2016 Carolina Panthers Home Opener: Sending a Message

[Seltzer]

If not for a revolting conglomeration of headshots that will probably serve as exhibit #1 for the inevitable CTE lawsuit of the 2020’s (http://www.carolinahuddle.com/boards/topic/130104-all-of-the-helmet-hits-in-one-gif/) and a Graham Gano hook, our beloved Carolina Panthers would have escaped dirty Denver with a win and be 1-0.  On a related note, if my aunt had balls she would be my uncle.

Such is life in the NFL, although the league has inadvertently or not established a roadmap for teams trying to take out the MVP (http://www.carolinahuddle.com/boards/topic/130351-a-worrisome-precedent-re-headshots-and-sideline-concussion-protocol/).  For a league that supposedly reveres player safety above all else, Trai Turner was inexplicably 50% closer to ejection than Brandon Marshall or Darian Stewart.

But we’re on to next game and the friendly confines of Bank of America stadium.  I’m more excited to see my Panthers back in Charlotte than Mickey Loomis trying to dream up more creative ways to perpetually screw up the Aints salary cap.

Speaking of sending a message, this is the week we remind everyone of why the Panthers are the reigning NFC Champs and the class of the NFC. The MVP is expecting a rowdy crowd, and I’m sure Panthers Nation is more than willing to comply: http://www.carolinahuddle.com/2016/09/14/cam-newton-come-sunday-100-everybody-will-turnt/.  On decibel level alone, Bank of America has definitely become a more formidable place to play in the last few seasons.  We need to do our part as Panthers Nation in sending a message too- Get loud & stay loud.

The team that happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time is the San Francisco 49ers.  A team with such proud icons as Bill Walsh & Joe Montana is now reduced to Chip Kelly & Blaine Gabbert.  Where Steve Young was once standing in the wings is now Colin Kaepernick sitting out our national anthem in a pathetic and disgraceful attempt to stay relevant.

For us “Since ‘95ers,” the 49ers were arguably our biggest rival until the inception of the NFC South and realignment in 2002.  In fact, the biggest win our inaugural season was in San Fran against the defending champions, a game that would propel the team to sweep the Niners in ’96 on an improbable run to the NFC Championship.  BTW, here is a link to a SI article written before SB50 that is an interesting read on the 1995 Season:

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/02/03/nfl-oral-history-1995-carolina-panthers

Ah yes, the early years of the Carolina Panthers…

When Dom Caper's zone blitzes too the league by storm

When Kevin Greene was a star on the football field and the wrestling world

 

When Hugh McColl still ruled Charlotte and would engineer a coup during the NationsBank/ Bank America merger that would end up with Charlotte being the Bank of America HQ that has him still notorious in San Fran to this day (http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Breaking-the-Bank-The-untold-story-of-how-David-2906079.php).

When we got trolled by soccer moms on the reg…

Throughout our history, there have been some good games and some great individual performances against the Niners that have helped contribute to an 11-8 overall record against them.

 

1998- The Panthers swept the Niners, winning both matchups and making it look like George Seifert (who had won 2 Super Bowls with the Niners) could possibly do the same for the Panthers.

2001- In the midst of the worst season in Panthers history, the Panthers came close to winning what would have been their only home win of the season, losing in OT to the Niners 22-25.  The Panthers had a stretch of close games before the wheels ultimately came off in the final weeks that led to the famous Jerry Richardson quote, "The energy has been sucked out of our organization and our fan base.”

2004- The injury-ravaged defending NFC Champion Panthers came into the game 1-7 and went into the half down 17-0 before roaring back and scoring 37 points in the 2^nd half to win 37-27.  Nick Goings went from our 6^th string running back to late season fantasy god during this game.

2007- 43 year old Vinny Testaverde threw 2 touchdowns and Richard Marshall ran back a 73 yard interception to beat the Niners 31-14

2010- The David Gettis Bowl.  Matt Moore threw for over 300 yards and Gettis scored 2 TD’s including the game winner during one of the few bright points of the year.  The Panthers won 23-20 over the equally hapless Niners.  The Niners would bottom out much like the Panthers in 2010, and begin their rapid ascension in 2011 with the hiring of Jim Harbaugh.  Panthers fans would spend the next 3 years believing Gettis just needed to be healthy and have a chance to replicate this game.  He does deserve props for being the first Panther to do the Superman after scoring.

2013- “The Panthers are for Real” The Panthers traveled to the Bay and knocked off the red-hot Niners in a defensive struggle 10-9 for their fifth straight win.  The Panthers D sacked Kaepernick 6 times that day and for the most part neutralized his running threat in a blueprint that increasingly teams would use to expose Kaepernick.

2014 (2013 Playoffs) - In Smitty’s last game as a Panther, he courageously came back from a knee injury to score a TD that put the Panthers briefly ahead.  Bad calls, lost tempers, and a 2^nd half meltdown ruined what had been a great season.  In one of his last moments of relevance outside of misguided political protests and hairstyles, Colin Kaepernick mocked Cam Newton in an image that still sticks in my crawl.

 

 

So here we stand.  In the grand scheme, Sunday’s game is about getting to 1-1.   It’s hard to get “revenge” on a team that shouldn’t win more than 5 games based on the talent level of the team.  The Panthers are a Super Bowl contender, and the Niners are a team trying to pull themselves out of the basement of the NFC West.  This is a game the Panthers should win against an inferior opponent.  A win against Chip Kelly always feels good though, and anything we can do to shove Kaepernick back into the abyss of irrelevancy is good by me.

I love San Francisco as a city; however, I would like to remind my brethren just how awful Niners fans are lest we forget.  We went from facing perhaps the dirtiest team on the field to the dirtiest fan base off the field.

http://deadspin.com/victim-in-49ers-bathroom-fight-left-partially-paralyzed-1644266190.  Attackers received 5 year prison sentences.

http://deadspin.com/video-shows-49ers-fans-beating-vikings-fan-in-parking-l-1730794603.  Attackers facing lengthy prison sentences

ttp://www.sportsgrid.com/real-sports/nfl/49ers-fans-once-again-caught-brawling-on-camera/

Stay classy and let the Panthers do the beating down of the Niners on the field.  Come Sunday, it's not just about winning- it's about sending a message to the rest of the league.  The Carolina Panthers and Panthers Nation are here to stay.

Carolina Panthers 38, Chip Kelly and the Gabbernites 10

[PhillyB]

the 49ers have slowly oozed back down to my don't-give-a-poo list but man that was some serious rage we had going on in 2013. what an annoying fanbase

[2jakefansinva]

Gano didn't shank it..........he hooked it.

[KB_fan]

As much as Ioved Cam breaking Steve Young's records in our season opener against Denver, it would have been poetic justice if he'd broken those two records against San Fran this week! 

Wish I could be there in the stands cheering loudly!

Rock the Bank Panther Nation!!

[ladypanther]

Well done Seltzer.

[TheSpecialJuan]

Wow, what a post !

[arbnranger]

Thanks for the great post !

[Wundrbread33]

David Gettis Madden Ratings:

 

72 Overall

96 Speed

93 Acceleration

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37 Injury

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

99 Potential

[Aussie Tank]

After this game there will be a lot more Oakland fans 

[CPantherKing]

The message that is sent better not be about accepting the loss and letting us give Bradberry, Butler, Boston, and Ealy more time to develop. This team should be a SB contender and not a middle of the road team trying to develop into a contender for the next season or two. Putting garbage on the field to pass off as talent around some serious NFL talent like Kuechly and Davis should not be tolerated.

SB or bust.