15 years ago today, X-Clown

[Mr. Scot]

Memorialized by Jourdan Rodrigue with the help of John Fox, Kevin Donnalley and Jake Delhomme...

Remembering X-Clown

Quote

“Ironically, we ran it in practice multiple times that week and Steve (Smith) and I never connected on it. He’d run up, like, start to run toward the corner and then put his foot in the ground and start to cut right across the safety’s face back to the post. In that Cover 2 area, that’s a huge void in the middle. And I would think he was going to take a high approach, so I’d go high. And he’d kind of flatten it. Then the next time he would take it really high and I’d flatten the throw. So we never hit it, and we were both frutstrated on our end. ... Dan Henning just knew, though. He said, ‘Y’all are gonna connect on it in the game, I’m not worried about it.’”

[Moo Daeng]

Still by far the most fun season of Panther football I have experienced. I attended just about every game that season as I had just moved back to Charlotte.

[Bronn]

Those were the true Cardiac Cats.

WR GOAT IDGAF

Better than Jerry Rice on Jerry's best day.

[ellis]

There’s no replicating 2003. It’s in a class of its own. What a great run. 

[Zaximus]

Can't view article because site is stupid and is behind paywall but, yeah that season was so amazing and nothing has lived up to it since, and nothing probably will.     That team has so much heart.

[cookinwithgas]

Mills and Fields, as well as Hope Stout, magnified the emotions of every win and loss that year. Every week there were new heroes or villains, less opposing team fans showed up every week, we had an aw shucks guy finally getting his shot QBing the team through all of it, and Dan Morgan literally killing himself every week. Only 2 years after going 1-15, which is why the bad years have their place too - when you finally hit some success it's way sweeter when you've been through a lot to get there.

[tailg8or]

I was at the game.  One of my favorite Panther moments.  Also, contrary to a lot of grief that St Louis got when the Rams left, it was a great place to visit for an away game.

[cookinwithgas]

I remember being exhausted after watching it on TV, being there must have been crazy. Downtown St. Louis is a great area, especially when there is an afternoon Cardinals game scheduled.

[mc52beast]

Remember listening to it on my car radio, almost t-boned someone when Smitty caught that ball.

[Davidson Deac II]

Love that play, but I got to admit I probably like this one a little more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HaVotL3nGA

[Mr. Scot]

That season really did have a magical feel to it, probably having a lot to do with the miracle finish in Week 1. That game set the tone for everything that came afterward.

During the playoff game, I was actually working in an office and sitting in the same aisle as a Rams fan. We had big TVs up watching the game, and he and I alternated between standing up and cheering and sitting down looking glum as the teams kept going back and forth.

Happily, I was the last one standing 

[Mr. Scot]

 

[Mr. Scot]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyxcYhxWwcg

Delhomme's face as he makes the throw...

Smith's face as he crosses the goal line...

[usmcpanthers]

I missed the whole reg season due to being in iraq, but I was home on leave after my first tour and was able to watch it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!