The SuperBowl Blues

Or

How I Learned the True Meaning of "Keep Pounding"

As the last few seconds ticked off the clock last night I sat in my room and reflected on the 2015 Panther’s season. This was by far the best season that the Panthers have ever had. I didn’t get to see the Panthers lose in person. They won 14 straight games. They beat Arizona and Seattle in the playoffs. We had all the momentum in the world, and were set to win their first SuperBowl. Then the Denver Broncos happened.

I went into this game feeling way more confident than I probably should have, and I imagine a lot of you were right there with me. I had been at the two playoff games leading up to this. In those games we beat the ever living tar out of our opponents. We were able to impose our will at the line of scrimmage, and we made sure to limit our mistakes. Surely we can beat the Denver Broncos. Hell, apparently everyone in the media thought we would too.

From the very outset of this game I knew that things were not going to go our way. Denver’s pass rush was dominating us at the line of scrimmage. We had the early strip/sack that went for a defensive touchdown. The "no-catch" call on Jericho Cotchery. It seemed early on that this game might get out of hand. However, our defense kept playing the way that it has all year. The only offensive points scored by Denver were scored off of turnovers that gave them ideal field position. Towards the end of the game I realized that there was not enough time left and began to prepare myself for the impending loss. All the while I still had hope. This was exactly like the Seattle game. We were going to come back, drive down the field, and win with just seconds left. But then the clock hit 0:00.

I sat there on my couch with the TV off. My wife had already gone to the bedroom and was getting ready for bed. It was just me and my thoughts in a room filled with memorabilia for a team that I just watched get to the highest pinnacle of football and fail to achieve their goal. I paid to get tickets to every game this season (and the last 5 seasons) plus the post-season. I bought the jerseys. I cheered as hard as I could. I got sick twice from being at games. And we still lost. How can this be? It was our year. We were the better team. All of these thoughts played out in my head as I looked around at the different pictures on the wall. I was heartbroken.

Then I looked down at my arm. I looked at the fresh Panthers tattoo I had gotten back in December. I had gotten it right after the loss to the Falcons. Subconsciously I think I may have gotten it for this specific moment. I looked down and realized that I have this permanent reminder that I love this team just as much when they lose as when they win. The victories are great! But I still loved the panthers in 2010 when they went 2-14. No more and no less than I do right now. This isn’t Cam’s team. This isn’t Jerry’s team. This is OUR team. This is the team that I can rely on to give 100% every time they hit the field, and never hold anything back.

I looked up and the first words that caught my eye were printed on the inside neck of a jersey next to me. "Keep Pounding." It is said so often that sometimes I wonder if we lose sight of what the phrase actually means. It means, no matter what the opponent or obstacle, we will keep fighting to get to where we want to be. This was a terrible loss. It hurt even more knowing what kind of season that we had. But we can either sit around and pout about it, or we can Keep Pounding. I started to think about where the player’s heads must be and how upset they had to be. But I know that as soon as they get back to the Stadium the first words they see will be Keep Pounding. And they will. Because that is what the Carolina Panthers do.

Does it hurt to watch the Panthers come so close and fall short? Absolutely. But I feel better knowing that we have the type of team that refuses to accept losing as a way of life. We will keep pounding until we find a way to end up on top. Denver may think that they have beaten us and sent us home with our tails between our legs. But what they really did was create a bloodthirst. A thirst to get back where we belong. And nothing will stop the Panthers from achieving this.





"WE ARE GOING TO RELENTLESSLY CHASE PERFECTION, KNOWING FULL WELL WE WILL NOT CATCH IT, BECAUSE NOTHING IS PERFECT. BUT WE ARE GOING TO RELENTLESSLY CHASE IT, BECAUSE IN THE PROCESS WE WILL CATCH EXCELLENCE." — VINCE LOMBARDI