CSC Interview: James Dator from Cat Scratch Reader

by Jon Banks on Feb 15, 2011 6:00 AM CST

Continuing the interview series, we are moving on to the Carolina Panthers. We have with us today James Dator from Cat Scratch Reader. We had a good chat as I wasted no time asking him about - you guessed it! - the Panthers steep decline.

Please be on your best behavior, and clean your rooms so as not to embarrass everyone else. Then make the jump.

Jon: To be blunt, what happened between 2008 and 2010 that caused such a steep decline?

James: We are still learning much of this now, but it appears a huge rift emerged following the Panthers' playoff loss to Arizona in 2008. The front office lost faith in John Fox and the coaching staff, and set about putting the wheels in motion for his exit. Much of this entailed taking advantage of the capless 2010 season to shed every undesirable contract from the Panthers' books, and as such have very little financial liability moving forward. This is why you saw Jake Delhomme get cut along with Muhsin Muhammad, Nail Diggs, Brad Hoover and the trading of S Chris Harris. Ownership believed many of the Panthers' inconsistencies were due to a lack of ability in cultivating young talent, as John Fox had a (sometimes unhealthy) attachment to veterans. In cutting almost all the vets they forced Fox to play young players before they were really ready and we faltered.

Jon: Name the one player that has given you hope for the Panthers in the coming years.

James: It starts and ends with Jon Beason. Beason is just 26 now, has recorded over 120 tackles in each of his first four seasons, and is cementing himself as one of the premier LBs in the NFL. Beyond that he is the team's leader, and their pulse... everything runs througt Beason and he's happy to shoulder the role. So long as Beason is a Panther we have hope.

Jon: Running Back DeAngelo Williams will be a free agent this off-season. How hard are the Panthers going to fight to keep him?

James: It's all about the money. The Carolina Panthers will definitely want Williams back, but if he's looking for premier, top 3 money the team will try and trade him or let him walk. If Williams is willing to take a slight pay cut in order to help facilitate extensions for Jonathan Stewart and Jon Beason down the line then he'll be re-signed quickly.

Stay tuned for part two of this interview later!

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beason

is a monster. my panther fan buddy (chick) is crazy about this guy. he really is somebody who’s going to be all in all the time. he’s apparently really smart with his money too (not like that has to do with anything).

i’m curious to see what happens with deangelo williams. off the top of my head i’m not sure how old he is, so i’m not sure how much attention he’d get if he tested the waters; especially after a sub-par season. blame the o-line or just an off year for dwill? come to think of it, the whole panthers backfield was an up and down game of musical chairs with williams, stewart, goodson, and others all getting starts at some points. (then again, our backfield wasn’t in the best of shape either).

i’m also curious to see what jerry richardson had to say about drew brees at the cba meetings. i heard he was abrupt and anything but shy with peyton manning and brees, but i can only find quotes of his directed towards manning, so did he even say anything to drew?

Don't eat the cheese

by Nola5712 on Feb 15, 2011 9:17 AM CST reply actions

i didn't get down far enough on the main page

to see the other post about jerry richardson, but even that doesn’t have much to say about what was said to brees. i guess if it’s not being made public, it wasn’t as “bad” as what was said to manning…

Don't eat the cheese

by Nola5712 on Feb 15, 2011 9:20 AM CST up reply actions

Dlo is like 27 or so but Memphis relied on him to carry the ball… he’s got a few more years left in his tank but he has been injured the past 2 seasons.

by scorpion12 on Feb 17, 2011 7:40 AM CST up reply actions

if yall dont resign deangelo

we will gladly take him

"As a Saint fan I watch ‘Gone with the Wind’ just to watch Atlanta burn" -Ralph Malbrough

by DrewBreesManCrush on Feb 15, 2011 9:30 AM CST reply actions

That scares me

The Saints offense scares me enough without adding DeAngelo Williams to the mix.

Follow me on Twitter! @James_Dator

by James Dator on Feb 15, 2011 10:22 AM CST up reply actions

boom rec'd it

Thank Jesus1000 that someone will finally admit to the steep decline. Good answer.

What was hasn’t been discussed is: Whose idea was it to pay Jake Delhomme (talk about steep decline) all that guaranteed money, it was like $10M or $12M, and then they had to cut him? Fox or the GM? And why is the GM still there????

Rotoworld.com:

DeAngelo Williams – RB – Panthers New coach Ron Rivera characterized the Panthers’ backfield as having “three quality running backs that are similar in ability.” He’s speaking of Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson, and DeAngelo Williams. If Rivera truly believes Goodson and Williams are similar talents, it’s a hint that the Panthers may not go out of their way to retain Williams in free agency. Having three top-tier backs is a luxury for a hole-filled team. Williams turns 28 in April and has missed 13 of Carolina’s last 19 games.

(The NFL) may also want to rethink its tendency to look like the Marie Antoinette of the sports world. -Sally Jenkins

by stujo4 on Feb 15, 2011 9:34 AM CST reply actions

On Delhomme's extension:

It came about while owner Jerry Richardson was away from the organization undergoing a heart transplant. He left the team in the hands of his two sons (then team president and marketing executive), and they authorized the extension.

The extension was more about taking a previously backloaded contract (coming into it’s most expensive years) and turning it into a backloaded extension with little money due up front. It was the organization’s intention that it would free up more money needed to pay Julius Peppers’ franchise tag, and try and resign him.

When Richardson came back to the organization he was irate at the financial state. He fired his own sons for the mismanagement of the organization in his absence (and some in-fighting) and set about correcting the errors they made.

GM Marty Hurney did play a role in the Delhomme extension, but how it was handled was due to then team president Mark Richardson. Hurney has been the architect for the Panthers’ drafts since 2002 and given we’ve had numerous pro bowlers through his drafts (Peppers, Gross, Beason, Williams, Kalil) it seemed too much like ‘throwing the baby out with the bath water’ to get rid of Hurney too.

Follow me on Twitter! @James_Dator

by James Dator on Feb 15, 2011 9:47 AM CST up reply actions

In short form

The panthers organization resembles a soap Oprea.

Offseason Motto: Burn the damn black pants.
Canal Street Chronicles-you know you want to

by Jon Banks on Feb 15, 2011 10:58 AM CST via mobile up reply actions

'did'

Thankfully that stuff is behind us (unless Jay Feely wants to try and cause drama)

Follow me on Twitter! @James_Dator

by James Dator on Feb 15, 2011 3:30 PM CST up reply actions

i dont know what the recovery time is for a heart transplant

but that seems like something that could have waited 2-3 weeks until he could have at least vetoed it from his hospital bed

"As a Saint fan I watch ‘Gone with the Wind’ just to watch Atlanta burn" -Ralph Malbrough

by DrewBreesManCrush on Feb 15, 2011 2:37 PM CST up reply actions

He was out for an entire season because of it. He was on a wait list for a long time, and close to death… but yes, it surprised us too that he wasn’t included more.

Of course, this could be one of the many reasons he fired his sons

Follow me on Twitter! @James_Dator

by James Dator on Feb 15, 2011 3:32 PM CST up reply actions