Scott Fowler’s 10 most popular columns of 2019 for The Charlotte Observer
Charlotte Observer sports columnist Scott Fowler, who has worked at the outlet since 1994, has put together an impressive year of work.
He was named one of the 10 best columnists in the country in the second-largest circulation category by the Associated Press Sports Editors (in addition to winning first-place for multimedia and projects for his Rae Carruth series); took home first place in enterprise reporting and third in column writing in the Pro Football Writers of America’s annual contest; and his tennis team even won a USTA national championship.
As this year winds to a close, we decided to take a look back at Scott’s 10 most well-read columns in 2019.
10. David Tepper unplugged: Panthers owner riffs on QBs, stadiums and what he despises most
Nov. 18: “In a freewheeling Q-and-A that lasted nearly an hour, Tepper expounded on everything from quarterback Cam Newton to the team’s stadium situation to how much he was still seething that Carolina got whipped at home, 29-3, by Atlanta on Sunday. The owner said he had to get up twice Sunday night because he was still so mad about it.”
9. Catman, the Carolina Panthers superfan, was an electric blue American original
July 6: “He was also my friend, and I’m sorry to say that Good died Friday, at age 62.
Long before the practical joke that Fox Sports played on him that went horribly awry in 2006, Good was buying two permanent seat licenses and making the 80-mile drive from his Winston-Salem hometown to Charlotte for every home game.”
8. ‘All or Nothing’ delivers dramatic show about Panthers – and leaves a few things out
July 16: “Richardson founded the Panthers. He owned the team for 23 of its 24 NFL seasons. Then, shrouded in a workplace misconduct scandal that eventually caused the NFL to issue him the largest fine in league history, Richardson sold the team under duress in 2018 to David Tepper.
Yet Richardson’s name is never mentioned in a single episode. It’s as if Tepper simply emerged from some random financial market with a few billion dollars and bought the team from Costco.”
7. With 4 TDs, Kyle Allen directs Panthers to their first win — and should start next week
Oct. 14: “The Carolina Panthers had to travel 2,100 miles to find themselves. But they did so, emphatically, in a 38-20 win over Arizona at State Farm Stadium.”
6. Kyle Allen vs. Cam Newton: Right now, the choice for the Panthers’ starting QB is obvious
Sept. 22: “But at the moment, Newton’s place isn’t in the huddle, even if that foot is declared to be 100 percent tomorrow. It’s on the bench.
It’s not personal. It’s all about winning, which is all Allen has done. For now, the Panthers owe it to themselves — and their fans — to stick with Allen.”
5. Rae Carruth reaches out to his son, 20 years after Charlotte shooting
Dec. 12: “Carruth, who was released from a North Carolina prison in October 2018 after serving nearly 19 years, recently mailed what Saundra Adams called “a very significant and generous gift” to his son, Chancellor Lee Adams.
However, Carruth sent the money through the Mecklenburg County Court system, so there was no return address to write back to by the time the money got to Adams in Charlotte.”
4. Cam Newton shouldn’t play another game in a Panthers uniform — and that’s hard to say
Nov. 5: “Newton will play in the NFL once again. He’s only 30, he’s still an elite athlete when healthy and players have come back from Lisfranc foot injuries plenty of times before. Don’t bury Newton yet, because he’s still going to produce some more great NFL highlights. They just won’t be in Charlotte.”
3. As Kemba departs, we ask again: What in the world are the Charlotte Hornets doing?
June 30: “In April, Kupchak called Walker a “once-in-a-generation kind of player.” Less than three months later, Walker is gone and the Hornets have gone from bad to worse.
What has happened in the past few days makes no sense until you realize you’re in Hornets World.
It’s “smh” time. Again.”
2. The Panthers cut Elijah Hood 3 hours after he got to training camp — and it wasn’t easy for anyone
July 24: “Hood kissed JuJu, his nine-month-old baby, goodbye. Then his family left, headed back toward Charlotte, 75 miles away. Hood headed into his dorm room at Wofford College, where the Panther players were checking in for training camp.
Three hours later, the Panthers fired Elijah Hood.”
1. Hornets’ Jalen McDaniels says secret high school sex videos were ‘a very big mistake’
July 1: “I continue to believe the Hornets never should have drafted McDaniels. What sort of message does this send to their fans, that they would take a player who has admitted to secretly videotaping sexual acts and then sharing those videos?”
