My Town, My Team, My Carolina Panthers

This story is coming totally out of left field, but it has nothing to do with baseball—my love for a game that has the shortest season, moves fast, and hits hard!!! I have taken this upon myself, and at my own expense I welcome comments from you, the reader.

I am brand new at this! I have never (until Saturday and then two more articles one on Sunday and one Monday) written a sports article, or any article for that matter for the potential viewing of millions! I am really enjoying these opportunities to express my opinions while also getting your takes on various subjects.

So I thought about what I would like to do here for the past few days, and decided that probably—well definitely against my better judgement...I will put myself out here and introduce myself, and share my story of love for my version of "America's Pastime," and how I became a fan of football.

In my opinion, football is America's sport, and there is no other game played exactly the way it is played here in the United States. There may be variations on it, and I know Canada has the CFL, but the rules are varied, the field of play is longer, and at the end of the season, there is no Super Bowl.

The arena football games are pretty fascinating to watch, because watching the game is like watching Speedy Gonzales; it's fast-paced action on a 50-yard playing field, and to make matters more challenging when a team scores, the placekicker has to be accurate to a "T." The uprights are less than half the width of that of a traditional football upright, and extra point attempts must be made with the ultimate precision.

But my real love lies in the NFL. Sure, I love the fast tempo of college games, but they are second to my love for professional football.

I grew up in North Carolina, about two hours west of Charlotte. Truthfully, I have been a Panthers fan since the organization's inaugural season. I was 12 years old, and from 1995 until 1999 I didn't really know why I was a fan or who played for the team other than that I liked the team's logo and colors, and I found the idea of the Carolinas having their own team was awesome!

I remember the later years better, especially the year we went 1-15. I was in high school that year, and I remember while on my way to school every Monday morning thinking to myself, "I hope the Panthers didn't lose another game." Well, out of the 16 times I thought that, I was at least happy the one time they did win.

After graduating from high school, I moved to New Jersey. I was born there. I still had family in Jersey with whom I wanted to spend time—experience life in the fast-paced northeast, and this geographic area is where I was faced with the first test of being hardcore faithful to my team would confront me. 

One day I was asked, "Who's your team?" To which I replied, "The Panthers." I got the weirdest look, and then I was so graciously informed that since I live here now, it would be in my best interest to choose a local team.

So, I thought about it for a while—okay, I agreed that it made sense, but I kept one promise to myself, and I didn't care what anyone else's opinion was. I would keep—and I have, to this date—kept the Panthers nearest and dearest, as they were my first team, and I know it's sacriligious to most fans to change teams—but I wasn't changing my team, I was adding a team.

See, I tried to make as much logic of this as I could to fool myself into believing that this is okay... Jeez, I should have been a car salesman.

So I pick my secondary team. My father's a Giants fan—I know that typically a son chooses or is brought up to follow his father's team, and together they root for the Giants, Packers, Cowboys, or Lions, etc every Sunday. But I don't root for my father's team...I want controversy between my father and me.

We get along on so many things that I wanted some controversy to stir things up once a week, and at least twice a year (three if the Panthers played the Giants)...I took the Eagles as my secondary team, and what a train wreck that turned out to be at first, and I'm sure more to come!

...The Eagles, with two lost NFC Championships, I don't count the third one because my Cardiac Cats beat the Iggles (in '03-'04), and they lost Super Bowl in '04-'05!

I have remained true to my team, the Panthers, however. I went into Philadelphia four weeks ago by myself to see the Panthers take on the Eagles in a preseason matchup, and stayed in my seat until the clock was at :00.

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