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GLENDALE, Ariz. I am walking a buddy's dog - I do things like this even for people who have not lent me money over the years - and hear a guy yell, "Sorensen, is that you?" I'm new in this part of town so I'm surprised. I say yes.
And he yells, "You're a pantywaist!"
Right away I know three things.
One, he doesn't like Jake Delhomme or the column I wrote Wednesday advocating that Delhomme start today against Arizona.
Two, anybody who says "pantywaist" in 2009 has been around so long he not only has driven a Model-T but bought one new.
And three, if the Carolina Panthers didn't have a quarterback controversy what would people talk about aside from Tuesday's election?
It's not a good quarterback controversy, but the Panthers have had only one good one in their 15 seasons.
A good one has balance. Fans want this guy or that guy. There's no balance here. Based on people I talk to and readers who send me email I would say 20 percent of the fans want Delhomme and the other 80 percent want Anybody but Delhomme, also known as Matt Moore.
The second-best quarterback on the roster is Josh McCown. But McCown is on Injured Reserve, which means he is out of the season. He hurt his foot after replacing Delhomme in the opening day debacle against Philadelphia.
"Of course I want to play," says McCown, 30. "But that ship has sailed. I wouldn't want to get the job like this."
So he makes his living supporting Delhomme and gently offering his perspective.
"I've started a lot of games in this league," says McCown. "My goal is to come in and serve as an extra set of eyes for Jake."
McCown is big with a big arm and can run. He started 22 games for Arizona from 2003-05 and nine for Oakland in '07.
Remember the '07 team? Lane Kiffin was the coach, quarterback JaMarcus Russell was the rookie phenom and Detroit was the opening day opponent. Fans wanted Russell, the No. 1 pick in the draft, to start immediately. Instead they got McCown, who was playing his first game for the franchise.
McCown, who talks warmly of the Raiders, went out for the first series and was booed. Welcome to Oakland.
His wife, two young sons and 9-year-old daughter heard the boos from the suite in which they sat. McCown understands. Like all smart professional athletes, he understands who pays his salary, and a fine salary it is.
But like all caring fathers he worried about how the reaction would affect his daughter.
"It was a great opportunity to teach," McCown says.
What did you teach?
"Don't get caught up in what people say. Don't let others define you," he says.
A quarterback controversy can define a team. Fans pull for their candidate with the fervor they do a candidate in a controversial and closely contested election.
Even though most coaches try to avoid these controversies, other sports would love to evoke such passion. But NBA cities aren't torn apart by guard controversies, and neither are security companies.
The best quarterback controversy the Panthers had was in 1999. Three men went to camp to compete for the job.
One was Dameyune Craig, who had played for NFL Europa and was considered the greatest quarterback in the history of Scotland.
One was Jeff Lewis, who was mobile and bookish and had backed up Jeff Elway in Denver.
The third was Steve Beuerlein, a veteran and leader, a tough guy and precision passer, and one of the most respected players in Panther history.
Obviously it was a tough call.
Everybody took sides - fans, media and head coach George Seifert. After tolerating Beuerlein in '99 and '00, Seifert cut him before the'01 season and made Lewis his quarterback.
Lewis quickly crashed, burned and disappeared, as did the Panthers, who lost 15 straight. Seifert soon followed.
Seifert broke a rule that has been in effect since Red Grange carried the ball in the 1920s. Guess wrong at quarterback and you're a pantywaist.
