August 12, 2025 • 43 mins
In the second hour of the show, Mac and Bone talk with Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu about his offseason, chat with Panthers offensive guard Robert Hunt about this upcoming season and tell you if the team should be looking are redoing the pecking order at wide receiver.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:17):
Welcome back to everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Mack and Bone Show Live from Panther training camp right
here on wfn Z. And our next guest is a
Charlottean like so many of y'all. Man, he's playing for
the hometown team, and he's doing a heck of a
job at left tackle doing that. He is Ikey Iguana
and he joins us on the Mack and Bone Show.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Ikey, what's going on? Man?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I going great, going great. I'm glad to be out here.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
You Uh so you start smiling when I said you're
a Charlotte and this is the hometown team. Is that
I won't I don't, we won't stay at hometown discount.
I want Dame Morgan to hear that. But, like you
can tell, it means a lot to you to play
for the Panthers on percent.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
I grew up a Panthers fan, and I just you know,
I really really want to be here, uh you know,
the long term.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
I want to be a Panther for life.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
So I mean, I hope we don't talk too much
contract stuff, but and I definitely always said.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
It out loud.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
You know, I want everybody to understand, you know, how
much counting fanthers mean to me, how much I want
to be here?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
How unique is it that you get this whole entire
line back, And what's that doing for the chemistry you
guys have right now?
Speaker 4 (01:18):
I mean, it's definitely rare, rare occurrence bringing up bringing
back as many.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Guys that we did.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
It's definitely special too, you know, definitely something that you know,
we're looking definitely happy, happy about bringing everybody back, you know,
having that locker room and that chemistry that we've been
just making sure we grow that much more this year.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
You feel like you guys are the strength of the team.
I mean, I think a lot of I think a
lot of us on the outside feel like you are.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
I mean, we definitely want to be for sure. I
definitely want to be an enginet. You know that that
gets the team going for sure. I feel like, you know,
as long as we hold ourselves to that standard and
everybody else is kind of going to follow that and
before you know what we got. You know, however, in positions,
we got ten eleven different engines on the field that once.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
So that's that's definitely to go.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
As a guy that grew up in Charlotte, you probably
knew of Taylor Morgan before you played here. Obviously, we've
always said because there hasn't been a lot of winning
in his time here, he probably doesn't get the credit
that he deserves. Do you agree with that? And what
was it like last week to see your guy show
that emotion to the media like he did?
Speaker 3 (02:16):
And I definitely agree with you there.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
I feel like, you know, with the team, how the
team has been sometimes a lot of guy's going into shadows,
and I f Tyler Mowan is definitely a big example
of that, a guy that's been elite consistent year and
a year out for his whole time being a Panther.
You saw how emotional he got thinking of the possibility
of not being here. You know, then there brought in
a tiers. So definitely a guy who's definitely you know,
(02:38):
he's definitely a signing point, a defhensive line, definitely been
a shinning point in his team. And I definitely hope
you know he's here, He's here for the long haul.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
We're talking with ikey Ikwanu, Panthers left Tackle here live
at Panther Training Camp, Mac and Bone Show on w
f and Z. You personally, it felt like you took
a step forward last year, But I want to hear
your thoughts on that. Did you you feel what where
if you feel like your game has grown the most,
and where do you feel like I still got you
(03:06):
know what I mean, I still get to get to
where I want to.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
I still have to do this better.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
I mean, it's always consistency.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
I mean, I'm sure if people are again to get
tired of me saying it every time someone asked me
that question. It's always the same. And it's not just
like media training. It's really I truly do think that,
like with the boys down to is being consistent, you know,
week in and week out, not having flashes of good
and flashes are bad. Is being consistent like a Taylor Molton.
You know, it's funny you just mentioned that consistence. So
(03:32):
just being that guy, especially at a premier position like
left tackle, being that consistent, that consistent guy week in
and week out, that's always going out there. You never
got to worry about me being on the island by myself.
And that's definitely something I'm growing towards more and more.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
We mentioned in the offensive why being back? You get
a thousand yard back at Juba back and you add
a thousand yard guy and Rico Daddle also back. How
high level of a run game with you guys and
these backs can we see here?
Speaker 4 (03:56):
I mean, definitely want to build off our successes and
I just feel like, you know, I just feel like everybody,
we're all just trying to take it a next step forward.
You know, obviously a thousand yards of the great mess Mark,
but you have you bring toubn near east of that
at fifteen. I started the same same with with Rico.
So that's kind of like our goal is always to
get better and better, and uh yeah, we're shooting for
as hod as we can go. So whether that be fifteen,
whether that be two, two thousand, hooever, we got to
(04:18):
break it down. But you know, we definitely want to,
you know, put put the league on notice that we're
gonna run the ball.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
All right, So you're a you're an NC State man,
all right. There's so much talk about Bill Belichick going
to the rival Tar Heels. Our man, right here is
a fitty is a die hard Heels face.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
They didn't play the game, nicky, I know it's good
a shocking did.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
He thinks he thinks that Wolfpac fans should be scared
and it's going to change.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Now. Do you have any fear of Bill Belichick?
Speaker 4 (04:46):
I mean, definitely no fear. That's not a word that
we're even going to talk about in the building, you know,
up up in Carter Finley.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
That's not a thing we're ever gonna have.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Whether that beat them, the boys up there in Chapel Hill,
whether that be any team, you know, fear is definitely
not in there vocabulary. I mean, all I gotta say
is good luck to the to the guys, good let
to those guys up there in Chapel Hill. But I'm
always gonna take my WLF back one hundred percent, and
I just feel like those guys are definitely going in
the right direction.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
I have an observation, Ichy about this NC State UNC
stuff here, because a lot of UNC people will say
on the basketball side, it's not a rivalry right although
right now it's gonna be, we think because of Will Wade.
Oh yeah, could you say the same that it hasn't
really been a football rivalry the last five.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
Years or so.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
I'm not gonna go back and forth about the semantics
of it, because to me, I mean, if we're being honest,
it is a rivalry. Whether it doesn't matter the sport
it could be. It doesn't even even need a b sports.
We're out there playing cornholl with some guys in Chapel Hill.
Its gonna be a rivalry. So at the end of
the day, you know, it's just about you know, just
cultures and just you know, different you know, different different, different,
different sides of the world. I guess you can say,
(05:48):
and uh, you know, I definitely want to support my
worth back any chance I get.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
We're trying to give him a pancake fitty.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
But I will say I whole.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
I will say though, I mean, I truly feel like
it's it's a rivalry, and I fat all that all
that does elevate and you know, make make the culture
about of costable that much better when you have rivalries.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Like oh, definitely no, that's what makes Yeah, of course.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
He stays, he stays back there and depart and makes
us find each other.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Just trying to get some answer. That's shameless. What if
I tell him that I root for them all? Wow,
thank you for that you were talking about. I asked
you about, you know, like what you feel like you
need to improve on stuff like that, and you said consistency,
which is a great answer. But I want to know
what you think about, you know, what is said about
(06:39):
your game, right like, and they've been saying it, you know,
since you came into the league. Man, he's a maller
in the run game, nasty in the run game, but
that speed rush can get him and stuff like that,
and and and I think we're still whether it's fair
or not looking at it that way. Do you do
you feel like, hey, they have a point I've got
to improve, you know, in my past protection or do
(07:01):
you just or do you kind of think that's BS?
Speaker 4 (07:04):
I mean, it's not BS. At the end of the day.
The narrative is a narrative. My job as a player
is really just shut that up. So, I mean it's
really I look at it is If people are still
talking about that, then I haven't done my job well
enough to kind of change that narrative. So when I
talk about consistency, that's you know, I put that on myself.
You know, I got to go out these shivy day
and kind of prove to myself, put to my teammates,
(07:24):
coaching staff, ultimately the fans as well the media as well,
that you know, I am a different player than what
guys might have seen from me coming out of college,
and I am improving in areas that you know that
I want to improve and that I set my mind to.
So I definitely don't know. I'm not going to call
it BS. You know, criticism is criticism. I kind of
take it. I kind of just you know, look at myself,
and I fell on the most critical on myself as well.
(07:44):
So anything that's been said out there in the public,
I've said it to myself, my coaching staff has said
it to me. So it's definitely something I'm working to
get fixed.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Well, you're a class act. We're pulling for you, not
just because you're a Panther, but college here, grew up here,
you have so many ties to all things Carolinas that
you you're you're our guy man, so.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
We're pulling for you appreciation.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
I just want to tell you something. If you do
get to to get trying to get to eat off
the whole view.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, here you are trying to say, if you if
you have getting these negotiations with Dan, your agent, these
guys saw it. I negotiated this free pair of panther shoes.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
From Dan Morgan. So if you need someone that can
break him down, Nicky, you can call me. In three years.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
I might need a little more than shoes.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
But I'm gonna chuck my guys over there, Banner.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
That's true.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I'm gonna chuck my guys, Mike and Jamie over there
to get you know, handle the handled minutes.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
But if I need some shoes and maybe some some
socks and some some shoelaces, some inklets, all that sort
of stuff in that, you.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Can handle that stuff. He's so good. It took him
three years to get It was a process. It's definitely
a process. Hey man, best of luck this season. We'll
be watching and pulling for you.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Man. Thanks you, I appreciate that. Good to be on there.
You go.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Icky Iguana, left tackle and Charlotte native for your Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
He is an engaging personality bone he really is like
he is, And a lot of these guys are that
we're talking to and that we've talked to out here.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
I mean, they got a lot of great dudes and
likable dudes. But we want to win more than five games.
You know, we're not trying to win a nice dude Bowl.
We're trying to win the damn Super Bowl. So it's
so I know what fans are thinking when I talk
about but man, if these guys can this rebuild can
see its way through, and a lot of these guys
are the cornerstones, I'm telling you it's good dudes, Dude,
(09:25):
you can be proud of in this city. It's a
huge year for Icky financially. Clearly, when you listen to
Dan Morgan talk Bone, we listened to Icky talk.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
You heard it right there. He's not even trying to
like be koy. They know that he wants to play
here in his hometown, and he just said it. He
wants to be a Panther for life. So I'm sure
his agent probably thinks out it takes some of my negotiating,
you know, power away. I think if you listen to
Dan Morgan's comments two Bone, I think you can tell
(09:57):
that Dan.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Morgan intends to re sign him as well. Taylor Moten,
I don't get that sense that they know. Maybe I'm wrong,
but with Ikey it sounds like a slam dunky will
get a contract here, and I think it's just a
matter of how does he perform this year and how
big is that contract, because it's not injury stuff or
Ikey or age base for Taylor mode and it's age.
(10:19):
And I think that knee from what we gather in
the way they treat them, it's a big concern. So
I think it's not performance remote neither.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
It's just giving them that deal, and how long that
knee can hold up is the problem. You also have.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
We're spending the most money on offensive line in the NFL,
and listen, I'm completely behind that. But if you have
to give Ikey a deal, it's probably in the twenty
something million per year range. Can you afford to then
pay both tackles or is it time to try to
get another young tackle very high in that dread. We
talked about this, and I'm sure we will not stop
(10:55):
talking about this, but I would like to see Ikey
just take another step forward. He said it consistency that
goes into what we talked about bone. I was looking
at this PFF stuff, and I know PFF's not the
end on the b all, but like I said, look
at this. This is four bad games out of seventeen
and the rest are damn good in terms of pressures allowed.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
So that's the consistency.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Just eliminate some of those days where maybe he has
a rough matchup, maybe the guy's a speed rusher and
he's struggling with it. Maybe they're targeting him in blitzes
and getting to whatever it is.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Whatever the reasons are bone that he has these few
rough games, if he can just just decrease that to
two and his his you know, numbers and metrics are
gonna be great. The run blocking metric, he was eleventh
in PFF's run blocking So that's there, man, that is there,
still just twenty four years old. They're still rooting to grow.
(11:50):
He's not a finished product. They'd be paying not for
what Ikey has been or currently is in full, They're
paying for what they think Ikey a long term can be.
And I still think he also, I think is meaningful
because of Charlotte NC State, Like he's one of those guys.
If it all works out, he'll be a fan favorite
for wife.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
It's a cool story, yeah it is, But again, cool
stories don't block the left tackle and keep them away
from a hitting your quarterback in the blind side. So
I don't want, like I'm already getting the texts. Nice guys,
I don't care if these guys are nice guys, like
you know what I mean, like like it's a horrible
thing to have good people representing your team.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Listen, we just want to win. You gotta win. I'm
just saying, if they do win, we got some likable fellas.
All right. You put a very rich Papa's voice on
the text line nice guys.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I don't want nice guys. I have to tell you
right now. I can't think the icky conversation was great.
When I found out during the last break, I am.
I am befuddled. Most of Fitty's stuff on the air
is just like silly to me and harmless. I am
for the first time in working with Fiddy, I am
at a loss for words and understanding. He told us
(13:03):
during the break, not only does he think he had
a heat stroke in the shower because he had the
water turned all the way to the hot.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Never thought about, I don't know, turning it down.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
But he also was in such bad shape he threw
up in the shower. How the heck do you do?
I'm worried about you, Fitty. You are doing harm to yourself.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Man.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
For the first time, well, I was worried about you
when you I first saw you net Romo, Jersey. I'll
admit that, but I am worried about you, my friend.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
What the heck? Is this a frequent thing?
Speaker 6 (13:33):
There?
Speaker 1 (13:34):
You throwing up in the shower? Yeah, like it just
happened before. Yes, what.
Speaker 5 (13:41):
What?
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Doctor Bowen asked him, questions here a fity. I went
to the internet, my my source for doctor information. In
One of the suggestions that came up right away if
you're hot and nauseous in the shower is to turn
it down.
Speaker 6 (13:58):
It sounds like great advice, and it's something I probably
should have done. But let me just let me paint
a picture. I'm in my shower and I'm I don't.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Want I don't want this picture page, and.
Speaker 6 (14:12):
I'm dealing with what's going on, and I'm like leaned
up at the very back of the shower, propped up
because at this point, I'm afraid that I'm gonna pass out.
When you know, I live with a cousin that I
don't I don't know if she wants to come upstairs
and find me in that state. I was seeing stars
after heaving and throwing up.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
We are still a cowboy fan, you see, And this
is I did not see them.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
I did not see any former Cowboy fan player, any
part of the Cowboy organization.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
There was a brief moment.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
I thought about calling flound and because I was like,
you know, I might have been Flounder revative to the
hospital because I don't know what was going on.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Cover pick you pick your lip, body up off the ground.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
I think at that point I would have crawled and
gotten dressed. But the thought did enter my mind, I
may have.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
To go to the hospital. You're die in the shower
and your first thought is I need my Flounder.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
My mom's forty five minutes away, My dad's two and
a half hours away, My mam all's old.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Who what am I supposed to call? Where's your cousin?
I would not put her through that? So you'd rather
put Flounder through that. He's been my best friend since
the sixth grade. Cousin's been your cousin forever. She doesn't
want that? Can I say something?
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Go ahead?
Speaker 1 (15:20):
I really think you and Flounder are gonna end up married,
like I just have. There's anything wrong with that baby?
All right? I say, Hey, it's a station wedding. We
wake wedding. I really just feel like you two might
be the only people for each other. Oh my god,
this dude says Fitty. All these people were far away,
(15:42):
but you know what wasn't far away the knob to
turn down the hot water. This is troubling.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Look, Uncle d G's here, Darren Gan, Derek Gant needs
se lecture you on what to do when you get
hot in the shower and your water is to the
full heat level. Let Uncle d G help you out here, give.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
You a shower.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
There you go, there you go. We brought the ring.
We brought the ring.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Damn it. I have to tell are we on a
streak of like twenty eight days with rain? By the way,
here in Charlotte, it's been most most of camp. All right, anyway,
let's stop yapping.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
We come back. We got another member of that offensive line.
We go from the left side over to the right
side of the old line. Robert Hunt.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
He couldn't reach the couldn't reach the nozzles, and those
small baby arms couldn't get over there. All right, Robert Hunt.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
This guy is also bone, a piece of work, fun
to talk to, and an absolute animal in the field.
Matter of fact, we just saw somebody tweet out a
video of him shoving Mason Graham the other night about
five yards downfield on a run play.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Robert Hunt joins us.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Next, we are live from the bowels of Bank of
America Stadium, tucked away in the suite. We're broadcasting live
from Panther Camp. Sports Radio ninety two to seven WFNZ.
Welcome back, everybody. It is a Mac and Bone Show.
(17:08):
Sports Radio ninety two seven WFNZ. We're broadcasting live from
Panther Camp. And I believe this next man not only
it's an absolute beast in the trenches at right guard
for the Panthers, but I hear he's the life of
the party around this building.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Man, he is Rob Hunt. Rob. What's going on? Man?
Speaker 7 (17:25):
How you doing? Oh man, I can't complain. Man, Thank
you guys for having me on. Man, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
What do you take more pleasure in, Like the fact
that you're this badass on the field, you're a maler,
you're tossing guys around, or the fact that you are
seeing as this fun guy that is fun to be around.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
And I just like being me, man, you know what
I mean? I like being me.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
You know, I've been told a long time ago it
just be you. And then people will adjust to you.
Uh So that's that's that's that's what I That's what
I try to do.
Speaker 5 (17:51):
Man.
Speaker 7 (17:51):
I have a lot of energy, especially on the field.
Off the field, you know, I joke around a lot too,
So I just tried to be you know what I mean,
try to do my job on the field and off
the field.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
I try to just be who I am.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
How good does it feel to see some hope within
the city returning to this Panthers team? Only your second year,
but it's got to be a difference from last year
to this year.
Speaker 5 (18:09):
Yeah, no, it's it's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Man.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
I'm excited to see what we can do.
Speaker 7 (18:13):
You know, hopefully we can build something special here and
I just want to be a part of it, man,
because I can tell that it's going to be something
unreal and I just want to be a.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
Part of that.
Speaker 7 (18:20):
So I can look back in fifteen twenty years and
be like, you know what, I was a part of that,
kind of helped start that up, And yeah, man, be
a part of that for a long time.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
It seems like you were because you brought that up
on your own. The vibes being what they are and
the fan optimism and stuff like that. You brought that
up on your own at a press conference a couple
of weeks ago. It seems like you're in tune, like
it's your set, like bone sets your second year here?
Speaker 1 (18:41):
How are you in tune?
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Like are you running into fans at the grocery store
and they're saying this is it online?
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Like? How are you kind of feel? Man?
Speaker 7 (18:48):
You know, last year we didn't want a lot a
ton of games, but the games we won, this place
was rocking and all the like you know what I mean,
we had blue seat still in the in the building.
You know, it's just shaking. The place is unreal. The
energy was just unreal. So that gave me hope into
this year. You know, we brought some more pieces in
that if we can get better, you know, this place
to fill up even more and then we can end
up having better games like you know, who knows we
can maybe flex some couple of games and give us
(19:10):
some night games and this place to be on real mass.
So I just got to hope for like packing that
stadium mind. And also that's the people around Charlotte Mane,
because you can tell they want winner.
Speaker 5 (19:17):
So if we can do that, man, it'll be it'll
be great.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
It's easy to compare Tua and Bryce because they both
played that bam of both starting quarterbacks, both high draft picks.
You have experience with both guys. Now, how are Tua
and Bryce similar to play with and how are they different?
Speaker 7 (19:30):
Uh, you know, everybody's their own guy, you know what
I mean. At the end of the day, my job
is to block for the quarterback, and that's what I
try to do. When I started blocking for Tuol, I
had a goal in my head to be who I
wanted to be in this lead to become who I
wanted to become, and you know that kind of worked.
And then Carolina came knocking on the door. Try to
come protect Bryce, and you know that's what I'm trying
to do. Try to be as best as I can
(19:51):
be to get these guys a chance to win football games.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
We were talking to coach Canalis last week and he
finally like we were asking about the benching of Bryce
and how that went, and he's he's way more open
now talking about it, you know, and he gave Bright
so much credit for the way he handled it, said
he was still leader, still would be over there talking
up everybody, and that's probably not easy to do, right
when you're.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Like, damn, well I ever get back in there?
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Yeah, how was like how was he around the building?
And you know how in like how impressive it was
it the way he was handling that advers.
Speaker 7 (20:23):
It was great to see, man, Like I think I
said this in my last one, just credit to who
he is as a person. Also, his parents were like,
raising such a guy like that, you know what I mean,
to look past that and to keep moving forward, because
you know, this game is hard regardless once you strap
it up on the field as hard, it's hard enough,
you know what I mean, And then something like that
happened that makes it even harder, and then once you
(20:44):
lose confidence, it's just it's tough for him to keep
moving forward and keeping his chests out, his head up
and leading around his building and you know, and eventually
getting back on the field and playing the way he did. Man,
it just speaks baring for him. So everybody's not Bill
like that. So he's a special guy for that.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
When you sign here last year, you were anit sit
fan favorite because of your play on the Dolphins of
when you got the football and you headed right towards
the end zone and you would not be denied. Yeah,
first of all, how often does that come up? And
second second of all, let us design something we can
get it the coach man, he follows us, he follows
us on Twitter.
Speaker 7 (21:16):
Now awesome for me, man, and then slip it to
him and then maybe he'll you know, let me do
my thing.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
He said, No one JJ Jansen plays. Oh yeah, yeah,
that was try.
Speaker 7 (21:25):
We tried to, well, just let him do something for me, man,
but no, people love that play man that plays.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I don't know, it's been around for a while. I
don't think it's going to where yet.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
That's what that was, legit Like. I watched it again
because I knew we were talking to you. The catch
like that was hands man like and then you had
some moves.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
Yeah yeah, yeah back in the day.
Speaker 6 (21:43):
Man.
Speaker 7 (21:43):
You know, I played it from a small small town
and in Texas. Uh, you played both ways. Early on
in my career, I was playing receiver and tight end
and stuff like that. So I've had the ball in
my hands a couple of times, so, uh, you know,
if it felt like home, and that's what I did
when I.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Got it, Push push rob rob on.
Speaker 7 (21:58):
Yeah, man, you know what, I don't know him to
do it that. Let me run out to the scat
and make a play and make somebody miss.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
You know, you want to be out in space.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I want to make you miss.
Speaker 5 (22:05):
That's what I want to do.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Well, you say that, Look that's natural to you. It
looks pretty natural when you're in the trenches as well.
I hate to d Louse hurt. I hope he gets
back soon. This unit, man, like we were starved for
a good, complete offensive line when you got here. There's
a reason why you and d lou were brought in here, right.
It was a priority. Man, How do you feel about
(22:29):
this bunch that you're a part of. I mean, it's
not everybody came back. I mean, how good can y'all
be this year?
Speaker 5 (22:35):
Man?
Speaker 7 (22:35):
You know we did some good things last year with
us last year, you know, every year and people get
better and teams get better, and that's our goal, just
to get better. We've been with each other year. We
know how we play, we know how each other play.
It'll be fun, man. You know, obviously we're gonna have
our challenges. Every ain't nothing perfect again. People are gonna
hunt us, you know, because we are a tight knit group.
So it'll be that, it'll be fun. It'll have its challenges,
(22:57):
but I believe in a group that we.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Got How would you rate Horbes trash talk game.
Speaker 5 (23:03):
Man?
Speaker 7 (23:03):
I ain't heard of Corse saying, I don't know if
I ever heard the talk transfer because it.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Wasn't that the things he got biked up, but he
was talking trash.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Yeah, I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
It was a very odd style like of trash talk
people by cutting him down. Yeah, it was kind of
like a smart ass type way.
Speaker 5 (23:20):
I can see that. I can see that.
Speaker 7 (23:21):
I don't know I've heard much of corps trash talk though.
You know, he's a funny guy, though he is. He's
he's a he's a he's a funny guy. He's underrated
on that because people don't know, but he is.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Who's the biggest trash talker on ther line? Oh?
Speaker 5 (23:33):
Probably Ikey?
Speaker 7 (23:35):
Yeah, yeah, it'll probably It'll probably be Icky. Do you lose,
not a big talker. I don't talk much. I like
to play corps. I ain't heard him talk. Maybe he
does teams not talking.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
He's probably Ikey for you, such a such a gentleman
with us, he comes across, you know, so up is
mister nice guy and stuff.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Yeah, bonehead man.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
So how are the battles going in in camp against
the D line because there is no First of all,
Derrek Brown's back and say no more. But then you
add Bobby Brown and then you had Turk Wharton lay.
How different you know, fans are you know last year
that defense stressed us out, man, they struggled. How different
(24:15):
is it in the trenches on that side of the ball.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
You got to come with it every day you get
beat man. So it's been fun.
Speaker 7 (24:21):
These these guys are Turk has a motor that I
haven't seen. Obviously, dB is just physically gifted or what
he have ar and Bobby Brown. All these guys, man,
they're just they're going so uh, if you're not coming
with it that day, you probably get embarrassed and you
hear about.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
It in the meeting room.
Speaker 7 (24:36):
So you know, I ideal this to come in and
computer guests them. You know, we're trying to make each
other better. Obviously they got some stars over there. We
got some stuars on our side. So h it's been fun, man,
it's been It's been a really good battle.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
We loved your basketball press conference. A couple of weeks
ago when you were just I think you said you
don't move, you just shoot. What about what about a
Rob Hunt charity basketball game, or where we don't move,
we just shoot the ball. You're not allowed to move.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
That's not bad.
Speaker 7 (25:02):
If you dribble the ball, you're out. Just throw the
ball around the circle and then shoot it. Yeah, we
don't need ankles road and we don't need people trying
to be macho. Just shoot the basketball, play defense, and
then call it.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
Yeah, so the violation is actually moving your boxy just
brainstorm something bad.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Yeah, that's a good idea like that one. Yeah, I
could do that.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Don't move class, that's right. And I also love your attitude.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
You know.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
I make some, I miss some, but I.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Keep shooting it. That's the way life should be lived.
I make some miss them, just keep firing.
Speaker 7 (25:33):
I want to shoot it. If I miss it, I'm
gonna come back down. I'm probably gonna shoot it again.
If you pass it, that is my that's my deal.
I'm usually there for Cardio though, So that's that all right.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Man.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Well, hey, it's a pleasure to chat with you. You
are beloved in this town for your on the field
play and then the fun off the field, keep it
up and best of left this year.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Thanks for coming on.
Speaker 5 (25:55):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
That is Robert Hunt, right guard for your Carolina Panther
and a gregarious personality.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Man.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
He's also fun to talk to. And uh, I just
realized Bone, he goes to the Lamello Ball School of basketball.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Just shoot it. You visit, Megan, Just shoot it the
next time down the floor. Oh, I'm sorry, LaMelo, stay healthy, baby,
I got you back. Shaggy brought up a good point there,
and I didn't think of it in time. We didn't
bring up and with Ikey we did not bring up
the Bryce toss idea. I know, man, were thinking, what
(26:28):
were you thinking?
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Shaggy wanted us to specifically suggest that Rob Hunt is
the one that throws Bryce over the pile into the
end zone. I know, why have we not workshopped this
Bryce talk with the fellas around here, man, that's the
way to get this thing out.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Remember Canal was last week, and if Bruce is listening,
can we get Dave down here today. We've got We've
got some ideas. He wants urgent.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
This is urgent, man, by the way, also of the
urgent variety. We thank Rob Hunt and Nikki for joining
us this hour. Next up, the man that I think
should be called the mayor around this place. Every player
we talked to how to JJ story everybody. JJ Janssen
joins us live coming up at eight o'clock.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Derek Brown joins us at a twenty five. We will
actually have to spend some time talking amongst ourselves, but
we got a great topic. This whole conversation of the
Panthers wide receiver pecking order is a hot one. Then
it leads to multiple texts and trade XL. We must
talk through what's going on with the Panthers crowded wide
receiver room right now. But bone I am.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
I am suggesting now that we make it official and
we change the name of this suite they have us
in and to try to explain where we're at because
it's rain and they didn't want to put us outside
in the rain. I think they kind of like us
around a little bit here we are, you know, inside,
they think. So Darren Gant likes how Darren Gank walks
right past here when he goes to work every morning.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
I like this.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
So anyway, we're in these suites that are right behind
the field, I don't know how, I don't know what
the appropriate name is of this, but you know the
field kind of seats luxury seats that are right behind
one of the end zones, and we were in the
sweet area. They put in one of the sweets, kind
of behind those luxury suite areas. Unfortunately, uh, those are
(28:13):
the luxury seats bone that some of y'all probably.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Had to be kicked out of your dam out of
your damp season ticket spots and moved elsewhere when TEP
saw this as a revenue opportunity a couple of years ago.
They're so expensive that we're not even supposed to look
at those seats. It is cool. We get we're gonna
get charged for looking.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
That is It is cool, dude. They got food back
in here. You've got a sweet fully stocked with beer
and soda and water and stuff. Then you walk right
out and then you've got a spot either behind one
of the goals or behind one of the end zones.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
It is pretty. They have a couple of awesome areas.
The opposite one is the vault, right where we've been before. Yeah,
this is got. They got some things that you wouldn't
even unless you've explored the stadium. You don't even realize
these things are even kind of down. I know these
are road but most.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Of us, normal folks with normal jobs can not really
probably a ford this sort of seating. But someone that's
a doctor like yourself, oh yeah, you probably can't. You know,
I wonder if I could just walk in here on
game day as a as an official doctor. I just
I cannot believe what has occurred today. Man, these Panther
conversations are great, but the fact that Bone's neighbor thinks
he's a legit doctor and Fitt he had a.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Heat stroke and threw up in the shower. These these
stories I have even trump the Panther coverage today. I
feel like John John from Gastonia has a nurse wife.
First thing he did this morning was explaining the story Fitty,
what's her medical suggestion? He did not have a heat stroke,
he had a As a doctor, I want to make
(29:42):
sure I got the right the right there's various way.
Is that a single Singapol episode, singlepole episode? His blood
pressure bottomed out due to the hot water. Drink some water,
you'll be fine. So the two ideas today were, of course,
these drinkings so he turned the temperature down and drink
wa these are also what are you a barbarian? Oh man?
Speaker 2 (30:03):
I forgot to mention my whole story of explaining where
we're at. I was gonna say, we are changing the
name to the Homer Hideaway. We have gotten some serious
backlash to day to the Suck Up Suite, so we
are going with Homer Hideaway.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Game cut.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Kevin is very angry. He says, if we don't have
Homer in the name, the name sucks. So we are
now fishly boned in the Homer Hideaway here in the
bows of Bank of America Stadium.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
I like to call it JJ's House, the house that
JJ bill. The stadium was under construction, and one man
finished the job.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Jeffrey Jensen Junior. All right, let's do this next we
come back. Feel free to jump into on that text line.
Let's have the conversation. Cocher has been a star and
camp made a ridiculous catch moss in somebody for a
touchdown yesterday.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
He just continues, Man, when we come back, are.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
You starting to think that the panther packing order for snaps,
targets and catches in your mind is changing?
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Talk about it? Sports Radio ninety two seven w f NZ.
Speaker 8 (31:15):
We're gonna play the best gutch and the guys that
we that we can count on, the guys that make plays,
the guys that make the catch. You know, had a
Tracy Smith's dad, Tat Smith, Tator would always say, you know,
you know the receiver is good is when you throw
it to him, they catch it, you know. And and
Jalen has really showed to be one of the more
reliable guys that we have, you know, whether it's contested
(31:36):
or he's you know, open in space. He plays strong
to the ball.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
You know.
Speaker 8 (31:40):
And you know, he had two really amazing plays in
a go ball where he went up over j T.
Broughton and kind of took it, you know, off of
his shoulder and finished the play with the finished on
his feet and ran the ball into the end zone.
And he keeps showing us like that he's gonna be
on the field playing. You know, there's there's no doubt
about it. So you know, we we love all of
our guys. I have high hopes for this group in general.
(32:02):
But that's the nature of competition, and that's what it does,
is all of a sudden you see people elevate and
rise and really show who they are.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
That is Dave Kanalis.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Yesterday after a practice where Jaylen Cocher you heard it
from coach there, Jayleen Cocker was balling out again. If
you have not seen the video the Panthers tweeted out
yesterday of the play he is describing, it is a
straight up mossing for a touchdown. I mean he goes
up over top of Broughton and just snatches that thing aheadtop.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
As the kids would say, Bony. It was beautiful. And
I'm telling you so we got Tea Mac who does
that sort of stuff. Now, we've seen Cocher Friday night
and yesterday make contested catches downfield in the air right
had the one hander that was called back because of
the Niemen penalty. This is something that Jalen Coker can
(32:52):
also do. Man, this kid is freaking exciting. But all
the receivers had moments with their hands. T mac Cocher,
sell I saw that coming. I'm selling you're stuck back
on Tater Smith. The reference that Canalis Mater Tater Smith
sounds like one of our Texter names. That's an old
football coach there, man tATu Smith. That is a great
(33:14):
that's a great name. Tater Smith. I guess.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
I guess Tracy Smith is then a mini Top Then
I guess right, If he's a Tator, he's a mini time.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
No. Okay, it was his dad, Tater No.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
All right, anyway, let's focus here, baby, we are live
a panther came. I keep hearing JJ Janssen coming up
top of the hour.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
We think he's here because we keep hearing carts beeping
and we don't know what's going on.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
You're driving around the hallways. So let's have this wide
receiver conversation.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
Bone.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Let's start first, because the extreme end are those of
y'all that are texting saying trade XL, which I would
not do at any point uh in the near future.
He's just too damn physically gifted. You used a first
round pick on him. I just I that's a non
star to me right now. Is it possible Jalen Coker
(34:03):
is the better football player than Xcel.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
I think it is.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
I think we all thought that he probably had a
better season last year. We've said this repeatedly. I don't
think there's any way to do anything but acknowledge Bone
that Coker's been better so far in camp. But does
that have to be a problem. Like if your undrafted
free agent wide receiver ends up playing like you're end
(34:27):
of the first round wide receiver, you know what I mean?
You hoped would you know what I'm saying, Like we're
doing that. It doesn't have to be the end of
the world. Now, if there was no young undrafted receiver
from the same draft, you know what I'm saying, it
would I think it would hurt more. But but if
Coker ends up playing like you thought XL would, I don't.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
Know, there's still something there that is exciting. It's not
really a problem by any means, because you hope that
XCEL continued to develop. But in the meantime, you've got
found money of an undrafted player in Jayalen Coker. I
love this discussion because right now we're trying to figure
out of all the receivers, who's the best mixed and
what order they go in. There's been many years we're
(35:12):
trying to find like who's the number two guy, who's
the three guy? But like because they there wasn't bodies
that could do that, these guys are all in our
minds capable of being in some order that guy. No,
it's a good temac long term where he was picked
by t Mac to me should be the down the
line number one, and that's fine. But this is a
(35:32):
lot of good here as we're trying to figure out
the young guys the veterans. What's the best grouping of
these guys.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
It's a good problem to have, right and it's the
opposite problem that we had in the past at our
wide receiving group.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Coker and we'll see. I mean, you gotta let camp
play out. Obviously, League at has been has come into
camp higher on the pecking order than Cocher. You see
it on their depth chart.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
You see it in the early I mean, we were
at fan Fest pone and you could see Cocker was
coming in with the twos.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
You saw that happen.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Coker came in the other night when League get ironically
punched his way out of the damn game. So that
doesn't help his cause because then Cocker goes out, takes
snaps that you probably were gonna get and runs with
him and plays a great game the other night. I
do it does kind of feel like there's a very
good chance bone that by the time we get to
the regular season, your top three receivers when you're in
(36:26):
a three wide set to open the game are T,
mac feelin and Cocher.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
It's very possible. Hopefully this stuff get Xavier league gets attention,
you know what I mean. Hopefully it motivates him. That's
the beauty of competition.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
You hear it all the time from the coaches and
the players during training camp that competition is good for
a team. It makes everybody lift. Hopefully it will have
an effect bone where Cocher ball's out and XL get
you know, he gets his head on straight and it
motivates him to make plays. To me, the ideal world
is after Thilan leaves after the season.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
I think we all think that.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
I mean, heck he he's admitted he was close to
retiring after last season. After Thilan most likely leaves after
the season, I think the best case scenario is you
have three really young receivers and you like them all
where it's T mac Cocher and Excel, but Xcel clearly
has to pick things up.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Can you name your your three again there?
Speaker 5 (37:21):
Real quick?
Speaker 1 (37:22):
Name your three that you said there?
Speaker 2 (37:23):
I think that I think right now, if I had
to bet, it would be you know, your your first
three wide set in Jacksonville would be t mac felan
and Coker because and I'm not talking about like order
of anything. I'm just saying those would be your your
three wide And.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
I asked you to say it again because that means
that Renfro, le Get and Horn in our view, would
be the next three guys. That's a very deep grouping
when those three guys, I know Horn's young, but to
have Renfro as your four, your five whatever, as a
additional guy to the top three, that's some serial depth
because if Renfro is Renfro again, he's as good as
(38:02):
any of the other guys that are in the top three.
And that is some serious depth. And that's a testament
to the job that Dan Morgan's doing. Because Cocher has
been a surprise and they took a chance on Hunter
Renfro and that could work out. And also Jimmy Horn
Junior was a late draft choice. A lot of these
guys are guys that other teams really didn't want.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
The Panders are taking a chance. Yeah, Renfro is an
interesting one too. Yeah, you're right, you know that's a
good point. Hunter Renfro was a one year cheap signing. Now,
part of it is he was dead set on being
in Carolina. That helped, right, if there was interest elsewhere,
the Raiders called him to get him back, and he
told his agent, get me to Carolina because this is home.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
He loves this place. But yeah, you cheap one year
deal to get Renfro in the building undrafted for Cocher
and then horn a sixth round picks. It's he's got
a chance to hit on these three things that are
not you wouldn't say high percentage and then the iron
he is. We're sitting here wringing our hands over a
first round pick and Xavier League get previous gms were
(39:02):
hitting on nothing really in later rounds. Even Marty, even
as good as Marty is, remember how bad the second
round was for him. I mean, so if he just
say I drafted a lot of meatballs. If these guys
he always stailed his first round in his second round
meatball pick, did he not? Anyway?
Speaker 2 (39:17):
What are your thoughts on this wide receiving corps? So
who do you think bone, who do you think is
gonna end up with the most yards this year?
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Most yards and second most yards? I would say thee
when Fee when most yards, because he really he has
that connection with Bryce. But I think we've had this
discussion before. I would go thie Win, and then I'd
say t Mac second. But if Coker's performed at a
high level, he how many yards? Is he good?
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Again?
Speaker 1 (39:43):
But I'd go thie Win, t Mac one, two, I think,
But it's very cool. I don't think. I don't know
if anyone's going over a thousand and this.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
I don't see it that I agree with you. I
don't see it that way. I see this as no
true number one right now. I know there's a lot
of people get mad at me and say t Mac
is your number one, But I'm kind of with you.
I feel like he is the number one in training
and hopefully by next year he's that guy.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
Maybe I'm wrong.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
I do think he will lead us in receiving yards.
Though I watched the joint practice and the preseason obviously
you did too. The joint practice in the preseason game,
there was a common theme there. Tem Mac got a
ton of targets in both. I think they are trying
to feed, as Dan Henning used to say about Steve Smith,
(40:27):
feed the stud I think that's what I think they
are fully intending to try to feed the hell out
of team Ack.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
I think he's gonna get post targets on the team. Well. Also,
he's he's gonna get bigger chunk plays than field at
two like the what's gonna do is he's gonna do
his routes, his basic play the bigger plays down the field.
He's going to accumulate yards because he's gonna get more
chunk plays than Is it crazy? That's a fair thing
on your side.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
Is it crazy to think that Cocher could have the
second most yards.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
I don't think so. Again, he's another guy that could
get yards in big plays, So I don't think it's great.
This is a great conversation. It is it is. I'm
starting to get I'm starting to get like goosebumps, look
at you, baby man. Be a medical condition.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Ifitt he got that in the shower right before he
threw up and passed out. It is a good conversation
to have. I'm looking at what the Texters say, See
this dude, I'm dia.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
Is that how he's saying.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
I'm dea from Waxhaw t Mac nine hundred yards Cocher
seven fifty Feeland six hundred seven oh four number says,
you guys are quitting on XL.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
You're gonna regret it. He's gonna make you look stupid.
Well when we used the leader in receiving yards. No,
we're definitely not quitting on him.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
A matter of fact, I wouldn't trade him if he bone,
If he has zero catches in the preseason, I would
not trade him. He is too physically gifted. You use
too high of a pick on him just to give
up on him in training camp his first year and
somebody says you got a Mingo his ass, meaning second
year you trade him.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
I I think not a first round pick like that,
I think, And he was not that far down right.
He was early second, so he wasn't that many picks
behind the league. Yet, Honestly, I I think people are
so down on XL. Bone. I think they're they're downplaying
him too much. Down the stretch, he started to really
(42:26):
get the drop seas and that might have coincided with
the injuries you know that he was dealing with. He
was better than Johnny Mngo. He had more flashes than
in my opinion, than Johnny Mingo did as a rookie.
I don't think they're comparable because of that. I think
Xales showed us some flashes. I just think as the
season went on it might have been the injuries that
(42:48):
he started to struggle and drop the football a lot
that it probably hurt his confidence too, if you on
a positive side, He dropped the football, but he was
getting open. He was actually there. He just wasn't making
the plays, Mingo, why don't what he was doing?
Speaker 5 (43:00):
All right?
Speaker 1 (43:01):
He wouldn't make it plays he wouldn't know, but he
wouldn't existing. There weren't big plays if he would catch them.
He catch an eight yard ball, you know what I mean.
I think Excel showed more splash playability. But anyway, like
you said, it's a good conversation, good problem to have. Man,
This wide receiver room is sexy for a change. It
is when we come back.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
Speaking of sexy, when we come back, America's long snapper
JJ Jansen joins US live from Panther training camp.
Welcome back to everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Mack and Bone Show Live from Panther training camp right
here on wfn Z. And our next guest is a
Charlottean like so many of y'all. Man, he's playing for
the hometown team, and he's doing a heck of a
job at left tackle doing that. He is Ikey Iguana
and he joins us on the Mack and Bone Show.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Ikey, what's going on? Man?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I going great, going great. I'm glad to be out here.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
You Uh so you start smiling when I said you're
a Charlotte and this is the hometown team. Is that
I won't I don't, we won't stay at hometown discount.
I want Dame Morgan to hear that. But, like you
can tell, it means a lot to you to play
for the Panthers on percent.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
I grew up a Panthers fan, and I just you know,
I really really want to be here, uh you know,
the long term.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
I want to be a Panther for life.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
So I mean, I hope we don't talk too much
contract stuff, but and I definitely always said.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
It out loud.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
You know, I want everybody to understand, you know, how
much counting fanthers mean to me, how much I want
to be here?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
How unique is it that you get this whole entire
line back, And what's that doing for the chemistry you
guys have right now?
Speaker 4 (01:18):
I mean, it's definitely rare, rare occurrence bringing up bringing
back as many.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Guys that we did.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
It's definitely special too, you know, definitely something that you know,
we're looking definitely happy, happy about bringing everybody back, you know,
having that locker room and that chemistry that we've been
just making sure we grow that much more this year.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
You feel like you guys are the strength of the team.
I mean, I think a lot of I think a
lot of us on the outside feel like you are.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
I mean, we definitely want to be for sure. I
definitely want to be an enginet. You know that that
gets the team going for sure. I feel like, you know,
as long as we hold ourselves to that standard and
everybody else is kind of going to follow that and
before you know what we got. You know, however, in positions,
we got ten eleven different engines on the field that once.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
So that's that's definitely to go.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
As a guy that grew up in Charlotte, you probably
knew of Taylor Morgan before you played here. Obviously, we've
always said because there hasn't been a lot of winning
in his time here, he probably doesn't get the credit
that he deserves. Do you agree with that? And what
was it like last week to see your guy show
that emotion to the media like he did?
Speaker 3 (02:16):
And I definitely agree with you there.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
I feel like, you know, with the team, how the
team has been sometimes a lot of guy's going into shadows,
and I f Tyler Mowan is definitely a big example
of that, a guy that's been elite consistent year and
a year out for his whole time being a Panther.
You saw how emotional he got thinking of the possibility
of not being here. You know, then there brought in
a tiers. So definitely a guy who's definitely you know,
(02:38):
he's definitely a signing point, a defhensive line, definitely been
a shinning point in his team. And I definitely hope
you know he's here, He's here for the long haul.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
We're talking with ikey Ikwanu, Panthers left Tackle here live
at Panther Training Camp, Mac and Bone Show on w
f and Z. You personally, it felt like you took
a step forward last year, But I want to hear
your thoughts on that. Did you you feel what where
if you feel like your game has grown the most,
and where do you feel like I still got you
(03:06):
know what I mean, I still get to get to
where I want to.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
I still have to do this better.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
I mean, it's always consistency.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
I mean, I'm sure if people are again to get
tired of me saying it every time someone asked me
that question. It's always the same. And it's not just
like media training. It's really I truly do think that,
like with the boys down to is being consistent, you know,
week in and week out, not having flashes of good
and flashes are bad. Is being consistent like a Taylor Molton.
You know, it's funny you just mentioned that consistence. So
(03:32):
just being that guy, especially at a premier position like
left tackle, being that consistent, that consistent guy week in
and week out, that's always going out there. You never
got to worry about me being on the island by myself.
And that's definitely something I'm growing towards more and more.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
We mentioned in the offensive why being back? You get
a thousand yard back at Juba back and you add
a thousand yard guy and Rico Daddle also back. How
high level of a run game with you guys and
these backs can we see here?
Speaker 4 (03:56):
I mean, definitely want to build off our successes and
I just feel like, you know, I just feel like everybody,
we're all just trying to take it a next step forward.
You know, obviously a thousand yards of the great mess Mark,
but you have you bring toubn near east of that
at fifteen. I started the same same with with Rico.
So that's kind of like our goal is always to
get better and better, and uh yeah, we're shooting for
as hod as we can go. So whether that be fifteen,
whether that be two, two thousand, hooever, we got to
(04:18):
break it down. But you know, we definitely want to,
you know, put put the league on notice that we're
gonna run the ball.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
All right, So you're a you're an NC State man,
all right. There's so much talk about Bill Belichick going
to the rival Tar Heels. Our man, right here is
a fitty is a die hard Heels face.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
They didn't play the game, nicky, I know it's good
a shocking did.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
He thinks he thinks that Wolfpac fans should be scared
and it's going to change.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Now. Do you have any fear of Bill Belichick?
Speaker 4 (04:46):
I mean, definitely no fear. That's not a word that
we're even going to talk about in the building, you know,
up up in Carter Finley.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
That's not a thing we're ever gonna have.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Whether that beat them, the boys up there in Chapel Hill,
whether that be any team, you know, fear is definitely
not in there vocabulary. I mean, all I gotta say
is good luck to the to the guys, good let
to those guys up there in Chapel Hill. But I'm
always gonna take my WLF back one hundred percent, and
I just feel like those guys are definitely going in
the right direction.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
I have an observation, Ichy about this NC State UNC
stuff here, because a lot of UNC people will say
on the basketball side, it's not a rivalry right although
right now it's gonna be, we think because of Will Wade.
Oh yeah, could you say the same that it hasn't
really been a football rivalry the last five.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
Years or so.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
I'm not gonna go back and forth about the semantics
of it, because to me, I mean, if we're being honest,
it is a rivalry. Whether it doesn't matter the sport
it could be. It doesn't even even need a b sports.
We're out there playing cornholl with some guys in Chapel Hill.
Its gonna be a rivalry. So at the end of
the day, you know, it's just about you know, just
cultures and just you know, different you know, different different, different,
different sides of the world. I guess you can say,
(05:48):
and uh, you know, I definitely want to support my
worth back any chance I get.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
We're trying to give him a pancake fitty.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
But I will say I whole.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
I will say though, I mean, I truly feel like
it's it's a rivalry, and I fat all that all
that does elevate and you know, make make the culture
about of costable that much better when you have rivalries.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Like oh, definitely no, that's what makes Yeah, of course.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
He stays, he stays back there and depart and makes
us find each other.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Just trying to get some answer. That's shameless. What if
I tell him that I root for them all? Wow,
thank you for that you were talking about. I asked
you about, you know, like what you feel like you
need to improve on stuff like that, and you said consistency,
which is a great answer. But I want to know
what you think about, you know, what is said about
(06:39):
your game, right like, and they've been saying it, you know,
since you came into the league. Man, he's a maller
in the run game, nasty in the run game, but
that speed rush can get him and stuff like that,
and and and I think we're still whether it's fair
or not looking at it that way. Do you do
you feel like, hey, they have a point I've got
to improve, you know, in my past protection or do
(07:01):
you just or do you kind of think that's BS?
Speaker 4 (07:04):
I mean, it's not BS. At the end of the day.
The narrative is a narrative. My job as a player
is really just shut that up. So, I mean it's
really I look at it is If people are still
talking about that, then I haven't done my job well
enough to kind of change that narrative. So when I
talk about consistency, that's you know, I put that on myself.
You know, I got to go out these shivy day
and kind of prove to myself, put to my teammates,
(07:24):
coaching staff, ultimately the fans as well the media as well,
that you know, I am a different player than what
guys might have seen from me coming out of college,
and I am improving in areas that you know that
I want to improve and that I set my mind to.
So I definitely don't know. I'm not going to call
it BS. You know, criticism is criticism. I kind of
take it. I kind of just you know, look at myself,
and I fell on the most critical on myself as well.
(07:44):
So anything that's been said out there in the public,
I've said it to myself, my coaching staff has said
it to me. So it's definitely something I'm working to
get fixed.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Well, you're a class act. We're pulling for you, not
just because you're a Panther, but college here, grew up here,
you have so many ties to all things Carolinas that
you you're you're our guy man, so.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
We're pulling for you appreciation.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
I just want to tell you something. If you do
get to to get trying to get to eat off
the whole view.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, here you are trying to say, if you if
you have getting these negotiations with Dan, your agent, these
guys saw it. I negotiated this free pair of panther shoes.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
From Dan Morgan. So if you need someone that can
break him down, Nicky, you can call me. In three years.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
I might need a little more than shoes.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
But I'm gonna chuck my guys over there, Banner.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
That's true.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I'm gonna chuck my guys, Mike and Jamie over there
to get you know, handle the handled minutes.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
But if I need some shoes and maybe some some
socks and some some shoelaces, some inklets, all that sort
of stuff in that, you.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Can handle that stuff. He's so good. It took him
three years to get It was a process. It's definitely
a process. Hey man, best of luck this season. We'll
be watching and pulling for you.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Man. Thanks you, I appreciate that. Good to be on there.
You go.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Icky Iguana, left tackle and Charlotte native for your Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
He is an engaging personality bone he really is like
he is, And a lot of these guys are that
we're talking to and that we've talked to out here.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
I mean, they got a lot of great dudes and
likable dudes. But we want to win more than five games.
You know, we're not trying to win a nice dude Bowl.
We're trying to win the damn Super Bowl. So it's
so I know what fans are thinking when I talk
about but man, if these guys can this rebuild can
see its way through, and a lot of these guys
are the cornerstones, I'm telling you it's good dudes, Dude,
(09:25):
you can be proud of in this city. It's a
huge year for Icky financially. Clearly, when you listen to
Dan Morgan talk Bone, we listened to Icky talk.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
You heard it right there. He's not even trying to
like be koy. They know that he wants to play
here in his hometown, and he just said it. He
wants to be a Panther for life. So I'm sure
his agent probably thinks out it takes some of my negotiating,
you know, power away. I think if you listen to
Dan Morgan's comments two Bone, I think you can tell
(09:57):
that Dan.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Morgan intends to re sign him as well. Taylor Moten,
I don't get that sense that they know. Maybe I'm wrong,
but with Ikey it sounds like a slam dunky will
get a contract here, and I think it's just a
matter of how does he perform this year and how
big is that contract, because it's not injury stuff or
Ikey or age base for Taylor mode and it's age.
(10:19):
And I think that knee from what we gather in
the way they treat them, it's a big concern. So
I think it's not performance remote neither.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
It's just giving them that deal, and how long that
knee can hold up is the problem. You also have.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
We're spending the most money on offensive line in the NFL,
and listen, I'm completely behind that. But if you have
to give Ikey a deal, it's probably in the twenty
something million per year range. Can you afford to then
pay both tackles or is it time to try to
get another young tackle very high in that dread. We
talked about this, and I'm sure we will not stop
(10:55):
talking about this, but I would like to see Ikey
just take another step forward. He said it consistency that
goes into what we talked about bone. I was looking
at this PFF stuff, and I know PFF's not the
end on the b all, but like I said, look
at this. This is four bad games out of seventeen
and the rest are damn good in terms of pressures allowed.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
So that's the consistency.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Just eliminate some of those days where maybe he has
a rough matchup, maybe the guy's a speed rusher and
he's struggling with it. Maybe they're targeting him in blitzes
and getting to whatever it is.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Whatever the reasons are bone that he has these few
rough games, if he can just just decrease that to
two and his his you know, numbers and metrics are
gonna be great. The run blocking metric, he was eleventh
in PFF's run blocking So that's there, man, that is there,
still just twenty four years old. They're still rooting to grow.
(11:50):
He's not a finished product. They'd be paying not for
what Ikey has been or currently is in full, They're
paying for what they think Ikey a long term can be.
And I still think he also, I think is meaningful
because of Charlotte NC State, Like he's one of those guys.
If it all works out, he'll be a fan favorite
for wife.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
It's a cool story, yeah it is, But again, cool
stories don't block the left tackle and keep them away
from a hitting your quarterback in the blind side. So
I don't want, like I'm already getting the texts. Nice guys,
I don't care if these guys are nice guys, like
you know what I mean, like like it's a horrible
thing to have good people representing your team.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Listen, we just want to win. You gotta win. I'm
just saying, if they do win, we got some likable fellas.
All right. You put a very rich Papa's voice on
the text line nice guys.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I don't want nice guys. I have to tell you
right now. I can't think the icky conversation was great.
When I found out during the last break, I am.
I am befuddled. Most of Fitty's stuff on the air
is just like silly to me and harmless. I am
for the first time in working with Fiddy, I am
at a loss for words and understanding. He told us
(13:03):
during the break, not only does he think he had
a heat stroke in the shower because he had the
water turned all the way to the hot.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Never thought about, I don't know, turning it down.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
But he also was in such bad shape he threw
up in the shower. How the heck do you do?
I'm worried about you, Fitty. You are doing harm to yourself.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Man.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
For the first time, well, I was worried about you
when you I first saw you net Romo, Jersey. I'll
admit that, but I am worried about you, my friend.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
What the heck? Is this a frequent thing?
Speaker 6 (13:33):
There?
Speaker 1 (13:34):
You throwing up in the shower? Yeah, like it just
happened before. Yes, what.
Speaker 5 (13:41):
What?
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Doctor Bowen asked him, questions here a fity. I went
to the internet, my my source for doctor information. In
One of the suggestions that came up right away if
you're hot and nauseous in the shower is to turn
it down.
Speaker 6 (13:58):
It sounds like great advice, and it's something I probably
should have done. But let me just let me paint
a picture. I'm in my shower and I'm I don't.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Want I don't want this picture page, and.
Speaker 6 (14:12):
I'm dealing with what's going on, and I'm like leaned
up at the very back of the shower, propped up
because at this point, I'm afraid that I'm gonna pass out.
When you know, I live with a cousin that I
don't I don't know if she wants to come upstairs
and find me in that state. I was seeing stars
after heaving and throwing up.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
We are still a cowboy fan, you see, And this
is I did not see them.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
I did not see any former Cowboy fan player, any
part of the Cowboy organization.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
There was a brief moment.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
I thought about calling flound and because I was like,
you know, I might have been Flounder revative to the
hospital because I don't know what was going on.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Cover pick you pick your lip, body up off the ground.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
I think at that point I would have crawled and
gotten dressed. But the thought did enter my mind, I
may have.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
To go to the hospital. You're die in the shower
and your first thought is I need my Flounder.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
My mom's forty five minutes away, My dad's two and
a half hours away, My mam all's old.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Who what am I supposed to call? Where's your cousin?
I would not put her through that? So you'd rather
put Flounder through that. He's been my best friend since
the sixth grade. Cousin's been your cousin forever. She doesn't
want that? Can I say something?
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Go ahead?
Speaker 1 (15:20):
I really think you and Flounder are gonna end up married,
like I just have. There's anything wrong with that baby?
All right? I say, Hey, it's a station wedding. We
wake wedding. I really just feel like you two might
be the only people for each other. Oh my god,
this dude says Fitty. All these people were far away,
(15:42):
but you know what wasn't far away the knob to
turn down the hot water. This is troubling.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Look, Uncle d G's here, Darren Gan, Derek Gant needs
se lecture you on what to do when you get
hot in the shower and your water is to the
full heat level. Let Uncle d G help you out here, give.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
You a shower.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
There you go, there you go. We brought the ring.
We brought the ring.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Damn it. I have to tell are we on a
streak of like twenty eight days with rain? By the way,
here in Charlotte, it's been most most of camp. All right, anyway,
let's stop yapping.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
We come back. We got another member of that offensive line.
We go from the left side over to the right
side of the old line. Robert Hunt.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
He couldn't reach the couldn't reach the nozzles, and those
small baby arms couldn't get over there. All right, Robert Hunt.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
This guy is also bone, a piece of work, fun
to talk to, and an absolute animal in the field.
Matter of fact, we just saw somebody tweet out a
video of him shoving Mason Graham the other night about
five yards downfield on a run play.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Robert Hunt joins us.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Next, we are live from the bowels of Bank of
America Stadium, tucked away in the suite. We're broadcasting live
from Panther Camp. Sports Radio ninety two to seven WFNZ.
Welcome back, everybody. It is a Mac and Bone Show.
(17:08):
Sports Radio ninety two seven WFNZ. We're broadcasting live from
Panther Camp. And I believe this next man not only
it's an absolute beast in the trenches at right guard
for the Panthers, but I hear he's the life of
the party around this building.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Man, he is Rob Hunt. Rob. What's going on? Man?
Speaker 7 (17:25):
How you doing? Oh man, I can't complain. Man, Thank
you guys for having me on. Man, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
What do you take more pleasure in, Like the fact
that you're this badass on the field, you're a maler,
you're tossing guys around, or the fact that you are
seeing as this fun guy that is fun to be around.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
And I just like being me, man, you know what
I mean? I like being me.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
You know, I've been told a long time ago it
just be you. And then people will adjust to you.
Uh So that's that's that's that's what I That's what
I try to do.
Speaker 5 (17:51):
Man.
Speaker 7 (17:51):
I have a lot of energy, especially on the field.
Off the field, you know, I joke around a lot too,
So I just tried to be you know what I mean,
try to do my job on the field and off
the field.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
I try to just be who I am.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
How good does it feel to see some hope within
the city returning to this Panthers team? Only your second year,
but it's got to be a difference from last year
to this year.
Speaker 5 (18:09):
Yeah, no, it's it's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Man.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
I'm excited to see what we can do.
Speaker 7 (18:13):
You know, hopefully we can build something special here and
I just want to be a part of it, man,
because I can tell that it's going to be something
unreal and I just want to be a.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
Part of that.
Speaker 7 (18:20):
So I can look back in fifteen twenty years and
be like, you know what, I was a part of that,
kind of helped start that up, And yeah, man, be
a part of that for a long time.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
It seems like you were because you brought that up
on your own. The vibes being what they are and
the fan optimism and stuff like that. You brought that
up on your own at a press conference a couple
of weeks ago. It seems like you're in tune, like
it's your set, like bone sets your second year here?
Speaker 1 (18:41):
How are you in tune?
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Like are you running into fans at the grocery store
and they're saying this is it online?
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Like? How are you kind of feel? Man?
Speaker 7 (18:48):
You know, last year we didn't want a lot a
ton of games, but the games we won, this place
was rocking and all the like you know what I mean,
we had blue seat still in the in the building.
You know, it's just shaking. The place is unreal. The
energy was just unreal. So that gave me hope into
this year. You know, we brought some more pieces in
that if we can get better, you know, this place
to fill up even more and then we can end
up having better games like you know, who knows we
can maybe flex some couple of games and give us
(19:10):
some night games and this place to be on real mass.
So I just got to hope for like packing that
stadium mind. And also that's the people around Charlotte Mane,
because you can tell they want winner.
Speaker 5 (19:17):
So if we can do that, man, it'll be it'll
be great.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
It's easy to compare Tua and Bryce because they both
played that bam of both starting quarterbacks, both high draft picks.
You have experience with both guys. Now, how are Tua
and Bryce similar to play with and how are they different?
Speaker 7 (19:30):
Uh, you know, everybody's their own guy, you know what
I mean. At the end of the day, my job
is to block for the quarterback, and that's what I
try to do. When I started blocking for Tuol, I
had a goal in my head to be who I
wanted to be in this lead to become who I
wanted to become, and you know that kind of worked.
And then Carolina came knocking on the door. Try to
come protect Bryce, and you know that's what I'm trying
to do. Try to be as best as I can
(19:51):
be to get these guys a chance to win football games.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
We were talking to coach Canalis last week and he
finally like we were asking about the benching of Bryce
and how that went, and he's he's way more open
now talking about it, you know, and he gave Bright
so much credit for the way he handled it, said
he was still leader, still would be over there talking
up everybody, and that's probably not easy to do, right
when you're.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Like, damn, well I ever get back in there?
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Yeah, how was like how was he around the building?
And you know how in like how impressive it was
it the way he was handling that advers.
Speaker 7 (20:23):
It was great to see, man, Like I think I
said this in my last one, just credit to who
he is as a person. Also, his parents were like,
raising such a guy like that, you know what I mean,
to look past that and to keep moving forward, because
you know, this game is hard regardless once you strap
it up on the field as hard, it's hard enough,
you know what I mean, And then something like that
happened that makes it even harder, and then once you
(20:44):
lose confidence, it's just it's tough for him to keep
moving forward and keeping his chests out, his head up
and leading around his building and you know, and eventually
getting back on the field and playing the way he did. Man,
it just speaks baring for him. So everybody's not Bill
like that. So he's a special guy for that.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
When you sign here last year, you were anit sit
fan favorite because of your play on the Dolphins of
when you got the football and you headed right towards
the end zone and you would not be denied. Yeah,
first of all, how often does that come up? And
second second of all, let us design something we can
get it the coach man, he follows us, he follows
us on Twitter.
Speaker 7 (21:16):
Now awesome for me, man, and then slip it to
him and then maybe he'll you know, let me do
my thing.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
He said, No one JJ Jansen plays. Oh yeah, yeah,
that was try.
Speaker 7 (21:25):
We tried to, well, just let him do something for me, man,
but no, people love that play man that plays.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I don't know, it's been around for a while. I
don't think it's going to where yet.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
That's what that was, legit Like. I watched it again
because I knew we were talking to you. The catch
like that was hands man like and then you had
some moves.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
Yeah yeah, yeah back in the day.
Speaker 6 (21:43):
Man.
Speaker 7 (21:43):
You know, I played it from a small small town
and in Texas. Uh, you played both ways. Early on
in my career, I was playing receiver and tight end
and stuff like that. So I've had the ball in
my hands a couple of times, so, uh, you know,
if it felt like home, and that's what I did
when I.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Got it, Push push rob rob on.
Speaker 7 (21:58):
Yeah, man, you know what, I don't know him to
do it that. Let me run out to the scat
and make a play and make somebody miss.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
You know, you want to be out in space.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I want to make you miss.
Speaker 5 (22:05):
That's what I want to do.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Well, you say that, Look that's natural to you. It
looks pretty natural when you're in the trenches as well.
I hate to d Louse hurt. I hope he gets
back soon. This unit, man, like we were starved for
a good, complete offensive line when you got here. There's
a reason why you and d lou were brought in here, right.
It was a priority. Man, How do you feel about
(22:29):
this bunch that you're a part of. I mean, it's
not everybody came back. I mean, how good can y'all
be this year?
Speaker 5 (22:35):
Man?
Speaker 7 (22:35):
You know we did some good things last year with
us last year, you know, every year and people get
better and teams get better, and that's our goal, just
to get better. We've been with each other year. We
know how we play, we know how each other play.
It'll be fun, man. You know, obviously we're gonna have
our challenges. Every ain't nothing perfect again. People are gonna
hunt us, you know, because we are a tight knit group.
So it'll be that, it'll be fun. It'll have its challenges,
(22:57):
but I believe in a group that we.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Got How would you rate Horbes trash talk game.
Speaker 5 (23:03):
Man?
Speaker 7 (23:03):
I ain't heard of Corse saying, I don't know if
I ever heard the talk transfer because it.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Wasn't that the things he got biked up, but he
was talking trash.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Yeah, I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
It was a very odd style like of trash talk
people by cutting him down. Yeah, it was kind of
like a smart ass type way.
Speaker 5 (23:20):
I can see that. I can see that.
Speaker 7 (23:21):
I don't know I've heard much of corps trash talk though.
You know, he's a funny guy, though he is. He's
he's a he's a he's a funny guy. He's underrated
on that because people don't know, but he is.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Who's the biggest trash talker on ther line? Oh?
Speaker 5 (23:33):
Probably Ikey?
Speaker 7 (23:35):
Yeah, yeah, it'll probably It'll probably be Icky. Do you lose,
not a big talker. I don't talk much. I like
to play corps. I ain't heard him talk. Maybe he
does teams not talking.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
He's probably Ikey for you, such a such a gentleman
with us, he comes across, you know, so up is
mister nice guy and stuff.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Yeah, bonehead man.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
So how are the battles going in in camp against
the D line because there is no First of all,
Derrek Brown's back and say no more. But then you
add Bobby Brown and then you had Turk Wharton lay.
How different you know, fans are you know last year
that defense stressed us out, man, they struggled. How different
(24:15):
is it in the trenches on that side of the ball.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
You got to come with it every day you get
beat man. So it's been fun.
Speaker 7 (24:21):
These these guys are Turk has a motor that I
haven't seen. Obviously, dB is just physically gifted or what
he have ar and Bobby Brown. All these guys, man,
they're just they're going so uh, if you're not coming
with it that day, you probably get embarrassed and you
hear about.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
It in the meeting room.
Speaker 7 (24:36):
So you know, I ideal this to come in and
computer guests them. You know, we're trying to make each
other better. Obviously they got some stars over there. We
got some stuars on our side. So h it's been fun, man,
it's been It's been a really good battle.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
We loved your basketball press conference. A couple of weeks
ago when you were just I think you said you
don't move, you just shoot. What about what about a
Rob Hunt charity basketball game, or where we don't move,
we just shoot the ball. You're not allowed to move.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
That's not bad.
Speaker 7 (25:02):
If you dribble the ball, you're out. Just throw the
ball around the circle and then shoot it. Yeah, we
don't need ankles road and we don't need people trying
to be macho. Just shoot the basketball, play defense, and
then call it.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
Yeah, so the violation is actually moving your boxy just
brainstorm something bad.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Yeah, that's a good idea like that one. Yeah, I
could do that.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Don't move class, that's right. And I also love your attitude.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
You know.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
I make some, I miss some, but I.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Keep shooting it. That's the way life should be lived.
I make some miss them, just keep firing.
Speaker 7 (25:33):
I want to shoot it. If I miss it, I'm
gonna come back down. I'm probably gonna shoot it again.
If you pass it, that is my that's my deal.
I'm usually there for Cardio though, So that's that all right.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Man.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Well, hey, it's a pleasure to chat with you. You
are beloved in this town for your on the field
play and then the fun off the field, keep it
up and best of left this year.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Thanks for coming on.
Speaker 5 (25:55):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
That is Robert Hunt, right guard for your Carolina Panther
and a gregarious personality.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Man.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
He's also fun to talk to. And uh, I just
realized Bone, he goes to the Lamello Ball School of basketball.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Just shoot it. You visit, Megan, Just shoot it the
next time down the floor. Oh, I'm sorry, LaMelo, stay healthy, baby,
I got you back. Shaggy brought up a good point there,
and I didn't think of it in time. We didn't
bring up and with Ikey we did not bring up
the Bryce toss idea. I know, man, were thinking, what
(26:28):
were you thinking?
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Shaggy wanted us to specifically suggest that Rob Hunt is
the one that throws Bryce over the pile into the
end zone. I know, why have we not workshopped this
Bryce talk with the fellas around here, man, that's the
way to get this thing out.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Remember Canal was last week, and if Bruce is listening,
can we get Dave down here today. We've got We've
got some ideas. He wants urgent.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
This is urgent, man, by the way, also of the
urgent variety. We thank Rob Hunt and Nikki for joining
us this hour. Next up, the man that I think
should be called the mayor around this place. Every player
we talked to how to JJ story everybody. JJ Janssen
joins us live coming up at eight o'clock.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Derek Brown joins us at a twenty five. We will
actually have to spend some time talking amongst ourselves, but
we got a great topic. This whole conversation of the
Panthers wide receiver pecking order is a hot one. Then
it leads to multiple texts and trade XL. We must
talk through what's going on with the Panthers crowded wide
receiver room right now. But bone I am.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
I am suggesting now that we make it official and
we change the name of this suite they have us
in and to try to explain where we're at because
it's rain and they didn't want to put us outside
in the rain. I think they kind of like us
around a little bit here we are, you know, inside,
they think. So Darren Gant likes how Darren Gank walks
right past here when he goes to work every morning.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
I like this.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
So anyway, we're in these suites that are right behind
the field, I don't know how, I don't know what
the appropriate name is of this, but you know the
field kind of seats luxury seats that are right behind
one of the end zones, and we were in the
sweet area. They put in one of the sweets, kind
of behind those luxury suite areas. Unfortunately, uh, those are
(28:13):
the luxury seats bone that some of y'all probably.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Had to be kicked out of your dam out of
your damp season ticket spots and moved elsewhere when TEP
saw this as a revenue opportunity a couple of years ago.
They're so expensive that we're not even supposed to look
at those seats. It is cool. We get we're gonna
get charged for looking.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
That is It is cool, dude. They got food back
in here. You've got a sweet fully stocked with beer
and soda and water and stuff. Then you walk right
out and then you've got a spot either behind one
of the goals or behind one of the end zones.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
It is pretty. They have a couple of awesome areas.
The opposite one is the vault, right where we've been before. Yeah,
this is got. They got some things that you wouldn't
even unless you've explored the stadium. You don't even realize
these things are even kind of down. I know these
are road but most.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Of us, normal folks with normal jobs can not really
probably a ford this sort of seating. But someone that's
a doctor like yourself, oh yeah, you probably can't. You know,
I wonder if I could just walk in here on
game day as a as an official doctor. I just
I cannot believe what has occurred today. Man, these Panther
conversations are great, but the fact that Bone's neighbor thinks
he's a legit doctor and Fitt he had a.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Heat stroke and threw up in the shower. These these
stories I have even trump the Panther coverage today. I
feel like John John from Gastonia has a nurse wife.
First thing he did this morning was explaining the story Fitty,
what's her medical suggestion? He did not have a heat stroke,
he had a As a doctor, I want to make
(29:42):
sure I got the right the right there's various way.
Is that a single Singapol episode, singlepole episode? His blood
pressure bottomed out due to the hot water. Drink some water,
you'll be fine. So the two ideas today were, of course,
these drinkings so he turned the temperature down and drink
wa these are also what are you a barbarian? Oh man?
Speaker 2 (30:03):
I forgot to mention my whole story of explaining where
we're at. I was gonna say, we are changing the
name to the Homer Hideaway. We have gotten some serious
backlash to day to the Suck Up Suite, so we
are going with Homer Hideaway.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Game cut.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Kevin is very angry. He says, if we don't have
Homer in the name, the name sucks. So we are
now fishly boned in the Homer Hideaway here in the
bows of Bank of America Stadium.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
I like to call it JJ's House, the house that
JJ bill. The stadium was under construction, and one man
finished the job.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Jeffrey Jensen Junior. All right, let's do this next we
come back. Feel free to jump into on that text line.
Let's have the conversation. Cocher has been a star and
camp made a ridiculous catch moss in somebody for a
touchdown yesterday.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
He just continues, Man, when we come back, are.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
You starting to think that the panther packing order for snaps,
targets and catches in your mind is changing?
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Talk about it? Sports Radio ninety two seven w f NZ.
Speaker 8 (31:15):
We're gonna play the best gutch and the guys that
we that we can count on, the guys that make plays,
the guys that make the catch. You know, had a
Tracy Smith's dad, Tat Smith, Tator would always say, you know,
you know the receiver is good is when you throw
it to him, they catch it, you know. And and
Jalen has really showed to be one of the more
reliable guys that we have, you know, whether it's contested
(31:36):
or he's you know, open in space. He plays strong
to the ball.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
You know.
Speaker 8 (31:40):
And you know, he had two really amazing plays in
a go ball where he went up over j T.
Broughton and kind of took it, you know, off of
his shoulder and finished the play with the finished on
his feet and ran the ball into the end zone.
And he keeps showing us like that he's gonna be
on the field playing. You know, there's there's no doubt
about it. So you know, we we love all of
our guys. I have high hopes for this group in general.
(32:02):
But that's the nature of competition, and that's what it does,
is all of a sudden you see people elevate and
rise and really show who they are.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
That is Dave Kanalis.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Yesterday after a practice where Jaylen Cocher you heard it
from coach there, Jayleen Cocker was balling out again. If
you have not seen the video the Panthers tweeted out
yesterday of the play he is describing, it is a
straight up mossing for a touchdown. I mean he goes
up over top of Broughton and just snatches that thing aheadtop.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
As the kids would say, Bony. It was beautiful. And
I'm telling you so we got Tea Mac who does
that sort of stuff. Now, we've seen Cocher Friday night
and yesterday make contested catches downfield in the air right
had the one hander that was called back because of
the Niemen penalty. This is something that Jalen Coker can
(32:52):
also do. Man, this kid is freaking exciting. But all
the receivers had moments with their hands. T mac Cocher,
sell I saw that coming. I'm selling you're stuck back
on Tater Smith. The reference that Canalis Mater Tater Smith
sounds like one of our Texter names. That's an old
football coach there, man tATu Smith. That is a great
(33:14):
that's a great name. Tater Smith. I guess.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
I guess Tracy Smith is then a mini Top Then
I guess right, If he's a Tator, he's a mini time.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
No. Okay, it was his dad, Tater No.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
All right, anyway, let's focus here, baby, we are live
a panther came. I keep hearing JJ Janssen coming up
top of the hour.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
We think he's here because we keep hearing carts beeping
and we don't know what's going on.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
You're driving around the hallways. So let's have this wide
receiver conversation.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
Bone.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Let's start first, because the extreme end are those of
y'all that are texting saying trade XL, which I would
not do at any point uh in the near future.
He's just too damn physically gifted. You used a first
round pick on him. I just I that's a non
star to me right now. Is it possible Jalen Coker
(34:03):
is the better football player than Xcel.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
I think it is.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
I think we all thought that he probably had a
better season last year. We've said this repeatedly. I don't
think there's any way to do anything but acknowledge Bone
that Coker's been better so far in camp. But does
that have to be a problem. Like if your undrafted
free agent wide receiver ends up playing like you're end
(34:27):
of the first round wide receiver, you know what I mean?
You hoped would you know what I'm saying, Like we're
doing that. It doesn't have to be the end of
the world. Now, if there was no young undrafted receiver
from the same draft, you know what I'm saying, it
would I think it would hurt more. But but if
Coker ends up playing like you thought XL would, I don't.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
Know, there's still something there that is exciting. It's not
really a problem by any means, because you hope that
XCEL continued to develop. But in the meantime, you've got
found money of an undrafted player in Jayalen Coker. I
love this discussion because right now we're trying to figure
out of all the receivers, who's the best mixed and
what order they go in. There's been many years we're
(35:12):
trying to find like who's the number two guy, who's
the three guy? But like because they there wasn't bodies
that could do that, these guys are all in our
minds capable of being in some order that guy. No,
it's a good temac long term where he was picked
by t Mac to me should be the down the
line number one, and that's fine. But this is a
(35:32):
lot of good here as we're trying to figure out
the young guys the veterans. What's the best grouping of
these guys.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
It's a good problem to have, right and it's the
opposite problem that we had in the past at our
wide receiving group.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Coker and we'll see. I mean, you gotta let camp
play out. Obviously, League at has been has come into
camp higher on the pecking order than Cocher. You see
it on their depth chart.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
You see it in the early I mean, we were
at fan Fest pone and you could see Cocker was
coming in with the twos.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
You saw that happen.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Coker came in the other night when League get ironically
punched his way out of the damn game. So that
doesn't help his cause because then Cocker goes out, takes
snaps that you probably were gonna get and runs with
him and plays a great game the other night. I
do it does kind of feel like there's a very
good chance bone that by the time we get to
the regular season, your top three receivers when you're in
(36:26):
a three wide set to open the game are T,
mac feelin and Cocher.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
It's very possible. Hopefully this stuff get Xavier league gets attention,
you know what I mean. Hopefully it motivates him. That's
the beauty of competition.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
You hear it all the time from the coaches and
the players during training camp that competition is good for
a team. It makes everybody lift. Hopefully it will have
an effect bone where Cocher ball's out and XL get
you know, he gets his head on straight and it
motivates him to make plays. To me, the ideal world
is after Thilan leaves after the season.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
I think we all think that.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
I mean, heck he he's admitted he was close to
retiring after last season. After Thilan most likely leaves after
the season, I think the best case scenario is you
have three really young receivers and you like them all
where it's T mac Cocher and Excel, but Xcel clearly
has to pick things up.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Can you name your your three again there?
Speaker 5 (37:21):
Real quick?
Speaker 1 (37:22):
Name your three that you said there?
Speaker 2 (37:23):
I think that I think right now, if I had
to bet, it would be you know, your your first
three wide set in Jacksonville would be t mac felan
and Coker because and I'm not talking about like order
of anything. I'm just saying those would be your your
three wide And.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
I asked you to say it again because that means
that Renfro, le Get and Horn in our view, would
be the next three guys. That's a very deep grouping
when those three guys, I know Horn's young, but to
have Renfro as your four, your five whatever, as a
additional guy to the top three, that's some serial depth
because if Renfro is Renfro again, he's as good as
(38:02):
any of the other guys that are in the top three.
And that is some serious depth. And that's a testament
to the job that Dan Morgan's doing. Because Cocher has
been a surprise and they took a chance on Hunter
Renfro and that could work out. And also Jimmy Horn
Junior was a late draft choice. A lot of these
guys are guys that other teams really didn't want.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
The Panders are taking a chance. Yeah, Renfro is an
interesting one too. Yeah, you're right, you know that's a
good point. Hunter Renfro was a one year cheap signing. Now,
part of it is he was dead set on being
in Carolina. That helped, right, if there was interest elsewhere,
the Raiders called him to get him back, and he
told his agent, get me to Carolina because this is home.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
He loves this place. But yeah, you cheap one year
deal to get Renfro in the building undrafted for Cocher
and then horn a sixth round picks. It's he's got
a chance to hit on these three things that are
not you wouldn't say high percentage and then the iron
he is. We're sitting here wringing our hands over a
first round pick and Xavier League get previous gms were
(39:02):
hitting on nothing really in later rounds. Even Marty, even
as good as Marty is, remember how bad the second
round was for him. I mean, so if he just
say I drafted a lot of meatballs. If these guys
he always stailed his first round in his second round
meatball pick, did he not? Anyway?
Speaker 2 (39:17):
What are your thoughts on this wide receiving corps? So
who do you think bone, who do you think is
gonna end up with the most yards this year?
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Most yards and second most yards? I would say thee
when Fee when most yards, because he really he has
that connection with Bryce. But I think we've had this
discussion before. I would go thie Win, and then I'd
say t Mac second. But if Coker's performed at a
high level, he how many yards? Is he good?
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Again?
Speaker 1 (39:43):
But I'd go thie Win, t Mac one, two, I think,
But it's very cool. I don't think. I don't know
if anyone's going over a thousand and this.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
I don't see it that I agree with you. I
don't see it that way. I see this as no
true number one right now. I know there's a lot
of people get mad at me and say t Mac
is your number one, But I'm kind of with you.
I feel like he is the number one in training
and hopefully by next year he's that guy.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
Maybe I'm wrong.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
I do think he will lead us in receiving yards.
Though I watched the joint practice and the preseason obviously
you did too. The joint practice in the preseason game,
there was a common theme there. Tem Mac got a
ton of targets in both. I think they are trying
to feed, as Dan Henning used to say about Steve Smith,
(40:27):
feed the stud I think that's what I think they
are fully intending to try to feed the hell out
of team Ack.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
I think he's gonna get post targets on the team. Well. Also,
he's he's gonna get bigger chunk plays than field at
two like the what's gonna do is he's gonna do
his routes, his basic play the bigger plays down the field.
He's going to accumulate yards because he's gonna get more
chunk plays than Is it crazy? That's a fair thing
on your side.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
Is it crazy to think that Cocher could have the
second most yards.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
I don't think so. Again, he's another guy that could
get yards in big plays, So I don't think it's great.
This is a great conversation. It is it is. I'm
starting to get I'm starting to get like goosebumps, look
at you, baby man. Be a medical condition.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Ifitt he got that in the shower right before he
threw up and passed out. It is a good conversation
to have. I'm looking at what the Texters say, See
this dude, I'm dia.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
Is that how he's saying.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
I'm dea from Waxhaw t Mac nine hundred yards Cocher
seven fifty Feeland six hundred seven oh four number says,
you guys are quitting on XL.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
You're gonna regret it. He's gonna make you look stupid.
Well when we used the leader in receiving yards. No,
we're definitely not quitting on him.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
A matter of fact, I wouldn't trade him if he bone,
If he has zero catches in the preseason, I would
not trade him. He is too physically gifted. You use
too high of a pick on him just to give
up on him in training camp his first year and
somebody says you got a Mingo his ass, meaning second
year you trade him.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
I I think not a first round pick like that,
I think, And he was not that far down right.
He was early second, so he wasn't that many picks
behind the league. Yet, Honestly, I I think people are
so down on XL. Bone. I think they're they're downplaying
him too much. Down the stretch, he started to really
(42:26):
get the drop seas and that might have coincided with
the injuries you know that he was dealing with. He
was better than Johnny Mngo. He had more flashes than
in my opinion, than Johnny Mingo did as a rookie.
I don't think they're comparable because of that. I think
Xales showed us some flashes. I just think as the
season went on it might have been the injuries that
(42:48):
he started to struggle and drop the football a lot
that it probably hurt his confidence too, if you on
a positive side, He dropped the football, but he was
getting open. He was actually there. He just wasn't making
the plays, Mingo, why don't what he was doing?
Speaker 5 (43:00):
All right?
Speaker 1 (43:01):
He wouldn't make it plays he wouldn't know, but he
wouldn't existing. There weren't big plays if he would catch them.
He catch an eight yard ball, you know what I mean.
I think Excel showed more splash playability. But anyway, like
you said, it's a good conversation, good problem to have. Man,
This wide receiver room is sexy for a change. It
is when we come back.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
Speaking of sexy, when we come back, America's long snapper
JJ Jansen joins US live from Panther training camp.
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