We gave up, they never did

[ladypanther]

We laughed (and cringed) when the players (and coaches) talked of the possibility of the playoffs during the losing streak.

 

If I remember correctly there was talk that Rivera had lost the team.

 

Well, it looks like that was wrong.  The players kept saying the right things.  Cam was losing but not moping. Rivera & Co made changes and kept he team focused.  They believed.  We did not.

 

Tailg8or has an amazing post about the opportunity this team has.   If you have not read it you must.

 

Our fan status was tested this season and most of us failed. Regardless of what happens Saturday I am very proud of this team and I hope I have learned from them.

 

This team has dealt with a lot of adversity.  I am not just talking about the football Greg Hardy type.  Start with DeAngelo losing his mother. His love for her and his devotion to working to find a cure for breast cancer has changed the NFL. It must be do hard for him now.  He keeps a smile on his face.

 

Greg Olsen's son...gee..had an additional unexpected heart surgery.  Greg spent nights at the hospital and days at practice. An wow did he show up on game days.  How he did it I cannot imagine.  He did this quietly, never talked about what he and his family were going through. Seeing TJ sitting on Sirr Purr's lap before the pounding of the drum Sunday was very,very touching.

 

Charles Johnson is dealing with the terminal illness of his grandmother.

 

And then there is The Car Accident.

 

Lose the locker room???? How in the hell did Rivera ever get their attention???

 

This is a team of extremely high character people.  Players and coach.  They deserve great fans.  I hope we work to live up to that.

 

I think the Panthers will win Saturday.  These guys have believed all along.  Should be easy for me now, right? And, well,  if that does not work out...... I am still glad I am a Panther fan.  This team has taught me this season to be a real fan.

 

[RoaringRiot]

I never gave up.

[PhillyB]

let's be honest, the only reason we even get to have this conversation is because the second place team in the NFCS couldn't muster a better record than 7-8-1. the only reason we're counting these hardships as memorable bumps in the road instead of kicks while we're down is because this division was historically pathetic.

 

but nobody could help that, and whether or not the team deserved our support before is irrelevant. they deserve it now. i can't fuging wait for saturday.

[BIGH2001]

Great post. This team is very inspirational for sure. They have come back from being dead to having the heart of a champion. A Super Bowl would be an amazing end but win or lose I am as proud of them as any panthers team other than 03.

[bigdog10]

Can't question this teams toughness.

There is a laundry list of reasons the guys could have packed it in, but they never did.

So many great examples of the keep pounding mentality. I have to think Sam would be proud of the character of this team.

[Jeremy Igo]

I gave up.

 

 

[PanthersClinic]

7-8-1 or 8-8-1 don't really mean anything. The Seahawks were once 4-3. It's all about what you've done lately. The Panthers are 5-0 and go against a 6-0 Seahawks team. That's how I see the game.

 

The NFL is a short season so you don't get the opportunity to develop as a team throughout a season. That's why we've seen teams with mediocre records like the Giants and Cardinals go all the way to the Super Bowl. All you have to do is develop and play your best football at the right time. Last year we peaked before the playoffs. This year we're right where we want to be.

[pantherclaw]

I never gave up.

Was hard to believe the rest of the NFC South was losing with us, allowing us to stay in the fight, and keep my hope.

[Pox 08]

At 3-8-1,  I was prepared to talk about the draft and how we can get better this offseason.  I gave up this season.   I'm so glad the team made me look like a dick...and didn't give up on the season.

[Frizzy350]

Thank the NFC and AFC North for putting an equal opportunity asswhoopin on our whole division.

[fieryprophet]

I never gave up but that's because I want to win even when we are eliminated and every win costs us a draft place because winning is what matters. All those late season runs to 6-10 and 7-9 have mattered and haven't hurt our drafts. In fact we had less pressure to take the right players simply because they fell to us.

[TheRumGone]

I remember a video on panthers.com around our losing streak where cam was telling the o lineman on the sideline "remember what coach said...." Something to the affect of let's keep this going, keep playing hard, play for each other type of deal.

But yea I gave up

[SZ James (banned)]

I gave up.

 

 

 

Same!

 

 

[Hammerin'Cameron34]

I never did