That reminded me.  It’s the Fourth of July.

See, I’m the oldest of the Fan Sided bloggers and I tend to forget things.  All these young guys (or punks as I refer to them) are planning a weekend of rabble-rousing, alcohol consumption, partying and generally being available to give the police something to do.

I, on the other hand, will be at home reading my new copy of Reader’s Digest.  At least, that’s what they think.  I ain’t that old.  Oh, yeah, and I ain’t dead yet either.  Those of us on this side of forty might show a little gray but we still know how to have a good time that doesn’t involve cow tipping.

So, the old man wants to wish you a happy Fourth of July weekend.  Please celebrate safely.  Be careful with the fireworks.  Don’t drink and drive.  Oh, yeah, one more thing - stay away from Pacman Jones’ house.  That’s just trouble waiting to happen right there.

Seriously though, this is the greatest of all the holidays this side of Christmas and Easter.  This is THE holiday.  This is a nation born as an idea, a concept that men are born to be free to do, think and write what we want.  And thank God that our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness can include writing a blog!  Without that I might not have anything to do.

It doesn’t matter what your politics are.  There’s no rule about what team you pull for.  Get out and celebrate this weekend.  Just do it safely!  And save a little time to check back here and read some stuff written by the old man the rest of the bloggers think is old enough that he was there when Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner.

Whoever it is that makes up the bulk of those in attendence at Carolina Panthers games, they have witnessed a lot of losses over the last ten years.

To break it down, since 1998 the Panthers have posted a combined 36-44 home record.  Simply not good enough.  Their road record is even worse, actually.  That’s a combined 35-45.  Again, not good enough.

One thing that separates great teams from good teams is the home record.  Over that same ten-year span, only one Super Bowl Champion, the ‘07 New York Giants, won the title with a losing home record.  (3-5)  No other Super Bowl winner since 1998 has posted a home record worse than 5-3 while five teams boasted an undefeated record in their own house.

The upcoming season looks promising at home.  Carolina will face only one team with a winning record from last year in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  All of the remaining seven home games next season will feature opposition from teams with a combined record of 44-68 from ‘07.

At the end of the team’s final Summer School session, the Panthers broke their final huddle with a collective chant of “Tampa!”  This signified their goal of reaching Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Fla.  If they are to achieve their lofty goal, the Carolina Panthers Must Protect This House - no matter who is in the stands.

They’re a cute little website but it seems to me that they’re just hungry for some attention.

They report that Brett Favre privately wants to play for the Carolina Panthers.

Agent Bus Cook has been yapping a lot over the past several months regarding the future of his star client, Brett Favre.

Most recently, we heard that Cook had been telling people that Brett still wants to play.  (Two days later, it was widely reported that Brett is telling people that Brett still wants to play.)

We’re now hearing that Cook is privately saying that Favre wants to play for the . . . . drum roll, please . . . oh, wait, it’s in the headline . . .Carolina Panthers.

I’m sorry, Mike Florio, I don’t believe this story.  There are a number of reasons not to.

First, Brett Favre is retired - for now.  If he wants to come out of retirement, and wants to play somewhere other than Green Bay, his agent is going to start name dropping just like this just to stir the pot.  It’s all a game to Bus Cook right now.  He’s just trying to position his client for a possible comeback.

Second, I don’t think he would see any playing time in Carolina.  At least I don’t think he would start from day one.  If that happened, where would his precious consecutive game streak be?

Third, Jake Delhomme is the starter.  Any coach who would bring in a guy at the eleventh hour to take the spot is playing with fire.  The delicate chemistry in the locker room would be destroyed.  The team would likely become split between the two quarterbacks.  But that didn’t stop Florio (the, ah, hem, genius who contributes to the Sporting News) from going further with the garbage he’s spewing.

We don’t know why Favre is eyeing Carolina.  Maybe he thinks that it’s the best place for him to step in as the starter, notwithstanding the presence of Jake Delhomme, and have a chance to win.  Or maybe Favre wants to play for a time that’s fairly close to his home in Mississippi — and that will play three division road games in that same general area as well.

Beyond the geography and a roster with the talent to compete in a wide-open NFC, Favre has no strong connections to the coaching staff.  Favre never has been in the same organization as head coach John Fox. 

That said, the quarterbacks coach, Mike McCoy, was on the Packers’ practice squad in 1995.

Whether Favre plays again and whether he plays for anyone other than the Packers remains to be seen.  But if he does play for anyone other than the Packers, his next team could be the Panthers.

Favre might have a chance to win in Carolina but if Jake stays healthy, Favre would be winning while standing on the sidelines with a clipboard in his hands.  What kind of comeback is that, Florio?

And about that geography lesson you provided all of us - I concede that Charlotte is closer to Mississippi than Green Bay (655 miles versus 1165) but the bigger part of 700 miles isn’t exactly putting Favre close to home.  (Suggestion - maybe Atlanta would be a better fit!)

Oh, and I’m sure that Mike McCoy is interested in upsetting the apple cart now to bring in a quarterback who might have something in the tank but whose very presence would likely be more of a distraction for his current starter and the rest of the team than he’s worth.

I’m going to spell this out - any team, ANY TEAM, that brings in Brett Favre is not getting what they think they’re getting.

Anybody remember this?  “I know I can still play, but it’s like I told my wife, I’m just tired mentally. I’m just tired,” Favre, a three-time NFL MVP, told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen in a voice mail message.

Brett admitted that he was tired and that he didn’t feel as if he could continue to dedicate himself to putting in the work necessary to prepare for games.  He did go on to say that the thrill of playing on Sundays was still there.  However, he felt like the rigors of the grind of all the work to be completed Monday through Saturday was just too much for him to take.

Now, I’ll ask you Mike Florio, and all Panthers fans, do you want a guy on the team at any position who isn’t willing or mentally prepared to do all of the work necessary?

I didn’t think so.  Mike Florio might think so.  Bus Cook might think so.

The problem is that they are both selling you a bill of goods.  Just not one as big as the one you would get by signing Brett Favre.

Negotiations on a long-term contract extension for Panthers DE Julius Peppers are ongoing, the way we hear it. Sources in Carolina say the team is in wait-and-see mode with its freakishly athletic star pass rusher, who had a career-high 13 sacks in 2006, and talks could heat up if Peppers comes to camp in good condition and shows the ability to shake off last year’s puzzling 2½-sack campaign. Peppers, 28, is in the final year of his rookie contract. Reports from a year ago said he wanted to become the highest-paid defensive player in the league, and Carolina seemed willing to oblige. Word is, despite his baffling decline last season, the Panthers aren’t expected to make Peppers a significantly lower contract offer than the one that was discussed last offseason. They still hold him in high esteem, as head coach John Fox has made clear in statements throughout the offseason, and slashing money out of the offer would be a hit to Peppers’ psyche right before the start of the season. He is known to be sensitive about such matters, and such a tactic would become distracting.

Does anybody know what happened to Julius last year?  Anyone?  Whatever it was, it sure put a hurt on his production.  That simply wasn’t the J-Pepp we’ve all come to know and love.

The team isn’t letting that one season impact their decision-making process or their negotiating.  How much they give him and the length of the deal are big questions and we all know that Marty Hurney isn’t in the business of reporting contract details.  We may never know.

Adam Best

I thought about it.  I mulled it over.  I spent many sleepless nights thinking up a scenario that made sense.  What you can read after the jump is my dream sports day.

Amazingly, John Smoltz has recovered and is starting.  He pitches a brilliant game into the seventh inning holding New York to only one hit.  Chipper Jones has homered twice and the Braves lead 2-0.  In comes Tom Glavine on only three days rest to close.  He is absolutely flawless closing the seventh with the final out and then through both the eighth and ninth innings.  The celebration will be on all night in Atlanta as we revel in both the World Series title and having vanquished the hated, Evil Empire!

Don’t you need a new one?

The Fan Sided Network has announced the latest addition to the lineup - a fan shop.

There you can shop for just about any article of clothing emblazoned with the colors of your favorite college and pro teams.

Check it out!

Thus far, we’ve covered great games and great performances.  There have been franchise-changing moments.

The number four moment was exactly that - a moment that would set into motion change that would forever alter the course of two teams.

#4.  NFC Divisional Playoffs - Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers, January 5, 1997

This game was a matchup of amazing stories.

First, the Carolina Panthers had accomplished what no other second-year expansion team in NFL history had ever achieved - they had won their division and had done so in impressive fashion.  they had swept the vaunted San Francisco 49ers and had posted a 12-4 record.

The Dallas Cowboys had struggled after winning the previous year’s Super Bowl defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The 1996 season was tough as they would begin the year 2-3 and finished 10-6 barely edging out the Philadelphia Eagles to win the NFC East.

The Panthers had earned a first-round bye while the Cowboys had defeated the Minnesota Vikings the week prior.  The stage was set for Carolina to host their first playoff game in the fledgling franchise’s history.

This game was close for a while but the Panthers’ defense swarmed the Cowboys heralded offense all day.  They held Troy Aikman to 165 yards passing and held Emmitt Smith to 80 yards on the ground.

Michael Irvin would suffer a broken collarbone on Dallas’ second offensive play when linebacker Lamar Lathon would drill him into the turf.  The champs were already without defensive tackle Leon Lett who was serving a drug suspension.  It didn’t end there.  The Dallas misery continued with a head injury to Deion Sanders late in the game. 

Aikman would throw three interceptions, including two in the fourth quarter, while trying to force the ball in to receivers who had seldom seen action during the season.  Dallas would drive inside the Carolina 5 yard line four times and would only manage one touchdown.

“It was the same story all year long,” Cowboys Coach Barry Switzer said. “We get down into scoring position and can’t get it in the end zone. It finally caught up with us. Our offense really struggled after losing Michael.”

The Panthers offense, meanwhile, did nearly everything right.  Kerry Collins would throw two touchdown passes - a one-yard pass to Wesley Walls in the first quarter and a ten-yard pass to Willie Green in the second quarter.

The Carolina rushing attack was also solid as Anthony Johnson posted 104 yards on 26 carries.

“What you saw out there is the essence of what our football team has been all year,” Carolina Coach Dom Capers said. “We play as a team and believe in one another. We hung in there.”

Still, the Cowboys were in it until the very end. They trailed by 23-17 when Aikman threw a deep pass down the left sideline for Kevin Williams. Aikman may have had Williams open for an instant, but safety Pat Terrell intercepted the ball (pictured) and returned it 49 yards to crush the final threat by the Cowboys.

The big difference in this game was the Carolina defense.  They harrassed Troy Aikman all day.  The two interceptions in the fourth quarter sealed the deal.  Sam Mills would also make a pick.

This game held a tremendous amount of historic significance.

The Cowboys dynasty was ending - they would finish 6-10 the following year.  The playoff win the week before is still the last time their franchise has won a playoff game.  They have since gone 0-5, ironically losing one game to the Carolina Panthers in the 2003 playoffs.

It was the expansion team that was headed to the NFC Championship Game versus the Green Bay Packers - a game they would lose 30-13 on the frozen tundra.  The 5 years that followed saw the team struggle to a combined 27-53 record with no playoffs appearances.  Dom Capers would be fired, George Seifert would be hired and fired all leading to the eventual hiring of current head coach, John Fox.

A wild, turbulent season ended for the Dallas Cowboys that afternoon as the Carolina Panthers rode a tidal wave of emotion and big plays into the NFC championship game. That their 26-17 victory over the defending Super Bowl champions was easier than virtually anyone expected made the day even more joyous for the roaring sellout crowd of 72,808 at Ericsson Stadium.

In one of the more humbling moments for a franchise not known for its humility, the battered and defeated Cowboys trudged off the field just as the the Panthers were returning for a victory lap that drew waves of roaring approval.

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Ten

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Nine

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Eight

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Seven

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Six

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Five

We’ve covered some very memorable moments thus far.  Now, it’s time to cover what really is a collection of moments.

The decision here to include this as the number five “moment” was made because what we witnessed was one of the great individual performances in team history and perhaps one of the greatest in league playoff history.

#5.  2005 Playoffs - Steve Smith versus the Giants, Bears and Seahawks, January 8-22, 2006

We already knew how good Steve Smith was.  Or did we?

From his second year in the league, he had been showing what he could do.  For four years we had witnessed Smith’s abilities - racking up 251 regular-season receptions to go with 3605 yards and 22 touchdowns.  He had shown an ability to take over games and personally make a mockery of opposing defenses.

Entering the playoffs after an 11-5 season, the Carolina Panthers were the fifth seeded team in the conference having finished second in the NFC South behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  That meant no first-round bye.  They would have to play in the Wild Card Round.

They would be matched up against the New York Giants in the Meadowlands.

This game wasn’t even close.

The Panthers defense would hold Tiki Barber to 41-yards rushing while the offense would use five consecutive third-down conversions in the first half to chew up 20 minutes off the game clock.  DeShaun Foster put up 151 yards rushing.

But this day belonged to Steve Smith.  Coming off a Pro Bowl season in which he had 103 catches for 1563 yards and 12 TD’s, Smith would not have a drop off in production.  Against New York he would account for 10 grabs for 84 yards.

The game would end in a 23-0 Carolina victory but Smith would post the only two touchdowns scored on the day.  One was a 22-yard TD catch and the other was a showcase of his speed on a 12-yard reverse.  He was simply unstoppable.

Maybe the Chicago Bears would have an answer for Smith the following week in the NFC Divisional Playoff matchup.

Nope!

The stakes grow with each round of playoffs and in this case Steve Smith’s game would be taken to the next level.

Carolina’s first score came in the first quarter.  Wouldn’t you know it?  It was a Jake Delhomme pass to Steve Smith covering 58 yards.  John Kasay would put up two field goals making the score 13-0 before Chicago could answer.

In the third quarter, with the game getting tighter at 16-14, the Panthers would extend their lead.  And again it was Jake to Steve.  This time from 39 yards and the lead was back to 9.

The Bears would continue to fight back but the Delhomme to Smith connection was simply too much as the pair connected 12 times for 218 yards and 2 TD’s.

It was off to the NFC Championship in Seattle to face the Seahawks.

The home team would come in relatively fresh while the Panthers would be without DeShaun Foster and Nick Goings.  Carolina could get nothing going on offense the entire game.  The Seahawks defense would blanket Steve Smith effectively removing him from the game.

With the game and the season slipping away and Seattle leading 17-0, Smith would provide a glimmer of hope.

He positioned himself deep downfield to return a punt.  Everyone in the stadium had to know that Mike Holmgren would elect to punt away from him but instead they would punt it to one of the best playmakers in the game.

There are Carolina fans who still swear that they knew that Steve Smith was going to take that punt to the house - I’m included.  The Seahawks had given knew life to the Panthers because this play was absolutely no contest.

Steve Smith, doing what he had done all season and especially all during these playoffs, raced past the defense for 59 yards and the touchdown.

The Panthers would prove to be too beaten and too bruised to hold up to the Seattle onslaught, however and would head back to Charlotte with a 34-14 loss.

What had been established in these three games was that Steve Smith was no fluke.  He could play against the best teams in the league and produce at anytime from anywhere on the field.  Fans from New York and Chicago will never forget this guy, that’s a fact.

In three playoff games, Steve Smith had amassed 27 catches, 335 yards, 3 TD’s, 4 rushes, 38 yards and 1 TD.  The message was loud and clear.  The best receiver in the league resided in Carolina!

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Ten

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Nine

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Eight

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Seven

Top Ten Moments in Panthers History - Number Six

The Carolina Panthers are in the early stages of signing their rookie draft choices. General manager Marty Hurney said Monday there’s nothing yet to report on the team’s two first-round picks — running back Jonathan Stewart and offensive tackle Jeff Otah. Hurney did say he expects an agreement to be reached this week with sixth-round choice Nick Hayden, a defensive tackle from Wisconsin.

Not that I’m keeping score or anything but we have 24 days to the start of training camp.  Does anybody remember a holdout last year by the team’s top pick Jon Beason?  It didn’t last long but holdouts are never the most welcome thing for rookies.

Keep in mind that Jonathan Stewart got very little work on the field because of that ignorant NCAA rule barring him from working out until his classmates back in school are free for the summer.  Also, Jeff Otah got limited reps due to a bad ankle.

Holdouts would not fit too well with a team with so many new faces.  They are expecting big things from these two guys.  Let’s hope Hurney gives us his normal, “We signed Fill in the Blank to a contract but we won’t release the details because it’s team policy,” routine very soon.

Could there be somebody in the blogosphere who could throw a little love our way?  If only it were true.

Daniel Evans at NFL Mocks has put together his latest power rankings.  This one has really gotten my hackles up.

Not only does he have the Panthers ranked 23rd, he shows an improvement in his ranking this week by one position.  Yes, he had them ranked twenty-fourth last time around!  Twenty-fourth!!

It boils down to this - if the Panthers are going to get any respect in ‘08, they are going to have to earn it on the field.