Games Matter Again

[L-TownCat]

Its been 4 or 5 years now since the Carolina Panthers have enjoyed even .500 football.  I remember the last day we could boast about a winning team, as most of you do as well, and it ended miserably. 

 

For years we have herded in and out of venues big and small, from bars to BofA Stadium watching a team struggle and flop like a fish out of water desperately searching for relief through dead eyes.

 

Through the years we have let the apathy creep in that can only be allowed by those who just don't have it in them to be crushed by disappointment game after game any longer.

 

In our misery came the anger and despair of a fan base teetering on the brink of Tampa-esque abandonment.   Fans no longer knew who to blame for the disaster on the field each and every week.  Coaches, players, GM's, injuries, the Owner, even fans were thought to be a problem.

 

Then it happened.

 

After what looked to be another lost season, fans were already jumping ship preparing for the coaching search and even scouting potential draft picks.  The Panthers clawed their way back to .500 for the first time in what feels like decades. 

 

Here we are with a chance to have a winning record in October!!  This has led to shock and discomfort for a lot of fans whom have gotten comfortable in not having anything emotionally invested to this team to shield from the inevitable pain of loss.

 

I see threads on the Huddle with fans referring to an "uneasy feeling".  I would like to clear this up if I may.  It's not that you are feeling dread or fear, it's that nervousness that so many of us have forgotten.  It only comes to the surface when we have something to lose. 

 

Remember your feeling during the playoff runs, that adrenaline pumping, fist shaking, excitement that we knew were just butterflies before our next victory!  Those same feelings are beginning to surface again.  Do not be afraid of them!  Just as the team has had to learn how to win again, we, the fans, must remember how it feels to have a winning team again!

 

Embrace the "uneasy feelings" the "fear", and the butterflies. 

 

Games matter again.  This team matters again.  Most importantly, "that feeling" matters again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

tl;dr  fans feel uneasy, its not uneasy its just that they are feeling again because the games have meaning.

[Happy Panther]

Usually discussing the draft by this point. Feels strange

[Lemory]

Games have always mattered to me.

[The Huddler]

Win or lose, im preparing myself for us to go down there and completly beat their ass and make a statement.

I am so fuggin pumped for this game.

[L-TownCat]

Games have always mattered to me.

 

They have mattered to me too, but i would be a liar if I said those wins we've had after being eliminated from the playoffs really got me juiced up like I am now.

[mav1234]

so whenever games seemed to matter, the team has folded under Rivera.

 

so I'm not going to get excited until we win tonight.

 

if we do, then I'll start getting pumped.

 

This team has let me down before so I'm kinda pessimistic :P

[L-TownCat]

so whenever games seemed to matter, the team has folded under Rivera.

 

so I'm not going to get excited until we win tonight.

 

if we do, then I'll start getting pumped.

 

This team has let me down before so I'm kinda pessimistic :P

 

You have every right to feel that way.  That's the "I've been hurt too many times to come back that easy" defense mechanism and its completely valid in this instance.

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

fug fear and fug Tampa.

That is all.

[CRA]

so whenever games seemed to matter, the team has folded under Rivera.

 

so I'm not going to get excited until we win tonight.

 

if we do, then I'll start getting pumped.

 

This team has let me down before so I'm kinda pessimistic :P

the tone around here is nearly identical to before our Thur night game last year.....that is what scares me.

 

If Cam (who is a streaky player), isn't "on".....we can find ourselves in a tough situation

[pdub0702]

I'm still haunted by that dreadful game against the Cardinals. However, you're right, it's good having that "Feeling" knowing there's something to lose again.