Tennessee Titans: Duo of “Smash and Dash” is SO “Last Year”

It’s about time that the moniker of “Smash and Dash” was dropped. After last season’s controversy between the Titans’ Twins and the Panthers’ Pals as to which team’s running backs held the rights to the name, Chris Johnson decided to divorce himself from LenDale White.

Surprisingly, his motive to rid himself of the nickname was not fueled by the controversy last season, but because he wanted his own nickname, and didn’t want to play second fiddle to LenDale White’s “Smash.”

Johnson’s new nickname, “Every Coach’s Dream,” is the not-so-humble handle he came up with.

“I have to be my own guy; so no more Smash-and-Dash, that was last year,” Johnson said. “Every Coach’s Dream, that’s me. Because they say every team has it’s own identity. I feel for me, I can’t be noticed as a group any more. I am my own guy.”

The poor part of Johnson’s decision,was that he made the initial announcement on Twitter, without the input or courtesy of informing teammate LenDale White of his desire. He also Tweets that “Lendale White is upset mad he don’t know to accept that we are split up.”

How terrible it must be, to see LenDale upset mad.

Is it just me, or is a player’s production on the field more important than a ridiculous nickname? Perhaps Johnson has been in touch with Chad Ochocinco—someone less of a coach’s dream.

Ernest “Ernie” Davis: The Elmira Express

Everyone is at least familiar with the name Jim Brown. Most folks are familiar with the name Floyd Little.

Not many are too familiar with the name Ernest Davis, or Ernie, as he was known among his friends.

Davis was born in New Salem, Pennsylvania, Dec. 14, 1939. He spent his early years in the Pittsburgh Coalfield after moving to industrial Uniontown, Pa.

His parents separated just before his father died in an accident, and he was raised by his grandparents until he reached 12 years of age, when he moved with his mother and new stepfather to Elmira, NY.

Davis played in Elmira’s Small Fry Football League for the Superior Buicks and was named a Small Fry All-Star in 1952 and 1953. He was also an All-Star basketball player in grade school.

Throughout his high school career at Elmira Free Academy, Davis’ talent on the football field began to shine. He was named the Elmira Player of the Year and a high school All-American in both his junior and senior years. He also did well in varsity basketball and baseball while excelling academically.

While many universities were not offering scholarships to black athletes in those days, colleges from around the country watched Davis’ high school career closely, and more than 50 offered him scholarships.

 

During his senior year, one of the schools that came calling on Davis was Syracuse University. Syracuse’s All-Star running back Jim Brown had just been signed by the Cleveland Browns of the NFL, leaving the Orangemen without a marquee runner.

At the time, Syracuse head coach Ben Schwarzwalder requested Brown to help recruit the young prospect, asking that he do and say whatever it took to get Davis to commit to Syracuse.

It took very little to get Davis, a huge fan of Jim Brown, to commit to Syracuse, where he played football and gained national fame for three seasons (1959-1961), twice earning first team All-America honors.

As a sophomore in 1959, Davis led Syracuse to the NCAA Division I-A football national championship—the only football championship to this day won by the school—ending an undefeated season with a 23-14 win over the University of Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Davis was voted Most Valuable Player of the 1960 Cotton Bowl and 1961 Liberty Bowl.

In his junior year, Davis set a record of 7.8 yards per carry and was the third leading rusher in the country with 877 yards. He ran for 100 yards or more in six of nine games.

The country was far from a perfect place when Davis was in college. Racism was still very widespread and common in the South during his Cotton Bowl visit. At a banquet following the 1959 game, Davis was told he could accept his award, but was required to leave the segregated facility. Davis refused, and his teammates, mostly white, boycotted the banquet.

In 1961, Davis accomplished another milestone when he became the first black athlete to be awarded the Heisman Trophy following his senior-year season at Syracuse. President John F. Kennedy had followed Davis’ career and requested to meet him while he was in New York to receive the trophy.

 

Davis was selected No. 1 overall in the 1962 NFL draft, becoming the first black football player to be taken first overall.

He was selected by the Washington Redskins, but his rights were then traded to the Cleveland Browns. He was also drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League.

Davis signed a three-year, $200,000 contract with the Browns in late December 1961 while in San Francisco, Calif., practicing for the East-West Shrine Game. Originally reported at $80,000, the contract consisted of $80,000 for playing football, including a $15,000 signing bonus, $60,000 for ancillary rights, such as image marketing, and $60,000 for offseason employment.

At the time, it was the most lucrative contract for an NFL rookie. However, the Browns’ dream of teaming Davis with Jim Brown in the backfield took a tragic turn when Davis was diagnosed with leukemia during preparations for the 1962 College All-Star Game.

Davis never played a down of professional football. He only once appeared before a crowd at Cleveland Stadium, where he ran onto the field during a 1962 preseason game as a spotlight followed him.

 

Around the time that Davis was recognized by the Cleveland franchise, he had been requested by a newspaper editor to write an article. After having done so, he followed up his article with a letter to the publication’s editor, Mr. Tom Martin, of The Saturday Evening Post.

“Yesterday was my 23rd birthday. Compared to some, that doesn’t seem like a whole lot of life to talk about. Thing is, I don’t know how much more is in front of me. I’m not sure how to end this or even if I want to.

It’s funny, most people think my life has been all about football. I’ve even thought that myself. But football is just a game. What matters, is what you play for.

Sometimes, when the game is close and everything is on the line, that’s when you forget the crowd and the noise. That’s when it’s just you against somebody else, to see who is the better man. That’s what I like about the game. Because at that moment, you’re friends and you’re enemies…and you’re brothers.”

Ernie Davis died at the age of 23 on May 18, 1963, of acute monocytic leukemia. Ten Thousand people attended his funeral, where a telegram from President Kennedy was read, in which Kennedy said of Davis:

“He was an outstanding young man of great character who served—and, my hope is, will continue to serve—as an inspiration to the young people of this country.”

Davis was a member of The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C., National Intercollegiate All-American Football Players Honor Roll. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

Although Davis never played a down in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns retired his No. 45 jersey.

On November 12, 2005, Syracuse University retired the No. 44, in recognition of former running backs Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, and Floyd Little, all of whom made their mark in Syracuse football history wearing No. 44.

Injury Update: Panthers RB Stewart Will Be Ready for Training Camp

Original story reported by Steve Reed at carolinagrowl.com.

Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart said that while a sore left Achilles caused him to miss all of the Panthers’ organized team activities (OTAs), he should be ready to practice when training camp arrives in August.

The injury was spawned from Stewart overcompensating for a toe problem that slowed him down before his first season in Carolina.

“It just kind of flared up,” he said. “I’m pretty much staying off of it, to just kind of let it heal.”

Stewart, who ran for 836 yards and 10 touchdowns last season has not participated in any practices for the last four weeks, but did take part in in the conditioning sprints Tuesday that marked the conclusion of this year’s OTAs. He appeared to be close to 100 percent, considering the fast pace at which he ran.

The Panthers are off until they report for training camp on August second.

“Oh yeah, I’m going to be up and running when camp starts,” Stewart said. “Unfortunately I missed out on minicamp. But I’ll be ready.”

This marks the second straight year Stewart has missed OTAs, but if Stewart’s performance last season was any indication of what we should expect this season, I doubt it will be a problem.

Last year Stewart wasn’t allowed by the NFL or NCAA to participate in OTAs, as his academic school year at the University of Oregon hadn’t been completed. Nonetheless, Stewart would not have been able to participate in OTAs, because he was still recovering from toe surgery at the time.

The fact that he’s missed the team’s activities in consecutive years wasn’t lost on his teammates, either.

“You’re going to take teasing,” said Stewart, flashing a bashful smile. “They’re out there busting their butt with me just sitting on the sideline for the second year in a row. I’m really taking the heat for that.”

However, Stewart said he was thankful to at least be present at OTAs this year to keep up on the playbook.

He was often seen sticking his head in the huddle just to get the playcall.

“Definitely just being in tune with the play-calling and stuff like that helps,” Stewart said. “Terminology is something I definitely know now. The rookies that came in this year, it’s weird that they’re all older than me, but they’re still called rookies. Being able to help them out and saying plays in my head and actually be accountable to them, try to teach them … it’s another learning point, I guess.”

Stewart said he doesn’t plan to make a habit of missing the OTAs in the future.

“The opportunity of learning stuff on the field, running plays, and getting in tune with the feel of the game at this level, that’s something I’ve definitely missed out on,” he said. “But it is what it is. Like (running backs) coach Jim Skipper says, I have to use whatever’s available to me to the best of my ability.”

Carolina Panthers: Comings and Goings

In 2001, the Panthers added a player to their team who came with very little fanfare, but left as a fan-favorite in 2009.

Nick Goings never said much during his eight years with the Carolina Panthers, but his actions spoke loud for those inside Bank of America Stadium.

“Nick made the most of his talent and was one of the most popular players in the locker room and among the coaching staff. You look for people who are accountable, and Nick was that,” said head coach John Fox.

Despite his quiet nature, Goings was one of the more active pranksters among the players.

“He didn’t say much, but he was always good for a practical joke and laugh,” said quarterback Jake Delhomme. “We are going to miss him.”

When Goings arrived in Carolina in 2001, he wasn’t expected to last beyond the team’s return to Charlotte from Spartanburg, SC.

Goings was not a standout starter in college, as his career at Ohio State fizzled and he wound up playing backup to Kevin Barlow at Pittsburgh.

Barlow was drafted in the third round in 2001 by the San Francisco 49ers, while Goings signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent.

A longshot, he persevered to make the team and rushed for 86 yards on 25 attempts in a reserve role in a season opening upset of the Vikings in Minnesota.

That was the highlight of the year for Goings and the Panthers, a season that saw Carolina finish 1-15; a season that, in the end, resulted in a coaching change, ushering in the John Fox era.

Goings’ niche as a role player and special teams standout caught the eye of Fox in his first season as Panthers head coach.

His role did not change for the next two-and-a-half years, until injuries sidelined running backs Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster midway through the 2004 season, and Goings was thrust into the starting lineup.

Goings responded in heroic fashion, with five 100-yard games in six starts, including a team record four in a row, which DeAngelo Williams tied last season.

In a December game against New Orleans, he carried 36 times, a team record that still stands, and finished the season with 821 yards rushing.

It was almost enough to thrust the Panthers into the playoffs, but when Davis and Foster returned the next season, Goings remained on the depth chart at running back. Once again, injuries put him in play in the playoffs, where he gained 97 yards against the New York Giants and Chicago.

More than half his career rushing total of 1,470 yards came in the half season of ’04, but his yardage still ranks seventh best in team history. His 110 receptions are 10th on the team’s career list, as are his 105 games played. On special teams, he ranks fifth with 53 career tackles.

Although he might have been unassuming in his arrival, Goings’ contributions were loud and clear upon his departure.

Story shared from the Carolina Panthers official publication, Roar.

Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominik: Team Has No Interest in Vick

In an NFL.com news release, Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik stated Tampa Bay has no interest in the services of Michael Vick.

On the same day that quarterback Michael Vick was released by the Atlanta Falcons, a team known for collecting quarterbacks declared that it had no interest in Vick.

Tampa Bay General Manager Mark Dominik said that the Buccaneers would not be pursuing Vick, the Tampa Tribune reported on Friday.

“We weigh every option when it comes to players and I can honestly say we’ve done our due diligence on Michael Vick and we’re not interested,” said Bucs GM Mark Dominik.

Tampa Bay has Byron Leftwich, Luke McCown, and draft pick Josh Freeman battling for the starting job at quarterback, with veteran Brian Griese and Josh Johnson also on the roster. Coach Raheem Morris said it’s an open competition and didn’t rule out Freeman winning the job.

“Our starting quarterback has to be decided on the field of play and I’m not ruling out anyone,” Morris said. “I’m not ruling out the guy sitting here to my right (Freeman). We’re trying to win right now. My job is to win and I plan on doing it. We have a vision and we do have a plan. You cannot be a great team until you have a great quarterback. We want to develop here the same feeling Indianapolis has about Peyton Manning.”

Notorious in Carolina: What Is with the Hating on Panthers QB Jake Delhomme?

Where to begin? I have never seen a fanbase, writers, the media, or even that casual observer hate a quarterback as much as Jake Delhomme.

I am going to try and keep this as light as possible, so please excuse me if I get a little heated at times.

Delhomme is not the poster child of the kind of quarterback a team wants to have, although he does make up for what he lacks in other areas. Delhomme’s leadership, competitive nature, and selflessness are intangibles that one doesn’t learn.

After the worst game of his career, Delhomme shouldered the entire blame of the team’s and coaching staff’s shortcomings. That’s integrity. That’s also Delhomme being selfish, taking all the credit for a terrible, overall team performance.

I know that Delhomme finished just above dead middle (15th overall) in the quarterback rankings for 2008, but he wasn’t in bad company. Names like Eli Manning, Jason Campbell, Matt Ryan, and Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger accompany his name in the less-than-stellar rankings.

Delhomme finished ranked 15th overall among quarterbacks, completing 246-of-414 passes for a rating of 59.4 percent; 3,288 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and an overall quarterback rating 84.7.

I’m not saying Roethlisberger is a bad quarterback, and I’m not trying to say that Delhomme is better than Big Ben, but their respective numbers are interestingly similar.

The Steelers’ running game was somewhat of a non-factor in 2008 and Pittsburgh had to throw the ball more than run it. The Panthers on the other hand, stayed healthy in their ground game, and relied on that more than Jake’s arm, whenever possible.

Roethlisberger finished with a 14th overall quarterback rank—one spot higher than Delhomme—completing 281-of-469 passes for a rating of 59.9 percent, five-tenths of a percent better than Delhomme. Roethlisberger threw for 3,301 yards, 17 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, and an overall quarterback rating of 80.1.

Again, don’t take this out of context as me saying Delhomme is better than Roethlisberger or something ridiculous like that. I am merely using Roethlisberger as the measuring stick of success, as he guided the Steelers to their sixth Super Bowl title.

At some point the fans, media, us writers, and the casual observer need to get one thing in their head: Jake Delhomme is a game manager. He’s not the Brett Favre gunslinger, nor is he the Tom Brady or Peyton Manning—Peyton Manning or Tom Brady ( I don’t want to upset anyone debating which QB is better) of precision. Delhomme’s a game manager.

As soon as everyone gets back to that mindset, and takes Delhomme off the pedestal you have put him on, the more you’ll begin to like and appreciate Jake for who he is. He will never live up to your expectations of greatness if you hold the bar too high.

To me, Delhomme is a solid quarterback. He’s been instrumental in this team’s success since 2003, having played a part in Carolina’s going to the Super Bowl in 2003, the NFC Championship—albeit a loss—in 2005, and the 12-4 season we just witnessed in 2008, with a playoff loss I have been ready to move on from for almost five months now.

When you look at his overall career as a Panther, wins and losses, he finishes with an average quarterback rating of 84.6. Not the worst rating in the world, but it’s higher than a middle-of-the-road rating.

Delhomme has also never thrown for more than 16 interceptions in a season. In 2003, (Super Bowl season) Delhomme threw 16 interceptions, and in 2005 (Playoff season with a loss to Seattle in the NFC Conference Championship game) he threw 16 interceptions.

Delhomme’s been under the gun since he took the team to the Super Bowl in ’03, and understandably so. We want a Super Bowl title in Charlotte!

2009 is going to be a season to remember. The Panthers should go the distance—deeper into the playoffs than 2008, and whichever team they face in the NFC Championship game will have their hands full.

So let’s everyone give Delhomme a break. Stop hating on him so much. You’re tirelessly trying to draw blood from a stone. The Panthers have him signed up for five more years, and with the guaranteed money in his contract, expect to see him in a Panthers uniform for at least three more of those five years.

Carolina Panthers Have Accepted the Idea of Life Without Peppers

I might as well get this out in the open, as everyone needs to at least get used to the idea that Julius Peppers may not be a suit up for the Carolina Panthers this season, nor will he be on a different team, perhaps until next season.

The Panthers have done a great job this offseason of masking the fact and the idea that Peppers will sit out the 2009 season, all because he hasn’t been traded to a team of his choosing.

For anyone who can’t read the blatantly obvious writing on the wall, the Panthers have mentally moved on, casting Peppers into football’s version of limbo.

Carolina tried anything it could to keep Peppers and appease his wants by offering everything short of switching the entire defensive style to a 3-4 scheme.

Last season Carolina offered Peppers a lucrative contract extension that would have made him the highest paid defensive end in the league. Peppers turned down the team’s offer.

During the regular season, Peppers performed exceptionally well, compared to previous seasons, having his best season in Carolina yet.

Life was great. Carolina was the happening place to be, rubbing elbows among the elite franchises in the league with a 12-4 record, a top-three rushing backfield, the best offensive line in the league and a great run-stopping defense.

Then, on that dreadful rainy night in Charlotte after a 33-13 drubbing from the Arizona Cardinals, the walls began to crumble.

A pillar in the Panthers’ defense stated he wanted out of Carolina. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it, Peppers was looking for the exit sign to leave Carolina.

Without missing a beat, the Panthers regrouped from the postseason loss, and moved on to the offseason.

The offseason saw a few contract renegotiations and saw at least one popular face, running back and special teams player Nick Goings, get released.

There were other casualties. Ken Lucas, who underachieved and was about as inconsistent from game-to-game and season-to-season as Julius Peppers has been, was one of the characters who the Panthers decided it was in the team’s best interest they part ways, after Lucas turned down a trade to Detroit.

Out of a very quiet offseason, the Panthers did sign offensive tackle Jordan Gross to a very nice and understandable contract extension, while slapping the franchise tag on now disgruntled Julius Peppers.

If Peppers didn’t want to reamain in Carolina, at the very least he was going to become trade bait.

There were a few nibbles on Peppers from around the league from teams like New England, Denver, Dallas and the rest of the usual suspects. Peppers refusal to sign his franchise tender, and a lack of salary cap space on the aforementioned teams, left a feeling of helplessness in the air.

I thought the Panthers would lower their asking price of Peppers come draft day but I was wrong.

At this point everything becomes cloudy, and that is due to the expert deception the Panthers are giving the media and fans, making Patriots-like statements that Peppers will be ready to play come the start of regular season. Meanwhile everyone in the front office who needs to know, is uncertain of the return of Peppers.

After seeing the Panthers’ draft day, I call “bull crap” on the front office.

Once again, us fans watched the Panthers mortgage away next year’s first round draft pick to move up in the second round and select Florida State defensive end Everette Brown, adding to the promising, already-talented defensive line.

I will not bat an eye when the Panthers have no other choice than to rescind the franchise tag on Peppers, and let him go of his own free will to sign with whatever team he chooses.

If it doesn’t go that way, the Panthers will assuredly let him go at the end of the season.

With promising talent like defensive end Charles Johnson, a third-round selection in the 2007 draft and the likelihood Brown will be looking to make an immediate impact, the Panthers have little use for an overpriced player like Peppers, when they can get the same or better performance for less cost.

The Panthers explicitly expressed by there actions that this year’s draft was to bolster the depth and talent on the defensive side of the ball. They accounted for who they already have: The keepers, maybes, doubtfuls and those who are no longer with the team.

Peppers was accounted for on the doubtful list.

Don’t believe everything you hear, even when it’s from the horse’s mouth. The Panthers are doing their best not to let Peppers and the media attention he has drawn become a distraction to what they are trying to build on from last season.

The question is, what team will we see Peppers playing for in the next year?

The NFL’s Five Most Anticipated Games of the 2009 Season

I have officially hit something of a writer’s block, so I haven’t been very active in the Bleacher Report community in the recent past.

During my hiatus I’ve been watching YouTube videos, selling and bidding for stuff on eBay, and playing football; all the while not being able to come up with anything to write about. I was stymied to say the least.

Today I was looking at the NFL schedule, and that’s when a thought occurred to me: There are a few very interesting games on the schedule this season, and it would behoove me to come up with a little preview and analysis on what to expect.

I’m not going to be a homer and pick all Panthers games in this one, though the Panthers do have some potentially exciting games this season, but this is geared toward the casual or beginner NFL fan.

Here are my five most anticipated games of 2009.

15 Minutes With Carolina Panthers Quarterback Jake Delhomme

Ever since he led the Panthers to the Super Bowl, I have been a strong supporter of quarterback Jake Delhomme.

He’s performed well when needed, but he’s also suffered in plays that left me thinking, “What in the world was that?”

Delhomme brings intangibles to the Panthers huddle, and that’s probably what attracts me to him the most as a fan; his fiery competitive nature and leadership qualities are becoming in what I prefer in a quarterback.

Here are some questions for the Panthers’ quarterback:

1. Coming off the most lopsided loss in Panthers postseason history, what has been your plan of attack to better your passing game and ball handling skills?

2. From a spectator’s point of view, I found you’re shouldering the entire blame for the loss a very noble and respectable gesture of sportsmanship. With the additions the Panthers have made to the coaching staff, how do you feel new quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer’s techniques will help to improve your game?

3. Tell me what your typical game day preparations consist of. Do you do anything for luck, is there anything you do to ward off bad luck?

4. How does it feel to have proven yourself as an athlete, competitor, and leader; going from the NFL Europe, to backup quarterback with the Saints, and then starting quarterback for the Panthers?

5. The demands and challenges of the NFL are extreme. How do you mentally and physically prepare yourself during the regular season? How does that preparation differ during the offseason?

6. If you could spend a day with anyone in the world, who would you spend the day with?

7. What advice would you offer to the younger athletes who are still in college or preparing for college?

8. Do you feel that Carolina is where you were lead to play football? Is there a team you would have rather played for?

9. What makes the chemistry of this team more special than other teams you’ve been on?

10. How do you feel the Panthers will fare against their respective opponents this season, division and non-division?

Philadelphia Eagles’ Jim Johnson Takes a Leave of Absence

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson has taken an indefinite leave of absence because of a cancerous tumor on his spine.

“Jim and I agreed that he needs to concentrate all of his efforts on his recovery,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said Monday. “His health is number one.”

In 2001, Johnson was treated for melanoma. Following the Eagles’ loss to the Cardinals, the team announced the cancer had returned.

“He’s struggling,” Reid said Monday. “But he’s a tough guy and a true battler.”

Johnson had recovered enough to to coach from a motorized scooter during the team’s first post-draft minicamp earlier this month, but he wasn’t sure if he could return to the field for the upcoming season.

“It’s too early to tell,” Johnson said on May 2. “I’m taking this one day at a time or one camp at a time. I’ll just keep working at it, and as long as I can hold my work schedule, I’ll feel fine, and we’ll just see how it goes.”

Reid said he hopes Johnson will be able to return to the team soon.

Johnson, known for his aggressive defensive style and blitzing defenses, played a significant role in the team’s success over the last decade. The Eagles finished third in total defense and fourth in points allowed after advancing to the NFC Championship game for the fifth time in the last 10 seasons.

“I hope everyone will keep him in their thoughts and prayers during this period of time,” Reid said.

Not to worry coach Reid, we will.

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