The energy at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday was palpable.
You could hear the music pumping through the speakers as the anticipatory crowd waited for the formal introduction of Dan Morgan and Dave Canales. Current and former Panthers players were distributed around the room adding to the aura of the event. Morgan and Canales took the stage, orated for 40 minutes, and left it with the future of Panthers’ football laid out clearly for all to see.
Alignment. Culture. Protecting the football. More dawgs. Open door policy to former players.
However, the most important of the morning came off the stage.
It didn’t involve anything that happened on the live stream for thousands to watch. It wasn’t captured on any expensive technology owned by Tepper Sports and Entertainment. It was seen through the lens of a smart phone and the eyes of a reporter trying to get a statement of out of Panthers’ owner David Tepper.
For months, years, even, folks who follow and cover the Panthers have been begging for David Tepper to get out of his own way. The mercurial owner has made national headlines by firing coaches, calling out Carolina supporters, requiring weekly meetings with the head coach, and throwing drinks on fans that dissent the billionaire.
Tepper moving to the background is best for everyone involved. The best way forward for the Carolina franchise is through Tepper’s wallet, not his personal involvement. If, and that’s a big if for someone as wealthy and successful as David Tepper, he lets the football people do the football work, and he signs the checks, the energy from today’s press conference will transfer to the stands and more importantly the field in eight months.
More must-reads: