Yardbarker: Ken Lucas

Time Off For Good Behavior

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:07:41 -0500

The Carolina Panthers are getting healthier and they must be doing something right on the practice field. They were given the day off on Tuesday. They will have to be at work tomorrow morning to watch film but there will be no practice. Media sources tell us that the team has been putting in better

Carolina Panthers - Playoff Return?

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:19:25 -0500

If the Carolina Panthers want to return to the NFC playoffs this season, they are going to have to stay healthy. The Panthers went out and made some noise in free agency this off season and really believe that they can return to the playoffs this season. "Everyone is thinking...

Thursday Wrap Up

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:40:07 -0500

It sounds like the Carolina Panthers nearly took the day off on Thursday. It was a rather light practice. Here are the notes from Steve Reed of the Gaston Gazette. HOT TOPIC: Jake Delhomme said the team has done a "fantastic job" of putting last week's altercation between Steve Smith and Ken Lucas behind them. "That was [...]

When Teammates Attack

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:59:46 -0500

Some see it as a glaring sign that the chemistry in the clubhouse is toxic, others write it off to testosterone-infused meatheads blowing off steam. However you rationalize a fight between teammates, the one constant is that they're normally fun to watch.

We got to witness that first hand again this week when Prince Fielder went after pitcher Manny Parra in the Milwaukee Brewers dugout (we told you not to dip into Prince's can of Pringles Cheez-Ums without permission, Manny). A couple of shoves, a semi-slap to the face in full view of the cameras and suddenly we've got national news.

The Parra-Fielder tussle came just days after Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith took the teammate brawl a step further and broke the nose of Panther safety Ken Lucas in the training camp fight that will ultimately cost Smith a two game suspension and a hefty fine.

Because of the mystery and inevitable gossip that comes with them, teammate-on-teammate fights are a shade more intriguing than the run-of-the-mill sports brawl between opponents. In December of 2006, we separated those fights into convenient categories to better understand them and in light of recent events, it would only seem appropriate to do the same for the brawls between friends.

The "Not on the Same Page" Brawl
For all the talk in baseball about the importance of a pitcher and a catcher being "on the same page", perhaps nothing drives home that point more than seeing what happens when they aren't. Being on different pages often means fists aimed at heads.

Recent examples of pitchers and catchers not seeing eye-to-eye include beastly Royals hurler Runelvys Hernandez attacking catcher John Buck in the dugout in between innings in 2006, Rays battery Dioner Navarro and Matt Garza going at it this summer and a scrap between Texas catcher Rod Barajas and pitcher Ryan Drese in 2005 in which the combatants dusted themselves off and went back to their respective positions the next inning to put up a zero. Professionalism at its finest.

Perhaps most memorable was last July when Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano went after Michael Barrett in the dugout after the two came off the field. One can't really blame Barrett for the run-in because quite frankly, how can you possibly get on the same page as a pitcher who spends most of his time screaming to himself in another language? There's at least a 5% chance that the mythical creature that Zambrano talks to every time he leaves the mound told him Barrett was a Martian trying to take over the minds of his Cubs teammates. Maybe even 10%.

The "I Hope They Beat the Hell out of Each Other" Fight
Imagine being a teammate in the Giants locker room through the majority of the last decade. On one side, you've got well-documented jackass Barry Bonds chilling on his leather recliner watching his personal TV - a TV that has been given roughly the same amount of dedicated square footage in the clubhouse as your entire locker.

On the other side, you've got hillbilly second basemen Jeff Kent who may be the only player in baseball whose reputation as a jerk is comparable to Bonds. In any given season, they are battling for the 1-2 spots on the "teammates I pray I don't have to sit next to on the team flight" list. Suddenly in a moment of glory, these two go after each other in the dugout and are ready to come to blows. If it weren't for the TV cameras zooming in on the brawl, most Giants players probably would have preferred to let them beat the living shit out of each other just in the off chance that they trade broken jaws and couldn't talk anymore.

A similar incident took place in the visitor's clubhouse of Shea Stadium in 1978 when Dodgers pretty boy Steve Garvey and permed-out pitcher Don Sutton went at it after a confrontation centered on Sutton's quotes about Garvey to the media. According to legend, their popularity amongst teammates was such that when someone yelled out "stop the fight, they'll kill each other", the response from one team member was "good."

Of course, both the 2002 Giants and the 1978 Dodgers went to the World Series, so don't be surprised if some enterprising manager sets up sanctioned cage matches amongst team members to see if it sparks a winning streak.

The Rasta Brawl
Just picture your standard teammate fight, only in addition to fists flying there is also massive amounts of hair. Dreadlocks to be exact. One might assume that it would be impossible to inflict pain through 14 solid inches of nappy hair, much like hitting someone wearing a football helmet, but it turns out that the 'do opens up a whole new element of physical damage.

In the case of the Etan Thomas and Brendan Haywood fight in 2006 when both were members of the Washington Wizards, Haywood somehow managed to rip out two full dreadlocks from Thomas' skull.

Not being terribly familiar with the anatomy of a dreadlock, I wasn't aware that they could be yanked out of ones head like a carrot being pulled out of the dirt. If Haywood was to fully capitalize on his maneuver he could have started swinging those puppies around like a pair of bullwhips. Nothing stings worse than being whipped with your own dreads.

The "Roids Don't Care What Team you Play For" Cheap Shot
When you presumably have more steroids coursing through your veins than a Barry Bonds - Mark McGwire love child, things like determining whether a guy plays on the same team as you are to be considered trivial. The roids don't care what team they play for, bro. When your friends Winstrol and Dianabol say that you're supposed to be a meathead gorilla, then that's what you do and too bad to whoever happens to be at the other end.

NFL linebacker Bill Romanowski was the quintessential meathead gorilla and teammate Marcus Williams was the person who happened to be close by one 2003 Oakland Raiders scrimmage. Romanowski effectively ended Williams' career when he crushed his eye socket with one punch.

Rather than simply chalking up the incident as an unfortunate run-in with an over-medicated primate, Williams decided to exact his revenge in the courtroom, suing Romo for $3.5 million and eventually being awarded $340,000 in damages.

Probably should be able to get a pretty sweet new eye socket with that kind of coin.

The Innocent Victim Scenario
Unless we're talking about a hockey fight where everyone just lets the guys beat the crap out of each other, inevitably a teammate brawl has to be broken up by someone. Normally a third teammate or a coach has to throw himself in between two enraged maniacs so that no one gets hurt. It's not a pleasant spot to be in.

Take the Brewers incident, would you want to be the person forced to step in between 300-pound Prince Fielder and whatever it is that he wants to get his hands on? Even if he innocently trips and falls on you, that girth would likely do damage to multiple internal organs.

Look at Ray Fosse. In 1974, Reggie Jackson got into a clubhouse scuffle with fellow Oakland Athletic outfielder Bill North. The peacekeeper on the scene happened to be Fosse who was rewarded for his actions with a crushed disk in his neck that landed him on the DL for 12 weeks.

Of course four years earlier Ray Fosse was run over by Pete Rose in the All Star Game separating his shoulder in the process. That has nothing to do with teammates fighting but, man, it kind of sucked to be Ray Fosse for a while there.

The Blatant Disregard for Authority
In the current atmosphere of sports, the balance of power between coaches and players has been blurred. Players make far more money, are more indispensable and most are not shy about how to use their newfound leverage. Some do it with contract negotiations or holdouts. Some do it by beating the hell out of their superiors. Either way works.

Of course a player getting physical with a coach isn't exactly a new thing. Reggie Jackson was famous for his showdown with Yankees manager Billy Martin in the late 70's; Nasty Boy Rob Dibble scrapped with manager Lou Piniella in the Cincinnati Reds locker room after a 1993 game. In 1977, Texas Rangers infielder Lenny Randle jumped manager Frank Lucchesi on the field before the game, clocking him in the face and landing several shots before being dragged off by teammates. Lucchesi suffered a broken cheekbone, two cracked ribs and a concussion in the fracas. Randle eventually suffered a trade to the Mets where he had to play in Shea Stadium. Not sure which is worse.

But just this season former Astros pitcher Shawn Chacon took management assault to another level when he choked out GM Ed Wade in the team dining room, proving once and for all that it is not smart for a front office executive to get between a player and his free buffet.

Coaches Versus?Coaches
Probably the only thing more bizarre than watching two players on the same team engage in some fisticuffs is watching two coaches on the same team go after each other.

Coaches are supposed to be the cool-headed ones, who are constantly preaching team unity and giving away game balls and crap. They're like a fraternity whose primary shared trait is that they all have the unenviable task of dealing with professional athletes all day. They're not supposed to be the ones throwing haymakers at one another on the sidelines.

The most notable of the coach-on-coach battles revolve around one small, balding old football "genius" ? Buddy Ryan. In 1985 there were rumors of his run-in with Bears head coach Mike Ditka while Ryan was serving as the coordinator of one of the most dynamic defenses of all time. According to lore, punches weren't thrown, but Ditka cordially invited Ryan out to the back alley when Ryan refused to heed the coach's halftime request during their only loss of the '85 season.

Of course, Buddy did manage to goad one fellow coach into a more physical confrontation while he was on the staff of the 1993 Houston Oilers. In a classic offense vs. defense battle, Ryan took a swing at offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride on the sidelines in their regular season-ending game versus the Jets.

For a guy who looked more like the founder of Wendy's than a hard-nosed football coach, Ryan sure did fancy himself a badass.
Whether it's coaches on coaches, players attacking coaches, players attacking players or someone is getting their dreads ripped out, teammate fights never cease to entertain.

So long as it isn't your team doing the brawling.

Bonus ? ESPN did a Top 10 teammate fights list found here. Some quality ones in there, including a soccer fight taking place on the field during the game. Freaking British people.

STEVE SMITH'S APOLOGY

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:19:37 -0500

blessing in disguise says ken lucas? there first game is against the chargers and i didnt really think they would beable to beat them with #89 so i think they have no chance without.

Packers hire Steve Smith to work with Favre upon arrival at camp

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:28:03 -0500

GREEN BAY, WI — Mere hours after publicly apologizing for beating the hell out of teammate Ken Lucas, Carolina Panthers star wideout Steve Smith has accepted an offer from the Green Bay Packers to spend some time “working with Brett Favre” during the veteran QB’s first day back in camp. “At first we weren’t thrilled about [...]

Packers hire Steve Smith to work with Favre upon arrival at camp

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:28:03 -0500

REEBOK REALLY KNOWS THEIR SPOKESPEOPLE

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:54:38 -0500

by DCScrap, on 205th magazine

In case you missed it, and I am not sure how you could have, but I will play along, Carolina Panthers' wide receiver was suspended by the team for the first two games of the regular season for laying out teammate Ken Lucas with a punch and leaving him with a broken nose that will require surgery. Therefore this ad by Reebok (to the right) might just be a bit inappropriate right about now.

"I'm not going to get into who's right, who's wrong. I'm completely wrong," Smith said. "It was an asinine decision. And I'll move forward better than I probably have ever had to. It's the first time in my life that I really haven't forgiven myself."

"I will not put myself into a position where I have to defend myself, to state my side of the story. There's no side," Smith said. "There's only one side, a lack of judgment on my part. That's really all I have to say. I have no excuse. All I have is the opportunity to gain the respect of my fans, to gain the respect of my family, gain the respect of my co-workers and gain the respect of the organization."

Personally I just want to thank Mr. Smith for the fact that he is my top keeper in my fantasy football league and now my entire fantasy football season is now in jeopardy. When are these athletes going to start considering how their actions affect those around them and the fans that root for them, or more importantly, me?

Awful Announcing is awesome and handsome and found this ad.

Monday Morning Camp Recap

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:56:39 -0500

There might be some egos, noses and eyes bruised but practice resumed for the Carolina Panthers Monday morning. Here is a recap of the events from the guys at the Gaston Gazette. Steve Smith still was working with the first team offense in practice. Others will get a chance to work there as training camp progresses, Fox [...]

Lots of Talk and Some Healing

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:33:17 -0500

Can something positive come out of what happened at the Carolina Panthers practice last Friday? Ken Lucas says it can. Steve Smith hopes it can. On Monday, Smith returned to practice while Lucas watched from the sidelines with his bruised eye and swollen nose. Lucas says that he should be returning to the field within 2 to [...]

Steve Smith returns to Panthers after punching Lucas

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:24:49 -0500

Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith has returned to practice, three days after breaking teammate Ken Lucas' nose in a sideline fight. Lucas also was present at Monday's workout, but did not practice as he recovers from his injury. click link for more

The Circus Comes to Town Today

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 05:06:33 -0500

Steve Smith talked to Pro Football Weekly on Sunday and displayed a tremendous amount of remorse. When he returns to practice on Monday, he'll have to display more than that. He'll have to show his teammates that he meant what he said to them when he visited with them Sunday to apologize for his actions [...]

CCR 21: Training Camp…Let the Fighting Begin!

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:52:25 -0500

Cat Crave Radionbsp;is back!nbsp; Trainingnbsp;camp continued with a bang, to say the least.nbsp; We've got the details.nbsp; This is Episode Twenty-One!nbsp; Brian Miller has returned to upset the fans withnbsp;Rant Ornbsp;Rave,nbsp;G-Man joined us for a special edition ofnbsp;Boom or Bustnbsp;and we covered the top five reasons why the Carolina Panthers are better than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Our appreciation to G-Man for making Boom or Bust so much fun.nbsp; Also, thanks to Brian Miller of Phin Phanaticnbsp;for joining us once again and for taking the abuse from our listeners. nbsp; Episode Twenty-One:nbsp; August 3, 2008 In Episode Twenty-Onehellip; News -nbsp;Training Camp Continues Rant Or Rave History -nbsp;The First Gamenbsp; Special Guest - NFL Insider Brian Miller (Phin Phanatic) Boom or Bust - With G-Man The Top Five -nbsp;Reasons Why the Panthers are Better than the Buccaneers For a complete archive of our shows, visit our Radio Page.

SMITH SUSPENDED FOR 2 GAMES

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:59:38 -0500

Receiver Steve Smith was suspended for two regular-season games by the Carolina Panthers after a training camp fight with cornerback Ken Lucas. Smith, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, will continue to practice when training camp resumes Monday and will be allowed to participate in preseason games, Coach John Fox said. Lucas has a broken nose, Fox said.

Panthers Do the Right Thing, Suspend Steve Smith Two Games

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:51:13 -0500

Man, that Steve Smith sure is racking up an impressive practice record. At least he's recording more KOs than Zab Judah this year. In case you missed it, star receiver Steve Smith of the Panthers got into a rumble with teammate Ken Lucas on Friday at practice. How did it happen? According to [...]