Bill Buckner and Jake Delhomme

[SIGCHI222]

After listening to Jake's interview today on WFNZ, a walk down memory lane was only natural. During the interview he spoke so highly of Charlotte and Jerry. I couldn't resist typing his name into Wikipedia for a memory jog. He did a lot here, both good and at the end...really bad.

Can't help but think, if these Panthers win a Super Bowl, I hope Jake can come back one day to BOA and get the reception he deserves just like Buckner did after the Sox won it all.

Jake didn't make that one critical mistake like Buckner did, but that one game has had almost the same effect. A good player and a good man is a shunned by many in a fan base that used to shout his praises. How quickly we forget how far he took us. No one probably feels worse about how things ended than Jake.

On Opening Day, April 8, 2008 Bill Buckner threw out the first pitch of the season for the Boston Red Sox, celebrating their previous year's World Series Championship.

"I thought the ovation was incredible," Bruschi said. "You could see the emotion on his face. I don't know if it was cleansing or not. To see the ovation he received in this park, especially, it gave me a good feeling. I can imagine what it did for him."

"No one played harder than Bill. No one prepared themselves as well as Bill Buckner did, and no one wanted to win as much as Bill Buckner.

I hope one day soon, the almost exact same words are written about Jake Delhomme as we open the season as defending Super Bowl Champions. Maybe then all of us, not just some of us can forgive Jake and give #17 a standing ovation on opening day as he is introduced at midfield to toss the coin.

Jake wasn't perfect but he was one hell of a Panther.

[philw5289]

carolina fans are different. not many people are mad at john kasay for blooping the ball out of bounds. i wish we would sign jake though for this year and have him retire a panther

[jasonluckydog]

That was a great read!! Thanks

[tukafan21]

I'm still a big Jake fan and I think you're right, people don't have the hatred towards him like Boston fans do/did have towards Buckner.

I'm not really angry at Jake per se, but just angry at that game in general I think, which of course mainly is because of Jake. I may not be old enough to remember some of the earlier teams in Panthers history, but that team was special and I'd have to say the best team we've had in our history, so going out the way we did just hurt a lot.

I do think Jake will forever be loved by Panther fans, and it's a shame he couldn't have been here a few more years because if he was, I think he'd have had his #17 retired eventually

[Carolina_Champ]

I agree with this 100%. If you followed Carolina closely from 2003 to 2010 and you still have a sour view of Jake you're honestly not giving him the credit he deserves.

[L-TownCat]

Jake Delhomme is my homeboy. Loved him then love him now. Still have his jersey on the wall along with his autographed pics. I was at that playoff game. Lord knows how it hurt. But it's in the past god bless the rajun Cajun.

Edit: also have a box of Jake Flakes!

[TruCatzFan]

OP is 100% spot on... 2008 seemed too good to be true, we had two 1,100 yd backs... The Big Cat was suffering the health problems, and got his heart transplant. It just seemed as though it was our destiny to win it all that year... The storyline was practically writing itself...We all know what happened, no need to revisit it. I'm still kind of salty about it though tbh... I hope that one day I can forgive him... And I also hope that it's soon.

I'll never forget watching the first qtr of that game in the hangar waiting to fly out of Afghanistan... Only to learn of what transpired afterwards when we layed over in Germany... Why I put myself through the pain of watching it when I got home, I'll never truly understand... Yep... I'm still fuggin pissed Jake.

[SIGCHI222]

That was a great read!! Thanks

Wow! No thank you. I thought I was going to get flamed. He was a good Panther and doesn't deserve this poo that follows him. Thanks brother.

[SIGCHI222]

I'm still a big Jake fan and I think you're right, people don't have the hatred towards him like Boston fans do/did have towards Buckner.

I'm not really angry at Jake per se, but just angry at that game in general I think, which of course mainly is because of Jake. I may not be old enough to remember some of the earlier teams in Panthers history, but that team was special and I'd have to say the best team we've had in our history, so going out the way we did just hurt a lot.

I do think Jake will forever be loved by Panther fans, and it's a shame he couldn't have been here a few more years because if he was, I think he'd have had his #17 retired eventually

If we win it all before Jerry expires we just might.

[SIGCHI222]

I agree with this 100%. If you followed Carolina closely from 2003 to 2010 and you still have a sour view of Jake you're honestly not giving him the credit he deserves.

TY, I was afraid to post this when I was finished and was about to click on "Add reply". He was only a cog, but he was a good cog during his tenure. Thanks for not throwing me to the Hounds of Hell.

[TruCatzFan]

I wonder how many people were thinking Brenson Buckner before they actually read the thread...

[SIGCHI222]

OP is 100% spot on... 2008 seemed too good to be true, we had two 1,100 yd backs... The Big Cat was suffering the health problems, and got his heart transplant. It just seemed as though it was our destiny to win it all that year... The storyline was practically writing itself...We all know what happened, no need to revisit it. I'm still kind of salty about it though tbh... I hope that one day I can forgive him... And I also hope that it's soon.

I'll never forget watching the first qtr of that game in the hangar waiting to fly out of Afghanistan... Only to learn of what transpired afterwards when we layed over in Germany... Why I put myself through the pain of watching it when I got home, I'll never truly understand... Yep... I'm still fuggin pissed Jake.

TCF, I had a feeling you might comment on this. He was a good Panther. Couple of breaks here and there...Ring of Honor.

Thanks for acknowledging my thread. I don't know much, but I know I love these Panthers.

[Ivan The Awesome]

I remember when the Red Sox won that world series. I rooted for them before they won, just because I hate the Yankees so much. I still do. I don't follow baseball that much but keep in touch with Sox nation.

It was a good read. I miss Jake a lot but with him, it felt like one of those awesome relationships you had with this girl that came out of nowhere, the ride was awesome, then one day she fuged 5 guys and blew 2. Things went down hill from there.. You still think about her...she was fun and you appreciate the good parts and try not to remember the bad.

[SIGCHI222]

I remember when the Red Sox won that world series. I rooted for them before they won, just because I hate the Yankees so much. I still do. I don't follow baseball that much but keep in touch with Sox nation.

It was a good read. I miss Jake a lot but with him, it felt like one of those awesome relationships you had with this girl that came out of nowhere, the ride was awesome, then one day she fuged 5 guys and blew 2. Things went down hill from there.. You still think about her...she was fun and you appreciate the good parts and try not to remember the bad.

So agreed. I will never forget what bad you did to me, but I want so bad to thank you for all you did. Bill Buckner and Jake are one and the same. I pray to God I can be there when they start singing "Sweet Caroline" in New Orleans.