News
Being Part of the Solution: For Hoover, giving back to the community is as natural as giving his all on the field for the Panthers
AP File Photo
Brad Hoover is getting ready to start his ninth season with the Panthers.
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: May 12, 2008
Updated: 05/12/2008 01:35 am
Brad Hoover won't start hitting NFL linebackers and various other opposing defenders again until his ninth season with the Carolina Panthers starts later this summer.
Today, he'll be hitting the golf ball instead.
His annual Brad Hoover Charity Golf Classic will be held today at Tanglewood Park, with the proceeds benefitting the Carolinas Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.
For Hoover, who starred at Ledford before going on to Western Carolina and ultimately the Panthers, this is one of several ways he can give back to the community. Each charity is special, but this one carries added significance because it brings together friends and two families -- relatives, of course, and the Panther family.
"It's important to me to give back to the area I'm from," Hoover said yesterday. "I do a bunch of different things but this is one of the events that is locally through my hometown and help people (with) arthritis in the area, because there's a lot of people who are sort of neglected and not taken care of.
"We've been able to raise a lot of money for the foundation. And the thing is, it's a chance for me to see a lot of friends and it's also a chance to bring a bunch of players and coaches up and they get to participate and see an area where I'm from and they get to see others benefit from this."
Charlie Grubb of the Arthritis Foundation estimates that today's outing will raise more than $50,000. That's almost double the amount that the local chapter was taking in with a similar golf outing before Hoover and the Panthers became involved three years ago.
Scheduled to join Hoover today are teammates Steve Smith, Terrence Holt, Muhsin Muhammad, Dante Rosario, former Panthers Ricky Proehl, Shane Burton, Chris Weinke, Wesley Walls and Frank Garcia, and others.
Of course, Hoover has been around Smith, Holt, Muhammad, Rosario and the rest of his teammates a lot recently. The Panthers held their three-day minicamp last weekend. It's the first time that the core of the 2008-09 team has been on the field together with the free-agent acquisitions and draft picks.
Getting physical
Hoover said he was pleasantly surprised to see the Panthers land both running back Jonathan Stewart and offensive tackle Jeff Otah in the first round of the draft, after the Panthers pulled a draft-day trade to get two first-round picks. Stewart and Otah were at mini-camp but didn't participate because of injuries, but their presence was felt nonetheless.
Coach John Fox sent a message on draft day that he wants the Panthers to get more physical and run the ball more effectively next season.
"I think Foxy wants us to be a physical team and run the ball, and we all know the physicality of an offense starts up front," Hoover said. "Getting Otah, a big, bruising tackle, and Stewart, a big, physical back, I think that showed that sense of urgency to run the football and get physical.
"It also enabled us to shift some guys around that sets us up better on the offensive line, and as an offense in general. We've got to be able to run the ball. I think Steve will benefit from that because teams the past couple of years have been double- and triple-teaming him when we haven't established the running game. And I think getting Moose back, and signing D.J. Hackett is going to take a lot of pressure off him. So hopefully we'll be able to improve all aspects and our offense will sort of thrive off the run."
It should certainly play to Hoover's strengths as a 6-0, 245-pound fullback who spends more time blocking than running or receiving. Hoover started 12 games and played in all 16 last season, but carried just 12 times.
"I think any time we can get back to running the ball, I think I fit better in that style," Hoover said. "But the bottom line is, we all just want to win. But I think we all feel as players and the coaching staff, it gives us an opportunity to win on Sunday."
Hoover's contract was up last season, and he was one of the few free agents from last year's team that the Panthers chose to re-sign for next season. The Panthers didn't draft a fullback or address the position otherwise in free agency, which all bodes well for him, too.
"Naturally, I'm very glad to be back," Hoover said. "I didn't want to leave in the first place, but sometimes you have to weigh your options. If I finish up this contract, it'll be 11 years. Who knows where it's going to head? It could be more, it could be less. But at least there's an opportunity for me to stay in Carolina and hopefully retire one day as a Carolina Panther."
■ John Delong can be reached at jdelong@wsjournal.com.
ADVERTISEMENT
N.C. Politics
Federal Politics
Advertisement
