Red alert! The Uptown paper of record is reporting that the Panthers have released WR Keyshawn Johnson.
Keyshawn was last seen on ESPN’s NFL draft telecast extolling the virtues of fellow USC WR Dwayne Jarrett, who the Panthers selected in the 2nd round.
Now it would seem that Keyshawn was praising the guy who was taking his job. Jarrett was not expected to be around in middle of the second, yet he was there — another big, sure handed receiver out of the Keyshawn school.
Just wow. No one, I mean, no one saw this one coming. Do not buy the spin from our timid local media, which will immediately slide to slam Keyshawn and fall in line behind the Panther front-office.
Update: Hurney lied.
At least that is what Observer Panther beat reporter Pat Yasinskas says in so many words in this fascinating blog post. The post is the closest thing to actual sports journalism the Uptown paper of record has done in years.
In detail:
Some very important people in the organization weren’t happy when Johnson failed to stand up and take blame away from quarterback Jake Delhomme after some critical passes intended for Johnson were intercepted. At least one very important person in the organization urged Johnson to do that and he didn’t. …
The decision to part ways with Johnson actually was made at least several weeks ago. When a rumor was circulating about this move last week, Panthers general manager Marty Hurney told The Observer that information was “not accurate.”
Let’s see — who on the Panthers org chart is very important and a former NFL receiver?
Big damn secret, Yaz.
