Adewale Ogunleye

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/football/nfl/carolina_panthers/13606109.htm

Trash talk or not, players are reacting
Muhammad says Fox will use comments to motivate
CHARLES CHANDLER
[email protected]

There was a flurry of reaction in the Carolina and Chicago locker rooms Wednesday to Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye's comments about the Panthers earlier this week.

Ogunleye said Monday the Panthers hadn't proved they deserved credit they were given as preseason Super Bowl favorites.

He said Carolina was like "a cat with nine lives" because they've continued to garner lots of respect despite their late-season inconsistency. He also said if both teams bring their "A" games Sunday, the Bears will win.

Asked if it sounded as if the Bears think Carolina is overrated, Carolina receiver Steve Smith said: "That just means they're reading a lot of press clippings and not doing a lot of studying."

Panthers defensive tackle Brentson Buckner said he doesn't understand why other teams are critical of Carolina's positive press.

"It's really funny to me that you would really worry so much about what people write about us," said Buckner. "Just worry about yourself and play."

Chicago's other defensive end, Alex Brown, defended Ogunleye.

"That is my guy," Brown said. "If he said it, then I am backing him."

Brown said he didn't consider Ogunleye's comments inflammatory.

"I don't think it's so much trash-talking," he said. "It's borderline. It's not like us saying we're going to go out and crush them. It's going to be a good game. You've got to have confidence, though."

Ogunleye said his motives were misunderstood.
"I'm not a trash-talker; that's what's so funny," he said. "I was just answering questions about how I felt. Up-playing us, not downplaying them."

He seemed surprised the Panthers would be upset.

"If you need me to motivate you," he said, "you're in the wrong sport."

Bears receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who played the previous nine seasons with Carolina, said Panthers coach John Fox motivates players by posting "quotes or a stupid comment someone made during the week."

Muhammad said he was unaware of Ogunleye's comments. He asked what Ogunleye said, then paused when told.

"That was his comment?" said Muhammad. "If it can be a motivational tool, Fox will put it up."

-- Staff writer Ron Green Jr. contributed.
-- Charles Chandler: (704) 358-5123

 

I was glad to hear Lucas respond that Chicago had the better defense when asked. He said that stats don't lie.

 

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128769271647&path=%21sports&s=1037645509200

Panthers' offensive line remembers Nov. 20
Chicago's defensive line had a 'Soldier' field day, sacking Delhomme eight times
By Joe Menzer
JOURNAL REPORTER

CHARLOTTE
A couple of days after defensive end Adewale Ogunleye of the Chicago Bears suggested that the Carolina Panthers receive "a lot more hype than they should," Alex Brown, a fellow Chicago defensive end's laughter at least appeared to say more than his words.

The Bears and Panthers will meet on Sunday at 4:30 in an NFC divisional playoff game at Chicago's Soldier Field. It's the same venue where the teams played on Nov. 20, when the Bears' defensive line manhandled the Panthers' offensive line in a 13-3 Chicago victory.

When it was suggested during a conference call with media who cover Carolina that the Panthers' offensive line appears to be much improved over the last time the two teams met, Brown chuckled audibly.

Then he answered, "I think they've improved. I think they've gotten better with their blocking schemes. They've changed them up a little bit, so they block differently. They help out in certain areas, and I imagine we're going to see the same thing."

Then Brown went on to add that he sees no reason why the Bears' defense can't do the same thing to the Panthers' offense that it did last time.

It sacked quarterback Jake Delhomme eight times and forced him to throw two costly interceptions.

"Obviously they're going to change it up against us because we did have eight (sacks)," Brown said. "I don't know. Expect the same outcome, that's all I can say."

When reporters mentioned that they noticed Brown chuckling and asked again if he really believes the Panthers' offensive line has improved, he chuckled again and stammered, "I do. I really do."

Asked why he found that funny, Brown actually burst out laughing.

"No, no. I'm laughing at something over here (on the other end of the phone line). I'm not laughing at the question at all," he said.

But by then Brown was laughing really loud. One couldn't help but be left with the distinct impression that he wasn't all that impressed with the reported improvement within the Carolina offensive line.

And that didn't sit too well with guard Mike Wahle of the Panthers. Asked if he thought Brown and the Chicago defensive line respected the Panthers' offensive line, a testy Wahle said: "I don't care. I really don't care. You've got to earn respect, so we'll try to go out there and earn it on Sunday.

"The great thing about the last game is that it was (nearly eight) weeks ago - and we've done a lot of things since then. We're really concentrating on this game. I'm not too worried about the past."

The Panthers played brilliantly overall during last Sunday's 23-0 wild-card playoff win over the New York Giants at Giants Stadium, but the offensive line did give up four sacks.

That was the most since the first time they played the Bears, as they surrendered eight sacks over the final six regular-season games.

Wahle said that the line realizes it must play better this time against the Bears, whose defense is ranked No. 2 in the NFL in terms of total yards given up and No. 1 in points allowed.

"They're a great defensive football team," he said. "They move around a lot and have great athletes at damn near every position on the field.

"They move guys around a lot and run some stunts. You've just got to be aware of what's going on and pick it up. Communication is going to be key in this game. And every guy, to a man, has to recognize the play and what they're trying to accomplish, and what we must do to combat that. If not, they're going to run rampant on us."

That's what they pretty much did last time, which was a little unusual. As good as the Bears' defense is, sacking the quarterback isn't really its specialty. The Bears never registered more than four sacks against any other team in an 11-5 regular season, and their total of 41 ranked 17th in the 32-team NFL.

But for that one day last November, the Panthers seemed to have no answer for the Chicago pass rush. Of course, the fact that the Panthers fell behind 10-0 early and had to pass the ball more than they would like contributed to the loss.

"It was frustrating," Wahle said. "But we threw the ball 54 times or something like that (actually only 39). We've got to do a better job of keeping ourselves in manageable downs.

"If you were to tell any defensive lineman in this football league that he's going to get 54 chances to sack the quarterback, I guarantee you that they're probably all licking their chops in that situation. We've got to do a better job of one-on-one blocking - but at the same time, we've got to keep ourselves out of those scenarios."

If not, the laughs will be on them - again.

• Joe Menzer can be reached at [email protected]

 

Thats interesting. I would have loved to read his mind at that instant.

 

hmm, the Bears sound like a bunch of overconfident asses.

Rex Grossman has to be reading this and screaming SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

 

yeah, November's John Fox quote about how "Tampa was the #1 defense when we faced them, too" was pretty fucking awful in hindsight. Maybe "is what it is" isn't so damn bad.

 

If the players were smart they would just give the other team all the credit in the world. Then the reporters wouldn't bother them again. If they say anything the press won't let it go. If for no other reason than to be left alone you would think these guys would be smarter.

 

Kenny Rogers meet Solarte

 

I'm getting excited. Obviously the team is going to be on full adrenaline for the playoffs anyway, but they always play better when they're pissed off.

 

We were embarrassed last time, that should be enough.