Sports in Charlotte

[MilZ]

I've been told by a friend who works for the Charlotte Eagles that NASL teams and even the Eagles technically can be "annexed" into the MLS (although they, nor the MLS, would have any interest.)

[ajfunder]

The Charlotte Hounds are in the MLL championship game tomorrow after defeating the undefeated Denver Outlaws in the semifinals with a major upset. The Hounds will play for the championship tomorrow at 3 pm. The game will be on either ESPN or ESPN 2.

[cltbwimob]

Another exciting year of coulda, woulda, shoulda 4th quarter losses by less than a TD has begun...Panthers lose to Seahawks 12-7.

[go_vertical]

I know man. I saw the writing on the wall around the beginning of the fourth. They're not called the cardiac cats for nothing. Despite the not so stellar start to the season I'm confident we'll end up with 9 or 10 wins which means playoff contention.

[Matthew.Brendan]

How many games are there in the regular season?

[ah59396]

16. 16 depressing Panthers games in a season..... Sigh..

[Niner National]

Rivera is 2-13 in games decided by a TD or less.

 

You can put blame a lot of places yesterday, but that fact is astonishing to me.

 

The coaching staff and management have made few efforts to improve the offense since they've been here. We drafted Cam and then pretty much just said "Cam will make us better, let's focus on defense."

 

Cam has one of the biggest arms in the NFL and we have two of the faster receivers in the NFL with Smith and Ginn. We made no effort to stretch the field yesterday. The play calling on offense was just shameful.

 

The only bright spot yesterday was the front 7. They're beastly. If we played a non-mobile QB, we probably would have had 8-9 sacks yesterday.

[ah59396]

Yeah, our Dline is going to win us some ball games this year.  I still think we've got a legit shot at the playoffs.

[cltbwimob]

The Panthers have tremendous individual talent. The 2-13 stat makes me want to vomit. That means that the last two years, the Panthers have had a chance to go 12-4 and 13-3 respectively but instead finished 6-10 and 7-9 respectively.

I don't think this is the end by any stretch, I just think the losses by a TD or less are becoming too much. It seems like almost every time the team takes the field, they have a chance, yet they almost always blow it in a 4th quarter heartbreaker. I think that is harder than blowout losses. It's not easy to accept that a team with so much talent, a team that had the potential to be the winner of the NFC South the last two years, comes up short so many times.

The late fumble in Seattle territory was inexcusable...

Edited September 9, 2013 by cltbwimob

[vassago]

The late fumble in Seattle territory was inexcusable...

 

That and a turnover on a punt.  I had to wonder if I was really watching a PRO game when that happened.  At least we now have the 49ers

[nowensone]

Hate to say it, but it might take a few losses for people to realize Anderson would make the better starter.  <- Ducking for cover. ->

[Niner National]

What has Cam done to make you think he isn't fit to start? The guy can make all the throws, he can move the chains with his legs, and he really doesn't turn the ball over very much.

 

He can't make his receivers get open and he can't make his offensive line block. He doesn't make the gameplan. It's not his fault that they used him like a game manager yesterday and decided to play not to lose instead of to win.

[HopHead]

I can't believe someone just said Anderson would be better off as the starter instead of Cam... Do you even watch what Cam has to work with and the plays that are being called? The offensive line can't give him the time he needs. Outside of Steve Smith, he has no reliable receiver. How many balls did Greg Olsen drop yesterday? And the play calling is awful. Why he's throwing the ball less than 30 times a game is baffling. Not to mention no more than a handful of pass plays called were beyond 10 yards. The ones he did pass down the field were completed, except for maybe one. I'd love to see Cam with a cast of play makers like Colin Kaepernick or Matt Ryan has to work with. And something beyond a meat and potatoes playbook. Panthers don't have them. 

[ah59396]

Someone criticizing the play of Cam did not watch the same game I did yesterday.  Cam missed 2 throws.  A wide throw to Steve on a slant route and the dump route that Lafell ran deep where Cam overthrew him by about a foot.  That said, there were FAR more glaring issues than Cam Newton on that football field.  Anderson is nothing more than a stick in the mud.

[Niner National]

On a positive note, Charlotte has outscored opponents 99-14 through the first two games   

 

I know we've been playing scrub teams, but we've looked more impressive than several of the other recent start up programs through our first two games (which also played Campbell and Chowan).

[nowensone]

I was not criticizing Cam for yesterday's performance, I've just never been sold on him, and his decision making, even if there are many other excuses.  Delhomme started the same way, with coaching decisions being the main excuses until it became obvious that is was actually just him.  Don't know much about Anderson, and yes he was playing second and third teams, but he looked like a true passer, with confidence and good vision.  Yes, one preseason game does not a great player make.  And settle down peoples.  

[cltbwimob]

23-24. Carolina loses again.

[vassago]

23-24. Carolina loses again.

 

Shocker. 

[DMann]

Shocker. 

They played like they were afraid to lose instead of trying to win.

[vassago]

They played like they were afraid to lose instead of trying to win.

 

So statistically speaking we just about blew our playoff chances.  Most likely we're going into bye 0-3.  If Rivera goes, which IMO he should, does he go tomorrow to give our new guy some time since we do have a bye in two weeks? 

 

Two games so far and both games, as you said, were played to not lose rather than to win.  The coaching culture needs to change ASAP. 

[Niner National]

2-14 in games decided by a TD or less.

 

I can't wait to see Rivera blame the players again in the press conference tomorrow.

 

At a certain point you can't just blame the players anymore. 2-14 speaks for itself. It is systematic failure.

[vassago]

2-14 in games decided by a TD or less.

 

I can't wait to see Rivera blame the players again in the press conference tomorrow.

 

At a certain point you can't just blame the players anymore. 2-14 speaks for itself. It is systematic failure.

 

Remind me because I've lost count now.  How many have we now lost when we were up in the fourth? 

 

"Roller coaster. That's about as bad as it gets," Rivera said. "You had an opportunity to win the game, an opportunity to close it out, and you didn't. ... We had a chance to make a play and we didn't. That's the thing that's hard to swallow: We just have to make one play."

 

Rivera is already trying to spin for job.

[Niner National]

honestly I don't even know. I'd say at least half of those we were leading in 4th before blowing it.

[SouthEndCLT811]

They said during the telecast that this was the tenth game the Panthers had a lead in the fourth and ended up losing under Rivera.

[Matthew.Brendan]

I'm not a football fan but it appears the Panthers shut out the Giants today?!