'The' Coalition

Honoring our own on Armed Forces Day 2012

CATZILLA — Sat, 19 May 2012 11:45:52 GMT

US Army & Air Force Vet here baby :towel Have a good AFD my military vet friends :salute

http://living.msn.com/life-inspired/...entid=33786156

How Injuries Mattered in 2011

CATZILLA — Sat, 19 May 2012 11:36:37 GMT

A few days ago Jaxon took a look at Football Outsiders' AGL ranking, or 'Adjusted Games Lost'. Essentially this is a metric that measures the effect of an injury on a team's ability to win a game. The thought is that a team with a high AGL has much greater room for improvement than one with a low AGL.

Today Football Outsiders took their metric a step further, and broke down the AGL by position. Given the Panthers were rated 31st in the NFL it's not surprising to see how this effected many positions, but I was surprised to see just how much this hit the team in some areas.

http://www.catscratchreader.com/2012...uries-mattered

Otah, Byron Bell to fight for Panthers' RT spot

CATZILLA — Sat, 19 May 2012 11:34:41 GMT

"Nobody's getting anything there. Byron Bell did a hell of a job for us last year," Rivera said. "We know what Jeff's capable of. But the problem with Jeff is we haven't really seen him in two years. It's up to Jeff. If Jeff wants to come back and be a huge part of it, it's on him. He's got to do the things we ask him to do. He's got to do them the right way."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d...r-right-tackle

Did You Know...

OSC — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:05:02 GMT

that 'News' is an acronym...Do you know what it stands for?

Rivera: Panthers have not arrived

kepickle — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:34:48 GMT

http://blogs.charlotte.com/panthers/...t-arrived.html

Panthers coach Ron Rivera confirmed Friday that RT Jeff Otah will be promised nothing as it relates to a starting job.
Otah has missed all but four games over the last two years due to chronic knee problems. "Nobody's getting anything there," Rivera said. "Byron Bell did a hell of a job for us. We know what Jeff's capable of. ... It's up to Jeff. If Jeff wants to come back and be a huge part of it, it's on him. He's got to do the things we ask him to do. He's got to do them the right way."

Steves Smith Local News Interview

FearTheRush — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:28:23 GMT

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/Steve...152096525.html

Rivera was right to keep Beason in middle

CATZILLA — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:52:11 GMT

Some mid-May thoughts about the Carolina Panthers:

Read more here: http://scottfowlerobs.blogspot.com/2...#storylink=cpy

Can David Gettis Successfully Return from His ACL Injury?

CATZILLA — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:46:03 GMT

David Gettis is one of the most intriguing wide receivers on the Panthers roster. During his rookie year in 2010, Gettis flashed a lot of potential catching passes from Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen, Brian St. Pierre and Tony Pike. Despite playing with this rotating group of quarterbacks in a conservative, ground and pound "Foxball" offense, Gettis still managed to finish second on the team with 508 yards and 3 touchdown catches, averaging 13.7 yards per catch. He also finished seventh among rookies in receiving yards, despite being a sixth round draft pick. In a season where the Panthers finished 2-14, there's no doubt Gettis was one of the few bright spots for the team.

After his impressive rookie year, many of us here at CSR were eager to see what he could do with our newly drafted quarterback Cam Newton, who had the ability to throw the ball deep very well. With Newton's cannon arm throwing deep to Gettis (4.39 40-time), I was very excited to see what Gettis could show us in his second year.

http://www.catscratchreader.com/2012...his-acl-injury

Post Rookie Mini Camp

CATZILLA — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:43:20 GMT

The mini camp has come and gone and as you would expect there were mostly positive results for the seven players the Panthers drafted. We've covered the major stories but here are some additional links for Panther or NFL related news & notes from around the interwebs:
Let's start with an interview with rookie DE Frank Alexander that is a good read but of course I'm highlighting the part that made me chuckle:

http://www.catscratchreader.com/2012...tion#storyjump

Religion VS Gospel

CATZILLA — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:35:53 GMT

Israel's American football team debuts

CATZILLA — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:42:08 GMT

http://msn.foxsports.com/football/st...st-game-051712

Court docs: Trayvon Martin shooting 'ultimately avoidable by Zimmerman'

CATZILLA — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:38:45 GMT

Prosecutors on Thursday made public a trove of evidence used to justify murder charges against Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman, including a police report that concluded "the encounter between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin was ultimately avoidable by Zimmerman."

The evidence � including 183 pages of documents, witness statements and other material � was released Thursday to news organizations and other requestors by special prosecutor Angela Corey�s office, which has charged the 28-year-old Zimmerman with second-degree murder in the killing of 17-year-old Martin on Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla. Also included was a document explaining what material was withheld.

http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_ne...zimmerman?lite

Panthers star launches new effort through local charity

CATZILLA — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:36:08 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It all started with the search for a family mission trip. Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith and his wife, Angie, wanted to find a way to serve the community with their three children. That search led to much more than just one trip for Steve -- it led to a side job.

http://www.wcnc.com/sports/football/...151955785.html

Decided tonight I would start being creative

OSC — Fri, 18 May 2012 04:08:57 GMT

Water Dragon I

Attached Images

Water Dragon I.jpg (45.4 KB)

Adams already up to speed

CATZILLA — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:51:26 GMT

CHARLOTTE - As players left the field at the end of opening day at the Panthers' recent rookie camp, interview requests from the media weren't the only thing slowing them down.
Several of the Panthers' draft picks made reference to the process of adjusting to the speed of the game on the NFL level.
Wide receiver Joe Adams, however, was quick to offer a different take.

"It's not overwhelming at all. I played in the SEC, where guys are pretty much this fast," Adams said. "Now, they're probably not this big."

http://www.panthers.com/news/article...9-c9365329b72f

'Queen of Disco' Summer Dead at 63

CATZILLA — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:41:41 GMT

Legendary disco diva Donna Summer has died, a spokesman confirmed to TheWrap.
The "Hot Stuff" and "Last Dance" singer was 63.
No cause of death was given, but TMZ reports Summer had been battling cancer.
In a statement, Summer's family praise the singer's religious faith.

"While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy," the statement reads. "Words truly can't express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time."

http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=729246

Cosell Talks: Newton & Stafford on the Rise

CATZILLA — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:48:14 GMT

I had a chance last week, as part of a project I am working on this summer, to once again evaluate two quarterbacks who had outstanding seasons in 2011: Matthew Stafford and Cam Newton. I had not carefully looked at their tape since January, and I always find it fascinating to revisit players, especially quarterbacks, with a fresh (and hopefully different) perspective.

http://nflfilms.nfl.com/2012/05/17/c...d-on-the-rise/

Sophomore slump for Newton? / VIDEO

CATZILLA — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:31:24 GMT

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/po...ump-for-newton

Stephen Davis' legend never slows down

CATZILLA — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:55:12 GMT

Forget that former Carolina Panthers star Stephen Davis was a two-time, all-SEC running back at Auburn or that he was a three-time Pro Bowl performer over a 12-year NFL career. Davis deserved his induction Monday into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame based solely on his high school career.

You could make a case that Davis is right there with Freddie Solomon, the fabulous Sumter High football star of the late '70s, as the greatest high school athlete in South Carolina history.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...#storylink=cpy

Panthers sign Finley at TE, waive Lloyd

CATZILLA — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:53:15 GMT

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...-te-waive.html

Rivera pleased with Panthers' path

CATZILLA — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:49:18 GMT

Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera is ready to go, and it appears he�s not alone as the team started preparation for the 2012 season with its seven draft picks signed and participating in last week�s team workouts.

�It�s really neat going to be able to have these guys in from day one,� said Rivera, the Panthers� second-year coach who, along with linebacker Jon Beason and other team representatives, visited Camp Lejeune on Tuesday in an event organized by the USO of North Carolina.

http://www.jdnews.com/sports/panther...ivera-ron.html

Alexander

canapantherfan — Thu, 17 May 2012 02:58:26 GMT

I hope he plays harder the #90 did a couple years ago.

http://www.panthers.com/news/article...a-356c028aa904

Baylor had no playbook

CATZILLA — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:18:42 GMT

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/ar...ybook/10782581

a few roster moves this week

kepickle — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:17:17 GMT

Panthers signed TE Joe Jon Finley and waived TE Tarren Lloyd.
http://www.rotoworld.com/playe...5/joe-jon-finle

Panthers claimed RB Armond Smith off waivers from the Browns.
http://www.rotoworld.com/playe...07/armond-smith

http://blogs.charlotte.com/pan...off-waivers.htm
To make room for Smith on the 90-man roster, the Panthers waived defensive back Reggie Sullivan, the former Johnson C. Smith player who joined the team's practice squad late last season.

Hawaii first state to ban plastic bags at checkout

CATZILLA — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:07:54 GMT

By now, it�s hardly news when a city bans plastic bags at checkout counters -- but an entire state? That�s happened in Hawaii, where Honolulu County has joined the state�s three other counties to give Hawaii a first-in-the-nation title.

"Passing the bans did take an effort -- change always does -- but people seemed to understand the need for such an effort," Robert Harris, director of the Sierra Club's Hawaii chapter, told msnbc.com of the two-year campaign across the islands.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20...-checkout?lite

What to know about Facebook's IPO

CATZILLA — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:03:56 GMT

The company's rise is one of the great business stories of our time. But just how valuable is social media? We'll get an indication this week.

http://money.msn.com/technology-inve...mentid=6957364

The GMEN's Super Bowl XLVI Ring

CATZILLA — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:17:13 GMT

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...onship-rings/1

Is this the final season for Ray Lewis?

CATZILLA — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:43:57 GMT

Love his dance thing and the way he played back in the 'peak' of his career. The Ravens will milk him for all he's worth ticket & play wise even if he's 40 when he decides to take a seat on the bench :)

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/pos...-for-ray-lewis

'Butcher of Bosnia' Ratko Mladic goes on trial over slaughter at Srebrenica

CATZILLA — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:11:09 GMT

Updated at 4:57 a.m.: THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic went on trial for genocide on Wednesday, accused of leading the slaughter of 8,000 unarmed Muslim boys and men in Srebrenica in 1995, Europe's worst atrocity since World War II.

The ailing 70-year-old Mladic's appearance at the U.N. tribunal for the former Yugoslavia marks the end of a long wait for justice to survivors of the 1992-95 war that left some 100,000 people dead. He is accused of 11 charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news...rebrenica?lite

Is �Air Rivera� the Panthers Future?

CATZILLA — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:45:46 GMT

''When the offense has the ball, with weapons everywhere and Cam�s cannon with DeAngelo Williams� breakaway skill, the Panthers have the potential to threaten every square inch of the field on any given play. It was a top-5 offense last season and could be even better than that this year. It forces the other team�s defense to �play honest� at all times, in turn, making blitzing Cam even more of a gamble.''

http://catcrave.com/2012/05/15/is-ai...-future-notes/

Las Vegas Predicting Another 6-10 Season?

CATZILLA — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:40:32 GMT

Last week Joe Fortenbaugh of the National Football Post.com posted this column providing the first glimpse into Las Vegas' expectations for wins and losses in 2012.

Despite the Carolina Panthers getting healthier (hopefully) on defense and moving the offense forward in Year 2 of the Cam Newton Experience, Vegas is predicting another 6-10 record for the Panthers. As a loyal Panthers fan I read the point spread lines and said "poppycock!" "Hogwash!" "Balderdash!" "Rubbish!"
After exhausting my 1920's vocabulary to vocalize my incredulity,

I simply said to myself, "The 2012 Panthers will finish at least 8-8 and I would not be surprised if they end up with a winning record."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/carolin...0146--nfl.html

Burger packs 109,000 calories

CATZILLA — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:55:08 GMT

http://now.msn.com/living/0515-epic-bacon-burger.aspx

Panthers Scored Big with Undrafted Free Agent Matt Reynolds from BYU

CATZILLA — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:56:41 GMT

The Carolina Panthers 2012 NFL Draft grades were good, mostly in the A- and B+ range, indicating a fairly good draft (I compiled the Panthers draft grades here as a quick reference guide).

But adding offseason depth for NFL teams does not end with the selection of Mr. Irrelevant. As soon as the draft ends teams begin furiously calling the top players who went undrafted. Last year the Carolina Panthers were able to land Byron Bell and RJ Stanford as undrafted free agents and both saw meaningful playing time in 2011.

This year, the Panthers may have hit it big by signing undrafted tackle Matt Reynolds from BYU.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/carolin...0200--nfl.html

special teams need to much more special in 2012

CATZILLA — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:52:08 GMT

At different times during the Panthers� rookie minicamp, special teams coordinator Brian Murphy worked with the team�s new punter and backup kicker. New punt returner Joe Adams fielded kicks, and new special teams assistant Richard Rodgers kept an eye on things, as well. If the Panthers don�t improve their abysmal special teams play from last season, it won�t be for a lack of trying. �Clearly, it was an emphasis. And rightfully so,� Murphy said Sunday after the Panthers wrapped up the three-day minicamp. �I think it�s great.�

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...#storylink=cpy

Has the Madden game hurt or helped Football & madden 13 info

kepickle — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:15:44 GMT

Madden NFL 13 Playbook part 2 of 7: The Gameplay Part 1

http://www.easports.com/madden...ook_Page_LPromo

Dead Baby tablets spark customs crackdown in Korea

CATZILLA — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:52:52 GMT

This is crazy as he** if it's true :noo

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/we...150402435.html

Clyburn seeks 'national policy' legalizing same-sex marriages

CATZILLA — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:46:16 GMT

Rep. James Clyburn, the House Democrats� third-ranking leader, said on MSNBC�s Daily Rundown Monday that the question of legal recognition of marriage between same-sex couples should not be left to state laws, but instead ought to be decided at the national level, a position that puts him at odds with President Barack Obama.
Clyburn told NBC�s Chuck Todd, �If we consider this to be a civil right, and I do, I don�t think civil rights ought to be left up to a state-by-state approach. I think we should have a national policy on this.�
But the South Carolina Democrat did not explain how such a national policy might be enacted and what route he�d advocate to reach his goal.

http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_ne...marriages?lite

Hurney on Plaxico Burress

OSC — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:47:26 GMT

Nothing to see here; move along... :lol

Panthers GM Marty Hurney joined the guys to recap the draft, if they have interest in signing Plaxico, and other issues with the team moving forward.

http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2012/0...axico-burress/

Roster push

CATZILLA — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:50:20 GMT

CHARLOTTE - The visitors' locker room at Bank of America Stadium came alive for a rare time in the offseason this past weekend, housing 32 players invited to try out during the Panthers' rookie camp.
Monday, the only sign that the locker room had been used was a message on a dry erase board reminding the hopefuls to leave their team-issued practice garb behind.
But around the corridor in the home team locker room, things were buzzing Monday. All 74 lockers have tenants, including a couple that are being shared by two players. Just off the main room in a small alcove once used as a lounge, another dozen or so players have their lockers set up.
And upstairs in the Panthers' offices, the decision-makers are doing what they do. Their judgments may thrill a few fortunate souls that spent the weekend in the visiting locker room and may crush the souls of a few currently clinging to spots in the home locker room.

"If we think anybody will help us, we'll sign them," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. "But we have good players on our roster, so it's very difficult.

http://www.panthers.com/news/article...f-ca69bea92125

A rookie�s work is never done

CATZILLA — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:29:20 GMT

Josh Norman has been getting to Bank of America Stadium early and leaving late all weekend. Welcome to the NFL, rookie. Norman, the Coastal Carolina cornerback who was the Panthers� fifth-round pick, said he was used to year-round football at Coastal with offseason weight workouts and spring ball.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/...#storylink=cpy

Rivera sees special teams role for �smart� Campbell

CATZILLA — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:26:38 GMT

D.J. Campbell finished the Panthers� rookie minicamp stronger than he started. Campbell, the former Cal safety and the Panthers� seventh-round draft pick, was the first rookie treated by the trainers Friday after he caught his shoelaces on his cleats and turned his ankle. Campbell could laugh about the incident Sunday because the injury wasn�t serious enough to slow him down.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/...#storylink=cpy

The H-Back Returns / What it Means for the Carolina

CATZILLA — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:24:16 GMT

It has been a long, long time since the Carolina Panthers employed an H-back in their base offense. Brad Hoover was often given the moniker, but it was a misnomer as he was almost never used as a true wrinkle in the offense. Sure, he was a short yard option, and caught a few passes out of the backfield- but he could never be compared with a true H-Back.

In one fell swoop the Carolina Panthers now have a plethora of H-Back players. The signing of Mike Tolbert opened up the imagination for what the offense will look like in 2012, but there are two other players who can fill the role in Ben Hartsock and Richie Brockel- both of whom were brought into the fold last year. To this end Hartsock was rarely used, and outside of the now famous 'Annexation of Puerto Rico' we probably wouldn't have heard from Brockel in 2011 either.

There's no doubt Tolbert has the starting job wrapped up, but it wouldn't be surprising if we saw either Hartsock or Brockel make the roster as well. Both players are very solid blockers, with Hartsock having a slight edge in this regard whereas Brockel may be the better short-yardage ball carrier. With the departure of Jeremy Shockey there's a lot of offensive production to be made up. Not only in the yardage he gained through the air, but in his pass protection. Shock was hardly the best blocker, but he was better than both Greg Olsen and Gary Barnidge- both of whom are more akin to tall receivers, than true pass blockers. This opens the door for the H-Backs.

http://www.catscratchreader.com/2012...olina-panthers

NJpanther back in Africa

NJpanther05 — Mon, 14 May 2012 03:05:40 GMT

Hey everyone,
I just want to give a quick heads up that after tuesday, I probably won't be on the board that much until the end of June. Some who remember from a few years ago might remember that I traveled and worked in Kigali, Rwanda dealing with the Rwandan Tutsi Genocide of 1994 that killed 1.2 million in 100 days. I am traveling back to Rwanda (first Belgium to see a few friends for a few days) and then Kigali, Rwanda to research their economic structure and their progress.
Once again, I know probably no one cares, but just for a heads up why I will become a ghost here for 5-6 weeks,
:)

baseball fight at Cana's school

canapantherfan — Sun, 13 May 2012 21:26:23 GMT

check out this fight at my high schools baseball game. My school is the blue team

http://www.wvva.com/story/18059441/t...-at-home-plate

rookies have Charlotte area ties

CATZILLA — Sun, 13 May 2012 21:15:34 GMT

Ben Jorden and Brenton Bersin walked together to the practice field next to Bank of America Stadium Friday on the first day of Carolina Panthers rookie camp. Most of the players walked alone. They don�t know each other. A few were loose, laughing and telling jokes. More were stoic. At some point each of them was the best player on whatever field he stepped. Most are now outsiders desperately trying to get in.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...#storylink=cpy

Panthers punter is comfortable competing for job

CATZILLA — Sun, 13 May 2012 21:13:24 GMT

It was cloudy with a threat of rain Sunday morning for the start of rookie practice � a perfect day compared to the first time Brad Nortman punted for the Panthers.
Nortman used the word, �turbulent� several times in referring to his April workout with Panthers special teams coordinator Brian Murphy on a windy, 30-degree day in Nortman's hometown of Brookfield, Wisc.

�The workout was in conditions equivalent to the Wizard of Oz. The wind was about 90 miles an hour,� Murphy said Sunday. �I knew one thing � that he could stand with a good base. Because if you didn't have a good base, you probably were going to get blown over.�

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...#storylink=cpy

Camp concludes

CATZILLA — Sun, 13 May 2012 21:09:47 GMT

CHARLOTTE - The Panthers wrapped up a successful rookie camp Sunday, but the work is far from over.
"It was a good three days for us," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. "Now that we've gotten a good look at these guys, we'll take the next couple of days and evaluate. If we think anybody will help us, we'll sign them."

If the Panthers decide to add any of the 32 tryout players to the roster out of the 56 players that competed over the weekend, it will come at the expense of someone else because the team already is at the 90-player limit.

Here are some storylines from the weekend, from draft picks and undrafted rookies making their NFL debuts to veterans trying to earn a spot on the roster.

http://www.panthers.com/news/article...5-161e61471427

Tryouts battle to overcome odds

CATZILLA — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:20:56 GMT

CHARLOTTE - Less than three years ago at Temple's end-of-season football banquet, now-Panthers defensive tackle Andre Neblett was honored as the Owls' defensive MVP.
Safety Dominique Harris, one of 32 tryout players at Panthers rookie camp this weekend, was named overall team MVP that same evening.

'"We were in the same graduating class, and we spent a lot of time together - on and off the field,'" Harris said. '"Andre's a good guy and a great player. I would love to be here with him.'"

http://www.panthers.com/news/article...5-af9f9beab40a

Name, not game, is Green

CATZILLA — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:18:54 GMT

CHARLOTTE - When the media interviews draft prospects at the annual NFL Scouting Combine, it's inevitable that someone will ask the player to name the toughest player he's faced at his opposing position.
Saturday at the Panthers' rookie camp, wide receiver Jared Green gave an answer you never hear at the combine.
"My dad's one of the best DBs I've gone against," Green said. "He's very intense."

Green's dad is none other than Darrell Green, a Hall of Fame cornerback who won two Super Bowls with the Washington Redskins. A seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time winner of the NFL's Fastest Man competition, the 52-year old allegedly ran a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash on his 50th birthday.

http://www.panthers.com/news/article...4-487313b609b7

Raiders a Prime Candidate for Move to L.A.

CATZILLA — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:15:16 GMT

........well that would be 'BACK' to L.A. :sarcasmon

''There is a sticking point for a move by the Raiders to Los Angeles, though. Per ProFootballTalk.com, there is a sentiment among owners that they would not approve such a move unless Davis agrees to sell controlling interest in the team. Given his father's unwavering control of the team, it would seem unlikely his son Mark would give up the franchise his father built.''

http://www.nationalfootballauthority...idate-for.html