Will the Nation view us as #1?

[Hoenheim]

Yeah the saints game might be the first one all season where we will be actually expected to go in and blow them out of the stadium. Don't know how any of the players will be able to have a chip on their sholders for this one.

[Frizzy350]

50 minutes ago, KB_fan said:

Yes, definitely more crow eating by the media...

But actually, I'm beginning to wonder if they're not beginning to be excited by the Panthers.  After all, we're fun to watch.  We're balanced on offense & defense, with both sides of the ball making spectacular plays.    We've got legit superstars in Cam & Luke, (Cam being Mr. personality plus, and just such a joy to watch when he's having fun.)  and J-No is a trip and a GREAT interview....   combined with the story & passion of TD.  There's a LOT to like.  Yes, we're a small market.  But apart from that, I think the media will find that the Panthers are not too shabby for ratings.

We are a marketable team this year.  Starting out as underdogs helped.  Having Tillman and Allen helps alot, two future HOFers that most fans know and believe deserve rings.  Cam is Cam.  If you are someone who hates Cam, chances are you like hard running (Stew) or hard hitting defenses (Luke, TD).  Big name trash-talking corners are all the rage and JNo fits that perfectly.  Stir in a player from the '85 Bears squad and a relation to the '72 Phins squad... there's your history lesson.

The question is if we are worth talking about it.  Considering the NFL has been a complete let down this year (except for us), I don't think anyone has a choice but to crown us prematurely.

[w280sax]

4 minutes ago, Hoenheim said:

Yeah the saints game might be the first one all season where we will be actually expected to go in and blow them out of the stadium. Don't know how any of the players will be able to have a chip on their sholders for this one.

Honestly i felt really confident about the first saints game and luke mccown got them up 10-0 on us and he looked really good in the first quarter.

I do think the saints lack confidence and defense so they are ripe for being blown out but you dont want to let them get an early lead or they might find motivation to try and pull the upset.

[thunderraiden]

 

1 hour ago, Hogmolliesmaht said:

Well, there is no doubt that the fan base is growing. Anybody who watched any college football yesterday saw a bunch of Cam Newton imitators. They were dabbing all over the country.

Are you kidding? College imitators? The entire NFL and NBA was imitating Cam this weekend.

[Kevin Greene]

We're not #1 until we raise the Lombardi.

[Doc Holiday]

1 hour ago, E CaT PanTHer 2 said:

umm actually we were ... I think it was prior to the start of 2004 season (correct me if I'm wrong) when we were on the cover of sports illustrated and we were the consensus #1 pick by pundits across the nation to win the superbowl. 

that season was a disaster ... mainly attributed to injuries 

 

Yeah, that season started out bad fast, smith broke his leg because of a Horse collar in the first game, it was also the season I believe that he Horse Collar became illegal.

Can someone remind me who was the Defensive back that kept making those kind of tackles that year that partly led to the rule change, cant remember him now but I believe he broke 2 different players legs that year.

[MechaZain]

Of course but the next excuse will be that the league is injured and terrible this season. Haters are going to ride that even if we go 19-0. The Patriots were the only team left that the Panthers could earn undeniable respect by beating and now there's even an excuse ready for that potential matchup.

[Doc Holiday]

5 minutes ago, MechaZain said:

Of course but the next excuse will be that the league is injured and terrible this season. Haters are going to ride that even if we go 19-0. The Patriots were the only team left that the Panthers could earn undeniable respect by beating and now there's even an excuse ready for that potential matchup.

If we go 19-0 there aint gonna be nobody able to say anything, a perfect season, is a perfect season. you could literally tell anyone that says anything that they just "hate us because you aint us".  will all honesty though I still not sure if I buy us winning out. what will the players attitudes be once we've locked home field for the playoffs?  and while we are going to be heavy favorites the rest of the way, there are some tricky games left because of travel and who they are against.  though we do seem to be catching the Falcons and Saints at the right time.  Tampa and the Giants could be a little tricky but we will see.

[BIGH2001]

4 hours ago, Doc Holiday said:

Yeah, that season started out bad fast, smith broke his leg because of a Horse collar in the first game, it was also the season I believe that he Horse Collar became illegal.

Can someone remind me who was the Defensive back that kept making those kind of tackles that year that partly led to the rule change, cant remember him now but I believe he broke 2 different players legs that year.

Roy Williams of Dallas. 

[Doc Holiday]

15 minutes ago, BIGH2001 said:

Roy Williams of Dallas. 

That douche, Dallas thought he was a good safety too, which was more puzzling.

[PoundCat]

Yes, we will be #1 this week. Why? Because we are the best team in the NFL and have proved it on the field.

People don't just give you respect. You have to earn it. As much as many of us hate the patriots, nobody can argue that they haven't been successful and don't deserve to be viewed as one of the top teams year in and year out (cheating scandals notwithstanding)

If we do win the SB, and follow up with another strong year next year, we will start to be talked about the same way. "New money" vs "old money", if you will.

[BIGH2001]

17 minutes ago, Doc Holiday said:

That douche, Dallas thought he was a good safety too, which was more puzzling.

He was Rodney Harrison level dirty and continued to horse collar tackle after it became illegal.  Had lots of injuries at the end of his career. 

[pantherj]

To the idea that people don't just give you respect, I disagree. The media gives out free unearned respect to certain teams every season. The media also disrespects the Panthers at every possible opportunity until things are so lopsided that they have to say something positive.

To illustrate the respect/disrespect disparity you don't even have to go back 1 week. The Dallas Cowboys were talked up and picked to beat our Panthers. The Cowboys had played like ass for most of the season, and were led by a washed up ailing QB with a bad back, recently snapped collar bone, and an old noodle arm. So noodle arm (what little velocity he had in his prime is long gone, see Drew Brees) and the Cowgirls were picked to beat a Panthers team that is RED HOT on fire right now, and with a QB in his prime. Cam throws rockets all over the field, and our defense is top 3 at worst. They pissed on us.

Look at the pre-season. Most of the media had our team finishing 3rd place in the NFCS. Third place. Third. Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Bucs. Never mind that we obliterated them the previous winter. That Brees' arm had turned to mush from old age. That we won the South the last two seasons. Third place. Emory Hunt, The Czar of the Playbook, came on to our forum and told us we were going to lose to the Jaguars. The fuging Jaguars. Of course I exploded when he did that. But that was a popular and trendy pick from the media at the time. He wasn't alone with that pick. One member of the media disrespected our team so badly that management at NFL.com stepped in and took the video down, and made them make a new one that was respectful. Not kidding. They begrudgingly said a few positive things in the second video after they called our entire franchise lousy in the original video.

Respect is not earned for certain teams. Certain big market teams receive free respect for being even remotely decent, or sometimes even when they are well below .500. The Panthers have to fight tooth and nail and dominate for even a tiny backhanded compliment. When we're undefeated, we're the worst undefeated team. Even though Cinci is a weak paper tiger, they still receive way more respect. Even when they lost members of the media were blowing Dalton by saying that he had pinpoint accuracy compared to Cam, and that Cinci was better. fug that noise. JNO, TD, Ealy, and other Panther players have directly said on camera that they are sick and tired of being disrespected by the media. I'm sick of it too. That's part of the reason I want the SB win so badly. I have this idea that somehow the media will back off with the disrespect if we win it all.

[Peppers90 NC]

it's not college