Because of this tremendous growth, there are changes to be made.  So, Cat Crave is moving.

Don’t get too torn up about it, though.  You’ll still be able to find us at the same location reserved on the internets where we’ve been found for the last 17 months.  This simply means that we’ve outgrown the servers housing the content that you all enjoy here.

Originally, the move will not be obvious.  However, and this is very important, your username will be out of commission.  You will need to sign up for a new username on the site.  But there is a benefit - your username will allow you to post comments across the entire network rather than just here at Cat Crave.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause but it is necessary to help us grow the network that you have all made into what it is.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at jkdub1@gmail.com.

We tried something different this week.  We invited bloggers for rival teams to join us for some smack talk.  Two of them took the bait.  Dustin Staggers of The Pewter Plank representing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Sean McNally of Blogging Dirty representing the Atlanta Falcons joined us.  The New Orleans Saints couldn’t provide us with a blogger brave enough to take part.

The segment followed a simple format - we ask a question and they ask a question followed by one minute of smack talk.  Check it out especially since we took the liberty of laying it on thick.

We also threw in a Rant Or Rave.  Our topic this week - Twitter and its prevalent use among some NFL players.

Our old friend Nick Yeoman is still being prevented from joining us thanks to technical issues.  But don’t forget his video blogs over on You Tube!

It’s all in the latest episode.  Take a listen and feel free to comment below.

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Episode Sixty-Seven: July 1, 2009

In Episode Sixty-Seven…

• News
• Rant Or Rave - Twitter Updates
• Profile - DeAngelo Williams
• Smack Talk Guest - Dustin Staggers (The Pewter Plank)
• Smack Talk Guest - Sean McNally (Blogging Dirty)
• A few thoughts on the media

Just as Carolina affirmed itself as an organization last year during Smith’s incident, they provided another textbook example of how things should be done this year with the Peppers situation.

And if you think I’m just a fan looking for reasons to praise Carolina because I like Carolina, then take a moment to juxtapose Carolina’s 2009 off-season alongside Denver’s off-season. Contrasting Denver to Carolina is truly a “Tale of Two Cities” kind of football story. Go ask a Denver Broncos fan how secure and certain he or she feels about the team. Ask a Broncos fan to give you a number on a scale from 1-10 on how they would rate the Denver front office as far as being composed and steadfast when the going gets tough. Denver’s front office behaved as emotionally and erratically as any crazed fan would this off-season. Be glad that Carolina remained a football team.

While most of us saw this coming, especially once the draft came and went, I am happy that it is (almost) official Peppers will be taking the field with Carolina in the fall. Probably though, on a bigger scale, I am thoroughly impressed with Carolina as an organization for how they handled the situation. Carolina fans have good reason to have a lot of faith and confidence in their team…Their team has a lot of faith and a lot of confidence in their team.

]]>Now that Peppers has signed his franchise tender, further questions or criticism no longer hold any water. Some media analysts have posited that Pep may not be received well in the locker room. Really? He is a superstar. Period. End of story. Last year Steve Smith decked a fellow teammate. Fans and sports analysts can [...]http://catcrave.com/2009/06/29/a-tale-of-two-cities/feed/http://catcrave.com/2009/06/24/ccr-66-guest-ross-tucker-the-minter-view/Fanzone/TailgatingPanthersPodcastArizona CardinalsCarolina PanthersCat Crave RadioDeAngelo WilliamsEpisode 66John FoxJohn WhiteJonathan StewartMike MinterRoss TuckerZachWed, 24 Jun 2009 11:21:11 PDThttp://catcrave.com/?p=1675Cat Crave Radio is back!  Episode 66 is served up with the latest news and complete coverage of the Carolina Panthers.

This week, our special guest is Ross Tucker making a third visit with us.  Ross is turning into a regular for a few reasons - the guy knows his stuff and he consistently gives very good, honest, candid answers to our questions.  In this conversation, we cover injuries, John Fox, player accountability and more.  It’s a solid interview and definitely worth the listen.

Mike Minter was also with us for The Minter View.  Mike spoke with us about a few topics - Arizona, pregame rituals and pranks.  And listen carefully to the word association at the end.

We also threw in a Rant or Rave for good measure.  I’m still throwing stones at Brett Favre.

Our old friend Nick Yeoman was still prevented from being with us due to the glitches we’ve been having.  Be sure to stop in on him at You Tube.  He can be found by searching for Big Nick 2700.

It’s all in the latest episode.  Check it out and feel free to comment below.

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Episode Sixty-Six: June 24, 2009

In Episode Sixty-Six…

• News
• Rant Or Rave - Julius Peppers vs. Brett Favre
• Profile - Jon Beason
• Special Guest - Ross Tucker (SI, Sirius Satellite Radio, Go Big Recruiting)
• The Minter View with legendary Panther Mike Minter

Some Negative Comments

Most Carolina fans think of the horrendous playoff game Delhomme last played more often than the season opener he won for Carolina in San Diego. Some call Delhomme’s extension a blessing in disguise, for salary cap room, if nothing else. In time we will sort it out and see if a contract extension for Delhomme was right or wrong. Some worry about Julius Peppers. He will have a solid season in 2009 if he wants to move elsewhere that bad in 2010.

Some Positive Comments

Carolina has become a force as a team, and is one of the best run organizations in football. Even in a bad season Carolina is more dangerous than most teams. John Fox is a fixture in the NFL, and Carolina is always a possible contender. With defenders such as Jon Beason, Thomas Davis, Chris Harris and Julius Peppers on the roster, and playmakers like Steve Smith, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart on the offensive side of the ball, Carolina is never a team that can be taken lightly.

Key Losses: Ken Lucas, Nick Goings, D.J. Hackett, Geoff Hangartner, Frank Omiyale, Jeremy Bridges.

Key Additions: Rookies Drafted: DE Everette Brown, CB Sherrod Martin, DT Corvey Irvin, RB Mike Goodson, FB Tony Fiammetta, OG Duke Robinson, and CB Captain Munnerlyn. Undrafted Rookie Free Agents who have already signed contracts: OT Gerald Cadogan, DT Marlon Favorite, RB Jamall Lee.

Returning from Injuries: LB Dan Connor, WR/RS Ryne Robinson, and WR/RS Jason Carter…All three of these players will likely compete to start at their respective positions as well as to acquire a role on Special Teams.

Depth Issues

Offensive Line: Carolina may have the best starting offensive line in football…The backups appear to be a question mark, but I think all is fine unless they get an injury bug. Gerald Cadogan and Duke Robinson are rookies that can step in as back-ups to get the job done if called upon.

The Backfield: Double Trouble should again be the most formidable RB duo in the NFL and FB Tony Fiammetta will be ready to step in for Brad Hoover if needed. Jake Delhomme is a solid starter at QB; however, Carolina’s back-up quarterbacks are questionable. Carolina did nothing in the off-season to stabilize the back-up QB position or provide Delhomme with legitimate competition at the starting position. The drop-off in the quarterback ability behind Jake Delhomme is disconcerting.

Wide Receivers: Behind Steve Smith, Mushin Muhammad, and Dwayne Jarrett as the number 3 receiver (by default), Jason Carter and Ryne Robinson will return from injuries in 2009. Add rookies Mike Goodson and Larry Beavers into the mix, and Carolina is pretty deep at WR for a team that typically has only three on the 53 man roster each Sunday.

The Defensive Line: Carolina’s Defensive line is solid, however it still lacks the run-stuffing ability Carolina hasn’t had since trading Kris Jenkins to the Jets. They have acquired some back-ups at DT with Corvey Irvin and Marlon Favorite, and have a nice rotation of young speed rushers in Charles Johnson, Hilee Taylor and Everette Brown.

Line Backers: The Panthers are solid at linebacker and it is likely one of Carolina’s deepest positions. Dan Connor should compete with 9-year veteran Na’il Diggs for a starter position.

The Secondary: Going into the off-season, this was one of Carolina’s most glaring weaknesses. With the addition of two draft picks, Carolina’s secondary went from thin to abundant rather quickly. If the starting order moves in linear fashion, then Richard Marshall will be the number two Corner opposite Chris Gamble, C.J. Wilson will be the Nickel, and Sherrod Martin and Captain Munnerlyn will be their back-ups. The Safety position could have benefited with a Patrick Chung kind of guy out of the draft, but Chris Harris is a beast and Charles Godfrey is reliable.

Possible Fallers in 2009: Dwayne Jarrett, Na’il Diggs, Brad Hoover

Potential Risers in 2009: Jason Carter, Mike Goodson, Dan Connor, Tony Fiammetta,

The biggest Wild Card for Carolina for 2009: Special Teams. Carolina will be able to stay close in many of their games in 2009. The difference maker for the Panthers will be Special Teams play. If one of Carolina’s Return Specialists breaks out as a game-changer the way Steve Smith emerged, points scored on Special Teams could turn a potential 6 and 10 season into a 10 and 6 season.

2009 Season Record Prediction: 9 and 7.

Somebody please, please, please pinch Raheem Morris and Josh Freeman and tell them “they’re not in Kansas anymore.”

Change does not necessarily mean progress. After a 9 and 7 season, Tampa Bay hit the panic button so feverishly that at times I forgot they had a winning record. Tampa is looking to imitate what Atlanta did during last year’s off-season. The Buccaneers only think they stole a page from Atlanta’s playbook. They hired a coach who is unproven for the most part. They released a proven winner in Jeff Garcia and drafted Josh Freeman—an unproven signal-caller with the blessing of their unproven coach. They released pillars of the defense such as Derek Brooks, Lawyer Milloy, and Phillip Buchanon.

Some of the changes are understandable, but a good bit of the changes appear to be changes for no other reason than to change things. Jeff Garcia wasn’t losing games for Tampa Bay. For Tampa to release Garcia and draft Freeman, rather than fill key holes on the defensive line, is like me taking my car to the barbershop because I need my car tuned up.

A losing, abysmal organization like Detroit should change everything about the old Detroit from the ground up. They have so many reasons why they have been losing for so long that most changes they make would almost have to be an improvement. It doesn’t get any worse than 0 and 16.

A 9 and 7 team however, probably shouldn’t need an extreme makeover from head to toe. Tampa has made so many changes that in the future it may become difficult to decipher what changes worked and what did not. For instance, if the new, younger defense makes crucial rookie mistakes, then the offense will look worse. If Josh Freeman is playing from behind because the defense can’t get off the field, then he is going to get more blame than he deserves. Conversely, if Freeman is playing like a rookie (not like Matt Ryan, but like a normal rookie QB) then he is going to punish the defensive side of the ball. It is hard to imagine at this point that both sides of the ball in Tampa will not be punishing each other, terribly. If the Front Office of Tampa Bay has a gambling problem; then it just became very, very serious…

Read Tampa’s 2009 schedule, slowly…

Dallas Cowboys (H)

Buffalo Bills (A)

New York Giants (H)

It is impossible to imagine them matching their record of 2008. It is difficult to figure that Tampa Bay will not get swept entirely by the NFC South. It is difficult to imagine Tampa doing any better than 4 and 12, and even that may be a stretch. That is, if Tampa can find a way to beat the Bills, Packers, Jets, and Seahawks. This is gonna get ugly folks; try not to feel too sorry for our heated rivals….

Unfortunately for Josh Freeman and Raheem Morris, being back in Kansas would be a nice alternative to getting their asses kicked beyond comprehension every single Sunday.

7.  Dwayne Jarrett:  If Jarrett is going to pull a “Roddy White,” then this would be the year to do it.  Absolutely.  I think this is an interesting point because I’m more intrigued at the handful of guys who are fighting for Dwayne Jarrett’s job than I am necessarily at what Dwayne Jarrett will or won’t do.  I think one or two, or three of those guys may still be on the roster halfway through the season and, depending on how heated that competition gets, one of those guys is bound to make himself more prepared than Dwayne Jarrett.

6.  The Secondary:  Coming into the offseason (aside from the obvious, which I’ll get to in a second) the secondary was the biggest question mark.  Carolina released Ken Lucas and drafted two corners, Sherrod Martin and Captain Munnerlyn.  That tells me that the coaching staff must not have too much faith in Richard Marshall; well, at least not any more faith than I had watching him get cold-smoked last year along with getting occasional severely stupid penalties.  I expect to see one of the rookies and C.J. Wilson challenge Marshall and possibly take over at corner or nickel.

5.  Tight-Ends:  Depending on the TE and opposing defense, a pass-catching tight end can barbeque a team.  Dante Rosario was a Charger killer in Carolina’s opening game of 2008.  I’m content with Carolina’s tight ends, but a little concerned about opposing TEs in the NFC South.  Jeremy Shockey can be a monster when he isn’t injured or inebriated, Kellen Winslow is maybe the best young TE in the league (although Tampa has no QB), and Tony Gonzalez is going to be a nightmare to play twice a year.

4.  Double Trouble:  Both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart will rush for over a thousand yards apiece this season.  But I have a question for Panther fans:  What about Triple Trouble?  Check out Mike Goodson here….

3.  Jake Delhomme:  While I am neither a Delhomme critic or Delhomme fan, I am one of those guys who really would have liked to see Carolina make a run for Matt Cassell or Jay Cutler.  Many football analysts do not believe in Delhomme.  I would like to see Delhomme prove them all wrong-he needs to redeem himself…in the meantime, I’ll try to have a sense of humor.

2.  Ron Meeks:  The defense may very well resemble Carolina’s defense we saw in 2003 with Meeks calling the shots…Especially since Jon Beason is buying into the system.  I think the biggest winner in the Carolina drafting Everette Brown situation may be Julius Peppers…He and Everette Brown together may turn out to be a quarterback’s worst nightmare.

1.  Julius Peppers:  I strongly believe Pep will play this upcoming season.  He is one of the best players in the NFL, period.  His teammates will not care what Pep or his agent say as long as he is terrorizing the offense.  With Peppers in a Carolina uniform, all 7 of these key points to Carolina’s success in 2009 become much more realistic.  I guess that’s why Julius Peppers is referred to as a game-changer…

Again, check out Austin’s work here, if you want to see the article that I’m referring to.  Later I will post my own “Keys to Carolina Success” thing.

Due to a number of issues beyond our control, Cat Crave Radio, the show dedicated to covering your Carolina Panthers, will be forced to take the week off.

We apologize for the inconvenience.  However, we will be back next week with another installment.  In the meantime, feel free to check out our archive of all the past episodes.

Is that news, I dunno?  “Four possible trade teams” via Peppers’s agent was the same news over and over for a month awhile back. 

Dude will be a Panther in 2009, all season.

During and after the 2008 draft, Jarrett certainly must have noticed that he’s received a similar message to what Keyshawn received. 6 words: Mike Goodson, Larry Beavers, Jamall Lee…And to add to the pressure, Ryne Robinson and Jason Carter are returning, and both have probably been sharpening their teeth over the past year by studying and focusing on the cerebral aspects of the game.

I wondered a lot last year why Jarrett did not get more playing time. It seemed, despite how sparingly he played, that every time he had a chance he made a catch for a 3^rd down conversion. So, I don’t think athletic ability is the question. It’s more about how much has he been studying, and how often he’s been in the film room. Apparently, thus far, Jarrett’s studying and preparation has not been great, or else he’d be in a uniform more often.

This is a big year or bust for Jarrett. I have liked him from the get-go; but, for whatever reason Carolina has been stocking up on recievers and possible return guys, with Robinson and Carter on the roster.

There is a long list of Wide Recievers in Carolina now, and half of them won’t be active on game day. I have a strong feeling this list will get shaken up too. The list is exciting; and some will lose; but for Carolina, it appears to be win-win situation.

1. Steve Smith
2. Muhsin Muhammad
3. Dwayne Jarrett
4. Ryne Robinson
5. Jason Carter
6. Mike Goodson
7. Larry Beavers