Carolina Panthers: Ron Rivera's Honest Interviews Are a Welcomed Change

If you've been living under a rock for the past week, let me be the first to welcome you to the Ron Rivera era.

It's definitely an exciting time to be a Panthers fan, as the team has done a complete 180 from previous years. The new Panthers coach has brought with him an entirely new coaching staff, a few new signings and a whole new approach to the game than his predecessor, John Fox.  

They do have their similarities. They are both no-nonsense, defensive-minded coaches—which has been the case with every head coach in Panthers history—but that's about where the similarities end. 

John Fox's interviews were often vague and lacked clear sentiment on matters within the organization. Fox preferred to stay out of the public eye and focus all of his energy on coaching. 

This is far from a bad thing and was a really non-issue up until last season, but when the team was 2-14 and in a full-on tailspin, fans were looking for answers that Fox wasn't willing to offer. 

This hasn't been the case with Rivera. When asked how it feels to get his first shot at a head coaching gig, his response was frank.

"Sh*t, I'm nervous." 

It doesn't get more honest than that, and at the same time, it's refreshing to hear. Do we honestly expect a first-time coach to take on rebuilding the worst team of 2010 with ice water in his veins? Absolutely not.

That short quote describes Ron Rivera's personality well.  He's a "tell-it-like-it-is" kind of guy, with a healthy mix of ambition and realism.

He also hasn't held his tongue when discussing personnel issues. In an interview last February he praised the NFC South's three franchise-style quarterbacks—Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Josh Freeman—while stressing the fact that the NFL is becoming a passing league. Two months later, the Panthers selected quarterback Cam Newton number one overall.

In a recent interview with Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer, he cited a pass-rushing end, an impact linebacker and a cover corner as the foundations of a great defense. He even went a step further and spoke on the Panthers' projected starting cornerback, Chris Gamble.

"I think the young man's got a good, solid three-four years where he can be your cover corner, your number one guy."

He not only said that Chris Gamble can be their cover corner, he even had the audacity to put a window on his peak performance level. This will certainly take some getting used to.

The players have taken a liking to it as well. Wide receiver Steve Smith even attributed Rivera to his decision to stay in Carolina.

With a few weeks to go before their preseason opener, Ron Rivera is saying all of the right things and winning over fans and the media alike. Steve Smith put it best, saying of his new coach, "what you see is what you get."

Whether he will continue this personable approach as the season progresses remains to be seen, but it is certainly a welcome change of scenery in Carolina.