I wouldn't call BB owning John Fox except for maybe the most recent game. In fact they always played competitive when with the Panthers, splitting the regular season record with the Panthers, in the pre-season and of course losing in the Super Bowl by 3, but I don't think either coach or either team outdid the other as opponents. John Fox is a class act and I'm a huge fan of his even though Panthers seem to be content on disrespecting him. He is smug to the media as he should be but he is very much like Bill in his ability to appreciate what makes good players and good team chemistry.
In fact I was just going to post this. Great interview.
Q: What is your regard for Tom Brady as a quarterback? Not just currently, but in the history of football.
JF: Well I think we've competed many times and you know you brought up that nice one in '03, well '04 calendar year, so that kind of states what I think of him.
Q: Pain in the ass?
JF: Well, in a good way. That's being very respectful.
John Fox Conference Call Transcript
I don't agree at all with what the Panthers did. To tell the guy you're going to let him go, take away his ability to sign vets, which is what he believes in and makes his teams work, much like Bill, but still tell him to coach another year and make do while effectively going against his philosophy.
"You know Fox, you have no future in Carolina unlike what we promised, we're going to gut this team and use it for political purposes for the labor negotiations, take away your money and signing ability, get rid of your best players, and go in a different direction after this year...but in the mean time here's Jimmy and uh....try to win some games, alright?"
Who does that?
Ironically Fox is in the playoffs with another quarterback who apparently can't pass yet here they are setting OT records while winning and passing. Carolina's improved to a whopping 6-9. Delhomme, another pretty good 4th quarter comeback quarterback, is even in the playoffs as a back-up. And Moore had a much better season in Miami and Fox could be argued as almost being strong-armed to bench Moore in favor of Clausen just to prove to everyone he knew damn well Moore was the better man for the job and most rookies suck.
None of Carolina's plans turned out great, except for the overzealous fans who get excited about an inefficient high scoring offense and a bunch of rookie records and the "we're a young team" talk is getting really old. I'm afraid Carolina's on a run where they have found themselves a good enough QB and offense that will continuously sell tickets but will kind of be like your Greatest Show on Turf/Cowboys/current Eagles/old Packers type team and Cam Newton will be something along the lines of Tony Romo, Bret Farve in his late career. In addition a very nice, but inexperienced player's coach which while great as a person, usually don't tend to do as good as your more stuck up arrogant types. Good enough to put up the numbers, good enough for Cam to remain the starter for years, but never having what it takes at this level to lead a team to a winning playoff record and super bowl wins. Can't handle objective criticism and 4th quarter pressure when having to come back from behind and apparently that's rubbing off on the entire fan base. You will never hear a John Fox quarterback, especially a newcomer, call his veteran team mates on national TV or proclaiming he's there to change a losing mentality. It's disgusting. Not to mention penalties. John Fox teams are never this undisciplined.
Despite what they say in Carolina, they talk winning, but they show the opposite, to the trained eye. All of their moves showed they don't want to win, but rather they want to sell tickets while taking about winning. Tebow had more competition with Orton for the starting job then Newton ever did in Carolina. He was given the keys to the franchise before he really fought for it and earned it. They had no intention of having a winning season this year. They were prepared to lose and blow it on the development of Newton from the start while other teams with rookie QB's did whatever it took to win and make it.
But anyway, as far as Denver/Pats go, Foxball is usually a really good answer to Patriots ball. Best way to beat the Pats isn't to try to outscore them or outrun them, but to slow the game down, throw the rhythm off, and make it a yawn worthy, very basic, game. Then once they get you playing their game, they can beat you.
And for people that think Fox does what he does out of a matter of personal choice, they are only half right and the other half they don't know what they are talking about. See the Panthers 03, 05 and 08 seasons when they had the personnel to be a passing team. Fox isn't stupid to try to be something his players are not. He's old school because both times he's had the job of having to do your best with what you got.
Nothing about the 03, 08 or 05 Panthers, where Steve Smith earned a triple crown as a receiver, was old school. I figured Pats remembered the pass-heavy Super Bowl that broke records back in 2003 both in the books and in the media. When his teams clicked they were very potent and could score 30+ points as easily as anyone but he usually also had the type of defense that they never really needed to.
When Fox manages to put his ideal team together it ends up looking very much like NY Giants and the 02-03-04 Patriots. A balanced pass/run team with the ability to throw the deep ball pretty consistently. He likes two good deep threats, but for many years in Carolina after they traded Muhammad they could never find #2, and to this day still don't have him. Tebow offers some new twists and it's probably something new for Fox, but I would argue, it would be new for BB as well.
