Ex-Panthers Official A Big Manning Fan

There was a familiar face in the press box for Carolina's exhibition against Buffalo Friday night -- Dom Anile, whose sudden departure to Indianapolis in April angered Panthers officials.

Anile, who resigned as Carolina's player personnel director to become the Colts' director of football operations, was scouting the Panthers-Bills exhibition. He's looking for players who will become available when cuts are made this month.

Anile, who was reunited with ex-Carolina general manager Bill Polian in Indianapolis, gave high marks to Colts rookie quarterback Peyton Manning, the No. 1 overall draft pick who's been installed as the starter.

``He's even more special than I thought he was,'' Anile said. ``He's so mentally sharp. He's got a memory bank like Wells Fargo. He has already absorbed the whole offense. He's like a rat the way he stuffs himself into a corner of a room looking at tape.''

Anile said Manning is picking up the Colts' offense much faster than Kerry Collins did Carolina's offense when he was a rookie in 1995.

``That's nothing at all against Kerry,'' Anile said. ``I like No. 12 and I always have. But it's just that in 16 years in the league, I've never seen another young guy like Peyton. (Former Cleveland Browns quarterback) Bernie Kosar was a very cerebral guy, but he wasn't as sharp as this kid.''

Anile was impressed that Manning was one of the first people to greet him when he joined the Colts.

``He welcomed me in and I told him, `Peyton, I'm not stupid. We tried to get you down there in Carolina. So when we didn't, I figured I'd join you here,' '' Anile said.

Before Anile left the Panthers, he was involved in the team's discussions with the Colts regarding a blockbuster trade for the No. 1 pick. The Panthers offered Collins, plus other players and draft picks for Manning.

``There were a lot of names involved in those talks, but I won't get into that,'' Anile said.

One of the players the Panthers were including in the offer was cornerback Tyrone Poole. The Colts eventually traded for Poole, giving Carolina a second-round pick.

Anile said Poole has had a good preseason and is expected to beat out veteran Carlton Gray for a starting job. Anile said it helps that Poole's position coach in Indianapolis is the same one he had with Carolina -- George Catavolos.

``Tyrone's a fine kid and player, but he beats to a little bit of a different drum,'' Anile said. ``He's a shy, moody kid, but George has always handled him well. We're glad to have him and I guess a different decision was made down there.''

The Panthers ejected Poole from the starting lineup when they signed Green Bay free agent Doug Evans to a five-year, $22.5 million contract. Anile was still with the organization then.

Anile headed up the Panthers' draft and had a say in the team's decision to pick Jason Peter with their first-round selection. He said Friday he's surprised that Peter remains a holdout.

``Based on what I know, and let me stress I'm not on the inside there anymore, if I was Jason's agent, I wouldn't have him in camp yet either,'' Anile said, indicating that it doesn't sound like Peter is being offered a market-value deal.

``It's too bad because something like this should never happen because of money,'' Anile said.

Carolina officials have repeatedly said they've been fair in their negotiations with Peter.

Anile surprised the Panthers when he left just three days after the draft. Carolina officials said he had made a commitment to stay with the organization following Polian's departure in late December.

The day after Anile left, the Panthers fired three scouts who had worked for Anile and had security guards escort them from their Ericsson Stadium offices.

Anile strongly criticized the action, saying at the time that ``It's like the Gestapo or something, like they were POW prisoners.''

Anile joked Friday that the Colts don't have a Gestapo.