Category Archives: cam newton

2012 NFL Team Preview: Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton added the firepower needed to put a spark back in Carolina Panthers’ fans. They spent the last few years without an identity and tore through three bad quarterbacks the year before his arrival. Expectations are now at an all-time high for the franchise, but can they deliver?

Fans need to take a step back from Newton’s hype and remember they were the worst team in the NFL as recently as 2010. If they can slowly improve their team each year, they are building a foundation to be a yearly contender…but they are not there yet.

Carolina was 6-10 in 2011 and Newton won the ‘Rookie of the Year’ award. He broke a handful of rookie records and teams will now be building defensive plans to stifle him. Can he still produce with the entire team’s defensive game plan focused on only shutting him down?

Here’s our 2012 NFL team preview for the Carolina Panthers.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 6-10

Key Additions: RB Mike Tolbert, LB Luke Kuechly, WR Joe Adams, S Haruki Nakamura, S Reggie Smith, OG Mike Pollack, OG Amini Silatolu, DE Frank Alexander and LB Kenny Onatolu.

Key Losses: LB Dan Connor, WR Legedu Naanee, OG Mackenzy Bernadeau, DT DeMario Pressley and OG Geoff Schwartz.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC West and NFC East

Fantasy SleeperWR David Gettis – Gettis is a very interesting sleeper this year. He suffered an ACL tear last season and never had the opportunity to experience the regular season with Cam Newton. He had 500+ yards in 2010 with a hodgepodge of quarterbacks throwing to him (Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen and Tony Pike). Steve Smith had a Pro Bowl year in 2011 and Brandon LaFell had a promising season with 613 receiving yards. Gettis should win the #3 WR spot over Armanti Edwards and Joe Adams. Adams is someone to keep your eye on as a very deep sleeper. He is an impressive talent and could impress Carolina’s coaching staff in training camp.

Team Analysis: I am in the minority with my opinion of Carolina in 2012. I foresee teams going all-in on stopping Newton and causing a sophomore slump. If teams can keep him in the pocket and double-team Steve Smith, he’ll have a tough season. He will have to rely on Greg Olsen and Lafell heavily. Another reason for a regression in Newton’s numbers is the acquisition of Mike Goodson. He was a touchdown vulture in San Diego and Rob Chudzinski, Carolina’s offensive coordinator, was his coach there. Newton will not get the goal line carries he received in 2011. Carolina did add a nice young defensive piece by drafting Kuechly, but they need to fill a few more gaps on defense to stop New Orleans and Atlanta. Charles Johnson had a great season last year, but he needs more helping rushing the passer. I don’t see Carolina doing much this year, but keep an eye on them in 2013 and beyond. They need more playmakers on defense and another receiver to become a dependable option before they are playoff contender.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 7.5 (Prediction: UNDER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 6-10

CLICK HERE to read the rest of our 2012 NFL Team Previews

By: TwitterButtons.com

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL: Win Totals Over/Under

It’s that time of the year again, football-related sports gambling!

I went through every game this season and picked which team would win. The process took much longer than I anticipated but it is something that I enjoy doing every year. You should expect a lot of sports betting posts from me during the football season. I have had a lot of betting success with both NFL and NCAA college football. I like doing high-risk parlays that pay off well. I am looking forward to analyze the Week 1 point spreads as we get closer to the season.

I pick the over/under win totals for every NFL team this season. I pick a few underdogs and why Vegas has me confused by a couple over/under win totals. The 2012 NFL season will be a lot of fun. Here are my picks… Continue reading

Uh Oh…I Agree With Buzz Bissinger

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Buzz Bissinger, is now the new sports columnist for The Daily Beast. He wrote the books “Friday Night Lights” and “Three Nights In August,” the man knows his stuff. He is often very controversial with his take on current events and very opinionated on his Twitter account. He made a splash a few years ago when he went after Deadspin founder Will Leitch and all sports bloggers on Bob Costas’s HBO show. Bloggers are supposed to hate him, but I kind of love him now. His latest take on the Cam Newton situation is a must-read, here’s my take.

I could lose my “blogger card” for writing a pro-Bissinger post, but the man hit his article out of the park. He has a fresh take on the “biggest non-story story” to his college football this season.

Cam Newton and his father, Cecil Newton, have been charged and convicted in the court of public opinion. Bissinger throws the spotlight back onto the NCAA, even comparing them to the mafia. His stance is that the NCAA are making millions of dollars on these kids and there are no guarantees that they will earn a dollar from the sport, especially if the player gets injured. He thinks that Cecil Newton allegedly low-balled Mississippi State and should have asked for more than $180,000 dollars. Bissinger thinks every player should receive the dollar value for how much his scholarship is worth. He calls it a “annuity,” which is exactly what should happen. Bissinger even uses the comparison that “the school is pimp and the player is a high-priced whore.” He isn’t trying to defame the players by calling them “whores”, he is just pointing out that is the role they play in the system that is in place. The school’s pimp hand is strong, but you can’t hate the player, just hate the game (NCAA).

It’s no secret that college football is the biggest money maker for nearly every school. It helps fund other sports that lose money and Title IX sports that have to be offered. I am not against Title IX, but it is always brought up when people suggest that colleges pay their players.

I have an idea that isn’t a new one, but should be thrown back into the discussion. Colleges and universities sell jerseys with numbers that correspond with players currently playing. That money goes straight to the institution and no dime goes to the players. I live in Columbus, Ohio and #2 jerseys (Terrelle Pryor) sell for a higher price than other numbered jerseys. Also, when Beanie Wells went pro, #28 jerseys (the number he wore at Ohio State) sold for a reduced price. Fans want to wear the jersey number of their favorite player. The players should get a cut of profits from their merchandise. You could either give them their share every year or the university could invest that money into a mutual fund and given to them after their eligibility runs out. Georgia player, A.J. Green, was suspended at the start of this season for selling his jersey, even though a fan could buy a similar jersey on the school’s website or all over Athens, Georgia. He received less than $1,000 dollars for it, but was suspended for four games.

I don’t know if I can go all out by comparing NCAA to the mafia or a pimp, but we should all agree that the system is broken. The rules that make up what define an “amateur,” were written before college sports programs turned into Fortune 500 companies. If the system isn’t fixed or definitions re-written, we could end up with another SMU scandal and the NCAA would have to basically dismantle an entire program to prove their point. Wait, I guess if a “high-priced whore” gets out of line, a pimp gotta go what a pimp gotta do, right?
By: TwitterButtons.com
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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.