Kevin_Connolly's Blog

What on earth is going on with wide receiver Steve Smith?!!! Less then a week after he told the media(me included) he's older, wiser and more mature he apparently punched teammate Ken Lucas while Lucas took a knee on the sidelines. Smith and Lucas have a history of jawing at each other in practice, but never anything like this. No one is saying what started the fight, but from different reports Smith threw the first punch.  This isn't the first time Smith has gotten into a fight with a teammate.  It happened back in 2002 when he hit Anthony Bright. Bright sued Smith and it was settled out of court.

NOW WHAT? If Smith was just mad about something on the field then he needs to be suspended. Even though football is an aggressive sport, you just can't throw punches at random.

What do you think should happen to Smith and Lucas for that matter?

There’s a very popular show on cable TV called “Dirty Jobs”. Being a fullback in the NFL is a dirty job and you can ask former Ledford High School star Brad Hoover. He’ll again pull a Panthers uniform on this fall and throw his 245 pound body around with little regard for his own health. His job is to simply hit someone on every play and because of that, fullbacks don’t last very long. Hoover, a Thomasville native, has beaten the odds as he’s set to start his 9th NFL season.

Hoover is popular with fans. Why? He wasn’t drafted out of Western Carolina and wasn’t handed a big guaranteed contract. He worked for it and people that get up everyday and go to work can respect that. How much longer can he keep at it? His body on Monday morning’s after games will answer that question. I just hope its a few more years because good people are fun to cheer for on Sundays.

Fan survey

I’ve talked with some fans here at Panthers camp to get their opinions on the upcoming season. Now, it’s your turn. Answer these questions:

How many wins will the Panthers have?

Will the Cats make the Play-offs?

If yes, how deep in the Play-offs do they go?

Team MVP?

Which new player will have the biggest impact?

How many quarterback sacks will Julius Peppers have? 

I wonder if you guys will answer with your heads or your hearts. I’ll post my answers at the end of the week. Enjoy

2008 is a make or break year for head coach John Fox... lots of new faces and old faces in new places(new positions) which we'll get into all week. Watching my first practice Monday morning, Jake Delhomme still needs to build arm strength after having major surgery last year on his throwing elbow. To borrow a term from baseball, his fastball needs a little more zip.

Linebacker Adam Seward made offensive stars Steve Smith and Jake Delhomme mad after a bit hit then a hard tackle on rookie running back Jonathan Stewart in a drill that wasn't supposed to have tackling. John Fox even told Seward to tone it down.

Offensive lineman Jordan Gross, who goes head to head with Julius Peppers when they are on the field together, said Peppers should have a monster year. Let's hope so Peppers only had 2 and half quarterback sacks last year

More later.

Every single day of my professional life I have worked along side Rich Brenner. First and foremost, he’s one of my closest friends and it will be strange to walk through the door at FOX8 and know he’s not there. Not there to say, “Hey Guy” or  “ we’re top 10 animals” or “I’m exhausted” in a strange accent of a silly character from the past (some real people or in some made-up voice). I will miss that.  

Television is a demanding business and the fact that Rich put in more then 30 years is a testament to what he stood for as a sports broadcaster. It was about the viewer first. It was about getting the story that others wouldn’t.  It was about finding an angle that would explain why and how a certain game turned out the way it did. It was about capturing the emotion. Rich would often say there is a better story in defeat then in victory, go find it. In my early days a trip to a sporting event with Rich was like a history class in North Carolina sports. His knowledge and memory of people, places, games, you name it, is nothing short of amazing.

Rich might be the most loyal person I know, other then my wife. He once drove 6 hours to Baltimore to attend my mother’s funeral only to turn around and drive back 6 more hours the same night because he wanted to be there for me then work my shift so I could be there for my father and family. Duty, honor, commitment are core beliefs for Rich.  His passion for the job remains strong. There were times when that passion would boil over, but there were lessons for newcomers in that too.

I hope he can make up for lost time with his family because while he was becoming “Rich Brenner Sports Man”, Judy, Shawn and Leslie lost out. So, “Thank you” to them for doing without Rich while he was so committed to putting on the best sportscast every night for the viewer at home and teaching this kid from High Point College on what it takes to be successful in local television.

Was North Carolina head coach Roy Williams wrong for appearing at the National Championship game with a Kansas logo on his shirt? 

I think I understand what he was trying to do, I just don't agree with it. Roy Williams spent 15 years as the head coach at Kansas with many great memories and friends, so his outward sign of support for Kansas was really an effort to heal some old wounds about him leaving and returning to North Carolina. But, was this not the same Kansas team that eliminated his team just two nights before? I don’t think I would have been bothered by this if North Carolina wasn’t in the same Final Four and sent home by Kansas.  How do you feel?  Maybe he deserves some credit for stepping out there trying to end this North Carolina vs. Kansas thing once and for all. I’m not so sure. Kansas is in his past maybe he should keep it there.

I filled out a NCAA tournament bracket just before the noon deadline and will spend a bunch of time over the next few weeks consulting my sheet and second guessing my selections like many Americans. The NCAA basketball tournament is great fun and the reason I like it so much is it's so unpredictable!!!!

Upsets, I love'm unless I didn't pick it!

UCLA, Kansas, Texas and North Carolina makes up my Final Four.... But that's really just a guess which I hope is right.

Enjoy... and share with us the biggest upset you've got this year.  Is there a George Mason out there or not?

KC

Watching Saturday Night's Bud Shootout it became clear, It's Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and everyone else. The crowd went crazy every single time he took the lead, a roar that could be heard over the roar of the engines. Junior nation also has spoken with its money. New Dale Junior #88 hats and t-shirts are everywhere out numbering every other driver, at least in the area's of Daytona I've been.

Junior has put his reputation on the line in the switch to Hendrick Motorsports because he has no excuses left. He's got the best equipment and crew money can buy. IF he fails to get it done it will be HIS fault and his reputation as an elite driver will take a hit. But if he does win a lot of races, get into the chase and maybe win a Championship then and only then should he be considered an all time great and worthy of all the attention of Junior Nation.

It didn't take long for the fireworks to start flying at the Daytona International Speedway, the very first day of practice. To quote basketball player Allen Iverson, "Practice, We're talking practice,man". Two practice accidents in getting ready for the Bud Shootout with the second incident between Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart getting both drivers sent to the NASCAR hauler for a "discussion".

If this is what the 2008 season is going to be like, BRING IT ON. NASCAR could use a little spice and if the rivalry between Stewart and Busch fires up it could be fun to watch.

Tell us what you hope to see this year.

The 50th running of the Daytona 500 is going to be a big deal and will be on FOX and FOX8 for you to enjoy. Our goal during speedweeks is to give you all the information you might not get anywhere else, but telling all the important stories. That includes items on the fans. If you are going to be in Daytona at any point during speed weeks let us know. Call me 821-1166... email kconnolly@wghp.com or tim.hawks@foxtv.com , FOX8 could tag along as you watch history.

Thanks... See Ya in Daytona

KC

6pm Sunday after the game. Fire John Fox and take offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson and General Manager Marty Hurney when you go. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think it’s time the Panthers went in a different direction. It’s time when you get beat at home by the Falcons on a last second drive led by Joey Harrington. JOEY FREAKIN’ HARRINGTON!

Let’s start with some of the personnel moves. Name 3 quality starters Fox and Hurney have selected in the draft in the last 3 or 4 years. The draft is the lifeline of all NFL teams. Steve Smith and Julius Peppers were selected more then 5 years ago. Jordan Gross, Chris Gamble, Thomas Davis, PLEASE, those guys are all average. Jon Beason looks to be a keeper, maybe tight end Jeff King, but that’s really it. Too many picks like Keary Colbert and Eric Shelton (he was supposed to be the next Stephen Davis). Free agent moves, David Carr, and that’s it this past off-season! PLEASE. The Panthers need someone who can not only judge, but find NFL talent.

Remember when we thought Dan Henning was the problem. Jeff Davidson was supposed to be the answer. Other then in the first preseason game I’m still waiting on a running game and don’t say anything about DeShaun Foster in the first game against the Falcons. That’s proving to be a fluke. Is Jake Delhomme the only quarterback that can get Steve Smith the ball? Line Smith up in the backfield, line him up at quarterback and snap the ball right to him, anything to get the ball in his hands more. Something has got to be better then what’s happening now.

Good coaches change and adapt their system to the talent they’ve got. Fox hasn’t been able to find the players to run his system and he’s unwilling to change to fit the players he’s got, so maybe it’s time for a change.

9AM Monday: I wrote this right after the game… I slept on it before posting. Injuries can't be controled so maybe keep Fox, but I still think some changes are needed in the player scouting and development department.

Simple question. How much would you pay to see a major sporting event? With the World Series in Boston, which is baseball crazy, and the Rockies reaching the fall classic for the first time ever, demand is great. I read a pair of lower level seats to games 1 or 2 where at $7500 and going up!!!

The Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts featuring the great Peyton Manning are playing in Charlotte for the first time ever on Sunday. The chance to see one of the greatest quarterbacks on this generation if not all time is pushing the scalpers market up. If the Colts beat the Panthers on Sunday( and I think they will), the Colts face the Patriots next. How much will that ticket be?

So, what sporting event or game would you like to see and how much would you pay?

You know it's slim pickins for NFL quarterbacks when the best the Carolina Panthers can do is Vinny Testaverde... 83 year old Vinny Testaverde... Didn't he play in an old leather helmet Vinny Testaverde.Ok, no more jokes about his age. What he can provide is experience almost like another coach for David Carr. He's passed for over 45 thousand yards and 270 touchdowns in his 50 years in the NFL with all 32 teams (Sorry I said no more jokes about his age.)

Let's hope Carr stays healthy because I'm not convinced the Panthers can win with "Cousin Vinny" at the helm.

It’s time to rename the “Big 4” at least for football. Duke, North Carolina, NC State and Wake Forest all lost on Saturday. The 4 schools are a combined 1 and 7 so far in 2007. The lone victory by North Carolina is over a 1-AA team in James Madison. Even though Wake Forest is 0 and 2, I’ll cut the Deacons some slack after playing two good teams in Boston College and Nebraska. Calling the Four North Carolina ACC schools the Big 4 is a joke. What I’m looking for are some suggestions and get creative!!! The “Little 4” is the most obvious nickname, but I bet we can do better. There is your assignment. Go to it!

Appalachian State 34  #5 Michigan 32

WOW, What a performance by App State on the road in one of the most famous venue's in all of college sports. Michigan Stadium, The "Big House" where nearly 110 thousand fans watched one of the biggest upsets in college football history. This is one of those games people will still be talking about 20, 25, 30 years from now.  While most of us here in North Carolina know all about App State and the 2 National Championships, the rest of the country now knows Appalachian State is located in Boone and maybe just as important just how good Mountaineer football is under Head Coach Jerry Moore.

Americans love the underdog and when the little guy wins it seems to capture our imagination and it kindles an "anything is possible spirit". App State entered the game on Saturday as the little guy, but emerged as one of the biggest David over Goliath stories in sports.

I wonder how many new college applications the admissions office will get this week and if the school has started the "Jerry Moore Statue Fund"