Panthers Mt. Rushmore

[Carolina Cajun]

Sam mills up there.  Peppers can enjoy the hall of fame, but as much as I love him, he abandoned us at a low point.

[ichigo1057]

My picks won't include any current Panthers or former Panthers that are still playing just to be a little different.

I'd pick Sam Mills first since this team pretty much is defined by him and the "Keep Pounding" speech. Steve Smith would be on it of course. I'd likely add John Kasay despite the kick in the Superbowl because he was a hell of a kicker overall for the team. The 4th slot is an incredibly tough one to pick with so many names of Panther greats available but I think I'll have to throw a nod over to good old "Moose" Muhsin Muhammad for his accomplishments as a Panther. This is with honorable mentions to Peppers, Gross, Delhomme, and J. Stewart and honestly they could be interchanged with Kasay and I'd still like the list.

[332nd]

I feel Cam on this one, & good on him for finally getting it.

I've been there. Used to being the one that carries the crew. Can't do it in your current state but feeling you have to. Then getting that reality check. 

Mine came from a 22yo, 4'10", 90 lb Latina that literally blocked me from going on site & told me to go home because I wasn't on my game. She was scared as hell I was going to fire her & 2 years later when her car broke down I brought her a Lexus RX 350 because she saved my ass & my business.

Make no mistake, this is on Cam. He was wrong... But the people giving him poo have obviously never been the "go to guy".

[onmyown]

9 hours ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

Okay, can't  take it anymore. Been ghosting this forum for a bit without posting, but this thread made it necessary.

Bottom line, pick any other 3 guys you want, but if your list doesn't start with Sam Mills, you don't deserve to call yourself a Panthers fan, because you don't really know, understand or appreciate this franchises's roots, history and tradition. Come at me with he only played 3 seasons...so @#$%ing what? There was no Carolina Panthers team to play for before he came here, and he left via retirement in his late 30's as a linebacker.  He may have only given us 3 seasons, but those 3 seasons set the bar for everyone and everything to come since. Do you know any other member of our coaching staff who gave a speech so inspirational we bang a drum before games to remember it? As much as anyone Sam Mills gave this franchise it's identity.

I'm honestly not sure we've got 4 players who would belong on a mountain with him. Smitty for sure. HOF first ballot guy who only played elsewhere because of GM decisions. Gave you everything he had and more, and always told it like it was. 

For anyone intentionally leaving off Cam, really? The only NFL MVP this team has ever had doesn't make your 4 greatest Panthers? Okay bud, whatever you say. Thanks for letting me know who you are so I know it's safe to ignore what you say in the future.

As for the last spot, put Luke, Jake, TD and maybe (don't forget he did walk in FA and it wasn't cause they were unwilling to make him rich) Peppers in a bowl and pull out whichever one you like.

Your opinion and others seem to be based a lot off of being a young franchise, the youngest actually. When we have the history of other teams it’ll be easier to see the standouts. I mean some teams have a hundred plus years of history, then there are several with DOUBLE what the Panthers have. 
 

That’s a long time compared to the Panthers. Everyone’s criteria is going to be different but in another 25-50 years of Panthers football, as of now I only see Peppers and Smitty still being able to hold those spots and that’s why I previously mention longevity. 

When you talk about roots and history, the Panther just aren’t there yet. That’s a big reason our franchise record holders seem silly looking at other teams.

The game changes, owner changes, players change...we will have another MVP in the next 30 years.

[1of10Charnatives]

2 hours ago, onmyown said:

Your opinion and others seem to be based a lot off of being a young franchise, the youngest actually. When we have the history of other teams it’ll be easier to see the standouts. I mean some teams have a hundred plus years of history, then there are several with DOUBLE what the Panthers have. 
 

That’s a long time compared to the Panthers. Everyone’s criteria is going to be different but in another 25-50 years of Panthers football, as of now I only see Peppers and Smitty still being able to hold those spots and that’s why I previously mention longevity. 

When you talk about roots and history, the Panther just aren’t there yet. That’s a big reason our franchise record holders seem silly looking at other teams.

The game changes, owner changes, players change...we will have another MVP in the next 30 years.

Just because some other teams have 100 years of history doesn't mean what we do have in 25 years is meaningless. Will we have more over time? Obviously, but if you don't think Sam Mills will be remembered in another 25 or 50 years, you're probably one of those people who voted for Shakespeare In Love for Best Picture the year Saving Private Ryan was nominated but didn't win, and at that point we just have a fundamental difference of opinion. The heart of this franchise is Sam Mill's heart, and it beats anew every time we bang that drum before a game.

KEEP

POUNDING

The man has a statue outside the building, I think his odds of still being remembered are A LOT better than you seem to think.

Look, I like Julius Peppers a lot. Otherworldly athlete and always conducts himself with class. But no matter how good he was, am I gonna put a guy who WALKED AWAY from the franchise that drafted him, in the state he was born and raised, to play out his PRIME years elsewhere on that team's Mt Rushmore ahead of Luke or TD? 

Nope.

Btw we're not the youngest franchise. That would be the Texans. The Ravens you can debate somewhat with the whole move from Cleveland thing, but given the successful lawsuit that saw the franchises, records, history and intellectual property stay in Cleveland, where there is now a Browns team, I think common sense dictates that one of those two franchises is younger than us. Jacksonville is same year, so that's 3 teams that are as young or younger than we are. The next youngest franchises are the Seahawks and Bucs. Yeah that 20 years difference certainly leaves them just bursting with tradition and history that we lack. *eyeroll*

[1of10Charnatives]

2 hours ago, onmyown said:

Your opinion and others seem to be based a lot off of being a young franchise, the youngest actually. When we have the history of other teams it’ll be easier to see the standouts. I mean some teams have a hundred plus years of history, then there are several with DOUBLE what the Panthers have. 
 

That’s a long time compared to the Panthers. Everyone’s criteria is going to be different but in another 25-50 years of Panthers football, as of now I only see Peppers and Smitty still being able to hold those spots and that’s why I previously mention longevity. 

When you talk about roots and history, the Panther just aren’t there yet. That’s a big reason our franchise record holders seem silly looking at other teams.

The game changes, owner changes, players change...we will have another MVP in the next 30 years.

Also, let me add this: 

Name a league MVP that isn't counted amongst that franchises greats, however much time has passed. 

Go on.

I'll wait.

[Tepper's Chest Hair]

1 hour ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

Also, let me add this: 

Name a league MVP that isn't counted amongst that franchises greats, however much time has passed. 

Go on.

I'll wait

I agree with you in principal.  But....Rich Gannon?  I guess it would depend on how long your "greats" cut off list and how many could be on it.

[1of10Charnatives]

3 hours ago, Tepper's Chest Hair said:

I agree with you in principal.  But....Rich Gannon?  I guess it would depend on how long your "greats" cut off list and how many could be on it.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1650300-the-25-greatest-players-in-oakland-raiders-history#slide3

bleacher report has him at 19 on the list of top 25, and the Raiders date to 1960, so that’s almost 60 years of history.

[XOBlackxJokerOX]

22 hours ago, Squirrel said:

Smitty peppers and luke. no to Cam. 

You've really gotta be hella biased to post something this dumb.

[XOBlackxJokerOX]

21 hours ago, mjligon said:

nothing epitomizes this fanbase more than suggesting we create a panthers mount rushmore with jake delhomme over cam newton

Maaaaan, what you said! It's quite telling, really. Blew by Jake's stats and accomplishments but yeah, let's throw him in over Cam. 

[thefuzz]

1 hour ago, XOBlackxJokerOX said:

Maaaaan, what you said! It's quite telling, really. Blew by Jake's stats and accomplishments but yeah, let's throw him in over Cam. 

You could make the argument that Jake was more important to the Panthers when he came along.  1st SB appearance.  First QB to start more than 3 seasons (kinda locked down the starting role).  Fan favorite.  etc....

Can you make the argument that he's better than Cam?  Hell no.  Not even close.

 

Currently mine would probably be Cam, Luke, Pep, and Smith, in no order.

I could also consider Mills, Gross, TD.

[saX man]

I have:

Luke

Smith

Cam

Peppers

CMC

Mills

TD is an honorable mention.  Maybe he has memorabilia in the Rushmore gift shop. Minter, Walls, Delhomme and Moose would as well.

[top dawg]

On 9/27/2019 at 10:02 AM, CBDellinger said:

No Sam Mills?  I mean they put the guy in bronze outside the stadium.  His words are the mantra, "keep pounding."

Fail.

It depends on criteria and perspective. 

I'm just gonna say it (though unpopular it may be): Mills was a Saint first and foremost. He was an excellent player, no doubt! He gave us some solid time toward the end of his career and transitioned into coaching, and leaves a legacy in his son. He was an inspiration & battled cancer like a warrior. Indeed, his statue is an honor to all that he stood for, overcoming and succeeding in the NFL and continuing to fight until he couldn't anymore. Honoring him with a statue is well-deserved. 

As for the so-called Panthers' Mt. Rushmore, I prefer Panthers-first players. Give me Pep, Smitty, Luke, and Thomas Davis. 

On 9/27/2019 at 9:58 AM, Squirrel said:

Smitty peppers and luke. no to Cam. 

As an avid Cam supporter over the years, I don't have any problem with this. People give you poo, but Cam needs to do more, especially be more consistent, before I'm putting him on the team Mt. Rushmore.

Everyone can't be on it, and that's what our Hall of Honor is all about. And, in reality, it's real, and this Rushmore thing is only a cute exercise in our minds.

Oh, yeah, that statue is real [the Mills statue (and the Panthers statues)! Y'all can have the other one.]

[Tepper's Chest Hair]

5 hours ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

bleacher report has him at 19 on the list of top 25, and the Raiders date to 1960, so that’s almost 60 years of history.

Thats why I put the disclaimer on how long the list is.  Barely cracking the top 20 (I saw a variety of lists that placed him in the 19-23 range) is sorta a grey area to me, but I can see both sides.

But to stay on topic, I can't put Peppers on the "Mt Rushmore".  While I love him, and what he has continued to do for the organization in his retirement, as a player he wasn't here when it mattered.  I don't fault him for leaving, but to me..that removes him for the Rushmore.

Mills, Smitty for sure.  After that?  I'd be hard pressed for anyone not Cam/Luke.  They've been the face of the franchise, supporting it on and off the field for a while now.