News 14 Carolina Sports Night Blog

The ACC coming off of turn 4....

2012-02-13T23:45:00.002-05:00

The ACC race is actually a race, and not because it's coming down to North Carolina and Duke. It's a race because it's UNC, Duke AND Florida State!

I have no allegiances here, but the ACC is better when there is another team in the mix not named UNC or Duke.

While Tar Heel fans were down (and frankly stunned) when Duke took the first meeting last Wednesday, those that remained on the ledge were talked back in after the Heels took care of a very good Virginia team. Carolina will be fine, and the season finale in Durham could end up being another classic.

With about a month left in the basketball regular season (three weeks, really), I am going to put a minimum of 4 ACC teams in the NCAA Tournament. They are UNC, Duke, FSU and Virginia. NC State still has work to do, in my opinion, to punch their ticket. That work involves adding to their ACC win total. Nine wins in the ACC will be enough for the Wolfpack, and they sit at 7. To me, an over .500 record in league play will do the trick. The ACC is not the dominant league like it was in yesteryear, but it is up from where it was. I also think Miami has an outside shot, but like NC State, they have work to do, and just 6 games left to do it.

As for the top seed in the ACC Tournament, here's what the top three teams have ahead of them:

Duke: v. NCSU, @ Boston College, @ FSU, v. Va Tech, @ Wake, v. UNC
UNC: @ Miami, v. Clemson, @ NCSU, @ Virginia, v. Maryland, @ Duke
FSU: @ NCSU, v. VT, v. Duke, @ Miami, @ Virginia, v. Clemson

Biggest remaining games are Duke at FSU, UNC at Duke and FSU @ NC State. The FSU-NCSU game is big for both teams. An NCSU win gets them no worse than .500 in league play. FSU needs it to keep pace with the Heels and Devils.

There will be plenty of action to set up the seeds in Atlanta, and my advice to hoop fans everywhere is simple. Enjoy the ride.

Mike Solarte

Bobcats and Super Bowl XLVI

2012-02-03T23:28:00.002-05:00

For all those folks clamoring for a coaching change for the Charlotte Bobcats, please stop. The number is small, but the fear I have is that their dull noise will grow into a roar.

Paul Silas wasn't given a championship contender to work with. He was given a team, that if they were healthy, could be competitive. Truth is, a couple games over .500 would have been remarkable. Instead, Silas has had to work with a young group, that has been battered by injuries, and very few practices with which to work due to the compressed schedule.

The injuries might be the byproduct of the lockout that cost teams a normal training camp, but the facts are this: this team was short on a full bench worth of talent at the start, injuries to top players have killed them, and ultimately, Silas is not to blame. This record with a healthy roster? The song changes.

Super Bowl XLVI (46 for the Roman numerically challenged), should, and I stress SHOULD, be a fantastic game. The Patriots and Giants have proven themselves to be the best teams in their respective conferences. Yes, both had to dodge some playoff bullets to get here, but give them the proper credit. I picked against the Giants in their playoff opener with Atlanta, but haven't since.

New England has returned to its usual self. You know, the team that angers America because they play so well, with their hoodied Head Coach Bill Belichick, and their GQ cover boy Tom Brady. Yep, those Patriots. Yes, they had to dodge the endzone drop against Baltimore to make it to Indianapolis, but they are worthy AFC champions.

Who am I taking? The football pick is New York. The sentimental pick, however, is New England.

Yes, I said the sentimental pick is New England.

Football fans, remember this: the 2011 NFL season may not have taken place in its entirety, minus the Hall of Fame game, if it weren't for Patriots owner Robert Kraft. No disrespect meant to Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, or Giants owner John Mara, or any of the others that took part in the lockout discussions. Kraft was there, while his wife, Myra, the love of his life, lay dying. She passed away just prior to the deal being completed, and through Kraft's work (which I have heard was instrumental), the season was saved.

You show me a football fan that didn't get a lump in their throat when they saw the image of Kraft and Colts center Jeff Saturday embrace on the day of the lockout's end, and I'll show you a corpse.

So, here you go:

FOOTBALL PICK
Giants 28
Patriots 21

SENTIMENTAL PICK (and Mike's pick)
Giants 24
Patriots 27

Mike Solarte

Concept of "All Star" Games Needs Review

2012-01-30T09:02:00.006-05:00

As a child raised on baseball, there was nothing quite like watching the All Star game. I vividly remember Fred Lynn's grand slam at Comiskey Park helping the American League beat the National League in 1983, and being a Cubs fan at the time, was crushed because my league lost the game.

30 years later, I am wondering if we still need All Star games in any of the major sports.

Don't get me wrong, I think the players enjoy the recognition, but do we really need the games? In all honesty, I have played in Thanksgiving Day football games with my family that had more defense in them than Sunday's Pro Bowl, or NHL All Star game for that matter. The players on the field, or even the ice, are doing all they can to avoid injury, which is the right thing for them to do. Calling the product on the field "football", or even "hockey"? Well, that's just not right.

I'm not dogging the players at all. They earned their trips to these games, and represented themselves and their teams. What got me, however, was the booing I heard at the Pro Bowl. The ticket buying fan HAS to know that what they are about to witness in Hawaii, is nothing more than a padded practice, ruin at 3/4 speed at best. You HAVE to know that going in. If you are expecting to see full speed, play-with-your-heart-on-your-sleeve football, you need to save the airfare to Hawaii, and track down Super Bowl tickets. I want to be sympathetic to the fans, but I can't in this case. You have to know what you are getting into. Worst case, you are in Hawaii, so there is that.

Didn't realize this on Sunday, but this was the last Pro Bowl contracted for Hawaii. The league gave Hawaii a 2-year deal after their experiment to move the game to the host city of the Super Bowl, an experiment that failed miserably. The 2013 game location is up in the air (as of this morning), which brings me to this: End the Pro Bowl now.

The NFL can still hand out Pro Bowl roster bonuses to players who earned them, heck they can even send them all to Hawaii for a week long trip. If you ditch the game itself, you don't incur the wrath of unhappy fans who dropped big dollars to watch the NFL's best players, except for those that are playing in the Super Bowl the following week, and other players who skip the game due to injury. Or any other reason.

The players want to go to Hawaii, but they don't want to get hurt in the game. Hence, the Matador-like defense that gets played. I don't blame them one bit. Football is not a game that is played at half speed, and yet, that's what they were doing, they were going half speed. We all know why. Question is, why even bother then?

Of course, Hawaii stands to lose far more in this. It comes down to economy, and if the game moves, or doesn't get played at all, the revenue generated by the tourists for the game I am not rooting for that, but perhaps the time has come to make the game more interesting, while not endangering the players in a meaningless exhibition. Problem with that, though, is that there isn't a way to make it more interesting without endangering the players.

As for the NHL All Star game, it's about showcasing the offensive skills of the players, and there are many great ones on the ice. There were no boos coming from the stands in Ottawa, and the same was said about Raleigh the year before. Those fans knew they were in for 60 minutes of soft defense, perhaps some dazzling goaltending, but most of all, they were going to see pretty passes that led to easy goals. Worst job to have at the NHL All Star game? Goaltender.

As for the NBA and MLB All Star games, only baseball seems to have a game that is somewhat competitive, but there is no doubt the pitchers have the advantage, since rarely does a pitcher have to throw more than one inning. The NBA game has the same defensive problems as the NHL does.

Basically, we as fans simply have to accept that these showcase games aren't designed to be competitive, but simply as entertainment.

That being said, Cam Newton's performance is not a big deal. 186 yards, 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions means nothing, and has no bearing on the upcoming season. Because exhibition anything is meaningless.

Mike Solarte

People, please. Get a grip.

2012-01-24T08:07:00.004-05:00

I won't sit here and tell anyone to avoid social media. I have a Twitter account of my own, and contribute to the Sports Night account as well. There is a lesson to be learned in social media, and it comes to us from Sunday's NFC Championship game.

New York beat San Francisco in overtime to earn a spot in Super Bowl XLVI, thanks to a Lawrence Tynes fields goal. The Giants capitalized on a 49ers turnover from Kyle Williams on a punt return.

Williams, for some background, is a 2nd year pro, and the son of Chicago White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams. He's been around professional sports for a long time, and knows the ins and outs of being the hero or the goat.

The overtime fumble was his second turnover in the game, having seen another punt bounce off of his knee, and the Giants recover the loose ball. It should also be pointed out that Ted Ginn, Jr., the normal punt returner for the 49ers was out with an injury, putting Williams in the lineup.

The question I have for you, the reader is this. Is a fumbled punt in an overtime of a football game justification for rushing to your computer or mobile device and start typing a death wish to the player?

If you answered yes to that question, please close this browser, and seek help. I'll wait for you to get back.

If you answered no, thanks.

Think back to ESPN's pre-NFL Draft coverage last year. Herman Edwards, NFL analyst and former Head Coach, gave his "talk" to the incoming class of rookies, and he touched on social media. I'm paraphrasing here, but it boiled down to "once you press send, it's out there for the world to see." That kind of advice was sorely needed by the alleged "fan" that wrote to Williams and wished that he, his wife, and family would die because they deserved it.

We have to remember that while we are passionate about the games and teams we love, they are just games. In the big scheme of things, the box scores don't cure illness, fix the economy, provide jobs, end wars or starvation. They are games played on fields, or inside stadiums and arenas.

Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas chose to not attend the White House ceremony honoring the 2011 Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins. Thomas went to his Facebook page, and posted his reasons for not attending, boiling it down to his disagreement with the Obama administration and its policies. His choice not to attend for his own reasons. The American-born goalie has that right.

The social media tie-in here again is clear-once you press send, it's out there. It's up to the athletes to stand by their statements, and for fans to respect their views, while still always remembering, it's just a game.

Mike Solarte

And then there were three?

2012-01-16T19:19:00.003-05:00

Why yes, there are just three meaningful football games left on the schedule in the NFL. Think back to the "Offseason of Discontent," and given that there was so much angst about a season possibly being missed, the 2011 season produced plenty of highs and lows to go around. Personally, I am sad there are just 3 games worth watching left. Let's look at them, shall we?

NFC - NY Giants at San Francisco

This should be a dynamite game. The Giants are rolling, and loaded with confidence after going into Lambeau and taking the Packers out. Green Bay was not sharp, perhaps the byproduct of the first round bye, but that is supposed to help teams, not hurt them. The Giants were unaffected by the surroundings, the elements, and most of all, the Packers defense.

Waiting for the G-Men in California, a 49ers team that has gone through a ridiculous turnaround. A year ago, they couldn't get out of their own way. In fact, they were one of Carolina's two victims in 2010. Enter Jim Harbaugh and a new attitude, and the 49ers were a scary team. Lots of detractors felt the 49ers were a paper division champion given the NFC West's lack of strength, but they certainly answered the bell against New Orleans, knocking the Saints out of the playoffs with their 36-32 win. That game, incidentally, has to qualify as one of the most incredible games in NFL playoff history.

Given the improved play of Alex Smith, and a defense that has been better than average all year long, what you have is a confident team that feels they can beat anyone. I am not sure, however, the Giants will comply.

This NFC title game will be a battle, but give me the Giants by a field goal late. if you like offense, this might not be the game for you. This should be a great game, with New York winning it 17-14.

AFC - Baltimore at New England

Give Baltimore credit for a wonderful effort against a Houston Texans team that would not quit. Houston never blinked, and only Baltimore's defense kept the Texans from advancing to this round. TJ Yates did not have his best game, but he is to be applauded for a darn good year. Entering the season as the #3 QB on their depth chart, he responded when injuries cost the Texans Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart. A couple bad throws coupled with an opportunistic Ravens defense just proved to be a little much.

Meanwhile, New England was dialed in, and treated Denver about as rudely as you possibly can in a playoff game. Tom Brady threw for 6 TD's, and the Patriot defense never allowed Tim Tebow to breath, let alone get comfortable in the pocket. Not much more needs to be said about the Patriots win. It was complete. It was convincing.

Baltimore has to go on the road and face the Patriots for the AFC crown, and I have to lean with the home team in this one. Baltimore says nothing is wrong with safety Ed Reed's ankle, or foot (injured at the end of their win over Houston), and they better be right. The Ravens need all hands on deck to knock off the Pats, but I'm not sure they have enough hands. Give me the Pats 30-17.

One last thing. While I disagreed with UNC Head Coach Roy Williams pulling his team from the bench area with 14 seconds to play against Florida State, I understand why he did. Granted, had Carolina won that game, security would not be an issue. A couple things are in play here. First, why does the visiting coach have to fear for the safety of his team? Second, why are arenas set up to have the teams crossing one another? These are simple questions, but questions that should be addressed. It doesn't happen often, but often enough that a ranked team gets beaten on the road, causing students to rush the court. Security measures should be in place to protect the visitors. In no way would I suggest students shouldn't rush the floor--it's part of the college experience (provided they do so to celebrate, and not pick fights with the players which is uber-stupid).

In the end, Williams did the right thing in regard to safety, and that is most important. Handshakes can take place afterwards near the dressing room areas. Keeping players from getting injured by fans that get carried away is the most important thing.

Mike Solarte

Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers...or...

2012-01-12T12:02:00.006-05:00

Rob Chudzinski is, as of Thursday morning, the Offensive Coordinator for the Carolina Panthers. Panthers fans are hoping it stays that way through the off-season and into the 2012 campaign.

Thing about Chud is that he is a desirable coach to lead a team, as he has been an assistant in the NFL for 7 seasons, and the work he put in with the Panthers and their rookie QB Cam Newton is being viewed as magical. It might be, when the lack of off-season workouts and mini-camps gets entered into the discussion.

While Panthers fans are wringing their hands at the possibility of Chud leaving, keep this in mind. The Panthers would be hard pressed to pay to keep Chud away from a Head Coaching post. The money isn't there, and if that is the guy's dream, he'll chase it. Chud was interviewing in St. Louis on Thursday, and here's a bit of interesting info.

He's not the only candidate there. And by that I mean, there is someone else interviewing there TODAY. Chud was to interview in the morning, and Denver Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen in the afternoon.

Could mean the Rams are doing their due diligence in leaving no stone unturned. Could mean Chud is a front-runner for the job. Until someone talks, we won't know for sure. My questions: Why the Rams? Why is the Broncos DC interviewing the week of an NFL playoff game that his team will be playing in? And what is going on with Jeff Fisher?

First, why the Rams. The Rams would be attractive to Chud for a couple reasons. Sam Bradford, the #2 pick in the April draft, and lots of cap room. The Rams would be unattractive with that 2-14 record they posted in 2011. Chud reclaimed a stagnant offense in Carolina after a 2-14 campaign, so would he want to go through that again?

As for Allen interviewing on the Thursday of a AFC playoff matchup with New England, I am stunned. How John Fox signed off on this is beyond me. Maybe he had no choice because it would be a promotion for Allen if he gets it, but during a playoff week? Might have been a foregone conclusion, but give me the Pats big this week. Like 24 points big over Denver. Call it "distracted defense."

Jeff Fisher is throwing the whole thing out of balance because he's stringing along bot the Rams and Miami Dolphins, the two teams he's reportedly interested in. There are some stories out there saying he is heading to the Dolphins, others say he is truly torn between the two, and more still that had him in St. Louis all but locked up. Fans are the impatient ones when it comes to Fisher, as they just want to know how the other dominoes will fall. Fisher is the key to making them move when it comes to Chudzinski and others. In reality, there is no real rush.

For me, I would think Chud stays with Carolina. Even if Fisher goes to the Dolphins, the Rams job isn't all that its cracked up to be. Yes there are positives as identified above, but is that the place he wants to go? I admit, I don't know Chud as well as I would like to get a read on his personality, but if he is the kind of guy that likes to finish what he starts, Carolina is the place to be at least for one more season. Better Head Coaching posts will open next season, and a trip to the playoffs with Carolina would look good on his resume, especially since his body of work in Carolina is somewhat incomplete. If he was that good on a short time frame, what can this offense get done in normal circumstances?

Mike Solarte

Around the Horn...

2012-01-09T10:11:00.002-05:00

After the opening weekend of the NFL playoffs, I'll try not to get all ga-ga over Tim Tebow, but there are some things to talk about here in the blog on a Monday.

The New Orleans Saints played a ridiculous 2nd half against Detroit, and with the win, earned a trip to San Francisco to meet the 49ers. The Saints are a great team when indoors, on artificial turf. Can they amp that up outside, on natural grass in Frisco? One wonders. The 49ers had the week off, and should be ready. This is Jim Harbaugh's first playoff test, and he certainly didn't draw an easy assignment.

This just in: Tim Tebow isn't bad. He's not at the QB Assassin level (see Brees, Brady, Rodgers for examples of that), but the kid isn't bad. Denver Head Coach John Fox doesn't dislike Tebow. Fox dislikes the notion of playing inexperienced guys. That's what we saw in his time in Carolina. Tebow was inexperienced, and hence, that's why there was the Kyle Orton show to start the year. Switching to Tebow obviously salvaged their season, and has now given the Broncos another playoff game, after topping Pittsburgh in OT on Sunday. Denver gets New England next, and if they win THAT one...well, I don't want to think about it.

The ACC went through a miserable bowl season, going 2-6 in their 8 games. Congrats to NC State and Florida State for picking up those victories. Virginia Tech also won their game, even though the score doesn't reflect it. You have to have conclusive evidence to overturn calls on instant replay, and I still haven't seen that conclusive evidence to take away that diving TD catch.

Regardless of that, there has been a load of outcry following Clemson's horrifying defeat to West Virginia, that the ACC should lose its automatic spot in the BCS, after getting run over 70-33 by the Mountaineers. Really? The ACC is singled out in this? To me, that's not fair. What happens to the SEC if Alabama runs it up on LSU in the national championship game? It's not likely to happen, but still, what if? You don't have to throw one league out of the automatic BCS spots at all.

You throw them ALL out.

The BCS is a bonafide joke in the fact that this money grab doesn't give fans what they want. Fans want a playoff. You can not tell me a playoff wouldn't work, because I will not listen. When I hear it won't wortk, I point to the playoffs that go on right now in the FCS. Works for them. It can work for the top level of college football. And you can still have your bowl season as well. Bowls get played Monday thru Friday during their normal dates. The playoff games happen on the Saturdays. Take 16 teams, seed them, and let them play it off for 3 weeks. You get down to 2 teams, and they play the National Championship sponsored by (insert the highest bidder here), and they play the Saturday before the Super Bowl. That would give the final two teams about a month off (the same as they have for the bowl season basically).

My plan, based on this season's calendar:
Conference title games were played Dec. 3. Start the playoffs on Dec 17. Give the teams a week to heal, and plan their schedule based on the brackets placed in front of them. They play 3 weeks (and I know that they would have been up against the NFL on Dec.24, but this is hypothetical), and on New Year's Eve, we have 2 teams left standing. They are off until Feb. 4th when they play for all the marbles.

What about the rest of the teams that don't make the playoffs? Hello bowls (as mentioned above). I am not suggesting doing away with the bowl games at all. Not every team is a title contender. There are teams, however, that do deserve a bowl game based on an 8 or 9 win season. So break out the suitcase, and hit the road. Bowl games serve a purpose in each community they are played, and they help the football programs build for the future with additional practices, and the like.

The plan can work, and don't tell me there is no money in a playoff. The day the NCAA announces they are moving to a playoff system in the FBS (which would go through another name change), all of the networks would come running to them with signed blank checks. The bowl system brings in big dollars for the schools, but imagine the revenue stream from a playoff AND the bowls.

That's my rant for the day. I am not implying that Alabama or LSU is not worthy of the title game, but there are folks out there that have a problem with Bama being in the game based on the fact they didn't even win their own DIVISION in their league. Then again, the year Secretariat won the Triple Crown, a horse named Sham was runner up to him twice. In any other year, Sham might have been the best horse, but that year, he was running 2nd to Secretariat. Bama running 2nd to LSU (for the season) isn't exactly a bad thing.

ACC basketball season is underway, the Bobcats continue their elevator play, and the pucks are skimming around the rinks. It's fun right now.

And the Daytona 500 is just 48 days away.

Mike Solarte

Carolina Panthers review

2012-01-03T09:35:00.003-05:00

They won 4 more games than they did a year ago, bringing their total to 6. Not good enough for a playoff spot, but an improvement. Considering the way 2010 played out, 2011 felt like an undefeated campaign.

The one thing that was noticeable all the way back in the preseason was the sense of hope this team brought to the fan base. Fans believed the offense would move the ball, and score. After all, 2010 was about as dismal a year for the Panther offense as could be imagined. Cam Newton brought the belief that anything could get done when Carolina had the ball.

Of course, Newton was only as good as the plan, and players around him, and there were several outstanding seasons had by guys like Steve Smith, Jordan Gross, Ryan Kalil, Brandon LaFell (late), and others. Concocting all the schemes, Rob Chudzinski. A guy I envision in a white lab coat scheming, and planning, and inventing new ways to move the football down the field.

It's nervous time for the Panthers and their fans, with Chud being considered for the Jacksonville Head Coaching post. IF Chud stays, and I think there is a real chance he could leave if the offer is right, Carolina has to find a guy similar to Chud to advance the offense down the road it is on.

The Panthers biggest problem in 2011 was staying healthy. 18 players hit the injured reserve list, a franchise record, among them 5 players that started on defense (which did not include Ron Edwards who was hurt in training camp). I don't care how deep a team thinks they are, that kind of pressure will cause even the best rosters to weaken significantly.

Comparing the 2010 team to 2011 isn't entirely fair, considering the void created by an offense that was worst in the league in many areas. No question this year's team was significantly better, and provided they can stay healthy (the caveat for all NFL teams), they can be a contender next season. In fact, Steve Smith has already proclaimed the Panthers will be a playoff team next season, and there is nothing to suggest he is wrong.

Mike Solarte

New Years' Eve....sports style

2011-12-29T23:34:00.002-05:00

Well, the 2011 calendar is winding down, so here now, some New Year's Eve resolution suggestions for the sports teams and athletes around the state.

The Carolina Panthers should resolve to stay the course. The pieces are in place for this team to be a playoff contender for years to come. Starting next year.

The Charlotte Bobcats should resolve to find a way to get Cam Newton to every home game, and sit him with Michael Jordan. That way, when pictures of Newton and MJ hit the wire services, the name "Charlotte Bobcats," will continue to circulate. If anyone knows how to brand things, it's Jordan. Get on that.

The Charlotte Knights should resolve to get a shovel in the ground on their new Uptown ballpark. I know they have been resolved to this for years. I would then suggest that the shovel be presented to Jerry Reese when they are finished. Along with a season ticket. And a smile.

The Charlotte Checkers should resolve to doing all they can to further enhance their relationship with the Carolina Hurricanes. Problem with that is so many Checkers players are being recalled to the big club, it might be hard to recognize the Checkers before long. Such is the price of minor league sports. Still worth a trip to TWC Arena to see them, no matter who is in the lineup.

The North Carolina Tar Heels should resolve to stay healthy in hoops, and stay committed to the promises of making the football program something they can be proud of once again. The scandal has tarnished not just football, but the school to a certain extent. Gotta reclaim that image.

For Wake Forest, their resolution should be to keep Jim Grobe as their Head Football Coach (and I am not saying he is in danger of being let go, but could be courted again for another job).

For NC State, resolve to keep the momentum high from the Belk Bowl win, and push the program to new heights. Also, pack the RBC Center for the basketball team. They work hard. Represent.

For Duke, well, David Cutcliffe should resolve to continue making those bold pre-season prognostications. One day, maybe next year, he'll be right.

Finally, my own New Year's resolution, just for you. I resolve to do everything I can to keep this blog fresh, and give you a reason to check out Sports Night every night on News 14 Carolina. I hope you'll come along for the ride.

Happy New Year,

Mike Solarte

Another lead up in smoke for Panthers

2011-12-12T08:23:00.003-05:00

The 4-9 Carolina Panthers continue to drop games, even after holding a lead through the first half, and sometimes behind. The latest example, coming Sunday against Atlanta. Carolina held a 23-7 lead at halftime, only to surrender 24 unanswered points in the final 30 minutes and lost 31-23.

All season long we've watched this team do so many good things through the course of a game, only to see the end result come up in defeat. There is a common thread in the losses, and that would be turnovers. In all 9 losses, Carolina has committed at least one turnover. In the 4 wins, the Panthers committed none.

The turnovers, in my opinion, were not the root cause of the loss to Atlanta, although they certainly didn't help. This loss comes down to coaching. Sure, the players play, but Carolina got worked in the coaching department, especially in the second half.

Head Coach Ron Rivera preaches that his team needs to 'find that killer instinct,' and 'find a way to put teams away in the second half.' Earlier this year, he recalled a story about former teammate Dan Hampton, who said once the Chicago Bears had a team in a hole, that it was "time to grab them by the collared shirt, and drag them through the gravel." Sunday was a PRIME opportunity to do that, and Carolina let the Falcons spread their wings, instead of clipping them.

Why do I say that? Well, it is simple. Carolina got the football back late in the first half, and when facing a 3rd down and 2 situation, Carolina chose to run a play that looked more like a first down call. The Panthers had a dynamic force in Cam Newton. This guy can gain two yards on his own in a variety of ways. Yet, the Panthers went conservative. The play call, a run off the left side of the line, went nowhere (in fact, it went backwards for a loss of one), and led to a punt.

That play may not have meant much in the big picture, statistically, but the fact the "go for the throat" Panthers decided it was best to hold the lead, rather than try to press the Falcons was a bad message to a young team trying to find its identity.

In the second half, the Panthers defense was worked over as Atlanta went no-huddle for most of the half. The Panthers could not get proper personnel groups on the field, and with that Falcons offense, they were going to have success. It fell on the shoulders of the offense to do their part to play keep-away from Atlanta's offense, and with three 3-and-outs, and two interceptions, it wasn't getting done. Certainly credit is due to Atlanta for making adjustments, but the Panthers seemed to make none.

Still, this is another lesson learned for all involved. Newton knows not to try and make ill-advised, left-handed, underhanded desperation tosses in the future. He will learn control of that howitzer attached to his shoulder (the 2nd pick was a sailed pass over a receivers head). The defense will learn learn better coverage schemes, and most of all, the coaches will learn that football is much like a chess match: you have to think 2-3 moves ahead. You have to be ready for whatever the opposition is going the throw at you, and be ready with a couple of counter-punches. It will come, but if blame is going to be assessed, this one falls on coaching. Yes, there were players at fault for missing a tackle, or blowing an assignment, but overall, this is a coaching loss.

Hats off to Steve Smith on his 6 catch, 125 yard effort in the. Smith became the 35th receiver in NFL history to reach the 10,000 yards mark in career receiving. He gave credit to the QB's that have thrown him passes in his career, as well as his receiving corps mentors. For a guy that has had his share of greatness on the field, and as he admitted, some bonehead issues off of it, he remains the same guy. There is something to be said for that.

Want to send a shout out to Connell Maynor and the Winston-Salem State Rams football team, that came up 7 points short of reaching a national title game in football. According to coach Maynor, his team was disrespected by many folks, and all they did was roll to a final 13-1 record. His team was good enough. His team played fast, and physical, and were entertaining to watch. Most of all, he got his kids to give max effort on every play. Sadly for the Rams, I am not sure how long they will have him there, as good coaches find their way through the ranks. I am not saying he is leaving right now, but I would recommend that Rams fans enjoy him while they have him.

Finally, congratulations to the Charlotte 49er men's soccer team for their wonderful run through the NCAA tournament. From what I saw of the match, which admittedly was the 2nd half, Charlotte dominated UNC. The Heels had, in my estimation, two legit scoring chances, and cashed in on one. They had a cross that was headed across the face of the net, and then the only goal of the game, a slick top-spin shot that was, in a word, perfect. The ball is stopped if it is kicked with less pace, and sails high if it carries too much pace.

Still, the 49ers came in unheralded, and most of all, unappreciated in the college soccer community. Head Coach Jeremy Gunn and his players did a terrific job of putting the program on the national map. Again, major hat-tip to them. It was a fun ride.

Mike Solarte

Wednesday nuggets...

2011-12-07T08:29:00.002-05:00

Carolina Panthers looking ahead to their Sunday meeting with Atlanta, and they'll go in without DT's (yes, plural) Sione Fua and Terrell McClain. Both players suffering injuries in Tampa Bay, severe enough to end their seasons. Panthers signed Jason Shirley off the practice squad, and Ogemdi Nwagbuo to the roster, and former NC State DT Demario Pressley to the practice squad.

This is a serious blow to the Panthers defense. Even though Fua and McClain are rookies, they had played every game this season, and were really getting comfortable with the scheme, as well as NFL life. Perhaps this is a good thing, as the first year duo may have been running into the wall a little bit. The Panthers are thinking long term about goals, so in that vain, that's likely how they are looking at this.

Also, keep in mind, the Panthers only had McClain available in Tampa, and that was only for the first half. Yet the defense did a solid job against the run. They'll need more of that this Sunday with Michael Turner rolling into Bank of America Stadium.

UNC football appears to be on the brink of naming Larry Fedora as their next Head Coach. Other than his win over Houston, I know very little about him. I do know he's a native of College Station, TX, which incidentally is where Texas A&M is located. The Aggies apparently have some interest in him, and if Fedora chooses Chapel Hill over his hometown, that would say a lot about what UNC is offering.

It would also say a lot about the coach. Fedora (or whoever would take that job), will be walking into a situation that would be considered less than desirable. The school is going to face sanctions of some kind, whether its the one's they imposed on themselves, or something from the NCAA. Fedora, and other coaches know this. They know that there will potentially be some lean times. They know it will be a tough assignment to keep Carolina trending upward.

Listening to talk radio on Wednesday morning, I had to laugh hearing some of the e-mails read on air. One UNC fan wrote in saying he opposed the Fedora hiring because a coach with 4 years Head Coaching experience is "beneath" UNC. Did I miss a memo? When did UNC football win a basket of national title? Oh, that's right, never. UNC football was at its pinnacle (recently) with Mack Brown at the helm. His name was brought up during the radio conversation as well, with fans recalling his back-to-back 10-win seasons. A history lesson: Brown didn't leave UNC to take the job at Texas because UNC treated him poorly or he viewed the school as a "stepping stone" job. Brown left because after winning 20 games in 2 seasons, and not getting into a BCS game, he viewed UNC as a place that wouldn't garner national respect in football.

I don't dislike UNC at all, and I know people will perceive my thoughts as hateful. the facts are this: UNC CAN be a national power in football. Making that happen is the job of a Head Coach, his staff, and the right mix of players. UNC hasn't had that combination since Mack Brown, in 1996 and 1997. It will be up the next regime to try and lead them back there.

As for Everett Withers, I commend him on being the company guy. He did his very best, but only a national title would have helped him stay on as Head Coach. It's my opinion that anyone connected with the Butch Davis era will be gone by next season. That house cleaning simply can't be avoided.

Mike Solarte

Hurricanes fire Maurice...and more

2011-11-29T14:19:00.003-05:00

From a personal standpoint, I don't like the firing of Hurricanes Head Coach Paul Maurice. There isn't a player in that dressnig room taht can look themselves in the mirror and say they have done all they could to help the team win.

From the professional side, this move just had to be made. The change at the top (Kirk Muller was hired later in the day on Monday to replace Maurice), might be what this team needs, and given the calendar, there is still plenty of time to turn things around.

Paul Maurice is a good hockey coach. He knows the game, and has a solid system. This Hurricanes team simply wasn't responding to the message any longer, and add in teh struggles of late, with the team losing 10 of their last 13, something had to give. If the coaching change doesn't wake this group up, expect even more changes down the road. Yes, I am talking about trades.

What do you know about Muller? Here's what I know. When Muller was a forward in the NHL, he was a guy I hated to see playing against my favorite team. He was tough, gritty, and talented around the net. He played with an edge, and I would suspect he will coach with one as well. No doubt, Muller was a guy I would love to see in my team's corbner, and I think Hurricanes fans will take a liking to him, once he gets acclimated.

Carolina Panthers picked up win number 3, a 27-19 decision over Indianapolis. It wasn't exactly easy, as the Colts were driving in the games dying minutes, but a timely interception by Sherrod Martin sealed the win. Not often to see the Panthers running Victory formation, but certainly a welcome sight. Test now is to maintain the good vibes against Tampa Bay this Sunday. Good thing for Carolina is that the Bucs defense ranks 31st in total defense, something the Panthers offense should be able to take advantage of.

Big weekend of hgih school football championship action coming up. The 4AA title game between Page (Greensboro) and Garner can be seen on news 14 Carolina with a 3pm kick from BB&T Field in Winston-Salem. ALL of the other state title games can be seen LIVE as well. Hope you can see the games, if you can't be there. Here is that schedule:

NCHSAA FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES ON TIME WARNER CABLE

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2

7:30PM

1A GAME-NC STATE

JONES VS MURPHY

TWC CHANNEL 520

3AA GAME-UNC

NORTHERN GUILFORD VS CREST

TWC CHANNEL 521

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

11AM

1AA GAME-WAKE FOREST

AYDEN-GRIFTON VS SWAIN COUNTY

TWC CHANNEL 522

2A GAME-NC STATE

TARBORO VS LINCOLNTON

TWC CHANNEL 520

3A GAME-UNC

HAVELOCK VS WEST ROWAN

TWC CHANNEL 521-UNC

3PM

2AA GAME-NC STATE

KINSTON VS WEST STOKES

TWC CHANNEL 520

3PM

4AA GAME-WAKE FOREST

GARNER VS PAGE

NEWS 14 CAROLINA TWC CHANNEL 14 OR 1114

7PM

4A GAME-WAKE FOREST

SCOTLAND VS PORTER RIDGE

TWC CHANNEL 522

The angry voice mail I got...

2011-11-21T18:40:00.002-05:00

Came into work today, and found my voicemail light was glowing. The message was left by a viewer named Dave. Didn't catch his last name, but Dave was angry. Really angry. Sparing you the word-for-word message, Dave wants the media to call out the Panthers, and the coaching staff for the losses, specifically, the loss to Detroit.

One of his suggestions was for the media to simply "not talk," to the Panthers in the midst of the losing. As if the media not doing their jobs, would affect the team, and they would start winning.

Not an option.

Where was this anger last season, when they had an offense that couldn't get out of its own way? That was dead last in touchdowns, points scored, and other categories? THAT was the team to be angry at.

Look, I get it. I see Panthers fans every single day, and I understand the frustration. You want to see your team winning. So do I. Makes my job that much easier. A team that wins, is generally happy to answer questions from us, and be very easy to work with. When losses pile up, players don't look forward to media horde entering the room, microphones and notepads in hand. To this team's credit, they haven't dodged the questions (which have been repetitive). They understand the job.

Bottom line, this is a young team. Remember last season when only 2 players were on the roster over the age of 30? Much of that roster remains, and they are still young guys. Add into the mix the defense has been hammered by injuries. There are a lot of places excuses could be made, yet this bunch remains in games.

It isn't much help, Dave, I know. All I can offer in return is this: Troy Aikman went 1-15 as a rookie QB with Dallas in his first season. Dallas went on to big things after that. I'm not saying the Panthers will do likewise, but Cam Newton already has one more win in his rookie year than Aikman had.

Step away from the ledge. It could be worse. Like 2010 worse.

Mike Solarte

The Panthers should be mad

2011-11-17T19:36:00.003-05:00

I know I would be, if I were a player on that team.

I know that after being so close in so many games in the first half of the season, I would be mad at myself for not playing better against Tennessee last week, and absorbing the worst loss this team has endured this year.

I know that it would motivate me to try and get well against a Detroit team that is sitting at 6-3, but coming off of a brutal loss to the Chicago Bears last Sunday. A loss that saw Chicago score a PAIR of touchdowns on defense )interceptions returned for scores), as well as a Devin Hester punt return for TD. The Hester thing has become all to common around the NFL, but 2 pick-sixes?

This Panthers team has talent, and they have heart. I would never question those attributes with this group of players. They work hard, and many guys are lean on experience. They are led by a first year Head Coach that has the chops for the job.

As someone that watches this team week in and week out, I want to see fire. I want to see guys reacting passionately when things go wrong. I want them to be mad when they get beat on a play, and then respond accordingly. Respond by buckling down, and playing harder. It's about determination. Will. Maybe guts, too.

This group, if they remain together, will accomplish great things in the future. There will be tweaks, and additions, but overall, there is enough talent in that room to be a playoff team in multiple years. They have to find the way there. The road to the top is never an easy one.

Consider these the bumps that it takes to get there.

Mike Solarte

NBA lockout heads to courtroom

2011-11-14T19:25:00.002-05:00

The NBA season now teeters on the brink, after the NBPA rejected the league's latest proposal for a new collective bargaining agreement on Monday, and then filed a "disclaimer of interest," which essentially dissolves the players union.

What does it mean?

Hello, courtroom.

The players held a press conference on Monday afternoon announcing the move, and in that time, they said the negotiation process had completely broken down, and that this was their only move.

It is hard to not come off as taking a side when you write a blog on the subject, but I really don't think I'll have that problem. In not taking a side, I can easily assess blame to both sides. The players have given back (reportedly), on many key issues, mainly 7 full percentage points on that magical Basketball Related Income number (BRI for simplicity purposes). Each point represents a significant amount of money, and the players giving that back to the owners was a substantial release. The players wanted other concessions in order to soften the blow, and the owners were not willing to give in more.

In my humble opinion, the players have moved towards a resolution, but only so far. the owners have moved towards a solution, but again, only so far. Where they have failed to meet, is in the middle. Ultimately, this deal will get done with BOTH sides having to sign off on a deal that is not perfect for either. Thing is now, it's heading to court with anti-trust lawsuits and lawyers, and all the stuff that are sadly becoming more and more of a presence in the games we love.

Should the players accept less than 50 percent of the BRI? I say no. Should they have a bigger piece than 50 percent? I would say yes, but how much? Basketball games do not produce a tangible thing. A widget doesn't come from a game. A stereo, a tv, a car, none of those things. This is all about entertainment. The tangible result of a sporting event is the outcome of the game. A winner and a loser. That's it.

There is no game without players, and there is no league without owners. Certainly, the sides understand that. The GAME is the product. The game is what people shell out their hard-earned dollars to go see. So to me, the players could stand to get a piece of the pie SLIGHTLY larger than 50 percent.

But, with the understanding that players don't have a place to play without the owners, I see why ownership would say they deserve more, since they are taking the financial risk of ownership, which involves meeting payroll, marketing, paying support staff, and all that.

Why is this so contentious? Here's why. The players don't believe things are so bad the system needs to be blown up. The owners feel that the current business model means they would continue to lose money. It has been reported that NBA owners would loss LESS money if a season isn't played at all, so what incentive do they have to get a deal in place now? The answer is none. If it costs less to not play, why would they rush and take a deal they didn't like or want?

How quickly this gets resolved will depend on both sides realizing that they are going to have to choke down a deal that won't taste good to them. Owners and players alike. All the blustering and posturing is going to do is isolate the fans further and further away from the NBA. Unlike the NFL, people will find other things to watch, rather than feel like they are missing out on the NBA.

Me? I miss the NBA. I miss watching the games, and even shooting them from my seat on the floor. I will miss the games that aren't being played, and at some point, the fans will too. Until then, the general reaction from people about this work stoppage is that it's "millionaires arguing with billionaires," and there's no greater disconnect for people in this current economy than that.

Mike Solarte

Penn State fires Paterno

2011-11-10T08:19:00.004-05:00

I made a passing mention of the Penn State situation in the last post, and with the developments of Wednesday, here's a little more.

The Penn State Board of Trustees fired Head Coach Joe Paterno on Wednesday night. The Board making the move, along with removing President Graham Spanier in one swoop. To me, this is the first of many removals from within the football program.

The shake-up has fans of the team unhappy, saying Paterno had done what was required of him, in reporting what he was told to his superiors. That much is absolutely true. He reported it to those above him.

He wasn't fired for that. He was fired for not doing more.

I made the comparison on Twitter last night (twitter.com/MikeSolarte), that Paterno ends up being the real-life equivalent of the two Marines in the film "A Few Good Men." I forget their rank in the movie, but Downey and Dawson (movie spoiler coming) end up being dishonorably discharged from the Marines for "conduct unbecoming of a United States Marine." In the confusion of the verdict, Dawson explains why they were kicked out. It was because, in his movie line, "we were supposed to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. We were supposed to fight for Willie."

Paterno didn't fight for the children, alleged to have been sexually assaulted by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. That was Paterno's undoing in all this. Paterno wielded more power at Penn State than many would believe, and as a result, when he saw that things weren't being taken care of in the legal system, he should have stepped up the pressure. He should have taken a more active role in seeing that the law got involved.

Instead, he likely felt he had done enough, and carried on, and the school's decision was their decision. In the end, that was the wrong tack to take.

Paterno is not the victim here. Some would say that since he didn't do more, he could actually be viewed as complicit. I'm not sure about that, but I find it hard for folks to defend Paterno and say he shouldn't have been fired. Fact is, anyone at Penn State that had connections to Sandusky, or even had some whisper knowledge of the incidents should be gone as well.

This situation, however, is not about football players, or games, wins or losses, and final scores. This whole thing started when one adult allegedly preyed on young boys, and allegedly committed crimes that are simply unimaginable to me.

There are failures at many levels of this story. Paterno may not have committed the crimes, but he simply couldn't be allowed to stay on his capacity. As the Nittany Lions Head Coach, Paterno was nearly identical to Mike Krzyzewski at Duke. When people think of Duke, they think Coach K. When people think of Penn State, they would think of Paterno.

Those days are officially over, as Penn State's image has taken a monumental hit. How the school recovers from this all is anybody's guess.

Mike Solarte

Follow me on Twitter! twitter.com/MikeSolarte

Panthers, NASCAR and Smokin' Joe

2011-11-08T12:53:00.004-05:00

Tuesday Quick Hits:

- Carolina Panthers are back after their bye week, and they have 8 games left to make something of this season. No doubt, the 2-6 record marks it as a failure, but ask the fan base, ad they will tell you this is the best 2-6 they have ever watched. They have been in every game, leading many of them in the 4th quarter. It's also safe to say that they have also not gotten a key break, or even made a break for themselves in those 6 losses. That comes with experience and confidence, both of which are simmering. When those commodities hit a rolling boil, the Panthers will be a force to be reckoned with. I don't anticipate that happening this year, but the foundation is nearly in place. There are deficiencies on this current roster, but they are fixable, if only in the long term sense. I predicted 6 wins for this team at the start of the season, and I am standing by that. They might surprise me, and win more.

- NASCAR punished Kyle Busch with a $50,000 fine, and probation through the end of the year on Monday. That coming after he was parked for the remainder of the racing weekend at Texas, for his intentional dumping of Ron Hornaday under caution during the Camping World Trucks Series race on Friday night. Parking Busch for the Cup race on Sunday officially eliminated him from title contention (he was 7th heading into the weekend, but now he is mathematically out of it). While many will clamor that more should be done to Busch, my take is they have done enough. This time. If Busch doesn't get the message from NASCAR that acts like these (and there have been others in recent memory to support his pattern of mindless behavior on the track) will not be tolerated, I don't know what will get through to him. Hornaday could have been seriously injured (or worse). The financial cost to Kevin Harvick Incorporated (the team Hornaday was driving for), as well as to his own truck series team for the damage is substantial. Bigger than all of that, however, is his reputation. Sure, many folks hate him, but sponsors love him when he is doing what he does best. Driving and winning. Kyle Busch is talented, in my opinion he is one of the top 5 drivers in the Cup series. When he acts like he did Friday, though, he is a major liability to not only himself, and his competitors, but his sponsors who attach their names, products, and ultimately dollars to him. Tough assignment for Joe Gibbs, because he has had Kyle's back in so many other instances. Standing by him through this one won't be pleasant. And it shouldn't be pleasant for Kyle either. It just shouldn't involve him losing his job.

- I am not about to whip out the broad brush on the Penn State situation as to who is responsible, at fault, etc. Bottom line in that case is this. Wrongs were committed, and proper authorities apparently were not involved. Someone is to blame, and it ultimately will cost Joe Paterno his lofty spot in the coaching world, along with his job. I have been of the opinion that Paterno should have left the game years ago, as he went through some lean times in Happy Valley. The game seemed to have passed him by. In this case, though, many will blame him for not being more diligent in informing those who could have affected the alleged situation(s), and perhaps prevented recurring instances. Sadly, those folks are correct.

- Finally, Joe Frazier passed away at the age of 67 years old. Many young sports fans may not know what Frazier meant to the global sporting landscape. In simplest terms he was the complimentary piece to perhaps the greatest rivalry in all of sports for all time. Before you call me crazy for saying Duke-UNC or Ohio State-Michigan deserve the marquee for best rivalry, consider this. Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali fought three times, in bouts that are considered by many to be the top 3 fights in heavyweight boxing history. Mix in the polar opposite personalities between the combatants, and what you had was real life Balboa-Creed (for you "Rocky" buffs). There was skill, heart, desire, toughness, and that not-so-subtle dislike between the two, it was the stuff of legend. Frazier lost just 4 fights in the ring during his career, and as tough as he was, he was unable to outpunch liver cancer. No doubt though, he was swinging until the end. RIP, Champ.

Mike Solarte

Friday Thoughts

2011-10-28T12:16:00.004-04:00

Some observations:

I like the Panthers chances against Minnesota this weekend. The Panthers are feeling a little bit of confidence, but they are also that the difference between success and failure is just a play here or there. This is a team that is doing exactly what Ron Rivera has been preaching all season: learning.

They learned how to deal with adversity against Washington and overcame the mistakes (of which there were enough that could have swung the game in the Redskins favor). They made the plays they needed to get the job done. That will go a long way in their development as the season continues.

Interesting to note, that there are many national football folks who believe the Panthers are not out of the playoff picture at this time. Yes, they are 2-5, but a win Sunday heading into their bye week could be huge. A team that has suffered through some tough losses to good teams could easily fold up their tents and call it quits, but this bunch continues to progress. I personally am not convinced the Panthers will make the playoffs, but a win Sunday would get them back in the mix, even if it is on the periphery of the discussion.

The World Series will see its first Game 7 since 2002 on Friday night. I am a lifelong baseball fan, and what I watched into the wee hours on Thursday was epic. Two teams throwing haymakers at one another from the 8th inning on. Big at-bat after big at-bat, both teams finding a way to score runs when the heat was at its height. Just beautiful to watch.

I am bothered, though, by the haters out there ripping Joe Buck for his home run call of Brian Freese in the 11th. His "we will see you tomorrow night," was word for word, the same as his father Jack Buck from 1991, when Kirby Puckett's extra-inning homer to win Game 6 over the Atlanta Braves, forcing a World Series Game 7. It was akin to Buck's call of Kirk Gibson's homer for the Dodgers to beat Oakland in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. It's the stuff that is built into the lore and magic of baseball's post-season.

People are unhappy that the call wasn't original. Really? I have a message to the haters: Get a Life. Seriously. What a great tribute to not only his father, but a legendary broadcaster. Had Joe borrowed something from Vin Scully or Jon Miller, or even the late Ernie Harwell, I would understand people being a little unhappy. Joe Buck kept it in the family, and as the situation was virtually identical (the game was played outdoors, rather than in a dome is about the only difference), it was fitting. Simple, direct, and dramatic.

Given all that Joe has been through healthwise, cut him a break. And then after you've done that, get out of your basement and see the world. Or just your little corner of it.

We'll see you tonight on Sports Night at 10.

Mike Solarte

The first step?

2011-10-24T10:11:00.004-04:00

The Carolina Panthers have a record of 2-5, with win number two coming Sunday over Washington. Head Coach Ron Rivera has been preaching for weeks that when his team breaks through and finishes games, it's going to be special.

Without getting too far ahead of things, I would have to say he's right.

The Panthers overcame their worst enemy on Sunday, themselves, and handed the Redskins their worst loss of the season. The Panthers tried to boot his one away in the first half, by committing nine penalties, costing them 70 yards in field position. For the game, Carolina was flagged 13 times for 105 total yards, something that has to be addressed.

Other than that, it was all pretty good. The Panthers may have caught a break when RB Tim Hightower went down with a knee injury. He was on his way to a 100 yard effort on the ground, which is becoming a pattern for opposing running backs (creeping up on 100 yard games), but Carolina was able to weather their own mistakes and get a win.

Next up, Minnesota, a team that looked dead in the water until two weeks ago. They have become competitive in that short span, now that they have turned to rookie QB Christian Ponder. He hasn't cured all of their ills, but he took the Vikings to a six point loss to Green Bay on Sunday. Adrian Peterson ran wild on the Packers for 175 yards on 24 carries. Carolina's main focus on defense is limiting Peterson as best they can.

Yeah, I know. Cam Newton.

Folks, we are running out of adjectives to describe Newton. He played very well, once again, this time racking up a TD run, TD pass, and QB rating of over 127...his best so far. Biggest number found in his statline was "0." As in zero turnovers. A huge boost in helping a team avoid beating itself.

The one thing I truly admire about Newton isn't his running ability, or his arm, or even his poise. It's the FUN he is having between the lines. Even when the Panthers are trailing in a game, he's slinging it, he's running, and in all of it, he's smiling. Watch the way he runs out of the pre-game tunnel. Touchdown celebrations are generally a joyous moment, but with Newton, the eruption is so genuine, it's contagious. Even though the Panthers have just two wins, it is safe to say that Newton is the guy that will help in the team's resurgence over time.

In other sports news, the World Series is tied 2-2 after Texas evened things up with St. Louis on Sunday night. I had to go back to game two, however, for the post-game bashing Albert Pujols was taking for not coming up with a throw from right field in the 9th inning. Just to reset it, the Cards led 1-0 in the top of the 9th, Texas would get a runner on first (who then stole second), and then the next batter rips a single to right. A ball hit too sharply to score the runner from second, the throw into the infield got away from Pujols, allowing the batter to advance to second. A pair of sacrifice flies later, and teh Rangers had the lead, and then the game.

Maybe it was just me thinking this, but it seemed like a lot of folks couldn't wait to get into the batter's box to take their cuts at Pujols for not coming up with the throw in from right. Could he have made a better effort on it? Sure. There is also this. The pitcher could have made a better pitch, and the right fielder could have made a better throw in. The first baseman's job on a throw into home is to act as an aiming point for the outfielder, as well as the cut-off man. If the throw will be late, the catcher directs the cut-off man to intercept the trow and make a play to another base (if a play is there to be made). Pujols didn't come up with the throw, moving the eventual game winning run into scoring position.

Pujols was then unavailable for comment following that game, and got ripped for that, too. If I am Pujols, I am ready to see what teams out there would want my services. It's pretty clear that one of, if not the best players in the game over the past decade has run his course in one of America's best baseball cities. There is no appreciation left for him, even after he belted three (yes, three) homers in game 3 in Texas.

Where he ends up is anybody's guess, but given his on-field resume, and his charitable work off of it, Pujols would be a welcome addition in ANY major league town.

Mike Solarte

An Open Letter to the Panthers

2011-10-10T19:59:00.003-04:00

Dear Panthers,

The time has come to turn the corner, guys. It really has.

Through five weeks, you have proven that you can hang with any team on your schedule, some tougher (Green Bay), than others (Jacksonville). There is no shame in the losses. Sure, losing sucks, but this is a far cry from the losses that piled up last year. A year ago, you guys looked great going into the national anthem. It was generally all downhill from there.

That's not what we see now. Now, we see a team that has been invigorated by a breath of fresh air. It no longer "is what it is," it is what promises to be. It's a fan base that holds their breath every time Cam Newton has the ball in his hands. Not because they worry he's going to throw it to the opposite jersey color, but because more often than not, he takes your breath away. The fans want that breath to cheer with.

Still, the reality is that the record is 1-4. In each of the losses, there has been one deficiency to point at as the culprit. One week it's no success in the red zone, another was the inability to stop the run. This week, it was coaching decisions (the timeout before the half, and the call to throw on 3rd and 2 in the 4th qtr, when a first down keeps the ball, and the clock moving). Yet throughout all of that, all four losses have come by a combined total of 22 points, or just over 6 points per game.

Last season, the offense couldn't get out of its own way. Now, the offense is searching for another field to conquer. The defense has been good at times, dreadful at others. This defense, though is missing 3 key players that were counted on at the start of the campaign, and have had other players miss a game here or there, due to injuries, namely concussions. There is blame to be had, and not one of the defenders would shy away from accepting his share. That is a quality group of high character guys.

There is plenty of character on offense as well, don't get me wrong. It's a good collection of young players that continue to grow week in and week out. The fact remains, that being close to wins only carries you so far. The late great "Bum" Phillips, former coach of the Houston Oilers once spoke at post-season rally for his team. A team that came up short of their Super Bowl destination. He summed up his teams' journey for the previous seasons by saying, "two years ago, we found the door, this year, we knocked on the door, and next year, we're gonna kick the son of a b$#^@ in!" This Panthers team is capable of kicking the door in.

Time to find your boots, gentlemen.

Signed,
Mike Solarte

Frustration is good, if improvements follow

2011-10-03T08:39:00.005-04:00

The Carolina Panthers dropped a 34-29 decision to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, sinking their record to 1-3, and leaving a stinging sense of frustration within the team.

To that, I say, good.

No, I am not happy the Panthers are frustrated, in fact I am glad that they are. It shows the guys in the room care about what is going on. It's a different sense of what was going on in that dressing room last year. Instead of frustration, it was more hopelessness. It was a feeling of, "we are trying, but we just don't have what it takes." This year's team clearly has what it takes, it just isn't executing when it matters most.

I am sure fans are getting tired of seeing this week in and week out. Making a lot of plays, just not making enough of them. Here's the rub: the players are tired of it, too.

I like the fact these guys aren't happy about losing. I like the fact that these guys are felling empty inside after dropping close game after close game. The true question is, will it motivate them, to a man, to step their game up a little bit more? Only the Green Bay Packers are making things look easy. Carolina is making giving games away look easy. And by giving games away, I mean, not finishing.

One quarter of the season is in he books. While it hasn't been nearly as ugly as last year (in fact, it's been rather enjoyable to watch), there are no pictures in the box score. What will it take to turn those losses into wins? It falls in this order: tighten up the defense, tighten up the special teams, and keep the offense doing what it's doing.

I'm not laying the blame at the feet of the defense, because they are doing all they can with what they have, and as we've known throughout the season, back into training camp, the defense is thin. that deep linebacking corps is being tested with Jon Beason and Thomas Davis both on the shelf for the season. It's being tested with their rookie defensive tackles. It's being tested with a young secondary. The Panthers have horses on defense, but could use some thoroughbreds. They may have some in the making (thoroughbreds), but right now, they are not up to NFL standard. That will come with experience, but there is one unavoidable truth in all of this.

The Panthers should not be 1-3 at this point of the season. A case could be made for them being 4-0. They lose by 7 to both Arizona and Green Bay, outswim Jacksonville and then come up short against Chicago. The loss to the Bears stings a bit more, because Carolina dominated Chicago on both sides of the ball for about three quarters. The Bears rushing attack owned the fourth for the home team, ultimately leading to the win. Carolina's troubles in stopping the run when it mattered hurt them in the end, but there were missed opportunities once again. A blocked field goal, and missed field goal (came up short from 52 yards, but 6 feet further and it's on the board), and other chances to sustain drives (2-12 on 3rd down conversions), will do that to a team. It is frustrating.

For a fan base that watched their team sink to the bottom of the league over a two year stretch, the losses are better than the ones from last year, however, they won't continue to be so patient. Playing good, and contending for wins is one thing, but ultimately teams are judged by wins and losses. Four games in, the new look Panthers are a frustrated 1-3.

Pretty soon, the honeymoon with all the newness will fade, and the wins will be expected, and they should be.

Mike Solarte

Newton is Top Rookie

2011-09-29T21:21:00.004-04:00

The first of what will likely be a truckload of honors for Cam Newton this season rolled in on Thursday, as he was named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Month for September. Hands down, the top rookie in the league over the first 3 weeks of the season. This just in: Newton is good. At least as good as advertised, if not better. Congrats to him, and the rest of the offense for getting him some run.

Panthers facing Chicago in week 4, and this one promises to be a good one. If Carolina has done nothing else, they have shown that they will compete until the gun sounds at the end of the 4th quarter. They were finally rewarded with a win against Jacksonville, and Carolina hopes it can be cyclical.

Back to the previous blog post--I stand by my prediction, the Panthers could have blown the Jaguars up, had it not been for a monsoon. It was like the storm cloud floated to the stadium, saw the game, and decided it would be fun to watch. Jacksonville's lone touchdown came during the driving rain in the 2nd quarter. Give Blaine Gabbert credit for being able to make that throw in that soup. Head Coach Ron Rivera would later say his team needed to defend that kind of play better.

When it comes to Chicago, stopping Matt Forte will be key, and keeping Jay Cutler uncomfortable will also be paramount. Offensively, Carolina has to contend with Julius Peppers up front, which is an all day job. Look for the Panthers to allow Peppers to over-pursue, and try to hurt Chicago with dump-offs to running backs.

Carolina also has to pay particularly close attention in special teams with Devin Hester returning punts. Makes for a long afternoon if you have to punt to Hester all afternoon, but keep this in mind: the Panthers have proven they can move the football, and if they are able to do that, run the clock to their advantage, Carolina has as good a chance as any to win this one.

Having to make a prediction: Give me Carolina 20-17 over Chicago.

Quick NASCAR hit, can anyone stop Tony Stewart? He's won both races to start the Chase, has the points lead, after starting off tied for 9th with 2000 points (all Chase drivers started with 2000 points, with 3 points added per regular season win). Heading into Dover, Stewart leads by just 7 points, but with the new system, 7 is nice. Not comfortable, but nice. Dover will be a key race in the Chase, but the true wildcard in the playoffs will come in Talladega, the week after the series runs at Charlotte.

Race prediction: This is the week the #48 teams gets on track to make a run at title number 6. Give me Jimmie Johnson on the Monster Mile.

Mike Solarte

Follow me on Twitter! twitter.com/MikeSolarte

Spraying to all Fields

2011-09-24T20:35:00.004-04:00

Been too long between posts (my bad). Thoughts on a variety of topics.

Look for the Carolina Panthers to get their first win of the season Sunday against Jacksonville. I have noticed this team turning a little edgy, and who could blame them. They deny it, because they know the reality is that they are winless, but they honestly feel they they should have the reverse record. Give Head Coach Ron Rivera a lot of credit. In a short amount of time, he has a team that still has plenty of players from last years disaster of a season believing they can compete with anyone. More than that, they are doing it. Jacksonville could get crushed on Sunday. Seriously.

Thoughts out to Panthers LB Thomas Davis, who is out for the season after suffering a third tear of the ACL in his right knee. The guy has so much heart and determination, it's a shame that he has been hit with this again. I'm not calling his career over. No way. The guy has too much desire and love of the game to write him off. When he does eventually retire, it will only be because he says its over. Until that time, he's an NFL player, just on IR.

On Saturday, I was railing on my twitter account (@MikeSolarte) about the Maryland Terrapin uniforms. I can't sugar coat it--those things are hideous. I lay the blame on Oregon (and Nike CEO Phil Knight). No school should have more uniform combinations, than offensive sets in their playbook. Oregon, your colors are green and gold. Maryland, you guys sport red, white and black. Stick to it. Duke, you aren't exempt either. Ditch the black based basketball uni's and stay with the blue. It looks better, and doesn't make people wonder who is on the floor.

Tough loss for UNC against Georgia Tech on Saturday. Heels fought back from a deficit, and tied the game at 28. Giovani Bernard is a pleasure to watch. Untimely mistakes, and Georgia Tech's ability to move the ball cost the Heels a win. Not the end of the world, as this team will learn from it all. Losing isn't fun, but the Heels played well enough to win. They just came up short. And stop with the "justice" thoughts about the 10-second run off at the end of the game. The NCAA changed the rule after last year's bowl game, and they got bitten by it. Saying it's justice is nothing more than being a hater. I'm not a UNC "fan," just a fan of good games. This was a good game. Leave it at that.

Lastly, I'm hoping Webb Simpson can put up a nice 65 on Sunday to give himself a chance to win the Fed Ex Cup at the Tour Championship. He's had a monster year, and it would be pretty cool to see a homegrown talent (Raleigh native, Wake Forest grad, and now Charlotte resident), claim the big prize at the end of a breakout year.

Mike Solarte

Confused by Panthers Euphoria in Wake of Loss

2011-09-12T19:51:00.000-04:00

Excuse me, but I don't understand the Panthers euphoria over Sunday's game. Yes Cam Newton was spectacular (a rookie debut record 422 passing yards and 2 touchdowns; & rushed for 18 yards and a TD), but last I checked Carolina came up 7 points short and lost the 2011 season opener. If I may borrow a line from former NFL head coach Herm Edwards, "You play to win the game!" And after a lackluster 2-14 season, winning should be all that matters to the Panthers and those that cheer for them. There are no moral victories in the NFL.

Look, I get it, Panthers fans are enthralled with Newton and they have every right to feel that way. This team didn't score 21 points in a single game until week 7 last year when they got their first win versus San Francisco 23-20. But Carolina was up 21-14 in the 4th quarter and couldn't hold on. Not only that, they lost to a team they beat last year without Cam Newton. Yes, fans want to see improvement, but when you have a chance to win -- especially on the road in the NFL -- you need to take advantage of it.

That is why I was so surprised by the excitement of the fans and even the media that cover this team in the wake of Sunday's defeat. I can guarantee you no one in the Panthers locker room is patting themselves on the back after the loss. Not the coaches, not the players and especially not Cam Newton. A die hard Panthers fan told me he hoped the Panthers could win 6 games this season. Certainly and improvement from last year's 2-14 campaign. Well guess what, Sunday was one of the winnable 6.

--Jason Brown

Panthers fall to Cardinals

2011-09-11T22:20:00.003-04:00

It will go into the record books as a 28-21 loss to Arizona, but the Carolina Panthers did more in their opening 60 minutes than they did throughout, arguably, all of 2010.

First the obvious. Cam Newton had a ridiculous NFL debut. 24 of 37, 422 yards, 2 TD's, 1 INT, and a QB rating of 110.4. His counterpart, Kevin Kolb put up a big day of his own, 18 of 27, 309 yards, 2TD and a rating of 130. Statistically, Kolb won the matchup, but Newton is a rookie, and looked as comfortable as he could be, given the compressed training camp schedule. He was pretty darn good.

While many are touting Newton's start (and they should), more cause for concern is the Panthers rushing attack, which mustered just 74 yards on 27 attempts. Eight of those attempts belonged to Newton, so the running backs (DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart) came home with this: 19 carries for 56 yards. The Double Trouble tandem never got on track for a number of reasons. First, the cards loaded up for the run, mainly because the Panthers had killed them with it in the past, and second, they appeared to be blitzing on two of every four dons. I'm just offering that up as a reason why the ground game struggled. End of the day, it has to improve.

Defensively, the front line bent, but didn't really break, as Cardinal runners totalled 100 yards on the day. Officially, they got credit for 99 yards, with Kolb coming in at -1. Still, the birds didn't gash Carolina as many had feared coming in. What they did, however, was take advantage of the Panthers willingness to bring pressure, as evidenced on the Early Doucet touchdown. Five wideouts, covered by 4 with safety Jordan Pugh playing centerfield. Pugh needed to be playing short center (you softball players know that position), and Doucet simply outran everyone to the paint.

The Doucet TD was the first big gaffe, the second was the punt return for touchdown from Patrick Peterson. It looked like 4 players had Peterson surrounded when he caught the kick, and he just ran away from everyone. Special teams needs to be just that-special. They weren't on that one play, and that was the difference in the game. Please don't flood me with "bad blitz pick ups," because I'm not buying it. Arizona brought heat the whole game, and Carolina did a good job to pick them up most of the time. To Newton's credit, he held the ball, rather than make an ill-advised throw and possibly a pick.

The loss stings, but after last season, this game provided more than a glimmer of hope. It was one of those huge spotlights that car dealers in Chicago would use when they wanted to attract attention to their lots for sales. It was a massive searchlight in the sky. After a 2-14 campaign last year, Panthers fans have reason to believe this team will be competitive. They may not win much, but they will come out and battle each week. They'll need that same mentality next week, when Green Bay rolls into Bank of America stadium.

My guess is, they will bring that with them.

Mike Solarte

After Cincinnati, before Pittsburgh

2011-08-29T19:37:00.002-04:00

Quick musings between games, as the Panthers get back after it on Thursday night.

I don't want to rail too much on this team, considering the body of work to this point has been done with a lot of guys in starting roles that are basically the 2's on the two-deep. Jon Beason, Jeff Otah, Geoff Schwartz and others have yet to play a down in the preseason. Beason just had a procedure on his achilles in the hopes he can be ready for the season opener on September 11 at Arizona. No guarantees on that, however. Otah has been back on the field for three straight days, which is a good sign. Looks like he may have to play through some knee pain this season (unless it's subsiding to where he doesn't notice it at all).

Are there mistakes? Yes, but they can be fixed. Some of them might disappear by plugging in the normal starter at the position in question. However, this team is running out of time to find a rhythm, especially on offense.

The defensive side of the ball has been tough to watch, and while some of it can be attributed to missing personnel, a lot of it comes down to fundamental errors. Again, mistakes that are correctable, but still being made. From my seat, I would agree with many of my colleagues that the Panthers will be looking for some veteran help at both DT and CB once teams begin cutting players (rosters down to 75 by Tuesday night, 53 by Saturday night).

Rivera said Monday he has yet to determine how long the starters will play on Thursday against the Steelers. My guess is one quarter max, but given the need for some continuity, they might go longer. In any event, the Panthers still have a long way to go, but a short time to get there.

Mike Solarte

Panthers-Bengals thoughts

2011-08-23T12:21:00.005-04:00

Days away from the Panthers-Bengals in week three of the preseason. Couple quick hits on that one.

CAM NEWTON should have a good night. Cincinnati is beginning to resemble what the Panthers looked like last year. That's not good. I would think the offense will enjoy a night of success, with Newton finding receivers down field, and the running game getting some good work done. IF this happens, Newton is the week 1 starter against the Arizona Cardinals. If not, then Ron Rivera has a decision to make with his quarterbacks.

Good to see Jeff Otah back on the field on Monday. Hard to look at him and say he isn't missed. Figures lie and liars figure, but hard to argue what Otah means to the running game. Two years ago, when healthy, the Panthers ran at will. Over 2300 yards on the ground. Last year, they were stuck in neutral, just over 1800 yards rushing. Otah didn't play a snap last season. The sooner he gets ready, and playing, the Panthers become a force in the ground game. Let's also not forget Geoff Schwartz is on the mend as well, and his absence has been noticeable this preseason.

Defensively, the Panthers have to do something to shore up the DT spot. Corvey Irvin, Sione Fua, and Terrell McClain work hard, but will that be enough? Tough spot for new Defensive Coordinator Sean McDermott to be in, but then again, with young guys come the chance for a coach to make a huge impression. After watching what Miami did last week, the feeling they can improve is very real. What would also help is the return of Jon Beason, who continues to deal with an achilles issue.

Overall, this team has been without some pretty big names through the exhibitions. Luckily, they haven't lost key contributors in those games (although losing DT Ron Edwards in camp certainly hurt). Here's hoping they get through Cincinnati in good shape. Plenty of tough decisions remain for the coaches.

Mike Solarte

Panthers - Giants, a review

2011-08-15T23:58:00.004-04:00

A quick hit before heading to bed.

The Panthers showed lots of promise in their preseason opener with New York on Saturday night, but there are still things to be worked through. First the positives.

DEFENSE

For a unit that went in without guys like Charles Johnson, Jon Beason, Thomas Davis, Chris Gamble and Captain Munnerlyn, the defense did well, allowing just 3 points to the Giants offense. They were active, the secondary did a nice job in coverage, and didn't allow Eli Manning a lot of time to throw the ball where he wanted to. It is the preseason, so teams aren't going to show a lot of their playbook, but on the surface, this was a solid outing. There are still questions about the depth at defensive tackle and in the secondary (locking down the right mix of cover corners), but overall, this unit performed well.

OFFENSE

Throw out the ugly pick-six thrown by Jimmy Clausen (a mistake he owned up to in post-game), and this group was good. Clausen bounced back leading Carolina to their first offensive preseason touchdown in 2 years, and the running game didn't get as much work as some would have hoped, but again, this is the preseason. Have no fear that DeAngelo WIlliams, Jonathan Stewart and comp;any will get plenty of touches once the regular season rolls around. This unit was also without some star power, as Steve Smith did not play, along with Geoff Schwartz on offensive line. This group can be good, and as Ryan Kalil told me after the game, there are a lot of pages in the playbook yet to go in.

Cam Newton is slowly winning me over. I'm not ready to anoint him as the next great QB in the league, but he is showing he is able to pick up a much different offense than what he was used to at Auburn. I would venture a guess that he will start against Miami on Friday night, and play most of the first half (if not all of it). Clausen should see plenty of time in the 2nd half. Derek Anderson doesn't need a ton of work, but if he gets in a good number of reps to stay sharp, he will be ready to go. Anderson, so far, has been a solid mentor to the young guys. Certainly better than I anticipated he would be, and being wrong never felt so good to me. How long this can last is a mystery, because he wants to play, but so far seems like a good match for this group.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Not much to say with this group. Jason Baker did his job well, Olindo Mare boomed kickoffs, and didn't miss a field goal or extra point attempt. J.J. Jansen was rock solid on his delivery of the ball to Baker in kicking situations too. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Hat tip to Armanti Edwards. No doubt he was put in a tough spot last year, and he responded in the offseason with his work as a receiver and punt returner. He looks to be the guy in line for the PR detail, and he showed some flashes on Saturday. Of course, he's still a work in progress. Mike Goodson's kickoff return skills were on display as well, and he's a hard, downhill runner with the rock in that spot as well as his running back details. Spoke to him after the game, and he was a little don about committing a fumble, but he knows he can improve there. Not to worry.

We'll see if they can maintain this momentum against Miami, who knocked off Atlanta in their preseason opener. Thing is, though, their first team was getting thumped by Atlanta, and the 2nd and 3rd teamers won them the game. Speaking of Miami, don't be shocked if Matt Moore wins the starters job in Miami. He looked good against the Falcons, and if he gets reps with the first team, it will be hard for Tony Sporano (I am so tempted to write "Soprano" when typing his name), to keep Moore off the field.

Mike Solarte

4 days in, some observations

2011-08-02T15:10:00.003-04:00

The Panthers wrapped up their lone workout on Tuesday, and are now off for 24 hours. Some quick thoughts on Panthers training camp so far.

1- It's really tough to assess just how good this team is going to be, because there are 20-plus players that are unable to take part in practices due to the new CBA rules. Guys like Thomas Davis, Jon Beason, Greg Olsen, Charles Johnson, etc., have yet to take part in system installs, and such because they either signed contract extensions, or were acquired in trade. Since they did that, they weren't allowed to begin workouts until August 4th. Davis tweeted out on Monday night "Having to sit back and watch everybody else practice is for the birds. We need to get this agreement done. So the rest of us can go to work." It's understandable why he's so antsy, considering he hasn't taken part in a meaningful workout with the team in nearly two years. Once the Panthers get their regulars back, things will begin to take better shape.

2-The QB battle hasn't been much of one so far. Cam Newton has looked better than Jimmy Clausen in the early going. That may change, but Newton is displaying a wide variety of tools in his toolbox. One of them, his ability to escape. On Monday night, our cameras saw him pick up the rush, find a seam, and explode through it. It's an intangible that Clausen simply doesn't have. Not criticizing Clausen on this, but there are noticeable differences between the two, which, in my eyes, puts Newton ahead of Clausen.

3-Derek Anderson signed with the team on Monday night, and won't be able to workout with them until Thursday. I wasn't fond of the signing, because I felt there were better "teaching QB's" out there. I wrote in this space that Jake Delhomme would be the perfect fit, but Anderson's experience with Offensive Coordinator Rob Chudzinski makes him a more natural fit, as his prior knowledge of the coach, and what the coach wants, will help Clausen and Newton in this very shortened window of training camp. Thing that scared me off of Anderson initially was his post-game blowup following a loss to San Francisco last season. I do, however, understand that we all have moments we wish we could have back. I'm guessing this is one such time for him.

No real thoughts on the defense just yet, as Beason, Davis and James Anderson (among others), have yet to hit the field. We'll know more after Thursday, and fans in Charlotte can get their first look (if they haven't gone to Spartanburg), on Saturday for Fan Fest at 4pm. Admission is free at Bank of America Stadium.

See you there!

Mike Solarte

So, how was YOUR Wednesday?

2011-07-27T18:52:00.002-04:00

The sports landscape has a way of ebbing and flowing. Generally, a steady stream of items come across the desk, things which are considered normal.

Normal is far from the reality in the Carolinas these days.

The Carolina Panthers are spending money like Daniel Snyder, and the North Carolina Tar Heels fired Head Coach Butch Davis on Wednesday. While one situation isn't exactly unusual, the other makes me scratch my head. Can you guess which one? Don't worry, here comes the explanation.

The Panthers are the ones that are acting semi-normally. That's right. An organization known for its loyalty to players, continued to show that again on Wednesday. They made good on their conversations (I hesitate to use promises in pro sports), with their own players heading into the off-season, and were able to get Charles Johnson (on Tuesday), DeAngelo Williams, James Anderson and Thomas Davis to agree to new, long-term deals. These were all players tabbed as "priorities," for Carolina, and they wasted no time in getting them done. The next priority will be Jon Beason, but that is down the road.

Now, the loyalty comment takes a bit of a turn here, as the Panthers are expected to release kicker John Kasay on Thursday. For some, that will mark a sad time in Panthers history. The last remaining original Panther, and the franchise's all time leading scorer being shown the door rather unceremoniously. Kasay's contributions to the organization reach far beyond his kicks on the field. He was a steadying force in the locker room, a player that many of his teammates could quickly come to for support and guidance.

For others, Kasay's departure means a fresh start, with no ties to the old regime. It also means the Panthers (with the signing of K Olindo Mare on Wednesday), will carry just one kicker with them into the season, with Jason Baker handling the punting detail. It will free up new Head Coach Ron Rivera to carry another position player into the season on the roster. For Rivera, there is no attachment to the past. When John Fox came in, Kasay was handling all the kicking duties. Towards the end, Rhys Lloyd handled kickoffs, Kasay field goals. The signing of Mare eliminates the need for the KO specialist (unfortunate for Lloyd, who never got a shot at the field goal duties in Carolina). In the end, this decision is about the business of the game.

Carolina hadn't done much of anything in free agency the past few years, and the reason for that was obvious then, and even more so now. The franchise was preparing for the lockout by eliminating big contracts, and stockpiling salary cap room in anticipation of a new collective bargaining agreement. The Panthers HAD spent money in the past, so the fact they are doing it now isn't such a shock.

As for the Tar Heels, this is the head scratcher. This past weekend, Butch Davis was in Pinehurst at the ACC Football Kickoff, and spoke in optimistic tones about the season ahead. He talked about how the program was moving forward from the nasty academic and benefits scandal that scarred the university last year. The fact that just two days after those interviews were given, Davis is now out of a job makes you wonder. Why the delay?

If Davis was on the outs, and the school knew that was coming, why wouldn't they have done it say, back in December after the bowl game? This firing does not change the fact that the NCAA investigation into the program, and the school, was and is an embarrassment to the alumni of the school. The firing also now throws the upcoming season into a tizzy, as the school has eight whole days to name a successor, and begin preparations for the schedule.

This is to say nothing of the upcoming meeting with the NCAA in October, a meeting that Davis was eagerly looking forward to (in his words at Pinehurst), where it was thought the school could move beyond what had happened. Davis' firing is poorly timed, and likely could have saved the school further embarrassment, and potentially harsher punishments from the NCAA. The penalties stand to be severe, regardless of who the next Head Coach is.

Mike Solarte

Post-lockout football

2011-07-25T10:16:00.005-04:00

The day is coming (perhaps as early as Monday), and once it begins, what will the Carolina Panthers do?

Of course, everybody has an opinion, so here's mine.

Sign, and then spend.

Sounds reckless, but it's true. The Panthers need to bring back DE Charles Johnson, RB DeAngelo Williams and LB James Anderson first (which is what they will likely be allowed to do). After that, target big ticket free agents that still have value. That;'s the catch. Finding the guys that are actually worth the rate and risk. Carolina has taken a two-year sabbatical on free agency, only bringing in 3rd and maybe 4th level guys in the past couple years (no doubt, looking down the road and seeing the current situation ahead of them back then).

Carolina's 2-14 record from a season ago, was due in large part to unproven, young players taking their lumps. There is talent there, but in order for those young guys to improve quickly, they need veteran leadership. I understand the notion of letting the kids grown up on their own, but you run the risk of continued lopsided losing seasons while waiting for that to happen.

Veterans last year would have helped immensely. Jimmy Clausen had no real mentor, and that's not a slight on Matt Moore. Moore was the elder statesman last season, with all 8 of his career starts at QB. Vet QB's came in when the ship was sinking (Brian St. Pierre, Keith Null), and they did a nice job of bucketing out some of the water, but not enough to turn things around.

Who are the free agents Carolina should target? Pick a position, and find the best guy. Carolina needs help in virtually every area. If the Panthers re-sign their own (the aforementioned players), they could get some help in the secondary (with the expected departure of CB Richard Marshall). They could also use some defensive line support (a veteran guy to show the young DT's the ropes), and perhaps a wide receiver to assist Steve Smith, or take Smith's place should he get traded (also a possibility).

Then there is the QB position. Jimmy Clausen is the incumbent starter, based on his experience last year. Cam Newton is the guy for the future. Who is their tutor? Given what the Panthers are likely going to invest in Newton, he needs a mentor on the roster. To me, the answer is simple.

Jake Delhomme.

Delhomme likely will be released by Cleveland, as the Browns won't be paying him back-up money now that they have settled in on Colt McCoy. Delhomme's best days under center are likely behind him, but is there a better guy out there, that the Panthers could bring in and be the team guy? Billy Volek would come to Charlotte, but he would likely be competing for the starting gig. Delhomme would compete as well, but he would also know that he is the 3rd guy. He would know that his job is to "Krash Davis" himself within the QB's (think Kevin Costner's character in "Bull Durham"). Teach them how to read NFL defenses, how to prepare, how to do all the little things. It's not glamorous, but he gets to keep coming to practice and getting paid to do it.

It's a thought, and to me it makes the most sense out of all the craziness that football fans have had to endure during this labor struggle.

Mike Solarte

The Lockout continues

2011-07-22T15:53:00.002-04:00

NFL Owners ratified their own agreement, and then were saying they were confused as to why the players didn't instantly ratify it themselves.

Huh?

While frustrating to fans (and media that have covered lockout ball, rather than off-season moves and looking ahead to actual games), the players are WELL WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS to carefully review a document that will take, in my estimation, 1200 of the 1900 players in the league through to the end of their careers. That number could actually be higher than 1200, I'm just guessing.

Fans need to remember that this situation happened when the owners locked the players out. The players didn't walk out on their jobs. They were locked out from their jobs.

From the folks I have spoken to, it does not seem likely that this current deal will be ratified by players before the weekend is over (although in this very fluid situation, that could change quickly). Truth be told, very few people outside the talks really KNOW what is going on. The players are holding the CBA right now, looking for the best deal possible, and I do think they will go with it, with some minor changes, but nothing that is a potential deal breaker.

The owners move to place the pressure on the NFLPA was applauded by one guy, Chad Ochocinco, on his twitter account, saying it was "well played," but the truth is, the players are in no rush to return to work. They didn't have the deadline of opening camps on time, getting games played. They'll get to an agreement when they feel comfortable they are being treated fairly. The delay only makes the fans angrier, but it comes to this: would you, John Q. Public, just sign a contract with your company because THEY said it was a good deal, or would you look it over first?

Mike Solarte

Countdown to Kickoff? Quick thoughts...

2011-07-20T21:46:00.002-04:00

Could it be that the NFL season will, in fact, be saved at the 11th hour? NFL lead counsel Jeff Pash saying Wednesday night that the paperwork should be in order that both sides can begin voting on it.

Let me throw this caution out there: just because it can be voted on, doesn't mean it will be voted on favorably. Of course, I have no reason to think the sides won't agree and get things rolling, but a cold splash of reality never hurt anyone.

It will be interesting to see what the players gave up, and how much the owners gained in all this. Still, both sides stand to make large sums of money from the $9 billion dollar pie, so it will be hard to feel sorry for any of them. At the same time, though, I hope both sides realize that this 4 month run of labor strife has left a stain on the NFL shield, and BOTH sides will have to work on removing it.

People who count on the NFL for their livelihood have endured 4 months of terror. Organizations that base fundraising efforts on the NFL have as well. Will fans be turned off after all of this, or will they come back in the usual numbers?

We'll see just how bullet-proof the NFL really is.

Mike Solarte

Kicked in the gut

2011-07-18T12:33:00.002-04:00

Mention the game of soccer to the average American, and the response is generally lukewarm. For the most part, the average Joe has limited interest in the game. Most of the time, their interest stems from the teams on the field, and with Team USA in the Women's World Cup final, interest was higher than usual.

The Americans held 1 goal leads, twice in the game, only to see Japan erase the margins both times, force penalty kicks, and ultimately claim the Cup. It was a stunning defeat for an American side that many felt should win the game, and the tournament. The Japanese side finding a way, winning their first World Cup title, and lifting a wounded nation that has gone through so much.

What I found most interesting, though, were the reactions on Twitter. Some called the loss a "choke job." Others were proud of the effort. I wonder if those fighting for gender equity in sports, were ok with the notion of fans labeling the loss a "choke." More than that, I wonder if the person that called it a "choke," also says they don't care about soccer, or women's soccer for that matter. You can't say you don't care in one breath, and then call it a "choke," in the next. If you didn't care in the first place, then you have no opinion on the outcome.

Basically, there are more closet soccer fans out there than want to admit it. And that is ok by me. Follow my twitter timeline (@MikeSolarte) and you'll see some of the conversations I have. I'm not diehard, but I appreciate the game that my father taught me as a youngster.

Darren Clarke wins the 140th British Open at Royal St. George's, and I ask, could there have been a better winner? OK, sure Phil Mickelson or Dustin Johnson might have been better for American golf, but there were maybe two better stories than Clarke. One would have been English amateur Tom Lewis winning it (he opened with a 65 to tie for the round 1 lead, b ut faded and finished as low amateur at +9), or Tom Watson taking another Claret Jug. In the end, Clarke takes the win, his first major title, and it took him 20 tries at the British alone.

Why is Clarke so likable? He is you. He is me. He is a guy that likes to smile, have a good time, have a pint of Guinness now and again. His life isn't immune from reality. Five years ago, losing his wife to breast cancer. I couldn't imagine losing my best friend at the age of 37. He battled through it, offered counsel to Phil Mickelson when his wife Amy was diagnosed. He has had his highs, and lows in the game. Highs and lows in life. Yet he ambles on, striking the ball in Sandwich with surgeon-like precision. He earned that walk up 18, grin on his face, and even had enough of a cushion to bogey his final two holes, the last one on the 72nd hole giving him a chance to make a remark at someone on the edge of the green.

Clarke's win leads us back to the harsh fact, that no American golfer has won a major in the last seven. In fact, it's Northern Ireland 3, USA 0 in that span, thanks to Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and now Clarke. A promising sign was Mickelson's performance. Traditionally, Mickelson struggles in the British, but his T-2 finish with Johnson gives the USA some hope. Last chance this year to grab a major comes at the PGA Championship in Atlanta. Surely, some good old American grit can win out in what could be steamy conditions in the A-T-L, right?

Mike Solarte

Baseball at the Break

2011-07-12T12:50:00.003-04:00

Baseball finds itself at the halfway mark, and the biggest story of the year has already taken place. Derek Jeter shot through the 3,000 hit mark with a 5-for-5 performance. Hit number 3,000 coming on a homer. Fitting, of course, considering Jeter is a player that is, in my opinion, universally loved. Well, except by Red Sox fans.

Jeter has been the epitome of a baseball professional. He's been a true Yankee, following in the line of Dimaggio, Mantle, Maris, and so on. Thing is, his displays as a player haven't been confined to his time in the majors.

Once upon a time, Jeter was assigned to the Columbus Clippers (then the International League affiliate of the Yankees), on a rehab stint. Jeter appeared in just one game for the Clippers, before pronouncing himself ready to return to the majors. He played against the Durham Bulls in Durham. That night, Jeter went 2-for3 with a pair of doubles and a sacrifice fly. Not bad, right? It went beyond the box score.

After the game, Jeter stood at the short fence next to the visitors dugout, and signed autographs for nearly 45 minutes. The game ended, he just walked up the steps, Sharpie in hand, and began to write his name on anything placed in front of him. He engaged the kids, the parents, anyone that approached him. He knew his appearance in Durham meant a lot to a lot of people. He knew it was his duty to give something to those that would likely not be able to see him again. And he did it all with a smile.

I'm not a Yankees fan, but I am a Jeter fan, which leads me to this next point: get off of him, or anyone else for skipping the All Star game.

The All Star game isn't what it used to be, and until MLB does away with inter-league play, it won't regain it's status as the Mid-Summer Classic. This once was the showcase game for the league. The best players from each league, dueling it out for nothing more than bragging rights (and a game check). It used to be considered and honor to be picked as an All Star, but now, in my opinion, it's looked at as a nuisance. I understand the players side, too. 162 games is a grind, and then to fly to the All Star game, and keep playing through a time when the rest of your teammates have their feet in the air, it could be a little tough mentally.

Obviously, players picked for the game, but sidelined by injuries shouldn't be getting any grief over missing the game. Jeter isn't playing, due to what is described as exhaustion. I'm willing to give him a pass on this one given his 3,000 chase, and that he has been nursing a nagging injury as well.

For the players that want the time off, they should have that option. Again, until inter-league play goes away, the All Star game will be nothing more than an exhibition that:
1) once ended in a tie.
2) tried to invent importance by granting home field advantage in the World Series to the league that wins the All Star game, and
3) is played at too late of an hour for kids to be able to watch it, even though the game is played in the summer.

The NFL and NBA may be in lockout situations, but sadly, baseball has lost touch with the fans the most. As someone who grew up on the game, it's sad.

The Good: Rory. The Bad: UNC football

2011-06-22T19:03:00.003-04:00

Opposite ends of the spectrum in this blog post, let's start with the positive.

Rory McIlroy's eight shot win at the US Open last week was a thing of beauty. Any lingering effects from his Masters collapse in April were nowhere to be found. It was good for him, and for golf, that he had such a week.

I take issue with the fact that people chose to rip Congressional for being too easy. Where were these people when Tiger Woods crushed the US Open field by 15 at Pebble Beach? Give credit to McIlroy for being better than everybody else for the tournament. The course was soft, and there for the taking. For EVERY PLAYER. McIlroy did it better than anyone else, including Jason Day, whose -8 total would have won 26 of the previous 30 US Open's.

Now, before we anoint McIlroy as "the next one," let's keep some names in mind. Andy North, and Scott Simpson. Both winners of major championships, accomplished golfers, but far from what many would consider legendary. I'm not ripping them, just comparing. McIlroy owns one major. Will he win more? Probably, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The benchmark for this current generation of golfers is still one Eldrick "Tiger" Woods.

Turning to the bad, the North Carolina football program has 90 days to respond to the NCAA's Notice of Allegations it received on Tuesday. Amazing that Butch Davis seems to come from the documents unscathed. That just leads me to believe that he truly knew very little (if anything), based on what the NCAA and UNC investigations uncovered. Either that, or he has a great poker face. This still leads me to a difficult area.

How does the Head Coach of a football team not know what his players are up to? On this point, I am talking about the trips and benefits, not the academic issues. Those are separate. The Head Coach is the guy, ultimately, in charge. To Davis' credit, he accepts the blame, but how will he follow up on that? I'm not taking a shot at the school here, just pointing out that these allegations are serious business. This isn't something that will go away overnight. The University MUST be proactive, and openly proactive in how they show the NCAA, their students, and their fans how serious they are about keeping all programs clean and above board. I think they almost need to go out of their way to show folks they mean business.

UNC alums that I know (and some I work with), were very embarrassed by this scandal. Some have even called for Davis to be removed (which I don't think will happen). The guy who is under the most pressure in this is Director of Athletics Dick Baddour. It's on him to oversee what should be an in-depth look at how to get the schools athletic programs cleaned up. Mind you, it's not all of them, but still, the investigation needs to reach ALL student athletes. Again, this is serious. It needs to be addressed that way. I am confident it will be.

Mike Solarte

Bruins win the Cup

2011-06-16T07:45:00.005-04:00

Windows were broken, cars overturned and burning in the streets, people were injured.

Police tried desperately to control the unruly crowds. Looters had their way taking what they wanted, while other random acts of violence and senselessness filled the air.

Sounds a lot like what happened after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans.

This was in Vancouver on Wednesday night, and the reason? Their hockey team lost the Stanley Cup.

In the early stages of the mayhem, I was still at my desk, watching the Cup get passed from one Boston Bruin to the next, and my twitter feed was erupting with news of spreading chaos in Vancouver. It was with stunned amazement, that I checked out Canadian TV websites to see and hear the coverage. Utter insanity.

One of my wonderful followers tweeted to me that the people in the midst of the destruction should "grow up." While true, he led into those two words with something far more profound. "In many countries, they riot about government or for democracy, in North America we riot over sports."

Sad, but true.

From my perspective, the worst part of this story is that the celebration of hockey is pushed to this point in the blog. What a wonderful game 7. Two teams pushing themselves to the limit. One team standing atop the mountain. Hats off to the Bruins for winning their first title since 1972, and to Tim Thomas for winning the Conn Smythe trophy for playoff MVP. He's just the 2nd American born player to do so.

Mark Recchi took the opportunity to retire after 22 NHL seasons, and 3 Stanley Cups with 3 different teams. Young stars like Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin will have their names on the Cup for 67 years (the amount of time it takes to remove a ring from the trophy). So many positives for the Bruins, it will make it tough for somebody to take it away from them in the coming years.

Hopefully, the team that comes up short won't burn things in the streets afterwards.

Mike Solarte

NASCAR, Dallas wins, and more

2011-06-15T00:12:00.003-04:00

Congrats to the newest members of NASCAR's Hall of Fame. Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Inman, Modifieds legend Richie Evans and Glen Wood. Five men whose contributions to NASCAR could not be overlooked any longer.

The star of the announcements, as you would expect, was Waltrip. He ran to the stage, planted a smooch on the cheek of NASCAR Chairman Brian France, and did a few fist-pumps on his way back to his seat. The selection meant the world to him, and now he will be enshrined alongside some of the biggest names that stock car racing has ever known.

Had the chance to toss some questions his way, and asked him what Dale Earnhardt would say to him, and DW's reply was simple, and with a smile. "I got in first, " said Waltrip imitating the late Earnhardt's likely reaction. Great to see that there is so much reverence for such an honor, one that he doesn't take lightly, and ultimately, could be very good for the Hall. There is no debating the Hall is not making the money it projected it would (and admittedly some of those projections were inflated based on the economy at the time the planning was going on), but a guy like Waltrip could be a Pied Piper of sorts, leading fans to NASCAR'S showpiece. Time will tell, but to have a guy nicknamed "Jaws" talking up the Hall will not be a bad thing.

The Dallas Mavericks are the NBA champs, for the first time in their history. While it is a great story,it was made sweeter to the entire LeBron James hating public. I took no personal satisfaction from LeBron's defeat, but more joy in the notion that a team is stronger than a collection of individuals, which is what, ultimately, the Heat were. A group of very talented players, tha simply didn't know how to finish when all the chips were in the middle. The Heat are already installed as the favorites to win it next year, which is not a shock at all. Something tells me they will figure things out in the off-season, and come into the playoffs next year ready to prove the doubters wrong. They had a great year, but the Mavericks simply wouldn't be denied.

What does this say, though, about the legacy left by the season? When James convinced Chris Bosh to go with him to Miami to join Dwyane Wade, signing for less money than they would have made by staying with their previous teams, it was applauded and booed in the same breath. I admit, I didn't like it, and knew the pressure would be on them all season long. For the most part, they responded, but when faced with a team that had the conviction to battle past the "star-factor," the Heat had no response.

It's a cautionary tale of how what looks good on paper may not be the best thing to achieve the ultimate goal: winning a championship. Miami will look different from roster spots 5 on back, as many players took the minimum to ride shotgun to the trio, hoping for a ring. Don't think big name soon-to-be free-agents didn't see how fans reacted to the noise created in South Beach, and the subsequent thud that took place on Sunday night.

Speaking of the NBA, the Charlotte Bobcats have a new GM, Rich Cho. Cho was introduced Tuesday, and his hiring boots Rod Higgins up the ladder one notch to Director of Basketball Operations with the club. What does this mean? Well, it means a guy who was a small-market GM (in Portland), will now face similar challenges with small (but bigger) market Charlotte. Sounds like a lateral move, but in reality, it's a step up. Cho will be able to do the same things with the Bobcats as he did with the Blazers, but he's doing it with Michael Jordan overseeing things. All the feedback I heard on Cho on Tuesday was positive, and Bobcats fans are hoping he can help Charlotte take the step forward, and back into the playoffs.

Coming Thursday, my review of game 7 between the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks. No need to preview it. it's game 7. Let the chips fall where they may.

Mike Solarte

Friday Free for all

2011-06-10T11:06:00.004-04:00

Emptying my brain of all things sports before heading to the weekend.

The Carolina Panthers wrapped up 2 weeks of player-organized workouts on Thursday, with more than 40 players on hand. Considering there were some players who did not take part in any or all of the workouts (for a variety of reasons), any number between 40-50 should be looked at as a good sign.

Impressive turnout, considering that the Panthers went 2-14 last season. The workouts were minimally about implementing schemes and systems, and more about team building. Last year, I didn't get the sense that the players in the room didn't like each other. I did sense that the losing was grating at the team. Can't blame them They worked very hard, and got very little in the way of results. Looking at between 40-50 guys showing up to get as jump on the time lost is a positive sign. Shows me these guys truly care about their work, and improving. Players of lesser character would have taken the chance to get away, and not bother. I like the commitment shown by these guys here.

Of course, there are some players that elected not to take part, and in a lot of cases, the reasons are justified. Guys coming off surgery, players who may or may not be back with the team next season. It makes sense. I am not calling anybody out on this,as I understand their reasons for not being there. The decision not to work out is not a reflection of their desire to get better or be with their teammates. I will say that there are guys that didn't participate that I would love to see back in Panthers colors next season.

On the NFL theme, the talks that have been taking place between players and owners are an encouraging sign. If they are talking, there is a chance a deal can be reached, ending the lockout, and getting football back on the field and out of the courts. I'm not ready much into any of the talks, other than to say, the more the talk, hope remains alive that a season will begin on time, with minimal damage done to the on-field product. Carolina has already missed one mini-camp, and OTA's would be underway right now. The coaching staff is behind the 8-ball in getting their systems in place, and the players are behind in getting acclimated to a new staff. Judge the Panthers fairly, if they get out of the gates slowly. This team simply won't have enough reps under their belts to be at full speed when they get going, even if the season begins on time. The same is true for every team with a new coaching staff this season.

The NBA Finals have gotten good, rally good if you are a fan of the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs own a 3-2 lead heading back to Miami for game 6 on Sunday. Dallas finally got a big night from their bench in game 5, giving them the lift they needed. The Mavs have done a nice job of weathering the Heat, and their big three of LeBron, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. I can't say enough good things about the way Wade has played in this series, but to overlook what Dallas has done to this point would be unfair.

The critics are gunning for LeBron, and they are stockpiling ammunition. Sadly for James, he's handing them the bullets. LeBron has just 11 points in the five-4th quarters of this series. For the guy that has become the face of the NBA, and considered by many to be the best player in the league, he simply has to be better in crunch time. He hasn't been nearly as aggressive to the rim, which is a major strength of his game. He has settled far too often for jumpers. He has done a good job of trying to get others involved, but for Miami to have a chance at this title, LeBron has to be more selfish. He has to be the guy drawing the contact in the lane, taking it strong to the cup, and becoming the focus. Wade has been amazing, but LeBron has to be LeBron to give Miami a chance.

Flipside of things, the Stanley Cup Finals are tied heading into Friday night's game 5 in Vancouver. This series has seen everything. A Canucks player biting the finger of a Boston Bruin player (which went unpunished by the NHL in one of their worst disciplinary decisions ever), another Bruins player knocked out of the series due to a vicious head shot (which drew a 4-game suspension from the league in a competent decision by the NHL disciplinary folks), and Boston goaltender Tim Thomas get physical with Vancouver's Henrik Sedin (a clean play by the NHL rulebook, and drew no penalty). On my twitter account , I posted that, for the first time in my hockey-viewing life, the post-series handshakes may need to be policed by the officials. This is a nasty series, and now that it's down to a best of 3, I expect it to continue to be heated.

Quick shout out to Scott Harvey of Greensboro for winning the 47th North Carolina Open at The Club at Irish Creek this week. Harvey won by four shots, finishing -14 for the week, while Rick Lewallen was the low-professional for the event at -10. Harvey, as you likely have guessed, is an amateur, but more than that, he is the son of the first NC Open champ Billy Harvey, who also won the tournament as an amateur in 1965.

In the weeks ahead, we'll look at the Charlotte Bobcats and what they are looking at heading into the NBA Draft. However, the NBA is also dancing dangerously close to a lockout of their own, with their current Collective Bargaining Agreement set to run out on June 30th. Here we go again.

Mike Solarte

NASCAR fines Childress $150,000

2011-06-06T19:13:00.002-04:00

"Have at it" can be costly. In this case, $150,000 coming out of the pocket of Richard Childress. NASCAR fining him that sum on Monday, and placing him on probation until the end of the calendar year.

It's a steep fine, and it's a fair fine. Frankly, though, I'm not sure it was enough. This all happened after the Camping World Truck Series race in Kansas, as Childress got into a fight (which NASCAR deemed Childress started) in the garage area. From all that I can piece together on this, it seems Childress was unhappy that Kyle hit an RCR truck after the race was over.

As a car/truck owner, that means more dollars out the window to repair the damage. I could see why the owner would be upset about that, especially when the offending party is also a truck owner.

Still, it doesn't excuse Childress for going after him in the garage area. A shouting match? That's one thing. Fisticuffs is another. If, and since I wasn't there it's an if, this all went down that way, Childress should consider himself fortunate he wasn't suspended for a certain amount of races, or worse, the rest of the season. I have less of a problem if two drivers are duking it out, than an owner taking on a driver. Two drivers are on the track, emotions run high, things like that can happen. A guy that has seen so many things in NASCAR like Childress is entitled to be ticked off, but should know better than to start throwing hands.

As it stands now, the message sent is fighting carries a fine in NASCAR, no matter who you are. And that's it. Maybe this is what NASCAR wants, but given the fact that this incident took place on Saturday, and we're blogging, and talking about it on Monday, NASCAR might be happy getting a free commercial about their series.

That $150,000 dollars isn't bad, either.

Mike Solarte

Panthers players lockout media

2011-06-01T14:21:00.007-04:00

Players for the Carolina Panthers are going through a 2 week schedule of workouts at Charlotte Christian. You have to take our word for it, because the players won't let media in to witness it, photographers to shoot it, video cameras to record it.

I want to state for the record, I am against the lockout of this, but at the same time, I do understand some of the reasoning behind it. I understand that the guys just want to do some team building, get into a physical routine, and be as prepared for the time they are allowed back into NFL stadiums to play football.

Panthers tackle Jordan Gross has been instrumental in organizing the workouts, and was pleased by the turnout of over 50 players. He wouldn't get too specific as to who was or wasn't there, but he offered up the best reasoning for blocking the cameras, and writers. There are players taking part that have uncertain futures with the team, and for their protection (more of a courtesy in my opinion), Gross and company determined that keeping the media out allows these players to get work in, and prepare without distractions.

I'm ok with it, I really am.

On the flipside of that, here's the media's argument. It's been a summer of discontent between fans and the NFL. The lockout is now 3 months old, no movement is taking place, and it's all about courtrooms, rather than film rooms. I know the players simply want to play. I have taken up for them in this labor battle, because they didn't lock themselves out, nor did they sue to keep the league from playing games (which the NFL owners actually did).

Still, how much of a distraction is it for the media to be in attendance to witness and report what they see? It's not like the reporters are on the field, listening to all conversations. The photographers are sending the video to other players-only camps around the league so other teams can watch and learn things about Carolina. The media is the bridge between the game and the fans.

Getting off the subject a little, Twitter is an amazing thing. A couple of examples. On Tuesday, when it went public (actually happened Monday night), followers of many Panther media folks were questioning why being locked out of the practices was such a big deal. When reminded that the media is the link to the team for fans, that argument quickly quieted down.

Wednesday, I had a nice exchange with Gerald Alexander, a DB that finished the season with Carolina. He's a good guy, we had plenty of conversations through the season. We went back and forth on the merits of opening/closing workouts. No jabs, no sparring, just an honest and open exchange. I see his point, he saw mine. I like that.

Back to the topic, the best thing the Panthers could have done was open the workouts to the media. A guy can simply say he would rather not talk about certain things, or even talk at all. It is our job to report that the player declined an interview, but still, we have fair shake, and so too, does the player.

In the end, all anyone wants is to be treated fairly. The players are going through that with their ownerships. Just wish the buck didn't have to get passed along.

Mike Solarte

Raceweeks have arrived

2011-05-17T09:46:00.005-04:00

Hard to believe, but the month of May is nearly over. I know it's just the 17th, but with two weeks of NASCAR at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the time will zip by, so with that in mind, a primer on what's in store.

The All Star race coming up on Saturday night is the one many fans are watching. Even though Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick are on probation for the next 3 weekends for their post-race issues at Darlington, there is always the chance something silly can happen in the non-points race. I am not counting on anything happening, but you just never know. Jenna Fryer from the Associated Press tweeted on Monday that track President Marcus Smith offered to pay fines for the drivers if they happen to get involved in something on Saturday. That's all well and good, but if NASCAR decided to strip points from their regular season totals as a result of violating that probation, well, money can't fix that.

A wonderful story in the All Star race is Regan Smith, winner at Darlington. A one-car team based in Colorado finding its way into the showcase event. Smith has been talented enough to run with the series big guns, and finally found a way to beat them all back to the stripe. Normally, Smith tries to find his way in via the Showdown (formerly the Winston Open), but this year, he's part of the big show. Good for him, as it's nice to see a guy like Smith (down to earth, humble, and honest), get rewarded.

Carl Edwards comes into Charlotte with the points lead, a lead that will not change this weekend, but could next weekend in the Coca Cola 600. Jimmie Johnson is stalking him, just 24 points back, and in 4th, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. I maintain that other leagues like MLB, NHL, NBA are all better when "foundation" teams are successful. In MLB, it's teams like Boston, the Yankees, Cardinals, etc. In the NBA, the Knicks, Lakers, Sixers, Celtics, etc. For the NHL, the Original Six teams of Detroit, Chicago, NY Rangers, Boston, Montreal and Toronto. In NASCAR, if Dale Jr. is a factor, people pay attention. Now, we wouldn't know that based on a rough attendance number from Dover, yet, the series is getting noticed this year. Looks like the team swaps made in the off-season at Hendrick Motorsports are paying off nicely, with all four teams in the top 14 in points (Johnson-2nd, Dale Jr-4th, Mark Martin-11th, Jeff Gordon-14th). As it stands now, Martin and Gordon would make the Chase, Martin based on being first outside top-10 in points, Gordon for being first outside top-10 with a win this season.

Loads of NASCAR coverage coming this week, starting with David Reutimann paying an in-studio visit on Tuesday. Check it out on Sports Night at 10, and be sure to peek in on the Sports Night Twitter page (@Sports_Night) for a special Twitter-only treat!

Mike Solarte

Tempers flare, NASCAR steps in

2011-05-11T08:35:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, NASCAR handed down $25,000 fines and 4 weeks of probation to drivers Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick for their actions following the race at Darlington on Saturday night. After a couple of run-ins during the race, Harvick tried to get at Busch while on pit road, but was unsuccessful. Kyle drove away, and in the process, knocked Harvick's car out of the way, and into the inside retaining wall.

According to NASCAR, the punishments were for the pit road stuff, and not what happened on the track under race conditions.

My question is this. Why was nothing done to Busch for his actions during the race? Specifically, his action of hooking Harvick's car, and intentionally spinning him out. I understand the "have at it" policy remains in effect, but to me, that's more dangerous that one driver bumping a parked car out of the way to get away from a confrontation.

Busch's team claims that Kyle didn't have the reverse gear in his car, and he had no choice but to bump Harvick's already stopped ride out of the way, to avoid what would have been a fight of some kind. I spoke with Busch's teammate, Joey Logano Tuesday night, and he told me that Kyle did, in fact, not have the ability to reverse his car (explaining the the reverse gears are not very sturdy, and are easily broken by "dumping the clutch"). Again, no problem with that explanation at all. Nobody can convince me that Busch wasn't intentionally trying to dump Harvick under green, just prior to the yellow coming out for Clint Bowyer's late race spin. Bowyer, incidentally, was caught up in the aftermath of a Harvick-Busch bump, which, from what I could see, Harvick tried to avoid leaning on the Busch machine.

My view is that of a TV viewer, and I am positive it looks and feels different from behind the wheel, but at some point, intentionally dumping a driver as a "payback" needs to be viewed a little tougher than the "have at it" policy might suggest. Busch isn't alone in retaliation, as others have done it too, but there is going to come a time that a driver gets paid back, and ends up paying a far heavier price.

NASCAR seems to enjoy its shades of gray, but in case like this, black and white would serve a far better purpose.

Mike Solarte

The Swashbuckling Spaniard

2011-05-07T09:44:00.005-04:00

Golf writers far more gifted that I are eulogizing Severiano (Seve) Ballesteros today. Seve passed away at the age of 54 on Saturday morning, the victim of a vicious battle with brain cancer. Far too young for a man that breathed such exuberance, and passion to the game of golf. Golfers were not known for fist-pumps, and wild shows of emotion. Seve changed that. Every time a clutch putt left the face of his putter, the chances of it dropping into the cup were as good as you and I talking another breath.

Ballesteros' best golf was behind him when I began my broadcast career in 1993. He won the final three events of his life on the European Tour in 1994 (2) and 1995 (1). His tournament scorecard looks like this. 50 wins in Europe, 9 wins on the PGA Tour, his first coming in Greensboro at the GGO in 1978. He is a World Golf Hall of Fame member, and a winner of five majors. Three British Open titles, and two Masters. Numerically, Seve was a beast.

However, there was more to Seve than just great golf. He was the inspiration to so many European golfers, specifically in his native Spain. Players like Jose Maria Olazabal, and Sergio Garcia openly credit Seve as the man that led them to grab a golf club for the first time. While Garcia has yet to win a major, Olazabal has collected a pair of green jackets from Augusta.

And there was the way in which Seve thrilled galleries with his trips around the course. His hair, usually as long as Rickie Fowler's, but not as unruly nor hidden underneath a hat, waved and recoiled with every lash of the club. Seve would spray the ball off the tee, and then find it amongst the trees. Then, the nearly impossible became the routine: the opening just 12 inches wide is the low percentage shot, but it would get him on the green. He'd go that route, rather than punch out safely. The low percentage shot provided the better shot at birdie, so why not go that way? He would, he'd get home, and the fans would be amazed.

I began playing golf in 1982, during Seve's run of dominance, in which he would claim the world's top ranking. If you were a golfer back then, you knew who he was. Knew his name, his smile, his game.

Today, you are feeling a loss, much like I am.

Mike Solarte

Welcome to....May?

2011-05-03T18:21:00.002-04:00

Amazing that we have already hit one of the busiest months on our sports calendar. This week, the Wells Fargo Championship, and then 2 weeks of racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the Sprint All Star Race, and then Coca Cola 600.

We'll dive into NASCAR later on, for now, let's look ahead to the golf.

No Tiger.

No problem. Still a tremendous field at Quail Hollow this week. Martin Kaymer the highest ranked player in the field (he's world #2). Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Tommy "Two-gloves" Gainey, Padraig Harrington, Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia, should I go on?

Rory McIlroy is the defending champion, and he;s back in Charlotte. His first appearance in the US since the Masters. He met the media on Tuesday, and was so humble and honest, you can't help but root for the guy. His 62 on Sunday last year was a masterpiece, but his second nine at Augusta last month, was a disaster.

He knows it. He owned it then, and then again on Monday. Saying he wasn't ready. He has lots to learn, and then this gem: "a bad day on the golf course is better than a good day in the office."

Did I mention he is just 21? Try to not root for him.

Don't want to predict a winner, but I would love either a repeat by McIlroy, or Gainey to break through for his first PGA Tour win. He's been smoking of late, with back to back 3rd place finishes. Another humble guy that knows his road to the Tour wasn't easy, and appreciates all he has earned from golf.

We'll have loads of coverage of the Wells Fargo Championship all week long on News 14 Carolina, and if you head out the course, bring your sunblock!

Mike Solarte

Woody Durham, and more

2011-04-20T12:15:00.004-04:00

Sorry to have been away for a little bit there, but have to empty the skull a little, and we start with goodbye to a legend.

Woody Durham retired from his post as the Voice of the North Carolina Tar Heels (yes, it's a proper title after the way he did it for 40 years). It's hard to argue there has been another broadcaster in the state's history that has had as much impact as Durham. His signature calls of big Tar Heel moments will never be forgotten, that wonderful staccato cadence will be missed. Durham is the only voice that most Tar Heel fans know. It will be strange not to hear him calling a game this fall once football season begins. I wish him nothing but the best. He was always a classy man to talk to, especially when I was new to the Raleigh market. He took the time to answer any question I had, offered a kind word.

I still want 3 shots a side when we tee it up, though, Woody!

Carolina Panthers schedule was released Tuesday night, and if you missed it, well, it's not easy. Then again, it could be a moot point if a new collective bargaining agreement isn't in place by then. Regardless of labor talk, the Panthers schedule is as follows:

Week 1 - @ Arizona
Week 2 - Green Bay
Week 3 - Jacksonville
Week 4 - @ Chicago
Week 5 - New Orleans
Week 6 - @ Atlanta
Week 7 - Washington
Week 8 - Minnesota
Week 9 - BYE
Week 10 - Tennessee
Week 11 - @ Detroit
Week 12 - @ Indianapolis
Week 13 - @ Tampa Bay
Week 14 - Atlanta
Week 15 - @ Houston
Week 16 - Tampa Bay (Dec. 24)
Week 17 - @ New Orleans

Couple things. Unless the Panthers are in a playoff chase, I'll be able to spend my anniversary with my wife, and this is not the easiest schedule in the league (which has been afforded to the team with the worst record the previous year). The Panthers will play all of their games with a 1 pm start times, depending on the time zone they are in. Nothing in prime time, and I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on a flex schedule option falling their way either. The current lockout has me totally disinterested in the upcoming schedule. It will be nice to talk about upcoming games when we all know they will, in fact, be coming up.

Quick takes on the NHL and NBA playoffs: On the ice, your final four will be Detroit v. Vancouver (which kills me as a Chicago Blackhawks fan), and in the East, I'll take Washington to face Montreal. Should be an entertaining Finals between Washington and Detroit, and give me the Capitals to win it all.

In the NBA, still anybody's guess, because so many early game upsets have things a little uneasy. My NBA final four: East, Chicago v. Miami and out West, I like the Lakers and Oklahoma City. Would love to see the Thunder get by LA, but in the end, I think it will be a Chicago-Lakers final. Lakers win it, as Chicago just isn't quite ready for that stage yet, but they are close.

Mike Solarte
twitter.com/MikeSolarte
twitter.com/Sports_Night

Cheers, Rory.

2011-04-11T23:30:00.002-04:00

I have to admit, I am pleasantly surprised that there aren't more people jumping on Rory McIlroy for his dreadful Sunday at The Masters. In this day and age where people can hide behind the veil of the internet (if they choose), it is quite easy to write nasty things about someone without fear of repercussions. It happens on this blog from time to time, when a comment is left with a false e-mail account attached to it. Regardless, I am glad to see that McIlroy is getting praised for the way he handled himself after a final round 80. He could have avoided the media (and they likely would have understood), but he faced the music, owned his rough day, and vowed to become stronger as a result. Good on him. can't wait to see him at Quail Hollow Club in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, Charl Schwartzel will be forever known as "former Masters Champion," every year he tees it up, for the rest of his life. Former, that is, after the 2012 tournament, unless he repeats. What a tremendous Sunday he had, birdieing the final 4 holes to claim the green jacket. It's one thing to birdie the par 5 15h, and par 3 16th. Plenty of players have done that. Finishing with birdies at 17 and 18 after picking up those shots at 15 and 16? Yeah, not real common, especially on Sunday in the Masters. Solid. Rock solid.

Hats off to the Charlotte Bobcats for snapping a 6-game losing streak by picking up a 105-103 win against New Jersey. Why is this big? Well, it's not big, but it is noteworthy. Bobcats had just 9 players dressed, due to injuries. they are out of the playoff mix, and have nothing to play for. They are professionals, and are expected to do their best, but to say that it's easy to give that effort when there is nothing on the table is a bit silly. Still, they played hard, and got the "W". Good on them.

Busy week on tap, Checkers playoffs begin, 4-Wide racing comes back to ZMAX Dragway in Concord, the end of the Bobcats season, and more. We'll have you covered on Sports Night.

Mike Solarte

Day 1 at Augusta

2011-04-08T00:10:00.004-04:00

A wonderful start to the first major of the season. Rory McIlroy and Alvaro Quiros fire 65's (7-under par), with K.J Choi and Y.E. Yang coming in with 67's to be two shots back after 18 holes.

The low Americans on day one were Matt Kuchar and Ricky Barnes who came home with 68's (4-under), on a day when the winds were relatively calm, and sun splashed the Augusta National layout. I'm a golfer, so to me, this is one of the great weeks of the year. The best players in the world on one of the most dramatic pieces of real estate on the planet.

What to make of this leaderboard? Well, the foreign contingent means business, for one. Plenty of players not representing the red, white and blue find themselves behind a wonderfully talented group of players from all corners of the globe, making this a true representation of the state of the game. American golf isn't failing, but it is certainly being pushed to new limits, and thus, in the end, new heights.

Tiger Woods kinda shoved it around the place to open at 1-under, 71. Sounds dull, but given his history of not starting fast there, it's better than the norm for him. Sitting 6 back of the lead means he is still in it, but truth be told, this isn't the dominant Tiger. This is the new Tiger, the lost one, still searching to find his game after a 2010 he would rather forget. I don't want to count him out of this championship yet, but it is hard to put him in the "favorites" category, considering he hasn't been one for the longest stretch of his career.

Phil Mickelson opened slowly as well, an erratic driver keeping him from making a charge on day one, but he has 3 hammers with him, and may likely carry 2 starting in the 2nd round. Lefty was his typical brilliant self around the greens, and he had to be, as his tee shots let him down horribly on day one. Unlike today's Tiger, Phil can find a way to turn the negative into a positive, so expect him to start heating up on Friday. He went way below deck in Houston last week, and can do it again.

By the time late Sunday afternoon rolls around, I would expect the that green jacket to rest on the shoulders of the player that posts a score of 14-under par. Knowing that lead is 7-under now, 14 is my choice because the folks at Augusta can make those greens behave badly. The chatter around Augusta is that the weather should hold, save for a possible shower here or there, so if the Augusta folks want the greens faster, they can get them there.

Any way you slice it, it still makes for a wonderful start to the real golf season.

Tim Baier will take you through the weekend on Sports Night, I'll see you back on Monday!

Mike Solarte

NC State gets Gottfried

2011-04-06T00:08:00.010-04:00

Mark Gottfried is the new men's basketball coach at NC State.

This may not sound like the sexiest hire in the world, and that's because it isn't. Gottfried has been out of the coaching game for over 2 years, resigning his post at Alabama in January of 2009. Since then, he had been working as a TV analyst for ESPN. Factor in the reported interviews, offers, and subsequent refusals of some name guys like Sean Miller, Rick Barnes and Shaka Smart, and on the surface, the Gottfried hire sounds like he was the only guy that actually wanted the job.

That may be true, however, some of the names that said no also got some nice extensions and pay bumps from their current schools. Basically, if you're a decent college coach and NC State wants you, you want to take the call, because somehow, some way, your salary is about to increase. Wonder if the Pack have my number....but I digress.

That led me to wonder aloud on Sports Night, just why is the NC State coaching job considered to be radioactive? The aforementioned coaches aren't exactly slouches in their profession, and the ACC is certainly in the top 3 leagues (historically) in all of college hoops. NC State has tradition and history. So what made this job look so unattractive to so many "name" coaches?

I don't have the answer, of course, I am just asking hypothetically. Is it because Duke and North Carolina are the two tough guys on the block, and no one at NC State, in at least my 16 years of experience, has come remotely close to turning the tables and dominating them? Is it because Duke and UNC are simply that much better at what they do? Is it because of Wolfpack fans who are charged with running off Herb Sendek after he made 5 straight trips to the NCAA tournament?

It could be any of those factors, and then again, it could be none of the above. Again, I don't profess to have the solution to this riddle, but I will say this. The NC State job IS, in fact, a very good job to have. It's a school in a premiere league, with a first class arena to play home games in. Facilities are not the problem. Competition is not the issue, because, it's still darn good.

There is no doubt the job has a dark cloud hovering over it. There is some reason that so many coaches passed on the opportunity to lead this particular ACC school. The job now for Gottfried, and Director of Athletics Debbie Yow is to remove the stigma attached with coaching there. That can only happen by becoming a factor in the league.

I have said this to colleagues, and I believe this to be true: The ACC is a better league when all four member schools in North Carolina are competitive. NC State hasn't been competitive (overall) in my time in the state. I have watched the Pack go through a good man in Les Robinson, another good one in Sendek, and one of their favorite sons in Sidney Lowe. All three have one thing in common. They didn't win enough of the time to make the Pack a factor in the league.

That is the mission for Gottfried and his staff. They have to get the Pack back into the upper tier of the ACC. That's the place Duke and UNC call their own personal playground, while the remaining schools struggle to consistently find a spot alongside them. Maryland had their moments when they fit in with dueling blues. Wake and even Georgia Tech enjoyed a cup of coffee with them. The time for NC State to make that move is now.

And the Pack are banking on Gottfried to get them there.

Mike Solarte

Houston, hello....

2011-03-29T23:39:00.023-04:00

Once again, the NCAA Tournament does not disappoint. From thrilling finishes to unlikely survivors, the field of 68 (weird writing that), has delivered in a big way. U-Conn, Kentucky, Butler and Virginia Commonwealth make up this year's last four standing, and while the names U-Conn and Kentucky are familiar to this stage, Butler and VCU certainly are not. Yes, I know Butler made it to the final last year, but c'mon. Them being to back-to-back Final Four's is like putting me on the moon once. Just not happening.

The whole basketball universe knows of Kemba Walker and Jim Calhoun. John Calipari and Brandon Knight. They are even becoming familiar with Brad Stevens from Butler. They have been introduced to Shaka Smart and his VCU Rams (bigtime), as well.

One matchup is all marquis, the other is all Cinderella. I won't pick a winner in either, but I will say I am rooting for the eventual champ to come from the VCU-Butler game. That's where the best story is. It's not in the Huskies-Wildcats matchup. Who cares. Both have been there, done that, and have the banners to prove it. Give me a pair of young, up-and-coming head coaches who will bathe in the warmth of a Final Four spotlight. Give me an unheralded, unloved, and in the case of many, unwanted VCU team that has made the world take notice.

And while we're talking VCU, let's make this very clear. VCU was a play-in game team because the Selection Committee deemed them there. It's VCU that has taken that perceived slight, and the negative thoughts of many (myself included), that they didn't belong in the field, and turned it into this. Colorado had a better resume to earn an at-large bid. Don't believe me? Then where did you have VCU finishing in the tourney? Out in the second round, maybe the third. Only two people that filled out brackets had them in the Final Four. TWO. Unless you're one of them, you are like me. VCU done, go home, enjoy your tournament gifts.

Full marks to the players and coaches on that staff. They are the definition of glass slipper. They are hoping that they can keep playing as well as they have been, to keep the carriage from turning back into a pumpkin while in Houston. And why can't they? Rooting against them only makes them tougher. They are the Terminator of this tournament.

Will they have enough to beat the other upstart, Butler? I don't know. By definition, by the way, Butler is an upstart, in spite of last year's heroics. They are not a common visitor to this stage of the dance (over their history). Traditionally, Butler is the team that gets a 12 seed, and either beats, or scares the life out of a 5 seed in the early round. Then they usually go home. Not on Stevens watch. Good on them.

By family connection, I am a defacto Butler fan, thanks to my niece who is a senior there. I still, however, and rooting for the best story. Gimme Butler, or VCU. I don't care which.

And then let them cut down the nets on Monday, beating another Goliath.

Now THAT'S a story. Mike Solarte

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The Brackets, with barometric Pressure.

2011-03-15T16:13:00.004-04:00

March Madness tends to bring all of the so-called "experts" out of the woodwork, and that's no different at News 14 Carolina. Mind you, I'm not lumping myself in as the resident Bracketologist, but there is one guy that thinks he's got the M.D. after his college hoops name.

Weather guy Joshua McKinney. Yeah, the weather guy.

Now, he knew I was gonna dig the needle in a little bit, but I will give him props for winning the News 14 Carolina bracket challenge a couple years ago, so in the interest of giving you more free advice for your brackets, Josh knocked out some thoughts about how he sees the field of 68 playing out. Enjoy.

Mike Solarte

"I know, I know! Why is a weather brain adding his two cents on the NCAA Tournament and attempting to forecast who wins? Shouldn't you just focus on the weather? Not like you get that right, so why are you weighing in on sports?

I get it. I'm out of my league and stand no chance to make the right picks. That's exactly where I want to be, overlooked like a lot of the field. Call me Villanova '85 edition, I'm Butler, compare me to George Mason that's perfectly fine in my book. I'm the epitome of a Cinderella thinker in a world of Ohio State and Kansas sports royalty at News 14 Carolina.

East Region: A chalk baller, but the top three seeds survive the first weekend. My only roundhouse right is West Virginia upending Kentucky in the second round. The second weekend will be appointment TV when Ohio State plays West Virginia and Syracuse squares off against North Carolina. The Mountaineers are not the same team from last year, so Ohio State marches on. A tough game to forecast, but I see Syracuse having all the right answers against UNC. Syracuse in a nail biter, but the energy spent winning the game takes a bite out of the Orange. Ohio State takes advantage of the UNC/Syracuse fight and proceeds to Houston.

West Region: I agree with Swami Solarte giving Duke and Michigan a date in the second round. However, I've spent a lot of time comparing schedules and notes. I keep coming back to the belief the selection committee has a devil for the details in this probable match up. I'm leaning upset here. Will I pick Michigan? Probably not since it's in Charlotte, but it's so tempting, stands out on my radar and is not getting a lot of national attention. I'm also on the Big Ten gravy train for Penn State. Can the Nittany Lions shock the basketball world and upend San Diego State? “Do you believe in miracles, yes!”. At the moment I have a partly cloudy vision of Texas and Connecticut in the Regional Final and UConn advancing to the Final Four.

Southwest Region: Rock, all chalk in this region. I'm thinking Kansas, Louisville, Purdue and Notre Dame in the second weekend. The Purdue, Notre Dame match up is a rivalry game and may be one of the most physical of the entire tournament. If this game pans out, it will be a battle! I'll lean Notre Dame. Kansas survives a close one with Louisville and will take down a rivalry weakened Irish earning a trip to the Final Four.

Southeast Region: Everyone is talking upset city in this bracket. I like the early match ups here, but believe Gonzaga lives long enough to meet Florida in the bottom of the bracket with Wisconsin facing Pitt in the upper half. Call it luck, or overall stupidity, but Pitt faces Florida with Florida (who is taking a beat down for being highly seeded) stealing a trip to Houston.

Ohio State vs Connecticut goes to Ohio State

Kansas vs Florida goes to Kansas

Kansas vs Ohio State... Drum roll please... Kansas as the 2011 NCAA Champion.

- Joshua McKinney

The Dance Shall Commence

2011-03-14T20:56:00.002-04:00

OK, college hoop fans, this is your time.

You've waited 11 months, and now, the absolute overload that is the NCAA Basketball tournament is just days away. And yes, I mean Thursday, not the Tuesday & Wednesday play-in games which the NCAA is dubbing "The First Four."

If you're like me, you have your brackets in front of you, and you're pouring over them, trying to find the gem of an upset that no one but you will find. The closest I have ever come to a perfect bracket wasn't close to perfect at all. Hope your picks go well, but, in case you need some help, here's what I have (which is subject to change between now and Thursday).

EAST:
I'm not sure that North Carolina is ready for primetime. I know they were playing great basketball heading into the ACC Tournament, but back-to-back dreadful starts, followed by ridiculous comeback wins showed me that when they run into a team that has some degree of experience in those spots, the Heels are suspect. Like everyone, I have UNC beating Long Island, and then they face Washington. The 2-time winners of the Pac-10 tourney will provide a challenge. I think Carolina gets through to the Sweet 16, but once there, they likely face the test of Syracuse. I think their run will end there. East winner=Ohio State

WEST:
Duke is the number 1, and after they dispatch Hampton, they'll likely get Michigan. Tennessee may get a case of the shakes coming back to Time Warner Cable Arena, having lost to Charlotte there earlier this season. Even if Tennessee advances, I think Duke is better anyway. Duke likely meets Texas in the Sweet 16, and I like the Blue Devils there, too. Getting to the Final Four could mean a date with Kemba Walker and U-Conn, and if the Devils make it out (I'm not sure they can against the Huskies), they will have earned the trip. West winner=Duke or UConn. And I am leaning UConn

SOUTHWEST:
Kansas is the top seed there, but Notre Dame is in the bottom half of the bracket with something to prove as the #2 seed. Notre Dame lost a tough one in the Big East tourney, and they never really got to show just how god they are. Plus, there is Louisville, Vanderbilt, Purdue and (yes, I am saying this) Florida State that could be problematic for this quarter of the field. Strange, but I see few upsets coming from this region. Southwest winner=Kansas

SOUTHEAST:
Pittsburgh is the top seed, but this is the one region I want no part of, if I am a high seed. Kansas State could be in for more than they know in the 5-12 game as they take on Utah State. Jimmer Fredette and BYU are here as well (facing Wofford in their opener). UCLA being a #7 could find the Bruins making a bit of noise. Perhaps the most dangerous team in this region is #6 St. John's. Get past the gift win they got over Rutgers in the Big East tourney, the Johnnies are playing well. Lots of gator traps in this region, so viewers, cross your fingers that Gus Johnson gets sent to that half of the tourney. Southeast winner=Florida

Again, I reserve the right to rip up this bracket and start fresh in the morning, but so far, I like the chalk.

Mike Solarte

Labor Talks head into OT

2011-03-04T23:27:00.002-05:00

The NFL and NFLPA were able to reach agreement on, first a 24 hour CBA extension, and then a 7-day extension. The sides continue to talk (although they'll get the weekend off), in the hopes of reaching a deal.

WHY I AM OPTIMISTIC

If the sides are talking, they aren't locking out, or spewing venom. Both sides have done a good job of keeping the talks to themselves, and not spilling it into the media (which stinks for us inn the business). This is being done at the behest of mediator George Cohen. Both sides agreed to zip their lips, and have done that. That's fine. When it all gets settled, we'll all get the details. The point is, they are talking.

WHY I AM NOT TOO EXCITED

The fact that both sides knew the deadline was looking, and they did nothing to try and avert this situation while there was time. True, it is the nature of negotiations that things get done when the deadline draws near, but these sides are playing a high stakes game of chicken where more than their interests are affected if it all goes bad. IF there is a lockout that drags into the season, it's not just the players, coaches and owners that will feel it. It will be felt by vendors, the schools that depend on Panthers games for fundraising efforts, local businesses that thrive on gameday crowds. You name it, one NFL Sunday has a bigger impact on people than whether their favorite team wins or loses. None of that mattered to the sides with 2 years of knowing this was coming, so why would they use an extra 7 days to get a deal in place?

The ruling that went in favor of the NFLPA was key in forcing the owners hand a little more, but still, this thing could have been avoided.

Let's hope these two sides can reach an agreement that works for everyone. Fans, and folks that depend on the NFL deserve to be treated right.

Mike Solarte

Willie, Mickey and The Duke

2011-02-28T14:40:00.004-05:00

I can't imagine what my father is going through today. You see his boyhood idol Duke Snider, 84, passed away Sunday. For all of you now asking, "Who's Duke Snider?" I'm about to educate you.

The Duke of Flatbush, as he was known, was a major cog in the those great Brooklyn Dodger teams of the late 1940s and early 1950s. He came to the big leagues the same year as Jackie Robinson, 1947, and was a teammate of Jackie's as well as Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella and Gil Hodges. From 1949-1957 Snider averaged 35 HR and 109 RBI while hitting .305. During that span the Dodgers won five National League pennants and the only World Series title the franchise ever captured in Brooklyn.

That magical year of 1955 when the Dodgers finally beat their hated rival Yankees in seven games, Duke had his best year, slugging 42 homers, knocking in 136 and hitting .309. For you sabermetric geeks, his OPS was 1.046.

Twice Snider hit four home runs in a World Series and was the first National Leaguer to hit 40 or more homers in five consecutive seasons. In other words, it's why he was in the title of the Terry Cashman song Willie, Mickey and the Duke (Talkin' Baseball); because Snider played in an era where the greatest center fielder's in the game resided in New York.

Duke finished his 18 year career with 407 home runs and a .295 career batting average. For some reason it still took eleven years for the baseball writers to elect him to the Hall of Fame.

Back to my dad. I was the one who had to tell him his idol had passed away. I almost couldn't find the words. You see I was afraid it was another reminder of his own mortality and it certainly served notice to me that I too will have to experience losing my hero... my dad. The one who taught me how play catch, showed me how to swing a bat and passed on the love for the game of baseball.

My dad took the news in stride. He said it was "fitting" I should be the one to tell him of Duke's passing. He had a senior softball game today. He had two hits and knocked in three runs. He wore his Brooklyn Dodger hat proudly. His first words to me? "Duke would be happy."

Jason Brown

Al Michaels once asked...

2011-02-28T10:41:00.003-05:00

"Do you believe in miracles?"

That was the now unmistakable call of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team win over the Soviet Union.

Today, NFL fans are being asked the same thing, but the answer, this time, is no.

At 11:59 pm on Thursday, March 3, the NFL's current collective bargaining agreement will expire, and it is expected that a player lockout by the owners, will commence not long after. 7 straight days of mediation produced dialogue, but nothing in the way of results. Hence, all those warnings I sent out during the football season? You know, the ones where I told you to record your favorite team as often as you could? It is baseball season, though.

Big tip of the hat to Jeff Gordon for snapping that nasty 66-race winless drought by winning inn Phoenix on Sunday. He did it in vintage Gordon fashion. Passing Kyle Busch with just 8 laps left, and racing to the win. The win comes in race number 2 of the season, and also race number 2 for Gordon with a new sponsor. After spending virtually his entire career with Dupont as his primary sponsor, Gordon takes the Drive to End Hunger Chevy to victory lane. Is this a sign of things to come? After the massive shake-up at Hendrick Motorsports in the off-season, where 3 drivers rotated to new crew chiefs and teams, who knows. Know this, all four HMS cars finished inside the top 13 in the first "real" race of the season. No disrespect to Daytona, but the entire off-season leads up to that one race, and it's a restrictor plate track at that--too many abnormal variables, If the HMS stable is stout on the intermediate tracks, it will make for a long season for the rest of the teams. And yes, I know it's just one race. We'll see how these teams sit after the opening 5-7 races of the season. Long way to go.

Congrats to a pair of Charlotte residents, Johnson Wagner and Mattt Goggin for picking up separate victories on the golf course this past weekend. Wagner winning on the PGA Tour, Goggin on the Nationwide Tour. Both guys getting their games cranked in the early schedule, and being rewarded is a big boost. Well done, guys!

Busy week on tap, with the CIAA Hoops tourney beginning, and the Charlotte 49ers announcing their first football coach on Tuesday. Stay with News 14 for the latest.

Mike Solarte

OK, Bobcats fans, exhale.

2011-02-25T08:38:00.003-05:00

Seemed fitting that the skies above were a little grey with rain on the day after the Charlotte Bobcats traded away their one and only All Star player, along with a valuable big man at the NBA trade deadline.

Gerald Wallace was sent to Portland for Joel Pryzbilla, Dante Cunningham, and Sean Marks, along with a pair of future first round draft picks. Then, the Bobcats sent center Nazr Mohammed to Oklahoma City for Mo Peterson and D.J. White.The moves have some folks angered, others confused, and others still wondering if the Bobcats have surrendered their season.

The answer is yes, but they did so with an eye to the future.

Look, I'm not a fan of breaking up team continuity, especially when that team appears to be moving in the right direction. There is no doubt in my mind that the Bobcats, pre-deadline, would have made the playoffs. After the events on Thursday, I think it's a reach. Not because of who they got back, but because of who they lost. They lost their identity when Wallace went to Portland. Wallace did so many things for this franchise, both on and off the court. I spoke with a member of the Bobcats staff on Thursday night. He was sad that Wallace was traded. Not just any sad, but sad. Wallace meant so much to so many members of that franchise, his loss will be felt like losing a family member.

Losing Mohammed stings as well, because now the Bobcats are pinning their center spot on Kwame Brown. A guy that once upon a time, was a punchline in the league. He has been a solid contributor this season, but there has to be a fear factor involved now. The :what-if" game is in effect. What if Kwame gets hurt? The guy they call the "Vanilla Gorilla," (Pryzbilla), isn't exactly Mohammed off the bench.

So yes, in my estimation, the Bobcats got worse. But they had to get worse before they could get better. There is now a future for this franchise. Before Thursday, they were tight to the salary cap, and close to the luxury tax. Now that Wallace and Mohammed's contracts are elsewhere, the Bobcats have some money to spend, and a couple of future first round picks. It sounds good in theory, but now the onus is on the front office,

The Bobcats drafting history isn't exactly stellar (see Adam Morrison, and Sean May, both no longer holding NBA jobs). They need to hit some home runs with the June draft, and they also need to lure a name into this organization. Whether it be by trade or free agency, this team will now need a bona fide superstar. A guy that people get excited about. A guy that makes fans say, "I need to get a ticket to tonight's game to watch (insert name here) play,"rather than saying "I need a ticket to see (insert opposition team name here) tonight."

I said this Thursday morning during my radio show on Fox Sports 730, that the Bobcats are so very close to being loved in this town. The Hornets hangover still lingers, but the Bobcats are making in-roads. The question now is, did they burn some of that good will by sending away arguably the team's most popular player for 3 players with no chance of being long term solutions, and 2 unknowns in 1st round picks?

The team also waived Sherron Collins, Derrick Brown, and Dominic McGuire on Thursday. Those moves were necessary to clear roster spots for the newly acquired players. I've been told that the Bobcats would like to bring back Brown and Collins if they clear waivers. It's a gamble, but one they had to make to look to tomorrow.

Bayne, Bobcats, 'Melo and more

2011-02-22T10:26:00.004-05:00

Recapping things first...

What a weekend for Trevor Bayne. In fact, what a Speedweeks. When he got to Daytona, he was a 19 year old kid making his 2nd Cup series start for a race team that was perilously close to shutting its doors a few years ago.

When he left Daytona he was a 20 year old (by a day), that had just won his first Cup race, not to mention the biggest race of the year. In doing so, he became the feel-good story that NASCAR has desperately needed. Bayne's win for Wood Brothers Racing gave the series a new fresh face to market, put the historic team back in victory lane, and may have jump-started interest in NASCAR again.

Only a win by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on Sunday would have been bigger, and he was in the mix until a flat tire late pushed him to the back of the field for a restart. He got hung up in a wreck in the green-white-checkered laps, finishing 24th.

After watching the "pairs" racing on Thursday, I was hoping the 500 would be different, but it wasn't. While different, it wasn't bad. It's just something we'll have to endure for a few races until a change is made to the cars, or the track loses some of its grip. In all, fairly entertaining start to finish.

Charlotte Bobcats have 26 games remaining on their schedule, and forward Stephen Jackson feels they need 17 wins in their final 26 to reach the playoffs. 17 wins gets them to 41 on the season, which wold give them a record of 41-41. In the Eastern conference, .500 is plenty. In the west, .500 (right now, anyway), is good for 10th place, 2.5 games out of the playoffs.

Can the Bobcats do it? It won't be easy. Next week, the Bobcats head back out west, as they are kicked out of Time Warner Cable Arena for the CIAA Tournament, but the good thing for them is that they have home games late in the year, unlike years' past. The Charlotte Jumper Classic would displace the team when they craved home games for a shot at the playoffs. Also on the schedule, trips to San Antonio and Oklahoma City, a home date with Chicago, Boston and others including Orlando. The challenge is there, it's up to the Bobcats to answer it.

Call me old fashioned, but I was just sick about the wheeling and dealing going on for Carmelo Anthony. Then I was just sick and tired of hearing the talk. It was akin to Brett Favre watch in the NFL. Now that it's over (Carmelo went to the Knicks in a blockbuster deal-pending league approval at this writing), we can go on with our NBA watching lives. The thing that sticks out to me in this deal is that both Denver and the Knicks are at the bottom of the playoff picture, and now, this multi-player deal basically blows up their rosters. We all watched and saw how slowly Miami got out of the gate. I can't imagine a change in midstream will bode well for either New York or Denver.

Lastly, the Carolina Panthers remain on the clock, and they are also contemplating using their franchise tag. Given the current labor climate, it makes sense to apply the tag, but unless a new CBA is in place by March 4, it makes me wonder if the tags will be valid after the current labor deal expires. If I had to guess who would get the tag, it would be center Ryan Kalil. DE Charles Johnson had a big year, but the jury is out on if he can maintain it. RB DeAngelo Williams would be another viable option, however, he may be a victim of the numbers game with Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson and Tyrell Sutton all in the stable of backs. Personally, I would hate to see Williams go, as he is a fun guy to talk to, and exciting to watch. I do realize, though, that business is business. If he goes elsewhere, I sincerely wish him well.

**EDIT 3:09 pm Several outlets reporting the Panthers are franchise tagging C Ryan Kalil, which would pay him $10M this coming season. A tough choice for the Panthers given the year Charles Johnson had last season, and the franchise leading RB that Williams is. More on this as it develops.

Mike Solarte

Silas, Daytona, and more

2011-02-17T15:10:00.003-05:00

I waited until the first Duel 150 race in Daytona before offering up a thought about the quality of racing. I've come to this.

I miss the old racing.

I'm not hating on what I saw, but it just doesn't feel the same. It's different, not worse. I preferred the packs of cars, the white knuckle feeling of watching some of the best drivers in the world go door-to-door at 200 miles per hour. Seeing the drivers going around in pairs doesn't bring in the "wow" factor. Maybe with the full field on Sunday, it will be different. So far, though, meh.

The Charlotte Bobcats made Paul Silas their 4th Head Coach in franchise history on Wednesday, giving him an extension through next season. Solid reward for a guy that is getting results, but is also in love with coaching. It's a different love than Larry Brown's love of it. Brown loved the teaching aspect. Silas digs the competition. Silas is smiling (most of the time) on the bench during games, while still instructing. A big difference from Brown, who was often times grumpy, rarely ever happy. Seeing the players respond to the switch has been the most fun (from my seat). I like to see smiles, and there have been a ton of them since December 22nd. One other benefit of the extension, is the coaching staff as a whole will be around through next season, also.

Provided there is a next season. What's that? You didn't know? The NBA's current collective bargaining agrement expires after the current season. Just like the NFL.

It's NBA All Star weekend, Daytona 500 weekend, college hoops and more. I'll check back next week.

Mike Solarte

Hail (cough), to the Packers

2011-02-08T08:36:00.003-05:00

I mean no disrespect to the Packers...wait, yes I do, I'm from Chicago.

Seriously, well done to Mike McCarthy and company for turning takeaways into a Super Bowl title. Three Pittsburgh turnovers led to 21 Green Bay points, part of their 31-25 win in SB 45. Aaron Rodgers threw the last shovel of dirt on the fans still clinging to the memories of the good old days with Brett Favre under center. That era is over (and should also be remembered as the 1 SB title for Favre, not multiple like his legend would suggest).

The Packers didn't completely outplay Pittsburgh, but they took advantage of what the Steelers gave them. Remove the turnovers (two Ben Roethlisberger interceptions, and a Rashard Mendenhall fumble), and the Steelers win the game. I'm not sure Rodgers would have gotten as on track as he did, because momentum can be an awesome thing. Rodgers was good, don't get me wrong. Things look different with a short field as opposed to starting in the shadow of your own goalpost.

So, the defending champs are scheduled to play the Panthers next season in Charlotte. If there is a next season. Carolina is on the clock for the NFL draft, but the league is on the clock to get a new collective bargaining agreement done (from this point out, it's being called the CBA on this blog. I'm done typing it out). Nice that the NFL and NFLPA met the day before the Super Bowl, and have scheduled more meetings. The sands of the hourglass are slipping away, and the question is who do you believe? Owners who say they want a deal, or the union saying a lockout is coming, and could be a long one. I don't know. I just want the game.

To the NBA, Charlotte Bobcats get a losing-streak snapping win over Boston on Monday, and did so after Stephen Jackson was ejected in the 2nd quarter. Jackson got called for an off-the-ball foul while guarding Kevin Garnett. Jackson disputed the call, and picked up a technical foul for complaining. He continued the verbal exchange with the officials, and picked up a 2nd tech, bringing with it the instant heave-ho.

Memo to Jackson: shut up. Take the call, and walk away. Don't protest. Don't flail your arms. you know you were fouled, but the refs aren't going to give you that call. Refs are looking at you as the boy that cried wolf. They don't believe you, and now, they want to run you. They are looking for the chance to slap a technical foul on you, in the hopes you'll get another, and be ejected.

I like Jackson a lot, as both player and person. He is way too valuable to the Bobcats success to keep racking up technicals. Bobcats fans empathize when you don't get the call, but they would rather boo the official for a bad call, than watch you walk of the court after being tossed. Keep your head, man. Stay in the game.

NBA refs ARE targeting Jackson. Hard to tell me they're not. They know Jackson is a guy that plays hard, but also feels he doesn't get his share of the calls. There could be something to his argument, but here's the problem. The NBA has empowered its officials to the point the refs are above questioning. They rule the floor with an iron fist, and will gladly swing it at any player that dares question their authority. Unless it's Lebron James, of course (I'm not blind, Michael Jordan was afforded the same treatment when he played).

Jack needs to stop yapping, and keep playing. That will ultimately be the best revenge against the 3rd team on the floor.

Mike Solarte

What a weekend!

2011-01-31T23:47:00.003-05:00

Hats off to you, Raleigh, for a tremendous NHL All Star Game weekend. From the Fan Fair at the impressive Raleigh Convention Center, to the Fantasy Draft (the brainchild of Brendan Shanahan), to a wildly entertaining All Star game, the Triangle showed its true colors as a place that the game has taken hold, and has deepening roots.

I had the pleasure of talking to players past and present over the course of the weekend. There is one thing that has not changed in all the years I have covered hockey. These guys get it. There are no monster egos. These are rooted players that know the value of the fans, and the game. They may be high maintenance for their own teams, but as all stars, they are the class of the league, and carried themselves that way all weekend long.

I loved the way the game itself began. The kids on the ice, picking sticks out of the center. This method is the blind draw of the choosing of teams (unless you already know who the stick's owner is). The Hurricanes were able to blend in their history with their youth in a tremendous and touching moment. Bringing Rod Brind'Amour and Ron Francis out in the skit with the kids, and then Eric Staal, the All Star game captain of his own squad, joining them in a pool of white light at center ice. The crowd (predictably) went berserk, but again, they tied yesterday to today in a classy manner.

I had a wonderful time covering the game, but most of all, I want to thank those folks who had so many kind and wonderful things to say to me all weekend long. The 7 years I spent in Raleigh were some wonderful times, and I met so many terrific people. I had one person tell me, "it wouldn't have been right if you weren't here." That was one of the highest compliments I have ever gotten in my career. From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and every one who stopped to say hi, talk hockey, or even just catch up on old times.

It was a very special weekend for the city of Raleigh, and the state of North Carolina. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of the party.

Mike Solarte

NASCAR, NFL and more

2011-01-26T23:00:00.002-05:00

Been too long, but have some thoughts here, starting with NASCAR.

Yes, the Daytona 500 is just about 3 weeks away, but on Wednesday night, NASCAR unveiled their new points payout system for all 3 of their national series, Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World Trucks.

First place earns 43 points, 2nd place 42, 3rd place 41, and so on, down to 1. Win the race, get 3 bonus points. Lead a lap, get 1 bonus point. Lead the most laps, get 1 bonus point.

The Chase remains, as well, with the top 10 drivers in points earning a berth, and then 2 wildcards will be handed out to the drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins.

NASCAR tried to place more emphasis on winning, and while they did, they didn't go far enough. 3 points for a win, on a graded 43 points scale is a mere pat on the back. Make a win significant. Make a win bonus 5 or even 10. Keep the laps lead, and most laps lead at 1, but the goal should be to collect checkered flags. It's virtually the same as the 5 point bonus that was given to the winner under the old system. It's nice, but it's not enough.

Now, I don't have all the answers, and I do know the NASCAR simply can't win no matter what they do. I admire that they are trying to make things better, easier to understand, and they should be applauded for their efforts, but I had a hard time following the explanations coming from NASCAR CEO Brian France on Wednesday night. It almost seemed that even he didn't believe the changes would work.

Time will tell how these changes work out, if they make things better, or produce those "Game 7" moments the series longed for last year. You just don't know until you give it a try.

I do like the Chase changes, and I like that they didn't add a "knockout stage" to eliminate drivers that aren't keeping up, I like the notion of being in, and staying in. The points payouts being what they are, things could be a little more interesting, but as always, the cream will rise to the top.

OK, Super Bowl 45 is 11 days away, and while the Pro Bowl is actually this Sunday, that game doesn't really count. I could be wrong, but I think it was Jack Youngblood who said he got hit harder on Bourbon Street on vacation, than he ever did in a Pro Bowl. That in mind, football fans have just 4 quarters (barring overtime) of football left for the foreseeable future.

Not getting into the CBA discussions (of which there have been none by all accounts), I had the conference champions picked, and now that it is Green Bay and Pittsburgh, I am still taking the Steelers, and I have ti being a tight game. Pittsburgh doesn't generally blow teams away, and even thought they got out to a 24-0 lead on the NY Jets, they didn't stretch it any further. Green Bay has played some fine football in the last 2 months, and they will be the sentimental pick, simply because the Steelers won it all just 2 years ago.

My Chicago roots will have me rooting for the Steelers on February 6th. My game opinion also leans towards Pittsburgh, but if you are looking for a rout, look someplace else. This one could go down as one of the great title games ever. So many weapons on both offenses, and both defenses can make the big play when needed.

11 days out, I have it Steelers 20-17 over the Packers.

I, do, however, reserve the right to change my mind.

Mike Solarte

And they want to lockout the players?

2011-01-17T19:12:00.004-05:00

Really, NFL?

You mean to tell me you two sides, players and owners, can't hammer out a deal?

Check the TV ratings for the weekend. More people watched Chicago thump Seattle than watched President Obama talk about the Arizona shootings.

The popularity of the NFL is at an all-time high. Maybe it's because people are soaking in all the football they can before owners lock the door on players after the current CBA runs out in early March.

More realistically, it's because football feeds the nation. Period. I'm a hockey guy, and even I know the NFL rules the roost. Sorry NBA, MLB, NASCAR and anyone else. The USA is the NFL's turf.

Chicago and Green Bay will meet for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Think UNC-Duke to the 100th power. This isn't about college ties, this is about one city hating another city. It's not Durham despising Chapel Hill. That isn't the factor in the Tar Heels and Blue Devils. That's proximity, and a 10 mile stretch of Hwy 15-501. In Chicago-Green Bay, it's about one city saying the other could be wiped of the map, and it would be an improvement. I lived that rivalry growing up. Bears fans won't wish the Packers well if they go into Soldier Field and win on Sunday. True Bears fans will root for the AFC team. To a Bears fan, the only good thing coming out of Green Bay is the bus they leave Lambeau Field on after the game.

The NFC title game will be filled with hard hits, and hate. Great tv.

In the AFC, it's the Jets and Steelers. I have friends on both side of the rivalry, and to all of them I say good luck. Should be a dandy game, considering the Jets destroyed New England. Sorry, Pats fans, the final score was not an indication of how close things were. The Jets hammered the Pats up and down the field, for 60 minutes. Rex Ryan's mouth has written big checks, and his team has been able to cash them. They are dangerous.

I'm not running Pittsburgh out of this, by any means. The Steelers are nasty. They play hard. They are physical. They aren't afraid to smack someone in the mouth, because they seem to enjoy when they get hit back. I get the sense the Steelers are carrying their own swagger into the AFC title game, because there are a lot of folks that had it New England's march, no matter who else qualified for the playoffs. I'm guilty of that as well, as I had the Pats in Dallas for all the marbles.

A week out, and not knowing all the injuries, I'm calling my Super Bowl matchup here and now.

Green Bay v. Pittsburgh

And then, Go Steelers.

Mike Solarte

Ron Rivera, random thoughts

2011-01-10T19:50:00.003-05:00

Been a week, but things to discuss....

The Panthers should have Ron Rivera in place at some point on Tuesday. Nothing finalized as of this blog post, but all indications are the Panthers will nab the man that designed the best defense in the NFL for the 2010 season. It was a 3-4 defense, but don't read anything into that. Personnel in San Diego seemed to dictate that. Rivera is a versatile coach, and offers the former player perspective, as he was a solid linebacker in the league for 9 seasons.

This has been a quick process for the Panthers, considering it was this time last week that owner Jerry Richardson addressed (albeit a little strangely), the media following the end of the season. The Panthers obviously wanted to move quickly on this hire, and in doing so, they can now focus their attention on the April draft. What this means for the number 1 pick is still anybody's guess. The coveted QB (Andrew Luck) is staying in school at Stanford, leaving the Panthers to figure out what direction they want to go in with that number 1 selection. Rivera in the mix could mean a defensive lineman, but that isn't the biggest area of need.

Then there is the question of assistant coaches. Maybe bigger than the top draft pick is the naming of an offensive coordinator. If there was one thing I took away from the Richardson presser, it was the recognition that the NFL has opened up, and a good offense (better than good actually), is a must. If there was one shortcoming of the John Fox era, it was the decision to go conservative more often than not. Yes, there was some deviation from that at times, but the standard draw play on 3rd and long trickled down from Dan Henning to Jeff Davidson, with one constant. Fox. Funny thing is, under Henning, I felt things were vanilla. After Henning's departure, I realized how differently things ran (and how much better as well).

I'll have more for you once Rivera is officially sworn in. Seems like a guy Panther fans will warm up to quickly, and luckily for him, Panther fans should be forgiving in the early going.

Elsewhere, Charlotte Bobcats are 4-2 since the coaching change with Paul Silas taking over after Larry Brown's departure, and the players continue to say that under Brown, it wasn't fun. They are enjoying the game more, and it shows on the floor. The trick will be continuing the run, even with the NBA trade deadline on the horizon. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bobcats make a deal to shore the roster up, especially with them being down a big man (DeSagana Diop is done for the season after an achilles injury).

Note to Oregon football: please pick a uniform and stick with it. It's nice that you roll out a new combination every week, but seriously, when is enough enough? All my life, Oregon was green and gold (yellow). Try that out, and I don't know, try it again the following week.

Mike Solarte

The horizon is cloudy

2011-01-04T13:11:00.003-05:00

NFL Fans, Jerry Richardson has a message for you: Hope you recorded NFL games this season, and in years past, because you might not be watching games for a while.

Richardson held his "State of the Franchise" news conference on Tuesday (that's what I am calling it, anyway), and Richardson says the NFL and NFLPA aren't as close as some might indicate.

Richardson drew up a rough pie chart while talking about the collective bargaining agreement, saying of the $3.6 billion dollars in new revenue generated over (what sounded like) a 3-year period from 2006-2008. Of that, $2.6 went to player costs, and 1 billion is divided among the 32 member clubs, and he also pointed out a negative cash flow of $200 million. Those are some big numbers.

Richardson is the NFL co-chair on the negotiating committee, which means he's one of the guys responsible for brokering a deal. That being said, the Panthers owner also pointed out that the club won't be re-signing any players (28 at last count), until a CBA is reached. That's not to say he won't re-sign his guys, he's just not doing it until there is a structure set up, as he plans to follow the CBA once it goes into effect.

Other tidbits:
-He plans to own the Panthers until he dies. He said he hadn't given thought to long-range ownership once he passes.
-John Fox was not retained because he didn't produce back-to-back winning seasons. Fox finished out his contract, basically as a lame duck, because the staff price tag was more than $11 million. Wiping out that staff with a year left, and hiring a new staff didn't make sense economically.
-The Panthers won't trade out of the number 1 overall draft pick, given the state they are in.
- The team would not indicate officially who they have contacted, or whom they have gotten permission to speak with. Unofficially, the team is eyeing Ron Rivera, Perry Fewell, and Rob Ryan-all Defensive Coordinators in the NFL.
-Richardson seems to desire a coordinator, not a college coach, but wouldn't commit solidly to those feelings. That was the sense I got from some of his remarks.

That's all for now, much more coming on Sports Night at 10.

Mike Solarte

Final thoughts for 2010

2010-12-31T21:38:00.002-05:00

On the way out the door for the year....

The Panthers made it official on Friday, announcing in a release that John Fox and his staff won't be back next season. There. they finally said it. We knew it was coming, but now it's official. Interesting they did it:
1-on a holiday Friday,
2-immediately following the Meineke Car Care Bowl,
3-while the Bobcats were playing Golden State (with Charlotte native Steph Curry on the floor).

Couple ways to look at this. One way is, maybe they were trying to grab a headline or two in the midst of a busy sports day in Charlotte, or they were hoping it would be a minor footnote of the day, and get lost in the shuffle.

Well, it won't be lost in the shuffle, and as a result, the Panthers are on the clock for the first pick, but now to also hire a new head coach. Then there is the other clock. The labor deal clock, which Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is also on. Once the season ends, Richardson will be on of the key figures in trying to broker a deal between the NFL and the NFLPA on a new collective bargaining agreement. The off-season will be interesting to watch on a number of levels.

Bobcats brief win streak ended Friday in a 96-95 loss to the Warriors, Stephen Jackson missing a game winning 3 at the buzzer. I think he could have driven to the cup to try and draw a foul, but given the lack of calls Jackson has gotten this season, maybe he was a little gun shy about trying that. Regardless, the Bobcats get the Three Amigos from Miami on Monday (Lebron, D-Wade, and Bosh), which will be a good measuring stick as to where the Bobcats are. The Heat have figured things out, and had a monster December. Should be fun.

Sat through the Meineke Car Care Bowl on Friday afternoon. Sparse crowd on a great day, but hats off to the Raycom folks for putting on a decent game. Clemson lived up to their end in spurts, but overall, the show was what we've come to expect from the Charlotte bowl game.

Lastly, expect some changes in college football following the UNC finish in Nashville on Thursday. The Heels, out of timeouts, spiked the ball with :01 left in the game, and got flagged for too many men on the field. As a result, they had plenty of time to kick a tying field goal, force overtime, and then beat Tennessee by 3.

The change will likely come with that sort of penalty resulting in a clock run off. I don't think the Heels did this intentionally--they truly looked lost, and confused. Still, now that teams know this can happen to their advantage, I think the NCAA will bring in a rule change. Props to UNC for hanging tough, but I think they got lucky due to the rulebook.

Enough from me, here's to a great 2011 for all sports teams in our state, and even the ones you may root for elsewhere!

Mike Solarte

What a week on tap!

2010-12-28T10:26:00.002-05:00

From bowl games to basketball, to the end of the NFL regular season, to hockey, it's a huge week. Make sure you check out Sports Night every night at 10 to get caught up with all of it!

OK, Charlotte Bobcats made their debut under new interim coach Paul Silas on Monday, beating Detroit 105-100. It all sounds good until you realize, the Bobcats led by as many as 23, and saw that trimmed down to 3 in the closing seconds.

I'm not criticizing. For a team on a four-game slide, any win is pretty. They will get the errors cleaned up (all agreed there was no quick fix after Larry Brown's departure), but the thing that is most noticeable is the fact the team PLAYED the4 game, rather than worked through 48 minutes. I mean no disrespect to Larry Brown, but there was a huge difference in the way the Bobcats played Monday as opposed to the 28 previous games . They were relaxed, they were flying up and down the floor, they were above the rim, they were taking shots. They PLAYED the game. Certainly a welcome sight for those watching, and I'm guessing an even better feeling for the guys in uniform.

They still have work to do to get into the playoffs, but this was a giant step in the right direction, if for nothing else, than believing they can do it.

Carolina Panthers are officially on the clock. They hold the number 1 pick in next April's NFL Draft. We all know who the experts would take if he were available, and since there is no guarantee he will be, I'll not mention him by name. He has to declare his intentions before January 15th. No point in thinking about it until he makes up his mind.

I'll be in Atlanta this weekend for the season finale for the Panthers. If for nothing else, to see how this team plays in their final game of a 2-13 (to date) season. This has been fascinating to watch, and frustrating to cover. What amazes me the most is the way the players just don't stop. They haven't stopped giving effort. Good effort. It's astounding that in a game like baseball, if a team is eliminated from the playoff chase early (like the Chicago Cubs historically), the guys in uniform can just kinda mail it in. You never really know how hard a guy is trying in baseball, unless it's obvious. In football, there is nowhere to hide. The Panthers of 2010 will be remembered for a losing season, but they should also be remembered as a team they fought until the end, no matter what the standings said.

Lots going on with bowl games--4 games in 4 days involving North Carolina. Tuesday, NC State v. West Virginia in Orlando, Wednesday, ECU v. Maryland in Washington DC., Thursday, UNC v. Tennessee in Nashville, and Friday, the Meineke Car Care Bowl between Clemson and South Florida. We'll have you covered, so don't miss a thing on Sports Night!

Mike Solarte

Merry Christmas....the Sports Poem

2010-12-24T18:43:00.003-05:00

Serving up your Christmas gift on Christmas Eve. Hope you enjoy our version of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

'Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the land,
Teams are getting rested,
A tough schedule is at hand.

The Carolina Panthers
stuck in their rut.
Beaten by the Steelers,
24 points, a tough punch in the gut.

There will be big changes,
no need to ask.
John Fox will be gone,
for the next coach, a tough task.

On the NBA hardwood,
Paul Silas is back.
Larry Brown shown the door,
as recent play made us gack.

Only 2 days into the change
the players were all smiles.
Turning around a losing streak,
could make the switch worthwhile.

On the ice are the Hurricanes,
dropping their last two.
Players and coaches hoping,
pucks will find their way through.

All of the college hoops fans,
ready for their time.
It's the ACC season,
get ready to shine.

So on Roy, and Coach K,
Bzdelik and Sidney too.
The time for you is now,
to help March come into view.

From the 49ers to the Checkers,
and all teams in between.
We have but one wish,
simple as it will seem.

Continue your successes,
and always fight the good fight.
We'll do our best to cover you,
every day on Sports Night.

Merry Christmas!

Missed opportunities

2010-12-22T19:47:00.011-05:00

By the title, you may think this is another blog about the Carolina Panthers season gone wrong, but it's not. This is about the Charlotte Bobcats.

Wednesday, Larry Brown stepped down as Head Coach of the team, and within 3 hours, Paul Silas was tabbed as the interim Head Coach. Silas is a resident in the Charlotte area, but wasn't available for comment Wednesday. He will be available to media on Thursday following practice.

General Manager Rod Higgins was available for comment, and as some members of the local media were inside Time Warner Cable Arena for any potential announcements, and interviews, there were none to be had. Instead, the team announced Higgins was available via teleconference only. This while Higgins was also inside Time Warner Cable Arena.

This was a chance for the Bobcats, a team that the city of Charlotte has been slow to embrace, to eliminate the moat that separates them from the fan base. OK, maybe not eliminate it, but at least lower the drawbridge to allow the fans to feel closer to them. Opportunity missed.

Bobcats players were also out in the community Wednesday night, handing out Christmas gifts to kids that are less fortunate. They were at a Salvation Army center in the city. Those players were only allowed to talk about the event they were at, and not about the news that directly affected their jobs. Opportunity missed.

Sports fans in Charlotte have had to deal with a football team that has been dreadful in the standings. They try hard, but they don't have the same level of talent, top to bottom, as their opponents. 2-12 with 2 games to go is the result. The person who has taken the blame for that is team owner Jerry Richardson, and he has been unavailable to the media all season long, except for an appearance he made when the PGA of America announced the PGA Championship was coming to Quail Hollow Club. Other than that, it's been radio silence.

Fans in this town have already had to deal with one pro team putting distance between themselves and the fans, and now they have another operating under a veil of secrecy. This wasn't a decision made by Higgins. He said, in that teleconference, that team owner Michael Jordan met with Brown face-to-face, and they mutually agreed this was the best direction to go in. Jordan was unavailable for comment as he was "traveling," according to Higgins.

Basketball fans WANT to embrace the Bobcats. They really do, especially since Jordan became the majority owner. They want to be involved in the greatness that is the MJ brand. The Bobcats had a lay-up. Maybe even a break-away dunk to bring the fans closer to the team, on a day that the team needed to be held a little. Changing coaches is never an easy thing. They blew the lay up. The hammered the dunk off the back of the rim. They missed.

Too bad, because a little good PR goes a very long way.

Mike Solarte

The streak ends....well, ended,

2010-12-21T09:52:00.002-05:00

I came up 294 blogs short of matching Brett Favre's streak of consecutive starts, but since he plays once a week, technically the streak lives on. Just roughly 5 more years of blogging once a week. I'll let you know how that works out.

Panthers picked up win number 2, in what will likely be the final home game coached by John Fox for Carolina. Way too early to be talking about the next guy to lead the franchise, and frankly, Fox deserves better. I still maintain he deserved more support from the front office (read ownership), but as he would say, it is what it is.

Fox doesn't show a soft side all that often, but his underbelly was exposed after the 19-12 win over Arizona. If you saw his postgame comments on News 14 Carolina, you saw Fox reach for the bottle of water on the table when things were getting a little misty. Good for him. It's a 9-year run that will end with his worst record as a football coach. Not a Head Coach, but a football coach. He has NEVER gone through a season where he was a coach on a team that suffered double digit losses. It began in the off-season when the team gutted veteran players, guys Fox trusted. It will end badly, and that's the part that hurts the most.

A Thursday night meeting with Pittsburgh is on tap next for the Panthers. Just 2 to play, but if there is an up-side to playing Thursday, it is that the team will get Christmas off. I'll be with the Panthers when they close out the season against Atlanta on January 2.

The Charlotte Bobcats have shown flashes that they can be a good team. Problem is, those flashes have been overshadowed by stretches when they aren't playing so well. The latest display of that coming Monday night when they were blown out by the Washington Wizards (with a record of 7-19 after the win). The final of 108-75 marking the 3rd time in their last 5 games they fall by 30 or more points. Gerald Wallace was out of the lineup for the third straight game, but that doesn't make up for the blowouts. Something is missing here. There is an element with this team that wasn't here a year ago, when the Bobcats were winning games, setting the high-water mark for wins in a season, and making their first playoff appearance. Thing is, the personnel, hasn't changed very dramatically. It's puzzling, because Larry Brown didn't become a bad coach overnight. The players didn't become bad players overnight. Something is missing, and even though it's late December (already?), time is starting to get away from the Bobcats on this season. Having suffered through loss after loss with the Panthers, I'm hoping covering the Bobcats in the 2nd half of the year will be more fun that the fall was.

Congrats to Mike Krzyzewski for tying legendary coach Dean Smith with 879 wins. One of the highlights of my career was being in Winston-Salem when Dean surpassed Adolph Rudd for the top spot (Bobby Knight would surpass Dean later). A record like this means the coach has shown a wonderful ability to recruit, and then coach the talent. It is also a testament to staying committed to the program. In a day when coaches leap-frog from one job the the next, guys like K, Smith, Roy Williams (he counts as well), show just how important it is to be committed to the job, the university, the players, and the program.

Will try to hit the blog once more before Christmas, perhaps looking at the Panthers-Steelers, a Bobcats update, and maybe even a poem.

Mike Solarte

Sorry, but I'm not pumped about #1 pick

2010-12-15T08:45:00.002-05:00

So you really want the number one overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft? You want that pick because that player will be the one to turn your franchise around? This reminder...

For every Toy Aikman (1989), there is a Tim Couch (1999). For every Peyton Manning (1998), there is a Jamarcus Russell (2007). For every Orlando Pace (1997), there is a Kenneth Sims (1982). For every Eli Manning (2004), there is a KiJana Carter (1995).

Basically, there are no guarantees that the number one overall pick in the draft will amount to anything.

There is plenty of reason to think that the potential number 1 pick next April, Andrew Luck from Stanford, will remain at Stanford for his junior season. He was runner-up in Heisman Trophy balloting, and there are the obvious 2-sides to the argument of staying in school, vs. going pro. He'll make the best decision for himself, be sure of that. But what is that best decision? Let's help him out.

STAYING IN SCHOOL
Andrew, you'll be a senior, in command of a Stanford program that went 11-1 this year, with the only loss coming at the hands of national champion contender Oregon. You'll lead your team against Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. There are no guarantees that the Cardinal will enjoy the same success in 2011, but there is one certainty: the Cardinal WILL have a season, without a doubt in 2011. Being the senior starting QB at a PAC-10 school can't be all bad, especially in California. About the only drawbacks are going to classes, the occasional rainy day, and...well, I can't think of anything else. The biggest question mark hovering over you and your program is Head Coach Jim Harbaugh's status. Will he stay, or jump to either Michigan or the NFL?

TURNING PRO
Andrew, this is where it gets tricky. Going pro means you play football for a living. It means instead of going to class, you go to practice, then lift, then film study. Then, you repeat. It becomes a job, and it's one that you will love, I can tell. The payoff comes in the form of a contract, and it will be a biggie from whichever team selects you. You'll get a big signing bonus, guaranteeing that you will be financially secure. You'll get a multi-year contract as well, which will certainly go a long way around the holidays when picking out the perfect gift for someone special. There are drawbacks, though. There is the never ending scrutiny of being the top overall pick (which you will face whether you stay in school or come out early). There will be pressure for you to succeed quickly, because that is what's expected of the top overall pick. The general fan doesn't know how difficult it is to make that transition from college to pro. They will only see your price tag, and demand excellence from the second you step off the plane to your welcome-to-town press conference.

Oh yeah, one other thing. There may not even be a season for you in 2011, if the NFL and NFLPA don't reach a labor agreement.

That's a lot to think about for a guy that just turned 21, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

The Carolina Panthers are in the running for the top overall pick, and based on how they gutted this roster of its leadership, and replaced those players with younger and cheaper options, it begs the question of would Luck even WANT to play in Carolina if taken by the Panthers?

To paraphrase The Clash, "Should he stay or should he go?"

Mike Solarte

NFL thoughts on a Tuesday

2010-12-14T08:49:00.006-05:00

I know, hold back your excitement. It's blogs on consecutive days. Call me inspired by Brett Favre.

Yes, I have ripped Favre for his on again, off again, "am I playing, or retiring," fence-riding in the past, but the consecutive games played streak came to a halt in, of all places, Detroit, for a Vikings home game.

For posterity, I will point out that the Minnesota-NY Giants game scheduled for Sunday, Dec 12, 2010, was moved to Detroit after the roof at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, wilted under heavy snows and high winds. The building was unusable, and the NFL moved the game to Detroit, and rescheduled it for Monday, Dec. 13.

Even with the delay of over 30 hours, Favre still was unable to get his body well enough to take the field. He was inactive for the first time in 19 seasons, and possibly in his entire NFL career (couldn't find anything on his early playing days in Atlanta). So, Favre falls 3 games shy of 300 straight starts, but the 297 number will likely hold up for a very long time, if not all time.

Let's put this in perspective with a little timeline. When Favre's streak began, it was September 27th, 1992. Miley Cyrus hadn't been born yet, and Nick Jonas was 11 days old. "Unforgiven" won the Oscar for Best Film, and Jay Leno was just over 4 months into his first run as host of the "The Tonight Show" (I'm glad Conan is back on, by the way).

Recent college graduates have never known an NFL without Brett Favre. Those same people are likely unaware that Favre played 2 games for the Atlanta Falcons, before going to the Green Bay Packers, where it all began.

As Panther fans know, the QB position is not an easy one to play. They have seen their QB's struggle this season, and even Jake Delhomme struggled in 2009. Favre played at a very high level for much of his career, only tapering off in the last 5 years. His longevity is something that is hard to fathom. All we can do is appreciate it, and applaud it. Favre's career, this time, appears to be over. It would stand to reason he has nothing to come back and play for. But we'll be watching out for the drama next August, just in case.

Other NFL news, NY Jets strength coach Sal Alosi has been suspended for the remainder of the season, for tripping Miami Dolphins special teamer Nolan Carroll. To Alosi's credit, he owned up to it without hesitation. Video replays show the trip clearly, he couldn't refute it. Why did he do it? Even he doesn't know. In the end, the NFL and the Jets made the right move by suspending him, and not firing him (although that could come later). Alosi is a 9 year NFL coach, 8 of those spent with the Jets. Before this weekend, had you ever heard his name? I'm not sure he was even part of "Hard Knocks" this pre-season. My point is, the guy doesn't have a history of this. He's not a guy that causes trouble. He made a mistake, that luckily, didn't cost anyone their season due to injury. I understand the outcry, but they handled it. He's been punished, let's move on.

Speaking of moving on, the outrage over Michael Vick autographing a glove for Tashard Choice following heir Sunday night game in Dallas is mind boggling. Really? Let's point out, the signing of a glove is small potatoes to some of the things I have seen on the field after games. Jerseys have been exchanged (NFL authentic jerseys aren't cheap. If you have ever priced them out, you know). It happens. Whether it be for personal collections, or charitable donations, that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Choice told reporters the signed glove was for a family member. Pretty cool deal. I don't get why people were so upset by this whole thing. Is it that a player got a star player's autograph on the field? Is it because it looks like Choice was bowing down to the QB that beat his team? Or maybe it's this.

Maybe people are so upset that Michael Vick has a job in the NFL, that Vick signing anything but apology letters is a waste of ink.

Is that you? If so, I weep for you. Michael Vick has gone through several phases of his NFL journey. First, he was Vick the scrambling QB. Not much on accuracy, but he could break contain like no other. I once said he was a running back that took snaps. He was the blueprint for the Wildcat package.

Then Vick became the villain. The guy that ran with the wrong crowd, used his millions to finance an illegal dog fighting operation, even going so far as to kill dogs that didn't perform in the ring. Heinous crimes. Personally, I despise Vick for that phase of his life. His entire life would suffer as a result, as he went to prison. He served his time. He tried to rehabilitate.

The third phase of the Vick NFL experience is what we are watching now. A guy that has stayed out of trouble. A guy that tried to reach out to show those that despised him (like me), that he has changed. How much he has changed, only he knows. What I see is a guy trying to be a model citizen off the field, and a good football player on it. He's been better than good on the field. He has never thrown the ball this well in his career. My wife even commented Sunday that this isn't the Vick she saw before. He's gone from superb athlete playing quarterback, to pretty good quarterback. He's still a gifted athlete, but now he is playing the position about as well as he ever has.

I hate the middle portion of the journey, but I have to give credit where its due. Vick is making a believer out of me that some people deserve a second chance. Vick is taking full advantage of this one, as a player and as a person. Give the hate a rest.

Mike Solarte

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Monday rear-view Mirror

2010-12-13T09:04:00.003-05:00

Let me start with the positives. Saturday was a wonderful (albeit cold and rainy) day at Carter-Finley Stadium for State Championship football. Congrats to Butler, West Rowan, and Northern Guilford on winning the 4-AA, 3-A and 3-AA titles in Raleigh respectfully. Butler and West Rowan won handily, but Northern Guilford edged Boiling Springs Crest 21-20. An exciting game, with a tough finish for the Chargers, thanks to a missed PAT in the final 15 seconds. I applaud all the players and coaches for their efforts, not just on Championship Saturday, but all season long. Thanks to each and every coach and player that allowed us on their sidelines this past season. We had a blast covering the year, and hope you enjoyed our coverage on the Discount Tire Friday Night Final.

Now, to the ugliness.

The Carolina Panthers loss 31-10 to the Atlanta Falcons dropped their record to 1-12, 3 games to go, the most winnable of them coming at Bank of America Stadium this Sunday when Arizona rolls in. Will they win? Who knows, but the is no disputing the frustration levels are now at an all-time high. Steve Smith isn't happy with Jimmy Clausen. Jordan Gross isn't happy with being told the team is "young, and they try really hard." John Fox isn't happy about losing. The media isn't happy about covering a team that is brutally overmatched each week, because the plan set in motion by ownership was to sacrifice the season in the name of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement. Don't believe what I have been writing in this space all season long? John Lynch, TV analyst during Sunday's game, said, "I see a team that has been preparing for the lockout for the last couple of years."

I have tried to give ownership the benefit of the doubt, but the 60+ players that have worn the uniform for the Panthers this season, especially the guys that have been around for a while, deserved better. Jerry Richardson's letter to PSL owners was nice, but it's not enough. Richardson, not GM Marty Hurney, not Fox, not the players, is the one responsible for this mess. All folks underneath him are working on orders, and the orders come from above. This embarrassing season falls squarely on his shoulders. How the franchise bounces back from this will determine how he is remembered. Coming into 2010, Richardson was revered in the community. That perception has changed, in a very big way thanks to the events of this season. I have applauded him in the past for being a "behind-the-scenes" owners, but when times are tough, the right thing to do to face the music, and not hide in the shadows.

Panthers fans, PSL owners, and the like are certainly hoping that the sacrifices of the season in 2010 will pay off in 2011...or 2012.

The Charlotte Bobcats are looking more and more like a dysfunctional family. It's to the point that team owner Michael Jordan gave his team a verbal beating after a blowout loss to Boston on Saturday night. Bobcats back home to meet Toronto on Tuesday night, when MJ will be inducted into the NC Sports Hall of Fame at halftime. The Bobcats are at a critical point in the season. They can ill afford to continue to lose games, as they will lose ground in a very bad Eastern Conference. The Bobcats can be a playoff team, but they need to get things sorted out, and from the sound of it, it comes down to effort. Effort is something this franchise has been known for, from day one. Bobcats, be who you are, not what you think you are. Be the hard-working team that the city has come to expect. That's what they were last season.

You also have Cam Newton winning the Heisman Trophy. I have no problem with that. In fact, I voted for him. I got the order wrong, in sports 2-3, but I had Newton winning it. What I find disturbing is the fact that 105 of my fellow voters didn't vote for Newton in any spot (1-2-3). They omitted him from their ballots altogether. The Heisman goes to college football's most outstanding player. So according to the 105 voters, he was, at worst, the 4th best player in the country.

Sorry, but that's a joke.

As a Heisman voter, it's my duty to vote for the best players in America, regardless of my opinion of whether or not they broke a rule. If the player is in good standing with the NCAA, they are eligible to receive the Heisman. Cam Newton is in good standing with the NCAA. He was the best player in college football. Period. He got my vote.

Now, my personal belief is that Cam Newton knew all along that his father was up to no good, but SO FAR, there is no PROOF that Cam was involved. There is a chance that Newton won't hold onto that Heisman somewhere down the road, and that will be his shame to deal with if and when that happens. I used my ballot, and did so according to the ground rules laid out.

Mike Solarte

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Happy Tuesday

2010-12-07T10:30:00.002-05:00

Have been getting e-mails about the Panthers coaching situation after this season. Who will be the coach, what happens to the staff, etc. I'm not smart enough to figure out who it will be, but there is talk about Jim Harbaugh from Stanford, or even Brian Schottenheimer being candidates. Those are rumors, of course, and the reality about rumors is this:they can get around the world twice in the morning, before the truth even opens its eyes.

I will say this, and I know it's not original, but John Fox won't be back next season. It's time for a split., and it's sad it has come to this. It's been a solid 9-year run, but all good things must come to an end. Fox and most of his staff will likely be elsewhere, and there are players that will likely finish 2010 as a Panther and not return. It's the nature of the game.

I do not, however, subscribe to the notion of tanking the season for the first overall pick in the draft. That's just dumb. It's bad enough the team was put in a tough spot to being the year, but to then tell those players that are grinding it every week, to lay down so the franchise can land the number 1 overall pick? Talk about setting a bad example for future potential players. This season can be chalked up to ownership going cheap and young to try and set and example for other owners in the league with the CBA expiring, and the threat of a lockout looming.

Heisman balloting is closed, I got my votes in, and I went with Cam Newton, then Kellen Moore, followed by Andrew Luck. Newton was far and away the best player in college football, and it wasn't even close. I based my vote on the body of work, and not the talk of wrong doing. Between the lines, he was the best player in the nation, period. I didn't hold Boise State's schedule against Kellen Moore. Bottom line, you have to produce to get results, and he did that for Boise. Andrew Luck is only scratching the surface of how good he can be. Problem for Stanford is he'll figure out the rest of it in the NFL.

FYI, 18 days until Christmas. 75 days until the Daytona 500.

Mike Solarte

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Clearing the Clutter

2010-12-01T10:11:00.004-05:00

Spraying to all fields:

Carolina Panthers have endured a difficult season, sitting 1-10 with their next stop out west in Seattle. I won't go into my diatribe about how this team was set up for failure (lack of veteran leaders to show the young guys the ropes), but I will commend every guy that puts the pads on for the organization, as well as the coaches. They REFUSE to lay down their sword. John Fox won't say this out loud, because of their record, but this might be his best coaching work. Offensively, Brandon LaFell, David Gettis, Jimmy Clausen and others, are rookies on offense. Greg Hardy, Eric Norwood are rookies on defense, plus a host of new faces brought in to take on the season.

Youth is no excuse, but it is a very valid reason why this team is struggling, but to their credit, they are improving, and still playing hard. That's a testament to their strength and will, and it is also a testament to Fox and his staff. They are still working to win games, and most of all, the players are still on board with it. Sadly, it's almost as if the players are resigned to their fate (record-wise), but they still believe in their leader. As tough as this season has been, these players have made it as fun as possible with their attitude, and their effort.

Charlotte Bobcats forward Stephen Jackson will miss Wednesday night's game against New Orleans due to a 1-game suspension by the NBA. Jackson's crime: not leaving the court in a timely fashion after being ejected in Milwaukee. Once again, NBA referee's showing little to no respect for the players and coaches , now that they have the "no showing up the officials" card in their back pocket. The ref in question, Eli Roe, is young in terms of NBA experience. According to the site http://www.basketball-refs.com/ (it's basically a blog), Roe had over 50+ games of NBA experience at its last update (mid June of this year). Roe was also voted, according to the site, as the ref "to most likely to choke to death on his own whistle." Rave review, right?

The NBA has to revisit this policy. How is Dwight Howard among the league leaders in technical fouls? I understand how Jackson is, and there is not doubt in my mind, Jackson is a mark for refs. To me, they are looking for him to do something. Problem is, Jackson usually obliges them with some form of discussion, but that doesn't mean Jackson is wrong. Respect is a 2-way street. NBA referees, young or old, need to remember that.

Speaking of officials, I love the uproar over the fight between Andre Johnson and Cortland Finnegan over the weekend. Neither player was suspended, both were fined $25,000 for the altercation. Folks wanting them to be suspended are reaching. Let's remember, this is an emotional and very physical game. Johnson felt Finnegan was taking liberties, and finally retaliated (video shows that to be the case). Things happen in the heat of battle. The league stepped in, took action, that's it. Finnegan is actually lucky he wasn't suspended, considering he is a repeat offender.

Adding this at 8:25 pm tonight, want to mention a conversation I had with injured Panthers WR Wallace Wright on Wednesday, and he gave me something else to think about here. Earlier Wednesday, Panthers safety Sherrod Martin was fined $40,000 for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland TE Evan Moore on Sunday. Stiff penalty, based on Martin being a repeat offender of the head-to-head knocks. But is $40K justified when 2 players were actually fighting? According to Wallace, the fighting penalties should have been stiffer, to curb that behavior in the future. I agree, to an extent, with Wallace. The fine didn't fit the crime on Martin, especially when reviewing the game tape.

High school football nears an end, state semi-final Friday on tap this week, with championship games next weekend. Hope you check out the Discount Tire Friday Night Final to see all the action this week, and our state championship previews next week.

Mike Solarte

Where to begin?

2010-11-23T18:43:00.002-05:00

Tuesday was a HUGE day in NASCAR, thanks to a couple of things. First off, a major shake-up at Hendrick Motorsports. Follow along, there will be a quiz later.

Three of their four teams will have new a Crew Chief, moved from within the organization. Lance McGrew leaves the #88 team of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and slides into the same post for Mark Martin and the #5 team. Steve Letarte goes from Jeff Gordon and the #24 to the #88 for Earnhardt, Jr. Alan Gustafson is shifted from the #5 to the #24.

Why all the movement, considering the (untouched) #48 team of Jimmie Johnson just won his 5th straight championship? Basically, because the other 3 didn't come in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively. In fact, only Gordon was a Chase contender when the playoffs began. Martin and Earnhardt, Jr. were on the outside, looking in.

It's not a move of desperation, it's pure Rick Hendrick. It's not being satisfied with success, it going after more of it. It's no secret the Earnhardt, Jr. hasn't produced the results in his time at HMS. This move is a chance for the #88 guys to make a difference. Are there guarantees it will work? Absolutely not. One thing Hendrick can't ever be called is conservative, when it comes to going after titles. This shake-up proves that on many levels.

Richard Petty Motorsports announced they are scaling back from a four-car team down to two. Makes loads of sense given the financial issues RPM dealt with towards the end of the season. Hopefully, the King will find the right money folks to back his efforts, but here's also hoping the King is more hands-on with this company. The arrangement with the Gillett family didn't offer Petty much say in the business side of things, and considering he's been around NASCAR his entire life, he knows how to get things done. NASCAR is better when the Petty name is successful. here's hoping it returns to prominence.

Last NASCAR thought, congrats to Kevin Conway, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Austin Dillon for earning Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors. Great stuff for these three drivers. Continued success in the future to all three.

Turning to the Panthers, they have a chance (again) to pick up win number 2 of the season when they take on the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland. Funny as it sounds, the stars may align to have Jake Delhomme start at QB for the Browns to face his former team. You know, the team whose fan base wanted him gone? Hindsight is 20-20, but at the time he was released, I hated the move. I understood, however, it was about saving money, cutting costs, and going younger. Those goals were somewhat achieved, considering the Panthers still owed Delhomme money. Still, the youth got their chance, and the biggest complaint of Head Coach John Fox this season has been the play of the offense, and the QB position. It's a group effort, mind you, but the QB play has been a sore spot all year.

I know Panthers fans are hoping that the "bad" Jake will play for the Browns on Sunday. Throw a bucketful of interceptions, allowing the Panthers the chance to win the game. Not me. If Delhomme does start, I'm hoping he has a good day. No doubt he will be motivated to beat his former team, much the same way he wanted to beat the New Orleans Saints anytime he played them. This, though, is much more personal. The Panthers franchise enjoyed their best years when Delhomme was under center. Disagree? Who were the other QB's to take the Panthers to the Super Bowl? Only one other got them to an NFC Championship game. Delhomme took them to two of those.

Yes, his time in Carolina ended badly. Interceptions, fumbles, bad play, it all added up to him being run out of town like a crooked politician. Lost in all the late mess by many was the stuff that had people snapping up #17 jerseys at the team store, and chanting "Jake" anytime he hit the field. You have to remember the entire body of work, not the closing chapters. Sadly, the last thing folks saw, is how they remember the Louisiana gunslinger.

Will try to hit the blog again before the weekend, but with the holiday it may be tough. There is, however, NO EXCUSE for not watching Sports Night this week! Your chance to win tickets to the ACC Championship game in Charlotte awaits! Make sure you tune in at 10 each night for your chance!

Mike Solarte

Panthers, Bobcats, NASCAR...oh my!

2010-11-17T08:12:00.004-05:00

Mathematically, they are still alive, but to me, the Panthers playoff hopes are gone. That's fine. I've spent enough time griping about how this team was put together, and the end result. I've accepted that fact. I applaud the efforts of the players, who have gone out week in and week out and done all they could to try and win games.

Seven games to go, starting this Sunday against Baltimore. Another tough assignment for the Panthers offense, considering they are concerned about Jimmy Clausen this week. The Panthers signed Brian St. Pierre off their practice squad on Tuesday. That tells me Clausen is not coming around well after suffering a concussion against Tampa Bay. Say hello to rookie QB Tony Pike as your starter this week, with St. Pierre the backup, and Armanti Edwards as the emergency QB (if Clausen is unable to play). And for all the Edwards fans out there, you have to understand, the Panthers aren't "overlooking" your guy. They have him slotted as a wide receiver, not a QB. They won't just throw him in at QB until he's been looking at the playbook as a QB, not a WR. He hasn't worked out full as a QB in nearly a year, and not at all as a professional.

They could see a running back return from injury, given the release of Andre Brown on Tuesday, but that's something we'll find out at practice on Wednesday morning. Hats off to Mike Goodson for his efforts against the Bucs on Sunday. He ran hard, and got some good up front work to become the team's first 100 yard rusher this season. Took them until game 9 with all that talent back there. Yes, it's been a long year.

Charlotte Bobcats got on the board with a home win on Monday, and now have a few days between games. They head to Miami to face the Heat on Friday. I'm of the opinion the Bobcats have found something, and could be in for a nice stretch. Not saying they are going undefeated or anything silly like that, but I like the way the team played, and there's a good indication that Head Coach Larry Brown liked what he saw too. During the first half, I saw the coach leave his bench seat once. Just once, and that was to calmly work the officials. Generally, when he's not happy, he's up and down, pacing and shouting. A calm Larry usually means a content Larry. Notice I didn't say happy.

Speaking of the officials, the NBA has given them too much power. I understand the league not wanting players to show up their refs, but when Stephen Jackson gets "T'd" up, and even fined for things like he has been nabbed for, it's time to re-evaluate the policy. More than that, sitting courtside on Monday, I heard one ref basically snapping at Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis, and speaking in less than courteous tones. It's a two-way street, Stripes. You can't demand respect from players and coaches, if you aren't willing to show some in their direction as well. Rambis wasn't even hot about a call. He was wanting an explanation about a call that was made, and was trying to point out that the call could have gone another way. The ref shouted (and yeah, I mean shouted), "you asked me what it was, and I told ya..." while turning away from him. Really? Commissioner Stern, please. Step in here, and give the players and coaches a chance to fight for themselves. 99.9% of the time, they won't win their case, but at least allow them to be heard. Give them back their voice.

NASCAR fans, longing for a change tot eh Chase format, may still get their wish, but a 3 -driver battle has taken shape heading into the final race this weekend in Homestead-Miami. Denny Hamlin leads Jimmie Johnson by 15 points, and Kevin Harvick by 46. It will make for an interesting 400 miles in Florida, to be sure. Will one of them try and run another contender into the fence? Will they race each other cleanly? One mistake by the driver, or their pit crew is game over for the season. The margin of error is razor thin. Great drama.

Earlier in the season, NASCAR boss Brian France said the format needed to provide great drama, and signature moments. Looks like it will deliver that this weekend.

Mike Solarte

So THIS is what bottom looks like?

2010-11-08T08:21:00.006-05:00

Wow. Just wow.

Carolina Panthers got smoked 34-3 by the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, a game that was not nearly as close as the score might indicate.

The "plan" put in place by the organization before the season began, is coming to fruition. Jettison most of your veteran leadership, sign young players to fill those spots, hope for the best, pray for few injuries, and let the coaching staff coach 'em up. See how we'll finish.

That loud boom you just heard was that plan blowing up in owner Jerry Richardson's face.

I want to state, for the record, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mr. Richardson. He is the first former NFL player to own a franchise in the league. He has always been accommodating to fans of the team, making the rounds to tailgates on gamedays, and his team is always out in the community, giving back.

All that being said, this plan stinks for the fans of this team. It is hard for them to justify paying NFL prices for a product that is turning out to be less than standard. Back on September 29th, in this very space, I wrote this:

"I am curious as to why the Panthers are in this pickle. Why they felt the need
to jettison so much of their experience. I know there were some sizable
contracts attached to that experience, but it's almost like the plot line from
the baseball movie "Major League." The team owner, Rachel Phelps,
instructs her baseball people (scouts, GM, etc), to bring in certain players to
training camp. The intent is for her team, the Cleveland Indians, to be so
horrendous on the field, that attendance figures will fall to the point she can
relocate the team to Florida.

Of course, the Panthers aren't talking about relocating, but they have so many guys on the roster that are young and inexperienced, it makes me wonder if ownership isn't simply playing out the season as they anticipate a very possible lockout next season. Next year, the Panthers will have some decisions to make about personnel, but as it stands now, no collective bargaining agreement exists. Is 2010 just a throw-away?"

I bring that quote back from a little over a month ago, to illustrate this point. There was very little depth on this team to begin with, and now that QB Matt Moore, RB's Jonathan Stewart, DeAngelo Williams and Tyrell Sutton, MLB Dan Connor and rookie DE Greg Hardy are dinged with injuries, the Panthers have been exposed as a team with very little in the cupboard. THIS was the plan?

It's a guarantee, now, not just speculation, that John Fox won't be back next season. This is his final contract year with the club, and his frustration with "the plan," is showing. He kicked aside personnel questions better than an NHL goaltender on Sunday, basically saying, "I didn't buy the groceries, I'm just the cook, and I did my best to make it taste good."

My friend and colleague Bill Voth from the ABC affiliate in Charlotte, used some of his sportscast on Sunday night to call out Richardson, basically telling the owner that an explanation from him is due, in fact long overdue. While I commend Bill for the way he executed it (good execution is the key), those pleas fall on deaf ears. Richardson seems to not care about the opinions of the fans or media in this instance. If he does care, he's not rushing to speak to anyone about it.

I am blessed to be associated with smart people, and I spoke with one of them before the game. In regards to Richardson's "plan," my buddy told me that Richardson sacrificed his own team for the good of the league. Basically, he has shown the rest of the league's owners, he is willing to take the hit at the gate, as well as in the court of popular opinion, in order to help the owners head into what is shaping up to be a nasty labor negotiation. What will his reward be? It might be the first pick in the April draft.

Question is, would the Panthers trade that pick away, too?

Mike Solarte

Winless no more

2010-10-25T10:21:00.002-04:00

No, it is not time for ticker-tape parade down Tryon Street, but the fact remains, the Carolina Panthers won a football game on Sunday. A hard fought 23-20 win over a San Francisco 49er team that did all they could to not win.

They committed too many penalties, weren't as sharp offensively with backup quarterback David Carr filling in for the injured Alex Smith. Smith was playing well, but injured his shoulder when Charles Johnson sacked him. Carr was the same guy that Panthers fans loved to boo. he was timid, he was gun shy, and he was inaccurate. He is who the Panthers found out he is (paraphrasing the great rant of Dennis Green).

Carolina didn't luck into this win, mind you. They made their share of mistakes, too. For the first time, though, they weren't beaten by the bad breaks, or miscues. They overcame them. Matt Moore threw a horrendous interception, that was taken back for a touchdown. It was ugly. Then you have John Fox calling for Carolina to go for it on 4th and 9 from the 16, trailing by 7. About 5 minutes were left on the clock, and the 49ers had shown no signs of life once Carr came into the game. That was a tailor-made moment for Fox to boot the field goal, get the points, and sent the defense back out to hold Frisco (which they had been doing). Weirdness.

Full marks for the youth stepping up. Moore's return was solid. Brandon LaFell and David Gettis played bigger than big. Gettis with a pair of TD catches, LaFell with a monster catch on the game winning drive (aided by a picture-perfect throw from Moore). For once, the question of "who is gonna get it done," was answered.

Defensively, a couple of miscues led to some big plays in the first quarter, but for the most part, they did a nice job, Frank Gore got his yards, which you come to expect. Smith hit TE Vernon Davis on a long pass, and then a TD toss, but other than that, nothing much to speak of.

Panther offense can't crank up the running game the way they did last season. When DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are held under 100 yards a duo, it means one of two things. 1) The San Francisco defense is good against the run, or 2) Carolina's ground attack needs some work. Currently, San Fran is 15th against the run, allowing 106 yards per game. Carolina ran for 76 yards on 34 carries. I like the commitment to the run game, though. The Panthers need to be better in that part of the offense.

Special teams play was good, as return threat Ted Ginn averaged 8 yards per punt return, and about 23 on kickoffs. Rhys Lloyd did his job well, recording four touchbacks on his 6 attempts. Jason Baker averaged 40 yards per kick, which a bit pedestrian for him--his average is 43.6 yards. John Kasay was on his game, knocking through all of his field goal attempts from 37, 47 and a monstrous 55 yarder that would have been good from 60, based on where it hit the netting above my head.

The Panthers defense must have felt like it was on a vacation. They played, by my unofficial count, 54 snaps. Way down from the 70+ efforts they have put in during recent outings. They can thank the offense for winning the time of possession battle, 36:05 to 23:55.

In all, a win, is a win, is a win. Next up, a trip to St. Louis to meet the Rams, another team that is struggling, but dangerous. The Rams lost 18-17 to Tampa Bay on Sunday, and will be looking to get back into the win column to get back to 500. They sit 3-4 after the loss.

Quick note on NASCAR, I said in the previous blog post that the Sprint Cup Chase was "close to over," and that Denny Hamlin's team "has the chops to win a title, but (Jimmie) Johnson's bunch isn't allowing him to get close enough." Well, in Martinsville, Johnson's bunch didn't allow Hamlin to get close, Hamlin roasted the field winning for the third straight race there, and closing the points lead from 41 down to 6. Reason for the props for the 48 team, they finished 5th with a car that was off all day long. Bigger props to Hamlin and the #11 Fed Ex team. They have been getting it done all season long.

Next stop, Talladega. Buckle up.

Mike Solarte

Moore in, NFL fines & NASCAR

2010-10-19T21:59:00.003-04:00

Carolina Panthers will go with Matt Moore at quarterback on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. The move comes as a shock to some, but not me.

The Panthers may have committed to a youth movement with their roster, but that doesn't mean the coaches want to lose games in the name of gaining experience. John Fox may be in the final year of his contract, but he still wants to win, and he believes Moore gives him the better chance this weekend against the 1-5 Niners.

That's not a slap at Jimmy Clausen. The guy is a rookie, and didn't play horribly. He has ball security issues, namely taking a snap from under center. He will learn, and he will be a good NFL quarterback. It will take time, and he will get plenty of opportunity.

As for going back to Moore, it's not desperation. It's about winning games. Ultimately, that will be the mark by which this team is judged, Never mind the lack of veteran leadership on the roster. Wins and losses are all that matter in the NFL.

And since we're o the subject of John Fox, if this is indeed his final season in Carolina (and all signs point to that being the case), this season's team won't be held against him. His body of work as a n NFL Head Coach far outshines what he has been dealt this season. Yes, it is the Panthers organizational plan, but stripping a coach of most, if not all, of his veterans and filling a roster with mostly young players who have to learn as they go, is not how Fox will be viewed by the next team that hires him. He will be viewed as a guy that took a franchise from 1-15 before his arrival to an NFC Title, and Super Bowl appearance. He didn't become horrible overnight, folks.

The NFL handed out $175,000 dollars in fines on Tuesday, slapping Pittsburgh's James Harrison, New England's Brandon Merriweather, and Atlanta's Dunta Robinson with fines for hits deemed to be helmet-to-helmet, and certainly dangerous. My take, the NFL got it right on 2 of those players. Robinson did nothing wrong. He hit DeSean Jackson with his shoulder, and he hit Jackson in the chest. Video supports it. Robinson says he's appealing, and I hope it's rescinded.

There is a difference between dangerous play, and playing hard. Dangerous play involves headhunting. Plain and simple. The onus is on he defenders. Tackling is just that-tackling. Not trying to deliver punishment with a major collision. That is hitting. Tackling involves wrapping the offensive play up, and bringing them to the ground. Tackling is a lost art in the NFL, but tackling doesn't sell tickets these days. Collisions do.

I applaud the NFL for this. Players need to respect each other on the field, which can be done, while still trying to win the game and playing hard, tough football. I'm glad they stepped in before someone gets seriously injured. Or worse.

NASCAR off to Martinsville this weekend, and things are still up in the air. Jimmie Johnson leads Denny Hamlin, and both of these guys race the heck out of Martinsville. Should be a great weekend. I told Charlotte Observer reporter Jim Utter I would declare the Chase over had Johnson won in Charlotte. He didn't win, and I didn't have to say it.

I sure do think it's close to over. If, and it's a big if, Johnson gets through Talladega with the lead, only bad luck will keep Johnson from a 5th title. The 48 team saw their driver spin out on lap 34, drop to 35th place, and yet they worked him through the field, and into contention before it was all said and done. Face facts: This was Johnson's Chase to lose. Either he was going to runaway with it, or someone has to step up and beat him. Hamlin's team has the chops to do it, but Johnson's bunch isn't allowing him to get close enough. It's great drama to watch, and the next 5 races will be too.

Mike Solarte

UPDATE--Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a memo to all the clubs regarding player safety, and playing within the rules. See it here.

The Bye Week

2010-10-13T08:35:00.002-04:00

Normally, I don't like the week 6 bye week, but for the Carolina Panthers, it comes at a good time. The Panthers are a lost bunch, no offensive direction, a defense that is wearing down faster than it should, and a fan base that is perilously close to folding the tents and going on its way.

The 23-6 loss to Chicago in week 5 was a bad loss, no doubt. Offensively, Carolina isn't even able to be one-dimensional. Their vaunted run game barely gets a shot to get out of neutral, because the opposition puts points on the board, taking a lead, forcing the Panthers into a passing mode.

For all of the work the Panthers put in on just the passing game in pre-season (and in training camp, as well as OTA's before that), the results just aren't there. True, five games is a somewhat small sample size, but still, the results in those five games has been consistent, and that hasn't been good. That also begs the question, was it really all Jake Delhomme last season?

What is the fix? At this point, that's anybody's guess. The reality is that Carolina has 11 games in which to try and salvage the season. The playoffs are a dream right now, as it will take Carolina going, at worst, 9-2 over their final 11 to have a chance, and even then, that may not be enough.

Hats off to the defense. They have had to play more snaps than any unit I can remember watching, and they do it well. The tank runs empty when you constantly hit the gas, and that is no different for the defense. I joked with LB James Anderson on Monday night saying the defense could sue the offense for lack of support, to which he simply smiled. He won't throw his teammates under the bus, and to me, that's a good sign. These guys are still in this thing together, no finger-pointing, no splinters in the locker room. How long it stays that way is something to watch.

Elsewhere, we saw the end of the Bobby Cox era with the Atlanta Braves Monday night. Atlanta was knocked out of the playoffs by San Francisco, and after the game, the old skipper took his bows at Turner Field. He came out of the dugout, saluting the fans, tipping his cap and waving. Tremendous moment by the Giants on the field, as they stopped their celebrating to turn to the Braves side of the field, and applaud Cox. You don't have to be a genius to recognize Cox will go down as one of baseball's all-time great managers, and it was nice that the players on both sides too a moment to recognize it as well.

NASCAR Hall of Fame selections coming on Wednesday, Be shocked if David Pearson is left off of this 2nd class of inductees. He should have gone in with the 2009 Class, but if he is left out of this one, you may have to call the Hall into question on their selection process. I won't begin to take a stab at the other 4 potential inductees, but considering 20 of the 25 names on this ballot were listed on last year's ballot, it is safe to say that this class will be just as deserving as the first.

Mike Solarte

Dwayne Jarrett Released

2010-10-05T22:04:00.002-04:00

It's a day that Panther fans have been calling for over the past 2 years. They got their wish on Tuesday, but for all the wrong reasons.

Mind you, I have been wondering what Jarrett had done to earn the chance at a roster spot, as his potential has gone horribly unrealized. My reasons were simply football reasons. He wasn't doing enough in practice to merit a jersey on game day. Pretty telling stuff that, in his 4th season, being the 2nd tenured WR on the roster, Jarrett was inactive in week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals. That move signified the beginning of the end of his time with the Panthers.

His release however, does not come easily.

The Panthers have cut loose a guy that set a Pac-10 record for touchdown catches (41), and was a 2nd round draft choice. Many will affix the label "bust" to him, and when it comes to football, it would fit. The bigger worry for me, is the young man's future.

Jarrett being nabbed twice for DWI by the age of 24, is a warning sign. Jarrett may need some serious help. This is not a good thing for any person that age, not just football players. Maybe the pressures of the NFL were too much for him. Maybe he's not cut out for the NFL. Who knows. What we do know is this: Dwayne Jarrett struggled as an NFL receiver, both on and off the field.

In the game football, Jarrett's time may be up. In the game of life, he'll need to get back on track before something worse than being cut by an NFL team happens.

Mike Solarte

Time to empty the clutter in my brain

2010-09-29T09:26:00.005-04:00

It's been far too long, but after watching the Panthers loss to Cincinnati, in a poorly played game by both teams, I needed a day or two to reboot.

I am curious as to why the Panthers are in this pickle. Why they felt the need to jettison so much of their experience. I know there were some sizable contracts attached to that experience, but it's almost like the plot line from the baseball movie "Major League." The team owner, Rachel Phelps, instructs her baseball people (scouts, GM, etc), to bring in certain players to training camp. The intent is for her team, the Cleveland Indians, to be so horrendous on the field, that attendance figures will fall to the point she can relocate the team to Florida.

Of course, the Panthers aren't talking about relocating, but they have so many guys on the roster that are young and inexperienced, it makes me wonder if ownership isn't simply playing out the season as they anticipate a very possible lockout next season. Next year, the Panthers will have some decisions to make about personnel, but as it stands now, no collective bargaining agreement exists. Is 2010 just a throw-away?

For the record, I am not accusing the Panthers of tanking the 2010 season. I am definitely not accusing the players of not trying their best. I see it on the field each week. They are trying. They are busting on every play. It just feels like they brought a knife to a gun fight. Hard to be successful when you don't have the tools to get it done.

The Panthers are a 1/3 mess. At 0-3, much of the blame falls on the offense. They are woefully one-dimensional, which makes them a defensive coordinator's dream to scheme against.

"OK guys, here's what we are going to do. We're putting 8, maybe 9 in the box, and we'll force Carolina to beat us through the air. Their running backs are focus number 1, so if we contain the run, we win the game."

Since laying blame is easy (although most of the time unfair), the offense gets the dirty end of the stick pointed at them. Hard to blame the defense or special teams. By my count, the defense was on the field for 74 plays against Cincinnati (not including special teams plays). That is a ton of snaps for that unit to be on the field. Carolina needs something from the offense. Anything. Won't be easy as they meet New Orleans this weekend.

Off football for a second, the NBA season is on the horizon, with training camps opening league-wide this week. Charlotte Bobcats are in Wilmington, back after a 1 year break from their road camp. I like the optimism shown by the players, but I wonder how far behind the rest of the Eastern Conference they are. So many teams went out and did what they could to upgrade. The Bobcats were so tightly pressed to the luxury tax number, they really couldn't do anything. I think they are still a top 8 team, but they will be a in a bigger battle this season to find a playoff spot.

And speaking of the Eastern Conference, camps just opened, yet the good folks at ESPN (and basically everyone else in the NBA universe) seems to have gone all Dennis Green on us, and crowned the Miami Heat as champs. Why do I say this? Well, for starters, ESPN is camped out at Heat camp at a military base in Florida. And not camped out with a reporter, but with a travelling studio set, complete with an anchor, and a pair of analysts. To me, that is a bit much, and it also the reason there will be even more LeBron and Heat hate. It makes the Heat public enemy number 1 in the NBA fan world. So much attention paid to three guys that have never played together for an entire NBA season, ramps up the pressure on them to new heights. Not only do they have to win the title, but they will have to break records in the process. Way too much heat on the Heat. Flipside of that, imagine what joy the detractors will have if the Heat (gulp) fail.

I will credit LeBron with a good line from his interview with Rachel Nichols, when asked about being booed. Paraphrasing, he said people boo because of fear, not because they don't like them. He pointed out people booed Michael Jordan. Why? Because they hated his game? No, they were afraid of what Jordan was going to do to their team. I did agree with him about that.

Charlotte Checkers opened up training camp on Monday, and as a hockey guy, I am excited. The Checkers move into the American Hockey League this year, and fans will notice a difference in play. All due respect to the former ECHL Checkers, the AHL version is faster, and will be more skilled. The players on the ice are, in essence, one phone call away from the NHL. All the players know that as well, and they work their tails off to ensure their phone is the one that rings when the time comes. Head Coach Jeff Daniels is a former NHL forward who is a wonderful student of the game, and has done a nice job as a Head Coach within the Carolina Hurricanes system. This will be a fun team to watch, so make it a point to check them out.

Mike Solarte

Wild week rolls along

2010-09-23T18:57:00.002-04:00

Panthers taking on Cincinnati on Sunday, and Jimmy Clausen gets the start at QB, his first in the NFL. Don't know that will be the difference, but why not shake things up? If Clausen has a big day, the Panthers could roll from there. If he struggles, the Panthers will be in for a long afternoon. I'm not sure which way this one will go, but the smart money game plan says pound it on the ground with Stewart and Williams, a dash of Goodson for good measure. Sprinkle in the occasional toss to Smith, LaFell, Gettis, Jarrett (2 of those last 3 should play), and play keep-away with the football. The longer Carson Palmer and the Bengal offense stays on the sidelines, the better it is for Carolina.

Defensively, the Panthers have to find a way to get to Palmer. 19 sacks in the pre-season, but just 1 in their opening 2 games. That simply indicates the stakes are higher, and as such, teams are game-planning to protect their QB's. On the flipside of that, the Panthers have surrendered 8 sacks in their first 2 games. That would suggest that teams are finding weaknesses in the offensive line, and taking advantage.

The recipe: tighten up the offensive line, run the ball, make Palmer uncomfortable, and keep Clausen confident. If Carolina can cook that up, they could break into the win column.

NASCAR hammered Clint Bowyer with a 150 point penalty, after they found his car had issues in the way the body was married to the chassis, following the Loudon race--a race Bowyer won, and moved up to 2nd in the points. Stripping him of 150 points basically wipes out the race win, but is it fair? Points leader Denny Hamlin ran 2nd, and got 2nd place points, but since he finished 2nd to a car that was deemed illegal, shouldn't everyone move up a spot in the points? That is a discussion for another day. The point I want to make is this: take all 12 cars in the Chase back to the R&D center and look all of them over. Bowyer's case is different, as NASCAR warned that team they were close to breaking rules in Richmond, and there would be another inspection after Loudon. Isn't the Chase supposed to be the 10 race playoffs that determine the champion, and should be above board in all aspects?

I am not accusing any team of deliberate cheating. Far from it. I am calling on NASCAR to ensure that the champ will be the guy that has the best Chase, and not the est way of getting away with rules violations. For instance, Jimmie Johnson finished 25th at Loudon, but nobody wants to inspect his car. I'm not suggesting there is anything illegal on the 48, but how would anyone know? Keep the field level, look at all of the Chase cars, regardless of finish. Make all the teams play by the same rules.

OK, enough ranting for tonight. If anything strikes a nerve between now and Sunday, I'll light this candle again.

Mike Solarte

Panthers-Bucs, and The Aftermath

2010-09-20T23:08:00.003-04:00

Not only did the Carolina Panthers lose20-7 to the Tampa Bay Bucs on Sunday, it also cost QB Matt Moore his starting job. Jimmy Clausen will start this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

I do not expect the Panthers offense to start churning out touchdowns as a result of the switch, but Head Coach John Fox had to try something. I believe him when he says the change was not an indictment of Matt Moore, but rather trying to spark Carolina's listless offense. Even though the ground game is averaging just under 4 yards per carry, they still seem to be missing a beat somewhere (my guess is RT Jeff Otah's absence has something to do with it). The Panthers have just 2 offensive touchdowns in the 2010 season, which includes preseason games. Something had to give.

I had to shake my head at the Twitterverse on Monday. Those calling out Moore as being a sub-standard NFL QB. It's real easy to say a guy doesn't belong in the NFL when he struggles. It's also easy to forget that Moore was the guy that beat the NY Giants and Minnesota Vikings last season, when both teams had something to play for. The Giants to get into the playoffs, the Vikes for home field advantage. I throw out the Saints win, with the Saints sitting 90% of their starters.

I also think it ridiculous that so many detractors wouldn't know how to hold a football, much less throw one to a wide receiver.

Did Moore struggle? Yes. Should a change have been made? Perhaps, likely yes. Consider, though, the job of quarterback isn't all glamour. It's a tough racket. I know it's his job to win games, and be productive. It's not as easy as it might look. Cut the guy a break. You may have to do the same for Clausen is he struggles, and the Panthers go 0-4.

Mike Solarte

Panthers, racing, and more

2010-09-16T19:05:00.005-04:00

Knocking out a couple quick thoughts on this lovely Thursday.

Look for the Carolina Panthers to hit the win column this week. Tampa Bay did not look impressive against Cleveland in week 1. Yes, they came back from a deficit, but they did it against a Cleveland team that simply doesn't know how to win, yet. They capitalized on a pick-6, and then wore down the Browns. The Panthers have more talent, and should bounce back from many correctable mistakes in all three phases. If the Panthers get run off the field, it might be time to think about panic on a season that could be over, long before it begins.
Derek Jeter is getting blasted for not being hit by a pitch, yet taking the awarded first base, because the home plate umpire thought he got hit by the pitch. Couple things in play here. 1) If Jeter played for your team, would you expect (or want) him to tell the ump he got the call wrong? If you answered yes, you would, then let me be the first to call you a liar. I believe in the spirit of fair play, don't get me wrong. Think of the situation. Yankees-Tampa. Two teams fighting for the divisional lead. Any and every advantage must be optimized, and that includes errors by officials. Baseball uses video replay very minimally--which I think is a good thing. 2) I have no idea how a ball hitting a wooden bat (on the butt-end or elsewhere) sounds like a ball hitting a human, however, the mistake was made. The umpire bought Jeter's acting job, and as a result, Jeter is being labeled as a cheater. Jeter is no different than any player. If the ump tells him to take his base, he's 90 feet up the line heading to first. Bottom line: if baseball wants to use video replay in a minimum fashion, and leave the on-field blue shirts to run the game, then the on-field guys simply have to be better.

Loads of high school football coming your way on the Discount Tire Friday Night Final at 11. I'll hit the blog Sunday (or Monday) after the Panthers and Bucs.

Mike Solarte

Panthers-Giants:The Fallout

2010-09-13T18:15:00.003-04:00

Something I will attempt this season, is write the "day after" blog. The day after a Panthers game, win or lose. Generally, I have found that when I write something the day of the game, I am not seeing things clearly, so I go back, watch game tape, etc. So here goes.

OFFENSE

Matt Moore struggled. Let's be honest. He threw three interceptions, all coming in the end zone. He has to make better decisions there. Even if it means throwing it into the seats, a throw-away is better than a turnover. Moore went 14-33 in the game, 182 yards, and a touchdown. His QB rating of 32.6 wasn't sparkling, so there is room for improvement.

The offensive line had its issues as well. Moore was sacked four times in the game, but one in the 4th quarter may be the reason Moore suffered a concussion. 3:50 left in the game. If you have it recorded, check it out, or just watch News 14 for our replays of it. The line has to be better in pass protection. As for running the ball, a little bit incomplete. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 21 carries. That number is WAY too low for that tandem, trailing 15 points or not. The Panthers success is predicated on the run. 21 attempts by your stud running backs doesn't cut it.

DEFENSE

Some poor execution led to some big New York plays. Putting that into perspective, RB Ahmad Bradshaw finished the game with 20 carries for 76 yards. He picked up 39 yards on just one of those carries. Take that one out (have Carolina play some better defense on that one play), and Bradshaw ends up in the neighborhood of 40 yards for the game. Brandon Jacobs, the petulant backup RB, had 12 carries for 44 yards. He gained 22 on one carry. Again, better defense on that one play, and Jacobs is around 25 for the game. Carolina did their job against the run.

Against Eli Manning, Carolina wasn't bad, either, but breakdowns cost them dearly. Hakeem Nicks had a monster afternoon, with three touchdown catches. Giants receivers should have had a bigger day, though, as three times, Manning throws hit their hands, only to bounce skyward, and into the waiting arms of a Panther defender. Opportunistic interceptions, no doubt, but it wasn't like the Panthers jumped a route, and had a clean pick. They still count, don't get me wrong, but we're being honest here. I liked what I saw from the defense, for the most part. Room for improvement, no doubt.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Mike Goodson needs to keep doing what he's doing. He's showing more and more that he just might be the answer to their kickoff return problems. Captain Munnerlyn averaged 19 yards per punt return in the game, not horrible by any stretch.

J.J. Jansen makes his first appearance in the blog (I think), as we saw him commit an error as the long snapper. Jansen said after the game, it was a wet ball that played a part in the botched snap on a punt attempt, but he fell on the grenade, and said that wasn't an excuse. Jansen has been solid since his arrival, and no doubt this appeared to be a once-in-a-great-while thing. Even Jason Kyle (now with New Orleans) had screw-ups, but you'd have to look long and hard to find them, much less remember them.

COACHING

During the game, I received a text message asking if this was the most disinterested I had ever seen John Fox during a game. I don't think he is disinterested. Fox is a professional. He will do his job to the best of his ability. I was led to wonder, though, why the Panthers were throwing the football so close to the end zone late in the game. Carolina trailed by 15 points, with 11:30 left in the game. They string together a 12 play, 51 yard drive, in just 3 minutes, and get to the New York 4 yard line. They then attempt three straight pass plays, rather than dance with the running backs that brought them. This is not about a lack of confidence in Moore, but more about why their best weapons remained holstered. 8:40 remained on the clock, when Moore was picked off by Terrell Thomas. Why throw it there?

Let me also say this: The Panthers coaches have forgotten more about football than I will ever know, but from an outsiders viewpoint, 8:30 was plenty of time to try and get a score (with the running backs being involved), get the defense back out there, only trailing by 8, and making a game of it.

Overall, this Carolina team might be better than a lot of people give them credit for, myself included. They need to clean up the issues, however, and that won't be easy. This is a young team, and generally, young NFL teams make mistakes. It's how young players learn. For this team to be successful, though, they will need to learn quickly.'

Mike Solarte

Panthers-Giants and more

2010-09-08T10:40:00.002-04:00

At long last, it's game week for the Carolina Panthers, and if you are feeling confident that this team can contend for an NFC title, I'd love to know why.

I'm not dissing the Panthers, I just want to know why you are confident. I have some doubts.

Defensively, the Panthers are young, but they are flying around (at least they did in the pre-season). They are so active, and swarm to the ball, it was fun to watch in the exhibitions. Special teams seems to be improving week to week, and that, too is a good thing.

Offensively, there are concerns, and there really shouldn't be. That unit went 4 games without an offensive touchdown. That is hard to do. Stats LLC says the Panthers are the first team in at least 14 years to accomplish that feat. This unit, however, is the most in tact of the football team. Three of the five starters from last year's offensive line are back, although Jeff Otah has yet to play after having arthroscopic knee surgery at the start of camp. Matt Moore finished the season at QB, and he's back. DeAngelo Williams returns, as will Jonathan Stewart, but like Otah, Stewart didn't see the field in pre-season. Steve Smith is back as well, but he missed the pre-season too. Lots of unknowns, but with all due respect to the work done by Stewart and Smith in their careers, Otah might be the most valuable missing piece. Moore doesn't have his usual pocket comfort, Smith may not be able to get open, and Stewart can't run around the right side of the line without Otah doing his thing. No word yet on if he'll play Sunday against the Giants.

The Giants were smashed in their home finale last season by Carolina, in what would be the final regular season game played at the old Giants Stadium. The same two teams will christen the new place (a gorgeous building located right next to where the old one stood). As if the Giants needed it, they have additional motivation for Sunday.

I like the Giants in this one, but not by much. It could be a 7 point game, but if the offense can't find its way, it will be much worse.

Want to throw in my .02 on the Ryder Cup. Can't wait to see if Team USA can retain the Cup./ Tuesday, Captain Corey Pavin picked Tiger Woods, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler to complete his 12 man team. I love the picks, even the Fowler selection. At 21, Fowler has yet to win on the PGA Tour. The same can be said for teammate Jeff Overton, who made the team based on points. Fowler has a 7-1 record in Walker Cup play, and his fearless style will serve him well in match play. This USA team is a nice blend of old and young, but don't count out the Europeans. I'm still picking the US to retain the Cup in what promises to be a wonderful weekend of golf from Celtic Manor, beginning on October 1st.

Thanks for checking out the blog, and if you are a drag racing fan, be sure to check out Sports Night at 10, as we go one-on-one with Top Fuel Driver Antron Brown!

Mike Solarte

TV Ads Portray Worst of NFL Fans

2010-09-01T16:31:00.004-04:00

I haven't written anything in a long while because there hasn't been much on my sports radar that has grabbed my attention or raised my ire. Finally something has.

These NFL Direct TV ads bother me. Now before you jump to conclusions, it's not because I work for a cable company. In fact, it has nothing to do with what Direct TV is providing.

What has agitated me so much is the content of the ads. I'm sure you've seen them. It's the commercials where a neighbor or a waitress or a cab driver is complaining about how someone is rooting for an NFL squad other than the hometown team. Consequently said neighbor, waitress or cab driver does something mean-spirited in retaliation.

Sure at first you chuckle, but the truth is this kind of behavior goes on at NFL stadiums. Don't believe me, then why has HBO's "Real Sports" done more than one expose on the topic? What I want to know is when did it become criminal to root for your team of choice no matter what city you're living in? I know there are hundreds upon hundreds of stories where fans who are just at a game to root for their team, only to be accosted by the hometown fans because he or she is supposedly wearing the wrong jersey. In most instances, alcohol is a big reason for the bad behavior. It's something the NFL has tried to crack down on with its rude fan policy where folks can text security about unruly acts.

The sad truth is these NFL commercials from Direct TV only reflect our society; and while they may seem innocent enough, in some way it really only encourages bad behavior. The commercials may depict throwing snow on someone's walkway for wringing rag water into somebody's tea, but imagine the lengths someone could take it to after watching one of those ads. Hey, it's OK to have a healthy rivalry, but if I were the NFL I'd find a better way to depict it.

Jason Brown

Monday Musings

2010-08-30T21:14:00.002-04:00

I am going to resist the temptation of writing out my Panthers 53 man roster for now. I made up my mock roster over the weekend, and came up with what I feel are 48 locks, leaving 5 spots open. My guess is the roster breakdown will include 4 specialists (Kasay, Baker, Carter, Jansen), 25 on offense, 24 on defense. Again, it's just a guess, but there are plenty of decisions to be made when it comes to filling out the team. Glad it's not my job to make those choices. Some could be unpopular.

As for the Panthers 15-7 win over Tennessee on Saturday night, two-thirds of their team is playing pretty well. Special teams improved from week 2, to week 3, and the defense has been quite good. Offensively, the Panthers are still trying to find their way. Problem with that is, the first team offense will see VERY limited work on Thursday night against Pittsburgh. I don't know that they will put up an offensive touchdown in the pre-season (they are 0-42 possessions in the exhibitions without a touchdown). I did see signs of promise in the 2-minute offense against Tennessee. Matt Moore and company ran a solid drive down the field, but a red zone fumble by Wallace Wright ended the threat, and subsequently, the half. They came up empty, but a touchdown there would have done wonders for their confidence. They just have to get that feeling back. Remember what it's like to get back into the end zone.

They are shorthanded. No Steve Smith. No Jonathan Stewart. Key guys. No Jeff Otah, either. Problematic when 3 key guys are not playing yet. As you would expect, Head Coach John Fox isn't tipping his hand about when those three will return to the lineup, but how much of a difference will they make upon return? For Stewart, he can change things--he's a punishing runner. For Otah, he can change things as well, providing that earth-moving ability to open holes for the run game.

Smith can be a difference maker as well, but his role relies on a quarterback to get him the football. If you think opposing defenses will load up against Carolina to stop the run, well, you would be correct. They will do that, and make the Panther passing attack beat them. If Moore and his receivers can be effective in the air, then the Panthers offense could be something to be reckoned with. So far, however, signs of lethality have been missing.

An NFL note to ponder, the league shifting the umpire to a new spot on the field is causing a bit of a stir. The Indianapolis Colts were flagged for false start penalties, because they were snapping the ball before the umpire had gotten into (his new) position. This is being worked out by the league, but I think it needs to be scrapped. It punishes teams that utilize the no-huddle offense, and in turn, aids the defenses that have to try and stop it.

I realize the league is trying to keep its officials safe--a tough job considering the 22-man mosh pit that is an NFL play. There are plenty of collisions that take place between players and officials. Still, there has to be a better way. Here's hoping the NFL comes up with it to keep its officials out of harms way (as much as they can), and to keep competitive balance on the field.

Looks like the PGA Championship is heading to Quail Hollow in 2017. An official announcement is believed to be coming Tuesday morning, with dignitaries such as Governor Bev Perdue, and Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx on hand. A major would be awesome for Charlotte, but I worry about the future of the (now) Wells Fargo Championship. Personally, I love that tournament. I love covering it. I played competitive golf through college, so being inside the ropes for that event every year is amazing. My concern is what happens to that event once the PGA comes in?

More later this week, as the Panthers make their cuts, face the Steelers, and I'll let you rate my fantasy football roster!

Mike Solarte

Follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/MikeSolarte

Been awhile....

2010-08-24T11:54:00.004-04:00

Back after a week away, and ready to get cranked up in the football season. Some thoughts on this Tuesday morning.

The Carolina Panthers aren't into panic mode just yet, but I understand why there is so much angst amongst the fans. Defensively, the Panthers have been better than anticipated. They are getting solid play from the unproven parts on that side of the ball. Defensive line play has been good, with Everette Brown showing he was worth Carolina trading up to take him. That's a good thing, since Julius Peppers has bolted for Chicago.

Incidentally, enjoyed reading the Chicago papers, and their evaluation of Peppers play in the exhibitions. We all know the pre-season games count for nothing, but the assessments haven't changed. They Bears writers are keeping a watchful eye on big number 90. Don't be surprised if they start getting on him early if he isn't producing. Weird sighting in Chicago while I was there: the Bears jerseys with "Peppers" on the back. Weird.

The Panthers offense is still trying to find itself, and Saturday will be their last best chance to do that before the regular season begins. Thru 8 quarters, no offensive touchdowns. Granted, OT Jeff Otah, WR Steve Smith and RB Jonathan Stewart have yet to play, and their returns should provide some spark, but still, there is no game-plan in place (most everything is kept very basic in the first 2 exhibitions). Blocking, catching, throwing. Simple execution has been lacking. This group has to make some serious strides against Tennessee Saturday night.

Charlotte Bobcats have a deal in place with center Kwame Brown. On the surface, it seems like the punchline to a bad joke. Look past the selection of Brown by then Washington Wizards President Michael Jordan. Yes, that was a mistake. The 2001 draft wasn't exactly a star-studded draft. Teams got very good professionals in that draft. Very few stars have come from that class. Interestingly, 6 of that years 1st round picks have worn (or still wear) Bobcats orange.

The fact remains the Bobcats are tight to the NBA salary cap, even though they likely will get some relief with the Eric Dampier contract at some point (via trade or releasing him and his non-guaranteed contract). Brown is just 28, even though he has 9 seasons under his belt. He has never been a big time scorer, and that won't be his role in Charlotte. He is what he is at this point, so don't set the bar too high. If he plays 15 minutes, and helps out defensively, he and Head Coach Larry Brown will get along just fine.

NASCAR gets a weekend off before going to Atlanta over Labor Day weekend. Some drivers are locked into the Chase, but a dandy battle for the 12th spot shaping up between Jamie McMurray and Clint Bowyer. Bowyer holds the spot by 100 points with 2 races until the Chase begins. Atlanta and Richmond remain before the final 10 races take place. Those are a pair of wild-card tracks, given Atlanta's unpredictability, and the short track nature of Richmond. Anything can happen, and with the way this season has gone, fans should be ready to see anything, and everything.

More as the week goes on!

Mike Solarte

Panthers-Ravens Live Blog

2010-08-12T19:11:00.041-04:00

Hey gang...just setting up the blog for kickoff. Lots to do before the ganme begins, but hope you'll watch along with me! Leave your comments, and I'll reply to you!

7:58 Kickoff fast approaching. Tying up loose ends for Sports Night, and will be ready to go once we get going!

8:09-Nice start for the offense. Doing what they do. DeAngelo finds a hole, breaks off a nice run.

8:11 Ravens load up left side, get one extra guy thru to sack Moore. Mack Bernadeau nicely covers fumble. Punt City, Maryland.

**Should point out, I will have to suspend the blog during Sports Night, but may chime in with thoughts in commercials.**

8:15 With Panthers missing some key faces, CB Chris Gamble among them, Flacco could enjoy some 1st quarter success. Panthers secondary is somewhat experienced. Nice work by linebackers on that blitz.

8:19 Defense with nice work by Tyler Brayton, gets the sack. Forces Baltimore into FG, which Shayne Graham knocks thru. 3-0 B-More.

8:25 Offense having some passing game issues. Not unexpected, given no Steve Smith, and a lot of guys vying for jobs behind him. May be pressing a bit. 7:42 to play in 1st qtr.

8:29 DE Tyler Brayton holding leg after his 2nd sack. Looked like an ankle tweak. Hope it's not serious. They need all the vets they have.

8:36 Must admit, it's neat seeing other teams flagged for offsides. Nice plays by both WR Brandon LaFell and FB Tony Fiametta catching passes. This drive looks like Panthers football. Grind it, eat the clock. Then Moore's best throw comes back on another penalty to LT Jordan Gross. Pass-pro is not having a good qtr.

8:38 3rd flag on Jordan Gross. This one negates another downfield completion, Dwayne Jarrett making a nice reach-behind catch. Crazy game, eh?

8:40 P Jason Baker with the "rugby" punt. Kills it on the Baltimore 4 yard line. One area the Panthers are ok in, the kicking game.

8:44 Panthers defense getting knocked around. 1st down pass to Boldin, then McCLain goes for a rushing first down. End quarter, B-More 3-0.

8:50 Flacco to Clayton. 30 yards. Captain Munnerlyn in coverage, never established position. About to be 10-0 Baltimore.

8:53 Starters likely done, and the #2 QB for Carolina is....revealed after the break.

8:54 per our buddy Darin Gantt, Jimmy Clausen comes out with 2nd offense.

8:57 Nice couple plays for RB Tyrell Sutton. You can follow him on Twitter @TSutt22 He;s been chomping to get on the field and play since he hurt his calf on day one of camp.

8:59 Per Panthers tweet @cpanthers Moore was 4-7, 32 yards. Great concentration play by WR Kenny Moore. Big pickup. Have to give the 2nd teamers a nod. They are playing hard, and unlikle the 1st team O-line, they are executing.

9:04 Kasay boots the FG, 10-3 Baltimore. If 1st team offense doesn't find a rhythm, we may hear that alot this season.

9:10 Defense with the fumble recovery, Sutton flying tonight. Red Zone for Clausen.

9:12 Like the notion of the jump-ball to LaFell. That was Jarrett's promise on draft day.

9:13 Tough break for Sutton. Clearly fumbles at the 1, Baltimore recovers. He's still having a nice night, but will want that one back.

9:17 CB/S C.J. Wilson with a nice pass break-up, but Bulger comes back with a first down completion on next play. Ravens in hurry-up.

9:21 Does Bulger think he's auditioning for the starter's job? He's slinging that thing around like it's the Greatest Show on Turf, B-More style....but he's not connecting. Until he hits Stallworth.

9:24 Ravens K Shayne Graham misses 50 yarder with 71 seconds left. Panthers get chance to run 2-min offense with 2nd unit.

9:27 Clausen with a bullet to TE Dante Rosario on 3rd and 11. Wait...I just wrote a pass play on 3rd and long for a Panthers offense. WOW. 1st down, Carolina. :52 left.

9:28 Gotta tell ya, folks, Clausen showing lots of poise in hurry-up offense. And then he gets sacked. Time out, Panthers. That;s their 3rd charged time out.

9:30 Clausen drives offense to field goal range, Kasay from 48 yards.....is not gonna be kicked. Botched play. 10-3 Ravens at the break.

That is likely my last update for a while. Will try to do some after 10:30. Thanks for hanging.

9:36 OK, I fibbed. 1st half evaluations:

Matt Moore was not as bad as his numbers indicate. 3 double-digit yardage pass plays were negated by penalties. He was composed, and didn't turn the thing over. That's a point of emphasis, and Moore delivered. LT Jordan Gross will be better. He will. An ugly first quarter of football for him, as he made the game look like the late stages of a Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Defensively, I may have missed an update on DE Tyler Brayton, but hopefully his leg injury isn't serious. CB Captain Munnerlyn got schooled a little on the touchdown pass, as he thought he was pushed. He won't get that call against a veteran guy like Clayton, but to me, Munnerlyn looked like he had some footwork issues on that play. Certainly correctable. Not having Chris Gamble out there does expose a little drop off, but it's not a season-ender.

Hate to see Jason Baker bobble the snap at the end of the half on the FG attempt. Normally, that exchange is spot on. It will be worked on, and I'd be surprised to see it happen again. Don't know if a wet ball had anything to do with it, but it did rain in that first half.

10:40 Back in the blog chair. Lots happened since I last posted. Panthers scored a defensive TD, thanks to fumble returned for a TD by CJ Wilson. Ravens ranback a punt deep into Panther territory--some tackling issues. Led to TD run by the Baltimore QB. Then Fox challenged an incompleted pass. IT'S THE PRESEASON. STOP CHALLENGING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAPPENED RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU! OK, sorry about that.

10:51 Basically garbage time now, but I feel bad for QB Tony Pike. His reps are down in practice, and he likely won't hit the field tonight.

10:57 Armanti Edwards still learning the WR position, but he is light years ahead of where he was during OTA's back in June. He's gifted athletically. Panthers will find a spot for him on the field.

10:58 I stand corrected, Pike on field with chance to get Panthers to a tie. Gruden gushing over Pike.

11:14 Hunter Cantwell trying to get Carolina the winning score, now that Pike got his series. 4th and 15....game over.

Hope you enjoyed the running blog tonight. I may get another shot when Carolina plays at Pittsburgh at the end of the month. Won't be live blogging during the home games. I'll knock out a recap in the morning.

Mike Solarte

Changes in NASCAR coming

2010-08-10T11:22:00.002-04:00

They won't be sweeping, but they will be noticeable.

NASCAR is in the process of nailing down its 2011 schedule, and the Twitterverse is blowing up with the revelations and announcements.

Say hello to Kentucky on the cup schedule, and say goodbye to 1 race at Auto Club Speedway in California (thankfully). Say goodbye to one Atlanta race date, and welcome Chicago into the final 10-race Chase format. Plenty of things happening here, but based on what I am seeing, it seems NASCAR could use a little geography lesson here.

For the life of me, I will never understand why NASCAR insists on going out west after the opening week of the season in Daytona. This year it was California, next year, it will be Phoenix. Sure it's warmer, but does it make sense for teams to spend 2 weeks in Florida, and then head back to the shops, and have the quick turnaround out to Arizona? Couldn't NASCAR decide to go to Atlanta after Daytona? As it is now, with nothing set in stone, the schedule looks to be shaping up like this.

Daytona
Phoenix
Las Vegas
Bristol
California

Those would be the first five races on the schedule, which would be using the 2010 final points standings to determine the top-35 for qualifying, if those get rained out (if that system is in place at all next season as well).

Forgive me for a moment, but I thought NASCAR was a "Southern" based series?

Another gaffe on this schedule is making Chicago a Chase race. NASCAR is big in Charlotte. NASCAR is not nearly as big in Chicago. Given the time of the year (the Chase beginning in September), the Sprint Cup series will be lucky to grab any kind of significant headlines in the Windy City. In September, my hometown of Chicago is completely immersed in a football team known as the Bears. Home or away, the Bears run Chicago in the fall. They run the city more at that time of year than a Cubs team on a pennant chase (as infrequent as that is). Chicago is a football city, not a NASCAR city. Having your "playoff" races begin there is an error of monumental proportions.

Kansas is getting a 2nd date is 2011, which will be good for them. Kansas becomes the new Pocono, with 2 races crammed together within a short span of time. Pocono gets 2 races in 2 months, Kansas with get 2 races within just over 3 months. Thing people are most excited about when it comes to Kansas? The casino that is there. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the racing facility, which is why the series will go there in the first place.

Ah, NASCAR. Thanks for giving us something to chat about, once again.

Mike Solarte

The first of 20 game weeks

2010-08-09T18:24:00.003-04:00

Forget what took place in Canton, Ohio Sunday night. The NFL's Hall of Fame game never produces much of anything. Then again, neither does the entire NFL pre-season. I found myself clicking away from the Bengals and Cowboys once the starters were out of the game. While I won't be doing that on Thursday night for the Panthers-Ravens game, the one thing that makes the pre-season good, is that we are watching football again.

That in mind, let me repeat my mantra for those who get so wrapped up in the pre-season records.

Exhibition ANYTHING is meaningless.

It's not to say watching it isn't intriguing, and that the play of those on the field is meaningless. For those fighting for jobs, or getting ready for the regular season, these games mean a lot. The coaches need to evaluate game tape in order to pick the roster. The players need live game action to apply what they have learned, and to try and improve. For players and coaches, it's not meaningless.

Fans, just watch the games, and don't get caught up in results (as in final scores). Nothing from the pre-season means anything once the regular season begins, so just throw it away.

Why do I say this? Well, for starters, the Panthers will be looking at so many young players, and very few veterans, that it will be hard to gauge just how good this team really is, even if they went 4-0 in the fake games. Who won't be playing? Let's start with WR Steve Smith and RB Jonathan Stewart. Neither has taken part in a practice during camp, and won't before Thursday. RB DeAngelo Williams likely won't play very much on Thursday night, nor should he. NFL coaches have to walk a very thin line, when it comes to balancing the needs of preparation with protecting star players. Williams qualifies as a star, so don't look to see him carry too much of the load until things start to count.

What am I looking for on Thursday? Well, more from the offense than they showed on Saturday during Fan Fest. However, I'm not looking for trick plays, or anything too intricate. I'm simply looking for guys who can execute. Pass, catch, run, and block. The Panthers likely won't do too many things that are exotic on the exterior. They simply don't game plan for teams in the exhibitions. For them, it's more about lining up, and executing the simple game plan, just to make sure guys are able to do that.

Defensively, the Panthers have that youthful jump, or at least had, during the full team period on Saturday. That's good to see, as they will need every ounce of energy from their young guys, and those young guys will have to learn quickly, and contribute even faster. The D-line is low on experience, the linebackers are the same, and the secondary will have to be as good as they can be. Still, there is something with that unit that has me feeling just better than confident (whatever that word is). They aren't world beaters, but they could be more than serviceable.

Notice, I left out special teams. John Kasay and Jason Baker know how to kick. I'm not worried about them. The only intrigue for that unit is who will handle kickoffs. Jason Baker, or a specialist to replace Rhys Lloyd (signed as a free agent with Minnesota). Not much to get excited about.

I am holding off my prediction on how good this team can be until I have seen them actually play someone. I will say, though, I kinda like the vibe, but vibes don't win games.

Mike Solarte

Panthers, Favre, A-Rod .....

2010-08-04T18:26:00.003-04:00

Lots of things cluttering the brain of late. Time to clean things up.

PANTHERS

Have been noticing this year's Panthers Camp Wofford has been remarkably quiet. That's a good thing. There are a lot of questions surrounding this team: They have been hit with injuries, and that has kept some key contributors (WR Steve Smith, RB Jonathan Stewart just to name a few), on the sidelines. If there is any concern about the rather low decibel level coming from Spartanburg, it might be that with all the questions, there have come very few answers. Yes, I know it's been just 1 full week of practices, and still so much has yet to be determined. Still, the fact that things remain mostly sedate is a bit, well, strange.

On Wednesday, RT Jeff Otah was in Charlotte for arthroscopic knee surgery--basically a clean-up procedure. Head Coach John Fox seemed (by all accounts), fine in this development, and he is hopeful Otah can be ready to go by the season opener. Injuries have been a headline in this camp, and as such, the team finally went full speed in a goal-line drill on Wednesday. Their first live action of camp. Fox has had to be especially careful with his projected starters, and there is no sense in burning them up if he doesn't have to. Fans will get a shot to see more full speed drills on Saturday at Fan Fest at Bank of America Stadium.

BRETT FAVRE

Yes, it's Favre-A-Palooza time once again, but unlike last year, I am actually on the side of the aging quarterback. This time, I actually believe him. I actually think he's contemplating retirement. I don't think his career is over, but I do think he is giving it some serious thought, but only because of a slow-to-heal ankle. If he can play, he will. His comments made on Wednesday from Hattiesburg, MS were quite telling. He was concise in his answers, yet not rebellious. He was straight to the point, unlike the wishy-washy Favre we have seen twice before. Maybe he's as tired of the circus as we are. Or maybe, just maybe, he is seeing and NFL season without him in it. Again, it may not be this year, but even he has to realize that day is much closer than it was, just 24 hours ago.

ALEX RODRIGUEZ

A-Rod became the 7th member of the 600 Career Home Run Club on Wednesday afternoon, hitting a 2 run shot to straightaway center field at Yankees Stadium. Fairly impressive accomplishment, as he joins Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa in that exclusive group. A-Rod, though, is the youngest to do it at 35 years, and 8 days.

Couple things about this accomplishment. Many will say that Rodriguez, Sosa, and Bonds were a part of baseball's "steroids" era, and that would be accurate. Rodriguez, himself, admitted that he had taken performance enhancers, but discontinued that use. Does that usage taint his accomplishment? Depends on your stance on steroids. To me, steroids made players stronger, and gave them the ability to recover faster from workouts, games, etc. Steroids have no influence on being able to put the bat on the ball. I am a little torn on this one, because I'm not foolish enough to think that steroids didn't help A-Rod, Sosa or Bonds hit homers that would have been long fly-ball outs if they weren't using. No doubt, being just a little stronger helped some of those homers that ended up in the first or second row, rather than being caught on the warning track. Still, hitting a baseball is one of the hardest athletic disciplines there is. That's hand-eye coordination, not strength.

For me, A-Rod deserves credit for getting to 600, but it's one of those things that I will wait to see if he reaches the 700 mark. If he does that, he may be able to shake the connection to the juice. Still, 100 more homers is a lot to ask of a guy that is 35 years old. Time, as they say, will tell.

Mike Solarte

Thursday thoughts

2010-07-29T15:16:00.002-04:00

Carolina Panthers opened training camp with a full pads, 9 a.m. practice in Spartanburg. By all accounts, it went well. A couple of players were dinged up with hamstring issues, and what not, but for the most part, nothing out of the ordinary. That automatically means the start of camp 2010 is far better than 2009, when DT Maake Kemoeatu went down with a torn Achilles tendon in the first half hour of the workout.

We'll have complete coverage of day one at Camp Wofford on Sports Night at 10, so don't miss it.

Other notes on this Thursday...

The US Senior Open is underway at Sahalee C.C. in Washington. Charlotte's own Rick Lewallen is in the 156 player field. Had the chance to visit with him last week before he went out. Wonderful man with an even better story. He is a cancer survivor, defeating prostate cancer. After talking to him, I hope he is a guy in the hunt on the weekend, so the world can hear his story. We'll keep our eyes open for him on ESPN2 both Thursday and Friday, and then on NBC over the weekend.
NASCAR off to Pocono this week, and what a week the Sprint Cup series has had. You had the super-secret fining of 2 drivers (ESPN.com has identified Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman as the drivers that were penalized), for critical comments of the series. Jeff Dickerson was hired as Jeff Gordon's new sponsor. Marcos Ambrose is leaving JTG-Daugherty Racing at season's end and will be replace by Bobby Labonte in 2011. Ambrose hasn't outlined his plans, but there is talk he could end up at Richard Petty Motorsports.
And then there was the plane crash of team owner Jack Roush in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It's Roush's 2nd plane crash, the first coming in 2002. The Cat in the Hat has been moved to the Mayo Clinic after having surgery to repair damage to his face. As of this writing, he was in serious, but stable condition. I'm not one to tell people what to do, but Mr. Roush, maybe it's time to hire your own pilot. We understand you are a tough man, but you don't have to crash planes to prove it. I know he didn't intend to do so, but this might be the time to quit while you're ahead.
Also had the chance to check in with the Big South on their media day on Thursday. Big year for the conference, as their conference champion will earn an automatic spot in the FCS Championship playoffs. Gardner Webb is a pre-season pick to finish 5th in the conference, with Liberty being picked to rule the conference. We'll hear from Commissioner Kyle Kallander and GWU Head Coach Steve Patton on Sports Night as well.

Mike Solarte

Follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/MikeSolarte

Fines and Punishment

2010-07-26T16:52:00.003-04:00

So much going on within the world of racing, I'll offer up my thoughts here. First to NASCAR.

On Monday, the Associated Press reported that NASCAR had fined two of its more popular drivers for criticisms made of NASCAR. One of the drivers was hit with a tag of $50,000 for running off at the mouth.

NASCAR is NOT identifying the drivers, so as to not embarrass that driver, or the driver's sponsors.

Once upon a time, NASCAR told the drivers, to basically shut up and drive. Stop griping, just do your job. This was during the time when the Car of Tomorrow had a wing, and was very difficult for the drivers to drive, and the teams to prepare. Between then and now, NASCAR has changed the COT by bringing back the spoiler. Drivers seem a little happier with the car now.

Then in January, NASCAR told the drivers the "have at it, boys." Be self-policing on the track. NASCAR has done a pretty good job of allowing that to take place, however, when they have had to step in, they have done a soft-shoe to get into place. A harsher approach would have been more effective. At the same time, they said they want the drivers to be more colorful and expressive. Less corporate.

Now, after that directive, NASCAR has stepped in and fined two of them. You can't have ti both ways. You cant' tell drivers to speak their minds, and then fine them for doing just that. Either they can speak freely without fear of punishment, or you bottle them up. The punishments to the drivers sends a very mixed message. I understand NASCAR's reason for protecting the brand, and making sure its best foot is forward. Mixed messages only bring in confusion, not clarity.

Years ago, when I covered the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, team captain Ron Francis was asked a question about officiating after a game (questions that were warranted given the way the game was officiated), and his response was priceless. He said (paraphrasing here), that he finds it funny that he lives in a country that protects the right to free speech, but can't tell truth when answering a question about the refs.

Same deal for NASCAR, it appears.

Shifting gears to the recently completed Tour de France, a story crossed the news wires on Monday regarding Lance Armstrong's team possibly being punished for wearing unapproved uniforms for the final stage of the 3-week long event. The jerseys in question were all black, with a number 28 on the back, signifying the 28 million people battling cancer. Tour officials made Armstrong's Radio Shack team change into their other uniforms, causing a 20-minute delay in the final stage.

Tour officials look like the bad guys here. The International Cycling Union said they were disappointed that the team did not coordinate the switch with Tour officials prior to the stage. Does anyone honestly think the Tour would have allowed Lance and his team to do so? I am of the belief that Armstrong isn't well-liked by the Tour de France, even though he is a 7-time champion of the event. Too many people believe Lance cheated, by using performance enhancing drugs.

Bottom line is, Armstrong, nor any of his teammates were a threat to win the yellow jersey as the overall Tour victor. This was nothing, and the ICU are now turning this into an investigation about improper jerseys. This is the same thing as when Peyton Manning asked the NFL is he could wear black high top shoes to honor the passing of Colts legend Johnny Unitas. The NFL said no, he could not. Sometimes it is better to beg forgiveness, than ask permission.

I know they should have asked, however, does the Tour need to step in and look like a group of uncaring jokers?

Mike Solarte

Follow me on Twitter!!! www.twitter.com/MikeSolarte

Thursday Thoughts

2010-07-22T13:13:00.002-04:00

Working through the bag today....

NASCAR didn't penalize Carl Edwards enough for his hook job on Brad Keselowski. They weren't taking away the win, but a $25,000 fine and docking him 60 points in the Nationwide Series is hardly a punishment. A well-respected NASCAR writer said, via his Twitter account that "NASCAR really threw the pamphlet at him." Well played. What should they have done? You want to stop these guys from doing this again? Park the offender for 1 race. No points to be gained. Oh yeah, and fine him $100,000. Make it sting to have to write that 5th "0" on the check. I don't think Carl is a bad guy, but I do think that this thing he has going with Brad is gonna get one of them seriously hurt. And nobody wants to see that.
While on the subject, I disagree with the notion that the "have at it" policy is now lost. The Edwards-Keso thing was a 2nd incident between the same 2 drivers. Jimmie Johnson wasn't punished for punting Kurt Busch. Jeff Gordon wasn't reprimanded for booting Martin Truex, Jr. at Sonoma. To their credit, NASCAR has done a good job of keeping an eye on things, and stepping in where they have to. Problem for NASCAR, though, is that when they have stepped in, they have done so with a white glove, rather than an iron fist.
Carolina Panthers head to training camp next week. Already? Yeah, I know, the summer months drag on, and when football finally appears, I gripe. Not true. I don't gripe, but I do look ahead at the coming months and see long days. Truth is, the long days, are actually good days, and I for one, will savor this coming NFL season, as it may be the last one we see for a while. No movement on the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) talks, and by all indications, both sides appear to be ready to drag this thing out until someone wins. Note to the sides: No one will win this scrum. You both will lose if there is no football in 2011. Now lock yourselves in a room with no air conditioning, and don't come out until you hammer out a deal.
This NCAA investigation at UNC (among other places), has me worried for the future of some of these kids allegedly involved. As I said on the show last night, it's hard for me to blame UNC, their coaches, and staff. It's hard for me to blame the kids, too. They are to blame, however. It's just not entirely their fault. Agents are trying to lure clients, and they do not play by the NCAA rules. They don't have to. The kids have to know what they can and can not do. The schools should be educating these athletes on what the rules are, and how not to break them. I believe the schools do a good job of that. The players are the ones that have to make the choice, and if the UNC players that are alleged to be in question made wrong choices, then there is no way they can be allowed to play. Of course, this has to be proven, and I am all about innocent until proven guilty. There is no easy answer to this, but I did like the comments of Brian Griese on an ESPN show (may have been College Gameday, but I'm not sure). Griese saying that the NFL needs to hold unscrupulous agents accountable, and impose some kind of sanctions on them. I like the idea, just don't know how they would go about it.
The Tour de France is wrapping up, and it looks like Alberto Contador will wear the leader's yellow jersey into Paris this Sunday. I have been really pulling for Andy Schleck, as he is a fine young rider, with a ton of poise and moxie. Right now, though, he's just a bit too young to overtake the powerful Contador. Schleck's time will come, and it may come sooner rather than later. That's right, I just blogged about the Tour de France.

Great stuff coming up on Sports Night over the next few days--make sure you check it out!

Mike Solarte

NASCAR needs to revisit policy

2010-07-20T11:25:00.002-04:00

I have to admit, back in January, I got caught up in it. I got caught up in the swell of excitement when NASCAR told its drivers they could "have at it, boys." NASCAR basically admitting they were going to allow the drivers to police themselves. Driver rubbed your fender? Rub him back.

For the most part, the trading of paint has been just that, but there have been some incidents where a driver is flat-out wrecking another driver as payback. I don't want to soften NASCAR up, but someone needs to remind these guys that rattling a driver's cage is a lot different than making that driver, oh, I don't know....dead.

NASCAR hasn't come out with any punishment for Carl Edwards after his latest dust-up with Brad Keselowski at Gateway on Saturday night. I'm not sure they will do anything. NASCAR needs to do something, however, and it doesn't have to include a sanction against Edwards. NASCAR needs to back out of the throttle on the "have at it," thing. Enough is enough. The drivers need to be reminded that trading paint is one thing, crashing another guy out is another.

Again, I'm not talking about bumping a guy out of the way. I'm talking about blowing that guy into the wall. It's about finishing first, but at some point, there has to be a respect for the other driver, whether you like him or not. Had Edwards roughed up Keselowski, and not turned him into the fence, we wouldn't be talking about this. That's not how it went down. Frankly, NASCAR is lucky Keselowski isn't seriously injured, or worse. It's time for NASCAR to pull back. Tell the drivers, they are watching, more than ever. Anything that slightly resembles malicious intent gets your called to the trailer for an unpleasant chat. And then a little unscheduled vacation.

The people running NASCAR have seen enough of these kind of things to determine intent to wreck, or intent to win. Time to let the drivers know they've seen enough.

Mike Solarte

Bobcats Deal Chandler, Ajinca to Mavs

2010-07-13T18:56:00.002-04:00

The Charlotte Bobcats finally pulled of a trade on Tuesday, but it involved Dallas, and not Toronto.

I would have been a fan of the talked about Raptors deal. The Bobcats were believed to be getting PG Jose Calderon and F Reggie Evans in exchange for C Tyson Chandler and F Boris Diaw. Nothing against Chandler and Diaw, but it was partially about money, and mostly about addressing a hole at point guard. Calderon is a guy that would fit nicely, given his ability to not give the ball away. That deal blew up overnight, so the Bobcats went elsewhere.

The deal they made sends Chandler and C Alexis Ajinca to the Mavericks for C Eric Dampier, F Eduardo Najera, and G Matt Carroll. I like Carroll a bunch, Najera has ability, but Dampier has something that makes the Bobcats smile--a non-guaranteed contract. Will any of these 3 be on the roster to start the season? Good question. Najera maybe, Carroll possibly. Dampier? Doubtful. The Bobcats aren't done dealing, and any of these three could land elsewhere before it's all said and done.

I like this trade because it gives Charlotte some flexibility now. and to me, there's no question the dealing is far from over.

We'll be watching.

Mike Solarte

Congratulations to Miami

2010-07-08T23:37:00.004-04:00

LeBron James will join the Miami Heat. The rest of us can go on with our lives, and in case you'd forgotten:

The oil still leaks in the Gulf of Mexico. Troops continue to fight in Afghanistan. Searing temperatures continue to bake the country, making life even more dangerous without proper shelter and cooling.

Back to Fantasyland (a.k.a. NBA Free Agency), my blood began to boil a little listening to NBA analysts call LeBron's move to the Heat a "sacrifice." What is he giving up, other than money? He's moving to Florida, he'll play alongside 2 very talented guys in Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, and he'll be paid handsomely to do it. Mind you, he's not getting the full amount he would have gotten had he stayed in Cleveland, but he's still going to get double-digit MILLIONS. Sorry if I am not crying for his "sacrifice."

Off my soapbox now, the Heat have a huge amount of pressure on them now. not only do they have to win, they have to win a lot. As in set the wins-in-a-season record, and then blitz the playoffs. And then, they have to do that again. And again.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. said after winning the Nationwide race in Daytona last Friday (the one he drove his father's blue Wrangler 3 tribute car), he felt tremendous pressure because if he had finished 5th, "people would have said, 'why do it? what a waste of time."

Such is the quandary facing the Heat. Why bring in all this talent, and have these guys take less than they could have gotten elsewhere, if you aren't going to be the best team in the NBA?

Mike Solarte