Spanked in Our Own House

Here I sit in defeat, all bloated from beer and brats.

Forget all the anticipation, forget all the hype and build up, the white jerseys, the tailgating were all for waste.

We got spanked handily by the Atlanta Falcons in out own house. We were beaten like a rented mule. We must take the thrashing like men and move on.

I kept expecting the miracle defensive play to reverse our plight. What if Steve Smith would have played? How did our defense allow Atlanta to open up there running and passing game so much?

I have a hunch coach Fox will take more from this game then I did and constructively fill the holes. This team is loaded with talent and losses like this should occur.

We needed to be knocked down a notch.

SI Cover Curse

Does the Sports Illustrated cover curse on Carolina continue?

Mid season 2003 SI had us picked to win the Super Bowl. We were picked again preseason in 2005. Both issues featured prominent cover of Muhsin Muhammad in ’03 and Jake Delhomme in ’05.

This year may be different. While we are picked to win it all, the actual cover is of the Steelers, not Carolina.

Don’t worry my friends. This is not the SI cover curse.

Panthers hope song brings growl, not groan

FROM THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER - The Carolina Panthers don't want to give fans the wrong impression that the team has brought back the entire fight song sacked eight years ago.

The Observer published on Tuesday lyrics of "Stand and Cheer for the Panthers" not included in an abridged version being tested during Carolina's two home pre-season games.

Gone are lines such as: "From the mountains/To the Ocean/Carolina, Carolina best of 'em all!" and "The pride of both Carolinas/And city of the queen."

The team is seeing how fans react to the shorter version before deciding to use the song in the regular season.

Carolina had a musical hole to fill this season after the NFL asked teams to stop using Gary Glitter 's "Rock & Roll, Part 2" (also known as the "Hey" song) following Gillter's conviction on child sexual abuse charges last year.

The Panthers had used the early '70s hit after extra points and field goals for several years, said Kyle Ritchie, the team's director of entertainment.

The Glitter ban and requests by fans for the return of "Stand and Cheer" have given the old fight song another chance.

"I know people think it is cheesy but it is our cheesy," said one online message on Charlotte.com today. "I taught my son (6) the song a couple years ago trying to make sure it is never forgotten and just hoping they would bring it back."

But the song written by Duane Evans of Spartanburg still has a long way to go with many fans.

"As a PSL holder, I dread the thought of hearing that song every time we score this! The increased cost in season's tickets is enough - to make us listen to that song is cruel and unusual punishment!"

NFL Football Hall of Fame

Enough Said:

Idiots. Who would approve such a design?

Familiar Stuff and Strange Stuff

Carolina 14
Bills 13

The Carolina Panthers jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead on visiting Buffalo Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium, then held on by their whiskers for a 14-13 victory. (Full Story Here)

The first string offense and defense looked outstanding.

Running back DeAngelo Williams showed some real bursts of greatness.

Please stay healthy Carolina!

Now to more important stuff: The old Carolina Panther Fight Song is back.

Oh no! It’s embarrassing. It sounds too much like a Burma Shave jingle from the 1950's.

When the Panthers started in 1995, fans would sing the official Carolina Panther Fight Song every time the team would score. As the first season was played at Clemson, many fans felt that the song was reminiscent of the collegiate atmosphere those games had.

The fight song only lasted a few years before being officially retired. Officials with the Panthers organization said that they received a large number of fan complaints regarding the fight song. As of 2005, the team did not have an official song.

They do now I guess.

The new score board was fascinating. It is plasma quality and extends the length of the field. It will be a focal point for fantasy football fans and news from around the league.

I was the guest of a friend who has tickets on the lower level about 7 rows back on the three yard line. This person makes his living selling advertising.

I found it strange that he was so incensed at the frequency of advertising at the stadium. As soon as he sat down he tore off all the new Wendy’s Ads that had been neatly installed on the back of the seats beside the cup holders.

He said, “I paid for the seats and Wendy’s didn’t pay me to advertise here”.

He also was angry at the constant ads running on the new scoreboard.

Okay, and you are in the advertising business?

So I got up and went to get a couple of beers for me and my buddy Bruce. I walk up to the empty counter and order a couple of Miller Lites in the bottle.

The guy looks at me in a blank stare. TWO MILLER LITES PLEASE!

The guy taps the counter and points at a menu that says we are deaf, point to an item to order.

Oh shit, I realize, he’s deaf. Now I am both pissed off and feel embarrassed.

They could do better with at least one hearing person t give instructions and answer questions.

All in all it’s going to be a great season. The fans are psyched and the team looks awesome.

Preseason Game One

Okay, tonight is the night. It’s the first home preseason game and time to make a dry run.

We are not planning a tailgate tonight. We’ll grab some dogs and beer at the game.

Bruce will come in from Greensboro and I’ll meet him at a spot on I-85 and we’ll head into town.

Usually the starters will play for a quarter so I expect we’ll leave by halftime. I do expect the flying Border Collies to be in the half time show.

One real plus this year is the Panthers sprung for a new, wrap around scoreboard. It goes completely around the stadium and displays content from all over the NFL. I think this type of scoreboard is truly unique.

I have decided to switch to a blog format this year. This format allows you to comment and it allows me to post pictures and comments faster.

I realize I have readers here, down under and up over yonder so many of you will not know the importance of what is about to happen.

Take your soccer or football, ice hockey, skiing, “fill in your sport here” and render it down to its essence. Concentrate and distill that essence and you have what the NFL means to me. American football, The National Football League.

And so it begins.

Our own Carolina Panthers have their first preseason game here Saturday night against the Buffalo Bills.

I’ll be at every game. There will be grills smoking, beer to drink, tales to tell, trash talking, laughing, yelling, disgust, and jubilation.

I’m not sure what is about the NFL. It makes grown men adolescents again. None of us have or ever did have the athletic ability of the men we watch and admire. But in our minds we do just for a few hours.

Just for a few hours we can run on fuel of pure testosterone and our wives excuse us.

Winning is everything. Pride of your team is everything. Pride of your city is everything.

Then we humbly come home, hoarse from yelling, sweaty and smelling like beer and charcoal. We shower and settle back into real life for another week.

Confidence is high this year that The Carolina Panthers will go all the way back to the Super Bowl.

I am so confident that is 6 months I plan to watch Carolina play from the warmth of St Croix and scheduled the trip around the event. They haven’t seen tailgating on the island until we get there.