Panthers' Fans, BEWARE!

I try to stay as objective as possible when it comes to writing my blog about sports.  But, like any other sports fan,  I have my favorite teams.  I back the Pittsburgh teams (Penguins & Pirates).  I also back Chicago's Southside teams (White Sox & BlackHawks) but not the Cubs or Bulls.  But, most of all, I do NOT back the Bears or the Steelers.  Why?  Because I'm a die-hard Charlotte sports fan and I bleed Black and Blue!!!

I moved from Syracuse, NY to Charlotte, NC in 1995.  That was the same year The Carolina Panthers played their inaugural season.  In Syracuse, all we had was the Syracuse University teams to root for.  So, moving to Charlotte gave me the chance to love PROFESSIONAL sports.  Not only did The Charlotte Hornets exist with Mugsy, L.J. and Zo', but I just got a brand new football team as well!  Needless to say, I was overwhelmed with joy that pro sports were so close to me. (And that the closest professional football team to me was no longer the Buffalo Bills!)  I sincerely felt like this Carolina Panthers team was created just for my arrival to the Queen City of Charlotte.

But I soon realized what kind of fanbase was here.

As much as I hate it, there are fair-weather fans all over the Carolinas.  When the team is doing good, they are "lifelong, die-hard fans".  When they have a bad season, these fans somehow transform into Cowboys, Steelers and Redskins fans real quick!  I hate it.  If the Panthers, God forbid, lose a game here or there, these so-called fans will jump off the bandwagon fast!  I hate it, but I say good riddance!  The REAL Panthers fans don't need to carry the dead-weight and we aren't begging anyone to love what we know is the best team in the NFL.  Love us or leave us, period!  But, with all of that said, I have to say to any TRUE Panthers fan: BEWARE!

This 2016 season holds a lot of expectations for The Carolina Panthers.  But!  I say to any real Panthers fan: You have to be realistic!  Last season, the injury plagued Panthers squad improbably went 15-1 during the regular season and made an appearance in Super Bowl 50.  They did so without their star wide-receiver, without a solid secondary, and a makeshift offensive line.  Under the leadership of veterans Ryan Kalil and Thomas Davis along with young leaders like Luke Kuechly and "Superman" Cam Newton, they overcame long odds and went to the Super Bowl.  However, as much as I hate to say it, the 2015 Panthers were probably the WORST team in modern NFL history to reach the Super Bowl.

The Panthers are back to play this season with pretty much the same group of players, if not an improved, more talented squad.  But, now every team and fan knows how good the Panthers really are.  Last year, even with a perfect record through 14 games, I think that a lot of teams doubted how good we were, like our wins were a fluke.

If you're a real fan, you will remember that half of our victories were a lot closer than they should have been.  There were a lot of games where we only played one solid quarter.  There were a few 2nd half comebacks that we almost lost as well.  But the team persevered and, ultimately, we won those close games.

Bottomline: You can't expect the same results this season!  Sure, I think the Panthers are a Super Bowl caliber team, especially considering last seasons' roster wasn't nearly as talented as this year's.  However, in the NFL, wins are hard to come by.  If we let teams come back on us or play sloppy for 45 minutes, the chances for a Panthers victory are now slim to none.  I expect to lose a few games we shouldn't lose.  I also expect to DOMINATE a few teams that are favored to win against us.  But, love it or leave it, that is the rollercoaster-like team I am accustomed to love here in Carolina; there's a reason we are nicknamed "The Cardiac Cats".

The Carolina Panthers are back in action August 11th, 2016.  They will play up in Baltimore against the Ravens in the 1st preseason game for both franchises.  I can't wait to see how this team compares to the Super Bowl team of last year.  But I do not expect the Cinderella season of 2015.  My expectations are more realistic.  I expect an elite team that will, through ups and downs, win the franchise's 1st Super Bowl.  Black and Blue!!!


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PED's: Ruining Sports Or Just Commonplace?

Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) are everywhere in the sports world.  This is not a breaking news/whistle-blower type of situation.  When someone hears about PEDs, pictures of Mark McGuire or Barry Bonds crushing baseballs over the fence and gaining record-breaking home run statistics is what usually comes to mind.  Also anabolic steroids and HGH (Human Growth Hormones) are what people think of first.  But not all PEDs that are taken by athletes are meant to help build the body.  Some just help their minds.  The most widespread of all PEDs are prescription and street drugs that can help athletic performance in various ways.  With all the different types of sports being affected by PEDs, I have a question: Is it a problem?  Or is this just the way it is and will continue to be?

I am a purist when it comes to sports.  I believe that if an athlete uses substances to enhance their performance, they are not legitimate athletes.  They are junkies trying to do something they can't by any means necessary.  If I were to pop about 60mg of Adderall and go play baseball, chances are I would be pretty damn good at seeing a curveball and ultimately get a hit or two.  Maybe even a home run!  I am not a professional caliber athlete though.  But under the right influence I could be.  Anybody could be.  Is that right?  I don't think so.

The late, legendary comedian George Carlin has argued in his book, "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops", that every single piece of equipment used in sports has been improved over the years.  And he is 100% right!  From football pads and helmets, baseball bats, golf clubs and balls, etc.  It goes right down the line.  So his contention is: Why shouldn't an athlete treat his body as just another piece of equipment?  Another tool, if you will.  Although he was a comedian, he made VERY intelligent remarks and had compelling insights as well.  This one excerpt from his book is no exception.  But my question is this: Is he right?

PEDs seem to be EVERYWHERE you look in sports: baseball, football, the latest "big deal" MMA (if you didn't know, then come on), all of the Olympic events, tennis, even cycling with Lance Armstrong.  Chances are, if you're watching a sporting event, whether collegiate or professional, around 70% of the athletes you see competing are under the influence of some form of Performance Enhancer.  It seems that even though an athlete can get in trouble with fines and suspensions from their respective sports, these penalties are not enough to deter them from using banned substances and PEDs.  But since there are millions of dollars to be made as an athlete, I guess it makes sense.

God only knows how long this has been going on throughout the sporting world.  I would be more forgiving if an athlete chugged 15 Red Bulls and ran out on their respective field of play to compete.  But the use of a hardcore, banned substances is a whole different story.  Anything that comes in the form of injection, pill, or powder (and I am not talking about Creatine) or anything you have to hide should not, in my opinion, be a part of sports and is considered cheating.  Not just cheating the sport of a given athlete, but the fans as well.  Fans who bring their children, spectating and paying hard-earned money to watch these so-called athletes perform.

Sports are something I love.  To tarnish any sport by cheating or gaining an unfair advantage is borderline sacrilegious to me.  Forget the New England Patriots and their "Spy-Gate" or "Deflate-Gate" scandals in the NFL.  Users of PEDs are by far the biggest cheaters.  I wish PED usage in sports would stop, but it probably won't.  Because, if what I think is true (that at least 70% of athletes use PEDs), than there wouldn't be anyone left to play or compete in the sports I love so much.  Sadly, at this point, PEDs have become synonymous with athletes and almost any sport you can name.


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Denver Broncos' Stadium In Financial Trouble, Local Marijuana Dispensary Willing To Help....

Apparently the famous Mile High Stadium is in financial trouble.  The stadium is sponsored by a now bankrupt Sports Authority company that left a big tab to pay.  There is still $20 million owed by Sports Authority to pay for their share of the stadium.  The only company willing to help pay the remaining sum is a marijuana dispensary.

Native Roots is the name of that dispensary.  They are a Denver based dispensary and willing to help a team, a city and its fanbase keep from having to pay the remaining $20 million.  I guess with a medicinal marijuana dispensary backing it, Mile High would absolutely, and almost ironically, be appropriate as the name for the Denver Broncos' stadium.

Native Roots is NOT looking to change the name of the stadium either.  They aren't in this to sell more of a product that already sells itself. They simply feel that Mile High Stadium is a name that is synonymous with the Denver Broncos organization and the city of Denver.  In a money-driven, billion dollar business world like the NFL, that's pretty admirable.  According to reports, another sponsor has until Monday, July 25th to outbid Native Roots.  However, I would REALLY love to see them be the primary sponsor.  If, for no other reason, than to inform people about what kind of quality products they can purchase at the Native Roots dispensary....The Mile High kind!

Click the link below to read the full article:
http://lastcallfootball.com/broncos-stadium-trouble/

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2017 All-Star Game Pulled From Charlotte Over HB2

Something I, as a Charlotte native, was incredibly excited about has been taken away from me and the rest of loyal Charlotte basketball fans, not to mention surrounding businesses.  Due to concerns over the now infamous House Bill 2, the NBA didn't want to ruffle feathers so they played it safe and moved their 2017 All-Star game, a weekend long event, from Charlotte to New Orleans. (New Orleans also robbed us of our number 1 draft pick a few years back but that's a different topic for another blog) It's not just the All-Star weekend that was taken from Charlotte, but also the economic stimulus that would have come with it. Hotels would have been fully booked all the way out to Gastonia. Restaurants fully booked, streets filled with activities and fans, etc.  Bottomline: TENS OF MILLIONS of dollars are now gone from Charlotte and local businesses!  Tens of millions that would have been earned in only 3 days!

I'm not going to get too political, but this is just another thing our governor has done TO us and not FOR us. If he would have shown at least a bit of interest in making changes to HB2, the chances are good that the All-Star game and everything that came with it (among other things the bill has taken away from our state) would still be in North Carolina.

With that being said, I have to say the Charlotte Hornets' organization has been very understanding when they have every right to be furious. So, here's the Hornets' response to the NBA All-Star game being pulled from Charlotte, according to Hornets.com:

“We understand the NBA’s decision and the challenges around holding the NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte this season. There was an exhaustive effort from all parties to keep the event in Charlotte, and we are disappointed we were unable to do so. With that said, we are pleased that the NBA opened the door for Charlotte to host All-Star Weekend again as soon as an opportunity was available in 2019. We want to thank the City of Charlotte and the business community for their backing throughout this entire process, starting with the initial bid. We are confident that they will be just as supportive and enthusiastic for the 2019 NBA All-Star Game.”

Feel free to comment below.  I know this is a sensitive issue so I will stand back from the political side of it and focus on the sports side as a sports fan...This sucks!  I was really looking forward to the great city of Charlotte being on the map for one of sports' biggest events.  Celebrities everywhere, activities for fans, the Slam Dunk Contest!  All of it.  But hopefully in 2019, we will get to see the same excitement we thought we would see next year.

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Russia Banned From Rio Olympics, For Now

WARNING:  SEVERAL ACRONYMS AND INITIALS AHEAD!  SO STICK WITH ME:

Ever since the Winter Olympic games were held in Sochi, Russia in 2014, the whole world got fed up and has been relentless in finding what everyone knew but couldn't prove.  For decades, every country that competes regularly in Olympic events has accused the Russian athletic teams of using PED's (Performance Enhancing Drugs) to win events and bring home medals for their country.  Not just in the Winter Olympics, but the summer games and world championship events as well.  But nobody could ever prove that Russian athletes were using PED's to the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) or the IAAF (International Association of Athletic Federations).  These two groups monitor all worldwide athletic events to be sure the games, whether Olympic or not, are fairly played.

As it turns out, they weren't.

The ROC (Russian Olympic Committee) has challenged a ban that was given to their Olympic teams.  The ban was enforced by the IAAF based on tests administered by the WADA.  Russia wants their athletes to compete in the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Rio and denied that their country or athletes have used any banned substances.  But the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) has recently, based on the IAAF and WADA's findings, upheld the ban of the Russian tack and field team from competing in Rio.  Now the IAAF is demanding that ALL Russian athletes, PED users or not, be banned from the Olympics games.

The IOC (International Olympic Committee) was contacted by the IAAF and WADA  and urged to uphold the ban as well.  As of now the CAS will not let ANY of Russia's athletes compete in Rio due to the evidence against the ROC and the athletes of Russia, but the IOC must come to the same conclusion for a full ban.  The long-time suspicions of Russian athletes using PED's has finally been proven and it looks like we may not see any Russians competing in Rio at all.

With about a month still to go, I have a feeling that, maybe not all, but some Russians will be seen representing their country in the Olympic Games.  After all, if they got away with breaking the rules for this long, how can ANYONE stop them from bending them a little?


USA Today carries the bare bones of the story.  Click the link below to read their article:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/rio-2016/2016/07/21/cas-upholds-ban-russian-track-and-field-team-rio/87375964/


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Brock Lesnar Fails 2nd Sample Test

Brock Lesnar has officially failed a second sample test administered by the USADA, according to reports.  This is the second time he has been flagged for a banned substance found in a sample given to the USADA ( the United States Anti-Doping Agency).  However, due to the exemption bi-law, the results were non-admissible up until his fight at UFC 200 on July 9th, 2016 against Mark Hunt which he won by decision.  Both tests have now been brought to the NSAC (Nevada State Athletic Commission) by the USADA and could give Brock what all true MMA fans want: A two-year suspension that will likely make him retire from MMA and stick to his WWE career.

Mark Hunt called out Lesnar before the fight between them took place and said he was concerned about Brock Lesnar's exemption from pre-fight drug screenings.  Brock's response to Hunt was, "I'm a white boy and I'm jacked. Deal with it."  Well, now we all know HOW he got "jacked".

Although it is unconfirmed exactly what the substance found in both tests were, sources close to ESPN said it was the same anti-estrogen blocking substance named Clomiphene that Jon Jones tested positive for.  Clomiphene is used as an infertility drug for women.  For men it boosts testosterone.  Needless to say, boosting a man's testosterone can help athletic performance in various ways including strength and stamina.  Like the stamina it takes to fight another man for 15 minutes in a locked cage and the strength it takes to keep him on the ground while punching his face.

Conspiracy theorists might say that Dana White knew this would happen.  They might even say that White doesn't care, that he is just looking to sell as many tickets to UFC events as possible.  Brock Lesnar is definitely a ticket-selling name to throw on ANY fight card including WWE events.  But that aside, one thing is for sure: Justice has been served, for now, and we won't be seeing Brock Lesnar in the UFC for a long time.  In my opinion, I hope never again.


Click the link below for ESPN's full story:
http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/17108509/usada-informs-ufc-second-failed-brock-lesnar-drug-test

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"Johnny Football" Is Gone; Manziel Rages On

WOW!  The player known as "Johnny Football" has been declared missing ever since he put on a Browns uniform.  The Texas A&M Aggie was a Heisman Trophy candidate and a phenom on the gridiron.  He could throw the ball like he was threading a needle, he could evade tacklers and run like a track star.  Bottomline: the kid had video game statistics every time he played in a game.  While playing for Texas A&M, the future for Johnny Manziel looked very bright indeed.  However, since he was drafted, the magic he possessed while playing in college has fizzled out.

That's just ON the field!

OFF of the field he has been arrested multiple times for charges ranging from assault to reckless driving (sometimes, incredibly, both at the same time).  But his most popular legal offenses always seem to stem from alcohol and drug abuse.  Its a real shame. When you saw that player from college rally his team like a true field general and play the game of football like he loved it more than life itself, you thought for sure he would have some sort of professional career ahead of him barring an injury.  But his talent hasn't translated to the professional level and he can't seem to stop himself from getting into legal trouble.

For some reason he is still playing in the NFL even though his statistics are weak at best and he is a CONSTANT distraction to the team.  Tim Tebow led a terrible Broncos team to a playoff victory but could never find a place in the league, yet Manziel keeps getting second chances.  Maybe there is still something left in the tank for the player the Cleveland Browns thought they had drafted, but it's doubtful.

I don't know what the future holds for Manziel, but it doesn't look good.  What is certain is he will face a four-game suspension to start this season and the Browns don't have a better quarterback than him.  With his God given talent it is truly a shame that his immature actions can't stop long enough for him to have a career.  Cleveland Browns fans are some of the most loyal in the NFL and deserve better than a rich, immature kid who wastes his talents and commits crimes.

He recently apologized to his Texas A&M fans via Twitter.  Click the link below:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/17103327/johnny-manziel-apologizes-fans-twitter-vows-back

Click the link below for his latest comments according to Yahoo.com:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/johnny-manziel-wants-to-play-again-wont-vow-to-stop-drinking-164401794.html

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RB Arian Foster Signs One-Year Deal With Miami

Something the Miami Dolphins sorely need is a superstar caliber player that they aren't overpaying.  And they just got one in workhorse runningback Arian Foster.  Foster, a four-time Pro Bowler, is coming off an injury that kept him out most of last season.  He just signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Dolphins that has potential to pay him $3.5 million more in incentives, according to initial reports.  Needless to say, Arian Foster is a highly talented runningback that can help a struggling, yet talented Miami offense.  Dolphins Quarterback Ryan Tannehill along with wide receivers Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry should now be able to throw a balanced and potentially dangerous offensive attack at opponents this season.  With more free agents still floating around as the season draws closer, it should be interesting to see who else gets a new team.

Click the link below for ESPN's report of the Arian Foster signing:
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/17101724/arian-foster-agrees-1-year-deal-miami-dolphins-agent-says

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Charles "Peanut" Tillman Retires After 13 Seasons In The NFL

Well, the "Peanut Punch" may be gone, but Charles Tillman's influence on the Panthers' stellar defense did not go unnoticed.  He unselfishly taught each of his defensive teammates his patented technique and it was henceforth dubbed "The Panther Punch".  Aside from his single season affiliation with the Carolina Panthers organization, Charles Tillman had one hell of a career.  He was a second round pick for the Chicago Bears in 2003 and helped the Bears organization become a feared, defensively solid team for 12 seasons that was always in the playoff hunt and a Super Bowl contender as well.  During those 12 seasons he was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and a First Team All-Pro selection.  He also won the coveted Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2013 for his charitable contributions off the field.

Then the injury bug came crawling along.

After missing most of the 2014 season for Chicago because of an injury, he was released by the Bears.  Tillman signed with the Panthers where he had an impact no one expected.  He was immediately named the Panthers' starter opposite an unproven but talented Josh Norman who was a first year starter, but a fourth year player.  He helped Norman develop into his widely known persona "J-No" who single-handedly won two close games for us against the Buccaneers and the Jaguars at the beginning of the 2015 season.  Under Tillman's tutelage,  Norman went on to get his first Pro Bowl selection and First Team All-Pro selection.  "Peanut" started 12 games of the season but was plagued with an ACL strain that took him out in week 10.  He came back to play for the last 3 games of the 2015 season only to tear the already strained ACL completely and sit on the sidelines for the remainder of the year.

Charles "Peanut" Tillman announced his retirement from football late Monday, July 18th, 2016 via Twitter @peanuttillman.  During his career, he recorded 44 forced fumbles with his "Peanut Punch" technique, 12 fumble recoveries, 911 total tackles, 38 interceptions, 126 pass deflections, 3 sacks and 8 defensive touchdowns.  Last season with the Panthers he had 55 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, 7 pass deflections and 1 fumble recovery.

Although he was only with the Carolina Panthers' organization for one season, it feels like a Thomas Davis type of figurehead has left Panther Nation.  Almost as if someone that has been here for their entire career had to retire.  That should tell you all you need to know about his character, his immediate leadership and his undeniable heartfelt performance.  Even though we got the "old" version of Charles Tillman, it was by far one of the best decisions we have ever made as an organization.  To have him come here and perform the way he did, take on the leadership role and embrace it speaks volumes about who Tillman is as a player and as a human being.  When all is said and done, we can look at the last season of his career alone and see the impact Charles Tillman had on the the game of football.  He taught this young group of Carolina Panther players, who are full of potential, exactly what it takes to be a "Peanut".

Click below to see a video where he announces, officially, his retirement:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=17102847


Click the link below for NFL.com and their full story on Charles Tillman's career:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000675392/article/veteran-db-charles-tillman-retires-after-13-seasons


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$2.5 Million Cheater Is Ruining the UFC, But Did They Allow It?

I said this would happen before UFC 200:

$2.5 Million to a man who used his raslin' credentials to get him into MMA. Sure, Brock Lesnar was an All-American wrestler in college, but that was over a decade before his debut against Frank Mir in 2007. When he retired from MMA and went back to the WWE, most MMA fans were happy to see him go. When he announced his return in June, some fans were suspicious whether or not Lesnar was serious or just testing the waters of MMA again. He was also exempt from any form of drug testing that is mandatory for all fighters that compete. Exempt because of a USADA bi-law that exists (and was conveniently enforced by Dana White to sell more tickets, I'm sure) because the UFC and WWE had to work out a contract that would allow Lesnar to fight at UFC 200 while maintaining his WWE status. Mark Hunt, his announced opponent for UFC 200, expressed his concerns with this before the event and was ignored by the UFC and mocked by Lesnar. Brock replied to Hunt's concerns with the comment, "I'm a white-boy and I'm jacked. Deal with it." Yet here we are, talking about a doping violation that will have Lesnar rigorously drug-screened over the next few months. He will be screened as an MMA fighter even though he will be competing at SummerSlam (a WWE pay-per-view event) within the next month. 

I said this would come out before the event took place. Jon Jones was pulled from the main event two days before he was set to unify his light-heavyweight title against bitter rival Daniel Cormier because of an "alleged" banned substance found in a urine sample that was administered mid-June. That fight alone was worth the price of admission. The UFC gave Cormier preferential treatment and his opponent was, instead, Anderson Silva who was 7 weeks removed from gallbladder surgery and had not trained for months. So Jon Jones, their #1 All-Time Fighter according to their countdown leading up to UFC 200 entitled "The 200 Greatest Fighters of All Time" missed out on millions of dollars. (Reports later indicated it could have been an 8-figure payout) On top of that, Meisha Tate had her biggest payday at UFC 200 and still only made $100,000. That's less than 5% of what the suspected cheating "WWE Superstar" Brock Lesnar made and he isn't even a ranked fighter like Tate. (Meisha Tate was the Batamweight Women's Champion until Amanda Nunes took home the strap at UFC 200 after submitting Tate in the first round) If a champion who is headlining the self-proclaimed "Greatest Card Ever" is making less than the rest of the fighters competing that night, something is wrong. The UFC is officially a hypocritical organization that is getting hard to stomach. With more and more fighters that are top caliber, world-class athletes making the switch to Bellator, it's not hard to see why.

Click the link below for Mark Hunt's own words and his ultimatum to the UFC:

http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/story/ufc-mark-hunt-erupts-after-brock-lesnar-flagged-for-potential-doping-violation-071616

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Von Miller Re-Signs with Broncos for a Record Deal

NFL Live and ESPN turned into "The Von Miller Show" on Thursday. A place where every analyst was suffering from amnesia apparently. They all think this guy "earned" his 6-year, $114.5 million ($70 Million guaranteed) payday. They also have the nerve to call Miller the "Greatest Linebacker in the Game Today" while the Luke Kueckley fan-base holds back their laughter at the notion that Miller could EVER do what Luke does on a consistent, season-in, season-out basis. The Super Bowl 50 MVP was the difference in the Carolina Panthers winning or losing the "Big Game". Because of this, he talked mad trash about the Panthers, said how great HE was (not his team) and then refused to sign with the Broncos this offseason until he got what he wanted which was a huge blow to the loyal Denver Broncos fans. Not to mention his teammates, the front office who stuck with him, or the coaching staff that was counting on their "captain" to return and be the anchor for a scary Denver defense. This steroid-abusing, Steve Urkel lookin' cheater got what he wanted though and proved one thing: In real life the good guys don't win, the bad guys do. So raise a glass to another cheater, another villain getting a free pass because of a single, solid performance. Floyd Mayweather (Wife-beater/fight-ducker), Tom Brady (Various infractions including "Spy-Gate" and "Deflate-Gate"), now Von Miller. Just another name you can add to the list of many athletes who are in a status where all is forgiven if you perform.

PLEASE, let's not forget how 2013 went. Click the link below for a reminder.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9707976/von-miller-denver-broncos-urine-collector-tried-cheat-test

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