Why did you become a Panther fan?

[L-TownCat]

And god sayeth unto the land a JR shall bring forth a group of warriors that will be called the Panthers. Thou shalt root for them. root root root for the home team sayeth The Lord and it was so.

This message is brought to you by The Best Huddle App ever made.

[Brooklyn Bully]

Moved to Charlotte in 1993. Loved the NFL but never had a team. And the rest is history.

[DCR]

Started following the NFL when it first aired on british television in 1983.

Different teams shown every week, so didn't really follow a team liked Riggins and Darrell Green of the redskins

and Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen of the Raiders.

Decided to follow the Panthers the day the Frachise was announced - (luckily Jacksonville was granted later).

Used to follow the games on play by play on NFL.com.

Now usually get a stream of Panthers games if they are not on T.V. Don't like late games as we are 5 hours ahead

[Jimmy]

After reading some of these I feel old as fug. I was a Dolphins fan as a kid. Moved back to North Carolina in 1984 and still followed Marino Duper and Clayton. When we got a team it was an easy to switch because there's nothing like having a local team.

Sent from my ADR910L using CarolinaHuddle mobile app

[top dawg]

Simply put, I am a native North Carolinian, and I believe in supporting the home team.  I have been a fan since before the Panthers ever took the field.

[cardiackat88.]

I am from NC.

The Panthers were created when I was 7, the year I started being interested in football.

It was as if the team was created just for me.

I was fascinated and remember the name Dom Capers, and I also remember trying to create my own plays after watching a few downs.

My dad was super proud I had drawn up a perfect guard trap play.

[2jakefansinva]

You don't get many chances to follow a team from it's inception and live close enough to visit often.

 

That's why I jumped on day one and have never looked back.

[ickmule]

Because Daniel Snyder is a tool and I moved from Va to SC. Never looked back and enjoy watching the Skins suck year after year.

Sent from my VZW iPhone 5 using CarolinaHuddle

[332nd]

I was at UNCC when the choice came down. I had wanted a team in NC since I got into football at 5, I was one of the people cheering in the middle of an empty field in the rain. If you were among the first to buy PSLs, there's a chance I was one of the guys you talked to. I swore that I would have split loyalties for the 95-96 season & then never looked back.

[Mark S]

Born and raised in Charlotte, NC

[TheRumGone]

I grew up a 9ers fan by default and was a huge Eric Davis fan because I met him when I was a kid. And he was nice to me. Moved to nc and started following the team when we couldn't watch 9ers games. Not hardcore until smitty. And then not super hardcore until the huddle.

I liked smaller athletes who could play larger than themselves because I was a small kid so muggsy and smitty were my favorites. Met muggsy, wouldnt say a word to smitty. X clown changed everything for me as far as fandom

[Mark S]

Tell your story.

What about you?

[DecrypticShadow]

I was a 9 year old kid... I was criticized of being a bandwagon fan because I was a fan of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, and the Dallas Cowboys. 

 

In 1996, the Panthers began their inaugural season, and I decided that if I picked a team with a clean slate, no one could criticize me of being a bandwagon fan again. My choice at the time was either the Jacksonville Jaguars with a decent name, but hideous green, black, and baby poo tan colors. My other choice was the Carolina Panthers, with a BADASS logo and team name, and the BEST colors in the entire league, Carolina blue, black, and silver... 

 

I have been a diehard fan ever since... My folks decided to pay for my first tattoo on my 18th birthday (9 years later), and the decision was easy, I had the Carolina Panthers logo and team name inked into my skin for the rest of my life..

[Davis83]

From NC, growing up I picked 1 NFC team to root for and 1 AFC team. When the Panthers arrived, I was finally able to root for a local team.