Meeting

Report

September 2, 2003
Charter Date: December 1, 1916

MARTY HURNEY
Carolina Panthers
By: Matt Joyner

Tim Newman introduced our guest speaker Carolina Panthers General Manager Marty Hurney. Married with two sons, Marty is a native of Maryland, a graduate of Catholic University in Washington D.C. and, originally, was a journalist in the D.C. area. Covering the Washington Redskins for the Washington Times led to a career transition into the business of professional football with the Redskins organization, and, ultimately, to his 1998 move to Charlotte with the Panthers.

Reflecting on the Panthers’ Friday night win over the Pittsburgh Steelers which capped a first ever undefeated preseason for the team, Hurney said it was hard to smile over the victory because the team had received the news that same afternoon of player-turned-coach Sam Mills’ diagnosis with cancer. Hurney said that Mills’ courageous reaction to his diagnosis together with Mark Fields’ similar reaction to his diagnosis with Hodgkins disease impressed upon Hurney the similarities between life and football and the necessity to approach both with heart, resilience and the intensity necessary to overcome adversity.

Hurney said the Panthers showed resilience last year in sustaining eight straight losses before coming back to win their final games. The atmosphere this year he noted was one of higher expectations for this “Cinderella team.” The Panthers are back “on the NFL radar” this year with their preseason performance and can be expected to “play like a team that has something to prove.” “This team is going to go out and scrap and claw each week. They’re going to give you everything they’ve got every Sunday,” promised Hurney. He credits Coach John Fox as “one of the best young coaches in the league” and likens Fox to former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs in terms of his ability to relate to his team. Hurney believes Fox’s reputation in NFL circles will grow in the next few years. Reviewing the composition of this year’s Panthers, Hurney noted that depth has been added to the defensive line so that players could be fresh to pressure opposing quarterbacks and that the players were “very comfortable” with defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac. With regard to the Panthers offense fans can expect that the team is “going to run the football this year” with an offense bolstered by three good drafts in a row.

Club members eagerly quizzed the speaker at the end of his remarks, eliciting from Hurney the following facts and opinions:

Hurney closed with a request for the community to come out and support the Panthers LOUDLY at their upcoming season opener and for Club members to keep Sam Mills and Mark Fields in their prayers.

Head Table:
Robertson, Pat Millen, Debby Millhouse, Tim Newman, Christie Taylor, Sam Woodard; Invocation: Mac McCarley
Visitors and Guests:
Jim Evans; Health & Happiness: William Rikard; Club Education: John Lassiter
 

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z    Communities in Schools of Charlotte Mecklenburg, Inc., part of a national program that connects community resources to schools, was recognized in The Charlotte Observer as a ministry you should know. Cynthia Marshall is the program’s Executive Director.   z   Floyd Davis was interviewed on the news over the weekend for his work with Community Link, an organization that helps the homeless find housing and works with landlords to obtain reduced rents while working to ensure prompt rent payment. z   The September issue of Charlotte Woman magazine featured the vivid world of art teacher Carolyn Saunders, wife of Chase Saunders. Carolyn says she has had parents say “I don’t pay you for the art lessons; I pay you for what you do for my child.” z   Sympathy is extended to Bob Alexy and family upon the death of Bob’s mother, Elizabeth Marie Alexy, and to Ed Kale and family upon the death of Ed’s father, James Edward Kale, Jr. z   While recuperating from knee replacement surgery last week, Tom Hutchins suffered heart fibrillation. This set back has resulted in lots of extra tubes and monitoring but he appears to be back on the road to recovery. Tom was moved to room 407 at Presbyterian Orthopedic and hopes to be released on Saturday. z   Last week was Referee Jeff Triplette’s last chance to officiate a Panther game at Ericsson Stadium because NFL Referees are not allowed to cover regular season games in their hometown. z   Pat Elder, Michael’s wife, had successful surgery last week and is at home recuperating.

2003-04 RI Theme

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Attendance Record 9/02/03 9/03/02 visitors & guests 19 16 club members 201 174 total attendance 220 190	Wedding Anniversaries 11 Meg & Bryan Adams 11 Cornelia & Jack Smylie 13 Virginia & John Hart 14 M.C. & Tom Layne 14 Mary & Barry Mack 15 Selma & Anthony Fox
Roaming Rotarians Joel Walters, Concord, NC John Layne, Georgetown, SC Kurt Waldthausen, Atlanta GA Joe Penner, Reedle, CA Susan Patterson, Macon, GA	Birthdays 9 Tom O’Brien, Iowa City, Iowa 11 Bryan Adams, Charlotte, NC 11 John Armistead, Burlington, NC 11 Harry Daugherty, Covington, KY 12 Pete Sloan, Charlotte, NC 14 Suzanne Fetscher, St. Cloud, MN 15 Rich Campbell, Greensboro, NC 15 Katie Tyler, Eustis, FL
New Members - August Bob Elliott Steve Montgomery