press conference notes Now that the sale of the Carolina Panthers to David Tepper is completely final Color Rush Torrey Smith Jersey , the new owner decided to hold a press conference to meet and greet the media and say some words about how things are going to be run from this point forward. Here are the notes of what he touched on:On the needs for updated facilities: Tepper made it clear he wants to upgrade the practice facilities to be on par with the rest of the league. He also called Bank of America stadium “old” but did not outright make any claims to his intentions for a new stadium or big renovation. He did maintain that he believes the Charlotte area to be a natural home for the Panthers and is committed to keeping it close no matter what.On the plans for current facilities:Tepper acknowledged the federal legislation regarding sports betting and emphasized that he wants to keep fans inside the stadium instead of them having more incentive to stay at home. He also wants to host more events at the current stadium including concerts and high school football championships that will benefit local commerce and the community.Tepper also said that he would approach tax-funding issues for new facilities with a moderate approach. He feels that if he brings more business and commerce to the area that revenue shows itself in the form of tax dollars which should be partially reinvested into the team facilities.When asked about the sexual harrassment issues this team endured:Tepper made it clear that a new sheriff is in town, and he intends to do things the right way. On plans for the football side of things:Tepper stated that he is happy with the current staff, he likes the changes made and the guys that are already in place. He specifically mentioned how much he likes Ron Rivera. Be mindful Tepper comes from a minority ownership in a franchise, the Pittsburgh Steelers, that rarely ever changed coaches.After those couple of quotes he released a couple “It is what it is” liners regarding the football staff and then his personal faith.On community involvement and patriotism:Tepper gave the impression that even more focus will be made on the team’s community impact, but praised current efforts which he considers to be excellent. In general, this conference had a measure of acknowledgement of social responsibility to it, which is very welcome.Tepper also gave the impression that players are going to be free to protest and take action on his watch.On the biggest issues facing the NFL:Tepper towed the company line here, but was clearly a bit shook about the Ryan Shazier situation in Pittsburgh.On the statue of Jerry Richardson outside the stadium:We have a whole separate article on this, but he flatly said:My impressions of David TepperA refreshing change from what we are used to in Carolina. He was very candid and often spoke off-book to answer questions put in front of him. You could tell he was a bit nervous Color Rush Greg Van Roten Jersey , but his style changes dramatically when answering questions the way he wants to versus how he knows he HAS to. He gives the impression of being a more media-focused owner and certainly a more charismatic one. I like his style and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this team.Panthers training camp 2018: Curtis Samuel has work cut out for him On Wednesday, Curtis Samuel passed his physical and was finally cleared to participate in training camp practice after recovering from left ankle surgery. His return only makes for a more diverse and talented receiving corps. While Samuel has had positive outings since he was cleared, he still has a journey ahead of him as he pleads his case on the depth chart. The No. 40 overall pick from Ohio State only caught seven passes for 70 yards in his first nine games as a rookie. On November 13, Samuel appeared to be on the right track in the Panthers victory over Miami when he had five catches for 45 yards in the first half.But then, in the third quarter, Samuel went down with a season-ending injury after getting his ankle twisted underneath a defender. Although it was his first season in the NFL, Samuel didn’t exactly stand out. This year, he won’t have nine games to warm up if he wants a role as the No. 2 receiver (behind presumably Devin Funchess). Being a second round draft pick, the expectations are set higher for Samuel because we know he has the skill set.Even without Samuel, Cam Newton has plenty of weapons to choose from in this receiving core. With the trade of Kelvin Benjamin to the Bills last year http://www.authenticscarolinapanthers.com/cheap-daryl-williams-jersey , Funchess really stepped up and had an impressive season. In the offseason, the Panthers added veteran Torrey Smith to the group, as well as Jarius Wright and rookie first round pick D.J. Moore. Not to mention, Panthers also have Damiere Byrd. Each receiver is capable of producing in this Panthers’ offense, only adding to the competition.Injuries are messy, especially after surgery. Samuel has only been back for a few days, who’s to know yet if his ankle is truly at 100%. It might’ve been a short time, but Samuel is also now nearly a week behind in practice. Considering the Panthers have a new offensive coordinator in Norv Turner, this could prove to be more important than not.