcasts and was bright enough, and funny enough, to pull it off for years. When you see those studio analysts yakking it up every Sunday -- well, they all owe a debt to Dandy Don.

"MNF" did a nice tribute to Meredith at halftime last night -- the most touching part being when Frank Gifford, being interviewed live by Mike Tirico, said of Meredith "I loved him like a brother," then got teary-eyed and couldn't go on. RIP Dandy Don, who died Sunday at age 72.

2) My column today on the Panthers is called "To Win or Not to Win" and concerns the Panthers' hunt for the No.1 draft pick in 2011 and how many fans are now hoping they go ahead and finish 1-15 to guarantee it (and, likely, Andrew Luck if he declares early). On his way out the door, wouldn't it be ironic if John Fox messed that up for Carolina?

3) Thanks again for those who turned in fake names for a fake book about the Panthers' 2010 season in a blog post a couple below this one -- I used some of those for comic relief in today's column (right toward the end). I gotta say, you "Scott Says" readers are very creative.

4) I will be doing an online chat this week from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec.9th. If you have a question but can't make it during that time, e-mail it to me at sfowler@charlotteobserver.com and I'll try to post it and answer it live, time permitting, during the chat.

5 things I didn't like about Panthers' loss to Seattle

True story. I was at home for this game, watching it on TV with the DVR going. At halftime, with Carolina up 14-3, I fell asleep.
I woke up 45 minutes later, looked bleary-eyed at the TV screen, and figured I must have looked at the score wrong.
Nope. It was 24-14, Seattle, and soon it was going to get worse. So here are five things I didn’t like about Seattle’s 31-14 win over Carolina, in which the Seahawks scored 31 straight points after the Panthers leaped to a 14-0 lead:

1) Jimmy Clausen. Up 14-10, he threw a “pick-six” interception to Seattle’s Lofa Tatupu that changed the game’s tenor completely. It’s exactly the sort of error these 1-11 Panthers can never afford to make but usually do, and everything went downhill from there. Clausen was fine handing off, but when it came time for him to move the team through the air, he couldn’t do it.

2) Jeff Davidson. The Panthers’ deservedly criticized offensive coordinator will get another heaping helping after this one. And what were the Panthers doing throwing on third-and-1 with a 14-10 lead anyway? Jonathan Stewart had been the best player in the game to that point – give him the ball.

3) Seattle's 96-yard drive. Up 14-3, Carolina had pinned Seattle at the 4 after a mishandled kickoff to open the third quarter. And then there went the Seahawks – 96 yards straight down the field, giving themselves hope.

4) The 84-yard punt return. Seattle’s Leon Washington is certainly a dangerous return man, and his burst up the middle set up the Seahawks’ third straight touchdown in the third quarter. But no one on the Panther punt coverage team seemed to even get close to Washington except punter Jason Baker, whose miraculous shoestring tackle inside the 5 only delayed the inevitable.

5) The offensive line. How many times get Clausen get clocked in the second half, or else have to throw the ball away to avoid yet another sack? I lost count, but I did notice that the officials felt so sorry for Clausen they actually tried to help him up a couple of times.

Note: For those who entered my "Write a Fake Book Title for the Panthers' 2010 Season" contest over the weekend, read the comments of the blog entry below this one if you want some painful laughs (and also the names of the winners).

And the book winners are....

I had a "Free Friday" sort of contest yesterday, in case you missed it. I told people at the bottom of my Panthers-Seahawks prediction blog that, because that was the 1,000th blog post in the 2-plus year history of "Scott Says," I'd give away 5 signed copies of my "Tales from the Carolina Panthers Sideline" book in a random drawing.

You had to e-mail me to have a shot at winning, and you only had until 6 p.m. Friday to do it.

Several hundred people did just that. I started off trying to respond to the e-mails individually, thanking everyone for their entry and for reading "Scott Says." After awhile, though, I got overwhelmed and had to write my daily column for Saturday's newspaper (on the ACC title game in town Saturday), so I'll thank you again here and apologize for those who didn't receive a personal reply from me.

As for the Panthers book winners, I used a tool from "Random.org" to make sure it was truly random. I got entries from Austria, Canada and probably half the states in the U.S. for the contest, but the winners turned out to be fairly close to home. They were:

Bryan Detwiler (Davidson); Evan Hill (Charlotte); David Kempert (Raleigh); Anne Cathey (Huntersville) and John Dimier (Charlotte).

"Tales from the Carolina Panthers Sideline," incidentally, can still be found in some bookstores, but not too many since it was originally published in 2004 after the Panthers' Super Bowl year. If you're still really wanting it, check your local library and/or my personal website at http://www.scottfowlersports.com/, where it's available cheaply and where you can also see a selection of my personal favorite Charlotte Observer stories over the past decade or so.

This Panther contest made me think of one other thing, though. I'm certainly not going to write a book about the 2010 Panthers and this awful season. But, if I did -- or you did -- what would we call it?

I'm going to give away two more copies of the Panthers book to the folks who submit the best -- i.e., likely the funniest -- title for a proposed book about this 2010 Panthers season.

Rules: Use the blog comments section directly below this post so everyone can enjoy your submission. DO NOT submit more than two proposed titles per person. DO NOT use any obscenities. Other than that, anything goes. You DON'T have to post your full name or address in the comments section -- once I announce the winners, you can contact me with that info.

You have until the 4:15 p.m. Sunday, Dec.5th kickoff between Seattle and Carolina to submit these proposed titles, and I'll announce the winners in my traditional postgame "5 things" blog that will be posted no later than 8:30 p.m. Sunday night.

Again, good luck if you choose to enter, and either way, thanks so much for reading "Scott Says" and The Charlotte Observer!

Jackson's open letter: A good start

I'm quite impressed by Stephen Jackson's open letter to Bobcats fans, which has been zipping around the Internet troday and reads in part:

People do not like to admit they are wrong, but my actions in Milwaukee last week resulted in an ejection and ultimately an NBA suspension for the next game. As a result, I let myself, my teammates and my coaches down, but more importantly, I let our fans down. In my heart, I know I have to adjust my emotions on the floor and I vow to work harder than ever to not put myself or this team in that situation again.

I understand the rules that the NBA has established to govern players’ behavior on the floor and I respect the job the officials have each night. NBA players are bigger, faster and more athletic than ever, so being able to call a perfect game each night and see every foul is tough, and I have to take that into consideration.

(Read the full letter here in Rick Bonnell's always excellent Bobcats blog).

After being around Jackson a good bit, I believe he has the best of intentions. I think he truly wants to "adjust my emotions," as he puts it. He wants to win. He doesn't like to let people down. And this letter is a nice gesture -- many athletes have done a lot worse than this and never apologized for it.

Cynically, I wonder how long it will take for Jackson to get his next technical and/or to berate the next ref who fails to call a foul when he drives to the basket (and he always thinks he gets fouled, on practically every drive).

But I'm willing to give Jackson another chance. I've written many times that he needs to change his attitude and control his temper on the court. Say this for him -- he's obviously trying to do just that.

Panther prediction -- and a giveaway

A few notes in advance of 1-10 Carolina's game against 5-6 Seattle Sunday:

-- It’s going to be weird Sunday not turning on the TV until 4:15 p.m. for a Carolina game. The Panthers are so thoroughly a “Sunday at 1 p.m.” team – the place TV networks love to stash bad teams that don’t draw a big national audience – that this will be their first non-1 p.m. game of the season and comes only because the game is on the West Coast.

-- Five years ago, these two teams met in Seattle in the NFC championship game, with the Seahawks winning easily and advancing to a Super Bowl they would ultimately lose to Pittsburgh. The two teams haven’t played in Seattle since, but they sure have gotten worse.

-- Seattle got creamed in rushing yardage last week, 270-20, in its 42-24 loss to Kansas City. The Panthers’ chance Sunday hinges on the team gaining more rushing yardage than its season high of 151, set last week in Cleveland.

-- Seattle coach Pete Carroll once tried hard to recruit Jimmy Clausen to Southern Cal. Clausen, who grew up in California, chose Notre Dame instead but then never beat the Trojans in his college career. He’d love to get his first NFL win over Carroll Sunday, although the very loud crowd in Seattle won’t be easy on a rookie quarterback.

-- The Panthers actually have a shot in this one, mostly based on their running game. But I’m 8-3 picking Panther outcomes this season, and that’s because I almost always pick them to lose. I’m not going to mess with that formula now. Prediction: Seattle 24, Carolina 16.

-- Note to "Scott Says" readers: This post represents the 1,000th blog post I have filed since the "Scott Says" blog went live in 2008. In honor of that anniversary, I will have a random giveaway of "Tales from the Carolina Panthers Sideline" -- the book I wrote on the Panthers back when they were actually a very good team.

You can only enter by e-mailing your name and address to ScottFowlerBooks@aol.com by 6 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, Dec.3rd (I'm using that e-mail address for this instead of my Observer one due to e-mail space considerations). Please put "Panthers book" in the subject line (although it does not disqualify you if you forget to do that -- it just helps me with my bookkeeping).

Five readers will win a signed copy of the book, and those five will all be notified via e-mail by 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec.4th.

Good luck -- and thanks so much for reading "Scott Says."

Sherrod Martin gets overcharged

Panthers safety Sherrod Martin has been fined $40,000 today for a helmet-to-helmet hit he doled out in Sunday's game against Cleveland at the goal line.

I was in Cleveland, and Martin's hit was definitely illegal (although I don't think he did it on purpose). But the size of the fine is awfully large given that Tennessee's Cortland Finnegan and Houston's Andre Johnson were fined only $25,000 for engaging in a brief but full-scale fight Sunday which included ripping off each others' helmets and Johnson landing three punches to Finnegan's unprotected head.

That's just wrong. If you are going to give Martin a 40K fine -- and I understand he's a repeat offender, as he got fined $5,000 for another illegal hit in Week 1 -- then Finnegan and Johnson should have been suspended for a game apiece and lose the game check that goes along with it.

Martin is appealing the fine, as he should, although the way the NFL is cracking down on helmet-to-helmet hits I doubt that he'll get much mercy from the league. Finnegan and Johnson, though, should consider themselves extremely lucky, because what they did, to me, was worse.

Or, as Martin's Carolina teammate Tyrell Sutton colloquially put it in his Twitter account today: "Crazy tht Sherrod got a 40k fine for a hit n the middle of the game but Andre johnson and cortland finnegan got 25k each for a fite. Bogus"