Panthers Not Even Allowed To Practice At Boa Stadium Opening Week

[jtnc]

The Panthers are expected to hit the road in September when the Democratic National Convention comes to Charlotte Sept. 3-6.

The Panthers plan to practice in the Tampa area for at least part of the week of their regular-season opener at Tampa Bay on Sept. 9.

Barack Obama is scheduled to give his acceptance speech the evening of Sept. 6 in Bank of America Stadium. The Secret Service establishes a security perimeter for any public appearance by the president. That means extra scrutiny of vehicles and people entering the perimeter, and likely delays.

If the Panthers stayed in Charlotte, players, coaches and team officials would be subjected to an array of security checks any time they entered or left the stadium or the adjacent practice fields, which are likely to be within the security perimeter.

A typical game week for the Panthers includes treatment, meetings and film study on Mondays, off days on Tuesdays, and full-scale practices on Wednesdays and Thursdays before a Friday walkthrough.

With President Obama's speech at the stadium on Thursday, that schedule would be disrupted.

The Panthers have not yet announced their practice site in Tampa or the length of their stay.

http://blogs.charlotte.com/panthers/

Players probably aren't gonna like this.

[Frizzy350]

Kind of silly but whatever. Could be good for them, shake up the player's comfort zone earlier in the season. Get them used to be playing away from home.

[SCP]

I might be getting the hell out of here that week as well. 35,000 democrats in town complaining about our "back woods" city? Especially with the gay marriage deal in the books? Thanks for the economic boost but I might be watching from afar.

[Kyle82]

I don't plan to be anywhere near downtown that week either B)

[mwright350]

I might be getting the hell out of here that week as well. 35,000 democrats in town complaining about our "back woods" city? Especially with the gay marriage deal in the books? Thanks for the economic boost but I might be watching from afar.

Seemed like a good week to use some vacation time to me...I won't be within spitting distance of the city while they're here. Between them and the occupiers...ugh

[TheRed]

They will be fine. It's only one week.

[SCP]

Maybe somebody will actually go to the NASCAR Hall of Fame that week.

Bah. Who am I kidding.

[bauss]

fug obama.

[Hotsauce]

Obama to the Panthers...

[Shufdog]

Tinderbox, here we come!!!

[Cary Kollins]

[JakeFlake]

probably the best. With all the security checkpoints it would take them nearly an hour to get back to the locker room after practice, and then have their cars searched when the come in every day. Avoid the hassle, go practice at USF or some high school for a couple of days.

I wouldn't want to be around that circus anyway.

[SCP]

Plus Obama would be asking for Cam's autograph ever 5 damn minutes.

[Icege]

Something tells me that they'll be fine and are probably a little more open to the idea than most of the fans are (though no doubt they'd rather it be a "normal" week)