the carolina panthers

The 2008 regular season ended with an awesome record for the team of 12-4. Nobody at the time really cared that it was one of the easiest schedules in football. Pretty much everyone who gambles or follows the NFL closely knows about the blow up game in the Playoffs vs. Arizona where the Panthers played horribly after their first possession, and have spiraled out of control since.

The question is what the heck is wrong?

1- Mismanagement of the teams salary cap and long term contracts. They are absolutely handicapped by contracts this year, so much so that they had to resign J Delhomme to an extension just so they could write pay checks this season. He's older than I am!! (*side note - Everyone is ill at Peppers for getting so much money this year, but they keep forgetting that he wanted out, it was verbally said in public after last season, but common sense tells me he wanted out before last year, it just didn't make news til his agent chimed in on it. My guess he saw disaster coming, didn't like the coaching staff and their direction. Guess what, he was right!)

2- As stated from a few NFL analysts, GM Marty Hurney is not a "football" guy. He is a leader, good business sense, good with management. Not a football guy. Ding ding ding!!!

3- Fox is a good coach. He is not a great coach, which is what you need to be to having winning consecutive seasons, and playoff appearances and super bowl wins. Could he be great somewhere else...? We should have found out by now.

4- Delhomme: as said by John Kilgo, is a mediocre talent at best. You know what to expect and what he can give, and he gives 100%. I agree totally. He is a C plus QB in the NFL. Without the likes of Steve Smith and good RB combinations over the years, he is playing the the UFL now. You need good Qb's to win consistently in the NFL, doesnt have to be great, just good.

5 - Despite all the downfalls, the team has been close to greatness, which proves they have potential to gel and produce. They have talent. Compared to most teams, they have alot of talent. When talent doesn't play and perform, you have to point the finger somewhere it either goes to the sidelines or to the front office. The Fox/Hurney conversation was being talked about 3 seasons ago. There was 4-5 super bowl winning coaches sitting in broadcast booths or watching from home waiting for a chance to coach again. There are monkeys in the zoo who would like a chance to be general mangers in the NFL esp. in Charlotte. There are also hundred of high school QBs thanking Delhomme, for being such a great teacher of the position, showing them week in and week out what not to do! Here's to another 7-9 season!

whoa 6 months later....

I guess there is a type of writer's remorse when you enjoy jotting down useless pieces of information for a select few bored-out of-their-mind types to read. If that is you, you are in luck and have found the right place to be. I very rarely enjoy writing about myself personally, because of course if you know me, I can just tell you what happened to me instead of writing it down, saves alot of cramping of my fingers typing that way. SO how do I fill the next 5-10 minutes of your reading here... good question.

I feel like I've missed out on something in life. The formula for young people now going to school, planning their future and deciding on colleges, career paths and everything seems to lay in making good grades, forming a well diverse resume of sorts ranging from sports, jobs, internships, volunteer work, church involvement, civic clubs, community involvement. I did most of all that early on, except the studying part and great grades, my grades were just average, maybe slightly above. The problem with myself is I did not know where my talents best laid out in the real world. I still dont know where they lie, but the proverbial time passes by and "it is what it is" now. See I loved sports, I was decently gifted athletically other than golf (which by technical definition is not a sport but different than that of racing car driving and such) I did not have any trouble learning and participating in. I never had anyone show me how to shoot a basketball, pitch or hit a baseball, or catch and throw a football. I just picked it up and did it. I wasn't aware of "working or playing hard" in sports, cause that didnt exist in the backyard or in the gym on the weekends. When you hit high school all of a sudden everything became serious and you had to "give 110%", dive on the floor,out hustle your opponent on the court/field and in the weight room. That was 15 year ago... now after spending time helping coach basketball on the high school level the past 6 years. I really like the relationship with the kids and carrying that over into something I know and love, basketball. Unfortuantely, like inflation, the mania and ridiculousness of high school sports going up 7% every year. I have seen and heard something like you would think be from Hollywoods version of Friday Night Lights ( a show, book and movie that I love ) but its all true. Point being... now that I am married and a parent of sorts, I can say that parents are absolutely crazy, especially about sports. that is another topic in and of itself.

One thing that has changed about me in the last year or so, is I have slowly became accumstomed to watching more and more TV. My watching is a bit unconventional. I use netflix and its newer technology to watch shows streaming and or, the dvds or just borrow them. But I have watched some really good, well written and produced shows: as mentioned previously, Friday Night Lights was recommended as a show to watch, but my first thoughts were for sure "there is no way" its as good as the movie/book. I was wrong, its better than the movie and is way more entertaining than the book. Thematically, it hits on all cylinders, taking the social and political themes of the book and translating it to TV. The pilot episode is one of the best first shows... which in my opinion makes the rest of the series. The biggest downfall is that they have some kind of DIRECTV contract, so this current season cannot be seen by me until it completes the DIrectTV season then it comes back to NBC. SO in the meantime, I can catch up on other shows... I've made no doubts that HBO's the Sopranos is one of the best shows of all time, after watching several more critically acclaimed series, its still numero 1. The writing is superb, the actors are so good, they are way unerrated for the job they do portraying Italian living in New Jersey, the food, the accents, the fast living and of course the whole mafia thing make it a great show. It is a way more intelligent show that just simply being a mob story, those are a dime a dozen. Its the dual nature of one man, a mob boss, who has a serious conflict between his own upbringing versus that of his own kids. It really has more to do with parenting differences of two different generations. And of course, the pilot episode is brilliantly done, and grossly symbolic of the entire series, it carries right til the very last infamous black out scene that ends it. I broke down and gave into the peer pressure that is "Lost". But like I said if the pilot episode is great, it can translate. The thing with this series is... its not a TV show. To me is some game to mess with your mind, just to see how addicting and how far you will go to watch and obsess over it. The sucky thing is, I got to watch 5 seasons in a few months on DVD, now I have to wait and watch one show, once a week. DEXTER: a showtime series based on the book "Dexter darkly dreaming" or something like that. Again, pilot episode = brilliant and the writing is brilliant, and yes in the 21st century serial killing can be made cool on TV. HBO's Oz show is probably one of those shows like taking an ugly chick to a dance or something, you dont want to brag about but to other guys who take an ugly chick to a dance. But the ugly chick is fun, deep, philosophical and you feel like is someone who will make a differnce with their creativity and brillance. Thats Oz. That and alot of "prison life" stuff, we wont go into detail on. All of these characters/actors go on to star in alot of the other shows I have mentioned above, Dexter and Lost are two of them. Finally, I am watching 2 series that I think potentially will be in the class as those above. Weeds and Deadwood. Now into season 3, i know its totally immoral, so save the speeches, but I cant help but love it. I am almost finished with season 1 of Deadwood, and after consulting my fellow Western and Deadwood expert I understand more about the show and am totally entralled at it. I hate making comparisons like "its star wars meets saving private ryan", but this show is like a Western version of the Sopranos 150 years earlier.

ok, thats enough for now, tune in next time when I tell you what I've been eating for the last 6 months, a detailed look at my menu...

pound for pound...

As our contingency drove to Charlotte, NC for yet another evening of music with my FAVORITE OF BANDS AND MUSICIANS. I was pretty excited. I have atteneded enough shows where being surprised at their setlist is always fun to guess which songs they will play and what new songs they will throw at you. Of course the internet crushes some of the elements of surprise when all of their previous nights setlist are listed. With the loss of LeRio Moore the bands lon time saxophonist and one of the best that there is, the band added Jeff Coffin to their full rotation, as well as Rashawn Ross on Trumpet, Tim Reynolds on guitar, and the rest of the regular band: the best drummer in the world, the best violin player living, and a phenomenal bass player as well as the leading frontman in the 90's and 00's in Dave Matthews himself. Here is the setlist: Pantala Naga Pampa *Rapunzel *Where Are You Going, Stay Or Leave *Recently *Burning Down The House *Crush *Why I Am *Spaceman *Corn Bread *#41 *So Much To Say *Anyone Seen The Bridge *Too Much (Fake) *Tripping Billies *Funny The Way It Is *So Damn Lucky *Grey Street * Yes you read that correct, the covered Talkings Heads' Burning Down the House, and everyone agreed it was a better song than the original. Not to mention they played one of their original songs Recently to a full jam session, as well as Stay or Leave, Grey Street, and my personal Fav. #41. They encored with Crash into me and Stay, but thats the first show I had been to where they didnt need an encore, they were so good I felt like I needed to give more money to leave. I can't help but know as far as musical and songwriting ability goes this band is not the best that there is. Yes I realize that some folks dont enjoy the "jam session" and impromptu play but the cliched phrase amazing doesnt begin to cover how good they are. I thought in 1999 that there is no way they cant make better songs than their original 3-4 albums but I was wrong to the tenth degree. Not only are they getting better they are improving other peoples songs. (Pink Floyd's "money", Tlaking Heads B.D.T.H., and Peter Gabriels "sledgehammer"...etc) For $50 bucks it doesnt get any better. I must also say, either we selected a new place to enjoy the show, but we seemed to have avoided the majority of second hand pot smoke too, or maybe I was too into in to notice either way the crowd was great, the music was better, and the weather was perfect. All in All.... I wish they would come back soon.

back to reading....

i picked up a book for the first time in quite a while, almost a year. i dont really possess a great motivation to read, much less anything that requires work. But I have been told to read this book by several people as well as watch the TV show as well as the movie. I have seen the movie, however I have been blown slap away at both the book and the tv show. my buddy ryan wrote in his blog about the tv show, you can check that out on your own... i love the tv show, being almost done with season 2. However the book is spectatcular. I have been amazed at the boundaries that this book sets, its deep and wide to steal a cliche description. From the locker room to the political realm, this book knocks you back on your heels. Although the racism and the politics are a part of life in the US but the portrayal of how a town and its people can be totally devoted to a high school sport is just mesmerizing. I dont know whether to admire the town or to be ill. I played a year of varsity football on a team that barely won 2 games, and it disgusted me to return and play again... (of course having a crack dealer for a coach) but the regrets that I could have accomplished more in a sport if I would have stayed with it or have been taught better. But the west texas town of Odessa fancinates me to no end. I highly recommend this book to anyone whether you like football or not. then check out the tv show. peace

what if your love language is pig latin?

i didnt make a public proclamation earlier this year, but the bball team that i have followed since i was a kid was predicted by the pundits to go "undefeated" or "win by 30 points" every game. that nobody matche up with their talent and superior depth. i dont proclaim to be a bball genius, but i am cursed to know a thing or two... and those people are idiots and they get paid. i want to get paid to talk about college bball or bball in general. I do agree that UNC is/should win the NCAA title, however not because of talent, their experience and 3 years of playing together I think should finally pay off. Plus I think Tyler Hansbrough deserves it. Not only because of his work ethic but just to quiet his critics. The oh so clever duke fans ochestrated a song for TH in Cameron a couple weeks ago "You walk, You walk, you travel all the time" something to that effect (they should mic the crowd). I've biasedly watched him lay for 4 years, and yes he has walked, and the referees have called it and sometimes they have missed it. However to the extent that its proclaimed. Especially coming from duke fans who's short memory apparently doesnt include that of Sheldon williams who for four years perfected the "up and under" drag your pivot foot for 20 points a game for 4 years. Dont misunderstand either, its not always an illegal move, however its difficult to perform and not walk two or three times out of 10. Anyway, TH won 4 games in his career at Duke his first one as a freshman was brilliant too!. Two years ago against Georgetown they played great for 38 min and unfortunately Georgetown played great for 39 of the 45 min they played. Then last years final four where Kansas blew them out in a game where KU couldnt do any wrong. When Roy left UNC for Kansas, he upset UNC in the final four in their first meeting, Dean got two technicals and got thrown out. The next time the met up Dean won and went on to a NAt CHamp. As the proverbial ball bounces Roy lost his first match up with KU in the final four against another class act Bill Self. Now maybe this return to the tourney, its time for another champ. and the Roy ciritics can be silenced, as if winning 83% of his games isn't enough to prove yourself after 650 games or whatever he's coached... i think by and large Roy is and has done a great job coaching in his career plus he's just a pretty cool dude. I would describe their double teams this year exactly like he did after the State game. He's been natl coach of the year 6 times i believe and has been to the final four half a dozen times as well, not to mention almost 600 wins. (and he got a late start being a head coach). it will be sad when he retires... as well as Coach K. for as much as i hate duke, just for the fact i hate them means that they are really good over the years. A good coach gets the most out of his players, he gets blasted for recruiting, but I have a feeling he is recruiting guys who will do whatever he asks them to on thebasketball court, I would imagine he's recruiting guys who also can play smart. plus he's won a few natl champ and win quite a few games himself, i just wish he would blow out another hip or back and quit for good before he gets close to Dean or Knight.

im really bored....

i've been watching a series on Netflix, honestly only like one or two people have ever mentioned in general conversation. the HBO series OZ. I must say it the most uncomfortable, entertaining and believe it or not thought provoking show ever made. Granted it is full of male nudity and homosexual acts, rape, and chivs, stabbings, fights, food poisoning, power struggles, and all the ethnic groups, its got to be a recipe for great entertaining. i think its also greatly unique and some of the actors have gone on to do greater things. im almost done with the last season, but i seriously doubt it can be bad enough to lower my rating.

peace

mirror, mirror....

I had previously said to myself I wanted to try and write things from time to time here. at least 2 times a month. I failed miserably, considering its Jan. 3 and Oct. was a few months ago. Heck I dont know where the time went, to borrow a silly cliche. I really dont have much to say here either. We elected a jackleg for a new president, the economy is supposedly in the toiler, or at least they keep telling us that. But are these people in the lines and aisleways of any store in the last two months when its packed beyond belief and spending is up higher than that of last year, and charitable giving is up as well. Gee, thanks Mr. Bush, its all your fault, just like hurrican katrina, and Saddam being a murderer, those are your fault too. We sure are glad the democratic left is in office as the majority to look after our best interest as lower middle class america. Hey why dont you guys in Congress give yourself a raise, albeit a "cost of living" raise, since we all know that the restaurants, bars and starbucks charge you more, go ahead put it on my 2009 tax return.... go ahead and give obama a raise too, Clinton's 200,000 raise probably isn't enough for todays cost of living. Meanwhile, I'll just stay at my current pay level for a few more years, and eat off the now dollar and twenty cent menu. Thanks Democrats. happy new year

trying to find a remedy....

As 12 of us sat in an airplane bound for Detroit, MI a couple weeks ago, I couldn't help but think it was a mistake. The pilot comes across the loudspeaker/intercom announcing they are waiting on the mechanic to sign off on a log before we can take off. With 30 min already gone by, it began to look like a domino effect leading to a missed plane, a day behind, ruining a trip. None of that happened and we landed safely and soundly in Mexico City. Reading on paper does not prepare you for what the place is like. *ask Beth G.* she's a worrier, thats why they call her whiskers. We knew all the stats. The population, the 2nd largest city, more college students than the triad of NC. To call this a mission trip, is understated. Mission trips usually end when you leave. Ours was only beginning. I was there 6 days, and felt like I accomplished zero. I saw cool things, walked miles in the city and met lots of people. I even entertained locals and was accosted by a strung out teenager on the Metro. So of course, I want to go back. It would be a waste of a trip no to. To raise $800 to go on this trip to never go back would be like flushing it down a toilet. We have to go back to Mex. City, so much as filled my mind on going to sleep night one. There's alot of preparation to must be completed before arriving a 2nd time. Mrs Arrowwoods Spanish was a great starter for learning the language, but that was sadly 14 years ago. Most has been lost over time and not practicing. One contrast to language, is the gestures of love that can be put into practice whereever you are in the world. The last morning there I walked into the middle of the street and picked up trash that someone left there, some of the locals looked at me oddly, and i hoped the gesture was appreciated and understood for more than what it was. Unfortunately, they look at us Americans as a cash cow, a tourist adventure that has come to spend money and brush up on culture and eat good authentic food. Missionaries are not wanted in a predominantly Catholic nation. Violence is greater in Mexico City and leads South America even abovee Bogota, Columbia. Their govt. and economic stability is very simliar to the of the US, very volatile and ready to explode. There are so many people. Its beyond belief how many people there are. Cramming onto the metro, a bus, or a cab. There's no other way! I want to go back and help. I have no idea what I can do. Maybe pick up more trash on the street, maybe shoot some hoops with the one buddhist in mexico ciy, I dunno, surely something. I just want to try. The 12 people on that plane for Detroit are sure glad the mechanic signed off, we should send him a thank you card.