Steve Smith Stiff-Arms Starter's Seeing Socket. (With his fist)

Well the wide receiver battle in Carolina just got a little more interesting. According to a report by ESPN, star WR Steve Smith has been sent home from training camp for clocking cornerback Ken Lucas in the eyeball. Dustups like this are a fairly regular occurrence during training camp, because tensions are tight with guys trying to earn a paycheck in the fall, and others battling for position. This however was something completely different.

The incident occurred on the sidelines while both Smith and Lucas were sitting out a special teams drill. From all reports it seems it was the boiling over of already bad blood between the two starters. Smith, a bit of a hothead, has jawed with Lucas since he arrived in Charlotte in 2002. But the cause of the fight, whether it was over a dirty play, or who ate the last pint of Bojangles dirty rice, isn't what matters. 

The consequences here could be detrimental to a team who needs every win they can get in order to make the playoffs. Under CBA rules, Smith could be out four games for conduct detrimental to the team. With already lingering questions under center with Delhomme's rehab and two very young running backs taking the handoffs from him, the Panthers need Smith starting come game one. A receiving corp with Moose Muhammed and D.J. Hackett alone is an average group, but with Smith in the mix, they are one of the best. 

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