Hurney

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20010430/ai_n13907446

I mean, I like Morgan and everything but......

 

Getting back to the Hurney "complaints"...

Posted on Tue, Mar. 20, 2007reprint or license print email IN MY OPINION /

Fox, Hurney patient, but are the fans?
SCOTT FOWLER

The Carolina Panthers' offseason moves in free agency prompt one of two reactions from most of their fans:

1) A yawn.

2) A grumble of disagreement.

What the Panthers have done so far is basically stand pat on an 8-8 team. Coach John Fox and general manager Marty Hurney have practically skipped the annual free-agent buffet.

As other teams have eagerly spent millions (including some of the Panthers' chief NFC rivals), the Panthers have signed a couple of backups, fired a couple of backups and seen a couple of backups go somewhere else. Watching Carolina in free agency has been like watching someone floss his teeth. Maybe it's a good idea long-term, but it sure will put you to sleep.

Hurney will tell you that Carolina has 21 of 22 projected starters back in 2007, that it's not smart to blow things up after one bad year, that the core of this Carolina team reached the NFC Championship game only 14 months ago.

"We have a plan and a philosophy and we're sticking to it," Hurney said. "We're going to stay true to what we believe, and we have confidence in that because we've seen it work here in the past. `Patience' is not a bad word."

You could label this dedication as either stubborn or admirable. I'd call it a little bit of both.

The admirable part?

Fox (entering his sixth year as head coach) and Hurney both know their jobs are on the line this season. If Carolina goes 4-12 -- the Panthers have never been worse than 7-9 under Fox -- I believe both will be replaced in 2008. Bill Cowher will be available and right down the road in Raleigh, and trying to hire him would be tempting if this current Panthers administration fails spectacularly.

But never mind fans' impatience. Fox and Hurney are sticking with the plan in tough times. If their careers are going to die here, they will perish in their own boat, on their own terms. Patiently.

Of course, they don't think that's going to happen. They envision a return to playoff glory for Carolina -- that Dan Morgan will turn back into a clear-headed Pro Bowl middle linebacker; that the running game will scare defenses again like it hasn't since No. 48 was plowing through the middle; that the offense won't rank dead last in third-down efficiency as it did in 2006.

That's where stubbornness enters the equation. Why would you believe Morgan could get through a season injury-free at this point? The Panthers don't plan to upgrade at running back -- how's that going to work? One more touchdown per game last season would have pushed Carolina from 8-8 to 12-4, but where will the extra points come from?

Carolina needs youth, speed and zest. It needs another backup quarterback and a return specialist. Because the Panthers aren't going to purchase much in this free-agent market, the NFL draft in late April will be absolutely critical.

In fact, for Fox's and Hurney's careers here, it could be life or death.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I wonder why Fowler thinks a different RB could have produced another TD a game, assuming the RB was not LT?

 

a powerback is what he's referring to I guess as opposed to Foster and Williams

 

Wow, Fowler could not be more wrong imho. First off "stand pat on an 8-8 team". I'm sorry, but you have to have your head in the sand not to see the difference bringing back your starting LT, LG, and center makes with the offense and the running game. Returning the injured O-lineman will make a huge difference. "Carlolina needs youth, speed, and zest" Open you eyes Scott....Foster and Smith are only 27, D.Williams 23, Carter 25, Will Montgomery 24, Gross 26, Peppers 27, Jenkins 27, T.Davis 23, Seward 24, Anderson 23, Gamble 24, Lucas 28, Marshall 22, J. King 24, and even Wahle is only 29. We have youth, we have speed......Zest we need and you could make a very strong argument that the team lost faith in the Henning offense and "zest" may very well return with the "infusion" of a new offensive coordinator.

As for the jobs of Fox and Hurney, missing the playoffs this year will not result in the firing of either imo, but their jobs will be on the line in '08. This is an important year, but not a make or break year.

 

Already seen it and my opinion is the same. In fact, by reviewing his injury history and comparing that to the fact he only missed 5 games in '03, 4 games in '04, and 3 games in '05 this Board should end the sissy nicknames and realize Morgan is actually one tough SOB. Heck I did not even realize how over a 3 year period he was improving games played each year until last years setback....

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/5458/injuries.html

 

Like I said....

Already seen it and my opinion is the same. In fact, by reviewing his injury history and comparing that to the fact he only missed 5 games in '03, 4 games in '04, and 3 games in '05 this Board should end the sissy nicknames and realize Morgan is actually one tough SOB. Heck I did not even realize how over a 3 year period he was improving games played each year until last years setback....

 

We're not talking about a sprained muscle or broken bone (though not ruling either out), we're talking brain. One more bell ringer, who's gonna let him play?

The guy's a great football player no doubt.

 

Only 3 games here, 4 games there, 5 games a while ago?

He's expected to play at least 14 games every season! How many games has Urlacher missed (seeing as how some seem to want to believe Morgan is in his league)? How many games did Ray Lewis miss in his first 5 years? How many games has Draft missed, for crying out loud? How about Witherspoon? Thomas Davis? Derrick Brooks? Scott Fujita?