Mike Tanier Picks Panthers, Writes Poetically About Smitty.

[Stroupe-a-loop]

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/66401830/

 

 

Steve Smith made playoff magic exactly one decade ago Friday. He caught six passes for 163 yards in a playoff upset of the Rams, including a 69-yard touchdown pass in double overtime -- the greatest play in the greatest game in Panthers history, and one of the greatest playoff games in NFL history.

 

Yes, that was the same Steve Smith, not his father or some other receiver with the same name. He was the star of a playoff game that featured Marshall Faulk and Orlando Pace, Stephen Davis and Jake Delhomme, Aeneas Williams and Dan Morgan and … believe it … JASON SEHORN. He has been in Carolina the whole time. He has changed, as Pearl Jam would say, by not changing much at all.

 

 

Smith is also the chronicler of Panthers history. He was there for double overtime, for Jake Delhomme's Arizona meltdown and Janet Jackson's nipple. He was there for 2-14, catching passes from Jimmy Clausen and Brian St. Pierre. He broke an arm scoring a touchdown that did nothing but edge the Panthers closer to .500. He welcomed Newton and challenged Newton, and the current Panthers have absorbed Smith's personality in a way that recent Ravens teams became extensions of Ray Lewis. The Panthers are dangerous, daring and scrappy, and they are not quite as new to the playoff picture as they appear.

 

Prediction: Panthers 23, 49ers 17

 

I love Tanier, and he was big on this team before the season. Hope his faith, and ours, gets rewarded on Sunday.

 

 

 

[pepaw]

Thanks for posting. 

 

[Fade2BlackAndBlue]

Wonder if we win it all,Smitty would retire?

[Mr. Scot]

Wonder if we win it all,Smitty would retire?

 

That thought has crossed my mind.

 

[Guest]

Wonder if we win it all,Smitty would retire?

 

I think he would, personally.  

[Stroupe-a-loop]

Wonder if we win it all,Smitty would retire?

 

I think he would come back for one more year, fight Deangelo Hall during the preseason, get tossed from the game, do a victory lap, high fiving fans around the stadium, and walk off into the sunset.

[joemac]

Wonder if we win it all,Smitty would retire?

I reallllly doubt it. I think he still has 2-3 more years left in the tank, regardless of what happens this year.

[The_Cannon]

Great post. I hope we win it all for Smitty. Outside of JR nobody deserves a ring more than Agent 89

[Cyclonus]

Don't forget 2005 when Lovie Smith had so much confidence in his defense that he single covered Smitty.  LOOOOOOOOL!

[catnip]

Regardless of how this season plays out, Smiity can seal his HOF fate passing several players in the next two years.  We all know Smitty is worthy of the HOF, but there are some out there who give the Panthers no credit regardless of the records.  Smitty can become our first player to make the HOF and

rank a statue in his honor.  He has much to play for and our team needs a valued veteran to teach the young players how to ice it up and play no matter how the body feels and play with swag.  Keep pounding!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nctarheel0619]

Wonder if we win it all,Smitty would retire?

It would be fitting if he did.  

[Growl]

Smith would not have been available in the wild-card round. Next time you are having the water-cooler conversation about playoff bye week "momentum" and the wisdom of earning a week off instead of reaping the incalculable benefits of playing an extra game, getting more guys banged up and enjoying Wisconsin-to-California-to-Carolinas air travel/time zone shifts/weather changes, bring this week up. "Remember when Steve Smith got hurt and would not have been available for the wild-card game for the Panthers? I think a healthy Steve Smith was more important to his team than your wizard-riding-a-unicorn-through-a-rainbow 'momentum' theory."

..

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

Wonder if we win it all,Smitty would retire?

He's called himself a "numbers chaser" now, saying the main reason he keeps playing is to enhance his career stats. In that light, I think he gives it one or two more seasons regardless.

If he does get a ring and calls it a day, though, I wouldn't blame him.

[Growl]

Smith is also the chronicler of Panthers history. He was there for double overtime, for Jake Delhomme's Arizona meltdown and Janet Jackson's nipple. He was there for 2-14, catching passes from Jimmy Clausen and Brian St. Pierre. He broke an arm scoring a touchdown that did nothing but edge the Panthers closer to .500. He welcomed Newton and challenged Newton, and the current Panthers have absorbed Smith's personality in a way that recent Ravens teams became extensions of Ray Lewis. The Panthers are dangerous, daring and scrappy, and they are not quite as new to the playoff picture as they appear.

Smith must show up, with confidence, to one more Panthers milestone. History tells us that he will make a difference.

And this is awesome. Start believing in this team folk. It's appointed.

And 89 in playoff time? Yeah. I like that.