Sitting in the Boo Bird's Seat

I don't usually "boo" at Panthers' games, not even when the opposing team is announced - although I did yesterday because, come on, these were the Bucs running out of the tunnel and onto the field. And, okay, so I boo the refs too, sometimes, but more often I yell things at them like Did you leave your flag in your other pants? ... You stink ... etc. During timeouts, when it's kinda quiet I like to yell stuff like Hey ref! While you ain't doin' nothin', look up "holding" in the rule book! I bet it's in there! I suspend many of my manners and all of my knowledge of good grammar in the stadium. Occasionally, I will boo the play-calling, but that's touchy because the players don't know whether you're booing them or the coaches. Good news, though. The players don't care.

At least that's what it looks like from where I sit. I have not yet looked at the Sports page today and I won't until I finish this piece because I want it to be purely my reaction. I did hear a report on NPR this morning's local news segment that Kris Jenkins, a defensive tackle for the Panthers, is having a reaction to the team that is similar to mine. Apparently, he said his team plays with no heart. I think that's right and I think some people need to be called out:

I am sick and tired of one particular special teams/defensive player beating his chest and gesturing to the fans. After a goal line stand, in the fourth quarter, with the score 17 - 0, he comes out of the pile like King Kong. Like the defense did something. Let's first talk about the Swiss cheese defense that let the Bucs get down to the goal line to start with, shall we? This same player looked all mad-faced at the fans and waved his arms trying to get people to stand up and yell their lungs out. Well, we did that. We were there on the aforementioned drive and every other time you let a 3rd down convert to a first down. It gets old after awhile. The 4th quarter heroics that I'm supposed to stick around for? That's bulls#$t too. If you're too good to play the first three quarters of the football game, I'm not really impressed with your efforts after that.

The defense played much better in the second half in terms of keeping the Bucs from scoring, but time of possession KILLED us. It killed the offense too. People are always talking about how the offense needs to keep their defense off the field and fresh. Well, it works both ways. An offense needs to get the ball often enough to get into a rhythm ESPECIALLY with a "new" QB. Our defense kept themselves on the field, kept our rusty offense off the field and just let everybody down. And I'm not even going to talk about special teams. Note to players: You can't spot Jeff Garcia half the field and expect him not to thank you for it.

If it is true, as rumor had it yesterday, that one particular "star" of the defense came off the field cussing at the fans, I submit he was cussing out the wrong people, but it tells me a lot. I notice he doesn't talk to his teammates very much. In fact, none of the players seemed to talk to each other very much yesterday. I could randomly select 22 people off the street today and I bet we could generate more cohesiveness and camaraderie by tomorrow afternoon than I sense the Panthers have right now.

The coaching is horrific and I'm not just talking about play-calling (which is mind-blowing). The aforementioned cohesiveness, and a fire in the belly in general is supposed to be part of what a coach inspires in his players. But, hey, maybe we aren't paying these guys enough - players or coaches. Do you know why the fans went nuts cheering when David Carr did that tremendously foolish somersault for a first down? Because we were seeing fire and scratch and claw and "want" for the first time on that field. He wanted that first down. Fans - even the much-maligned Carolina fans (unfairly so, I still say - we're just like fans everywhere else) - will stay in a game with a team that looks like it's trying - win or lose. But from where we sit, what's going on on that field does not look like "trying."

Now - to the fans. Yes, I AM going to call you out too. A little bit. Get your butts in your seats BEFORE the kick-off, will ya? I know it's tough when the ticket reads a 4:05 start, but last week the late game started at 4:15, and your uncle says it's a 4:15 start only your cousin thinks it's 4:00, but come on. Would it kill ya to be on time?

To Jerry Richardson - I have a cold. I didn't want to have to yell yesterday at the game because it hurts my throat, so I was looking to buy a cow bell when my husband reminded me that no artificial noisemakers are allowed in the stadium. A cow bell? Are you kidding me? I can see not allowing air horns (you could put somebody's ear out with one of those), but a cow bell? Criminy, man. This is football. My sorer throat and I are very mad at you today too.

Anyway, what the Panthers are playing for remains a mystery. It isn't the money. It isn't each other. And it isn't the hometown fans - they've made that abundantly clear. The next home game is around Halloween. As my brother so wittily said, Hey! Maybe the Panthers could come as football players! Well, that'd be a trick. And it sure would be a nice treat.