The Carolina Panthers: How They Became My Football Obsession

(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

How did I become a Panthers fan?

Well, in a word, geography.

I live in northern Davidson County in North Carolina, about an hour away from Bank of America Stadium, so it was natural that I like the team.

But, it goes a lot deeper than that.

I love Pittsburgh's style of play: physical north and south running and a strong D.

That's kind of how the Panthers are, and I think an appropriate term for them would be Steelers-south.

With the likes of Stephen Davis and Mike Rucker in the recent past and Jon Beason and Jonathan Stewart today, the Panthers have epitomized, at least in my mind, what a football team should be.

Sure, they do interject some flash with Steve Smith and his electric blue shoe-wearing self making the acrobatic catch on a Jake Delhomme overthrow (ooh, did I just say that?).

But, that is, although this may not be the best term, kept to a minimum.

Plus, my cognition of football doesn't run much deeper that, oh, say 2002, so I don't have very many bad memories of this team.

There has never been a time in my life, at least that I can remember, where this team has truly "sucked," although I was alive when the Chris Weinke debacle took place.

And as we all know, it's easy to pull for a winner.

This, by no means, means that I am one to jump on a bandwagon.

It just means that I have never experienced a bad time in the Cat's history.

Anyway, back to why I am a fan.

Super Bowl XXXVIII.

In one of the most dramatic displays of defense, the Panthers nearly defeated the team of the decade in, at least in my opinion, one of the best Super Bowls of all time.

Despite the Super Bowl shortfall off the foot of Adam Vinatieri, the game made me a more passionate football fan, and the Panthers were the most logical choice for me to pay attention to.

It is truly hard to explain all of the reasons for me being a Carolina fan, so, to avoid the risk of sounding like a self-absorbed egomaniac, I'll refrain from saying anymore.

But, I assure you, my fanhood cannot be questioned, and to do so would be like questioning the rise and fall of the sun.

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