Great Article On Rivera's Bond with Miltary

[fieryprophet]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/page/veteransnflpanthers/veterans-day-2013-carolina-panthers-coach-ron-rivera-strong-military-bond?ex_cid=espnapi_public

 

Cedric King recently had returned from Afghanistan, where he lost his legs and part of his right arm after stepping on a land mine during a half-hour shootout with the Taliban. He was struggling to adjust to his new life -- lost, in a way -- when he got an invitation to meet Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera at the team's hotel in Washington, D.C.

Rivera, a former military brat, had gotten King's name from a member of his staff who knew he was a Carolina fan. After a few minutes of hearing his story, Rivera asked King what motivated him.

"Living!" King told him.

So Rivera asked King, a Sgt. 1st Class with the 82nd Airborne, to share his message with the 1-6 Panthers the day before they faced the Redskins.

The next day, Carolina won.

[PanthersAlv]

Very cool article!

Next week with the Panthers Purple Heart thing should be even more special with a HC like Ron at the helm and leading by examples like this.

[dkmilitary]

Here is the video link of the talk Cedric gave volume is a bit low and a little hard to hear. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10ATu9uMAlM&feature=youtu.be

[Toker Smurf]

Just read this and came to post. Makes me proud to have him as coach.

[Mr. Scot]

Great story :D

[L-TownCat]

I <3 Riverboat

[therealmjl]

Holy poo. What a great story.

Got me choked up and poo.

[rayzor]

 

"When I needed it the most, he and the Panthers were there leading the way," he said. "He sent me a text after they beat Atlanta, saying, 'We're fighting because you're fighting.' That's a guy right there that understands what's going on."

 

[ladypanther]

Read this article because it was on the list when I went to google news (hard to believe the Panthers made that list).

 

Everyone should read the article.  Incredible story.  I was tearing up reading it...only problem I was at work.

 

Ron Rivera is a quality human being.  

[Herbert The Love Bug]

I love that people are finally starting to realize how great rivera is and stopped saying such mean things about him all the time

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[Semaj]

Wow! Coach Rivera, I am sorry that I said you should go after the Arizona game. I was wrong. You are a good man. You are a man who is full of heart and had his priorities together. You are a fine leader of men. You are the reason we're winning and I now understand why the players have fought so hard for you. You are worth it. As a veteran myself, thank you for your dedication to our military. You are an American patriot.

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[Darknight]

I love that people are finally starting to realize how great rivera is and stopped saying such mean things about him all the time

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Winning changed people opinions of him.

[5158Poundin]

Wow.  That completely and utterly blew me away.  Cedric King has done so much in less than a year and what a humbling story.  I can see why both Rivera and the team are motivated.  This man has shown them by example how hard it is to climb the mountain and although it is hard, it can be done.  slow hand clap….wow, I am so inspired myself!!!

[Darknight]

I think that's incorrect. Me personally, I've always loved Rivera the man. He's widely respected across the NFL by coaches and players for a reason.

I like Rivera as a man and as a coach but I bet if we were not winning right now the majority on this board would care less what he is doing off the field because he wasn't producing on the field.

Now fast forward towards today. He's winning. People care about him now but wait until he starts losing again. People will flip

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