Carolina Panthers are playoff bound and fans are hyped!
ATLANTA’S WIN OVER NEW ORLEANS YESTERDAY. WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE FOR YOU ON ALL THE EXCITEMENT, STARTING WITH SPORTS REPORTER CHANEL PORTER. THE PANTHERS CERTAINLY HAD PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO CLINCH THE NFC SOUTH TITLE ON THEIR OWN IN WEEK 17 AT BANK OF AMERICA. AND THEN THIS PAST SATURDAY IN TAMPA BAY. BUT INSTEAD IT HAPPENED WHILE SITTING ON THEIR COUCHES, JUST LIKE THE REST OF US ON SUNDAY. GETTING THAT FRIENDLY ASSIST FROM ATLANTA. BEATING NEW ORLEANS. CAROLINA IS NOW HOSTING A PLAYOFF GAME AT BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2015, WHERE PANTHERS FAITHFUL. THIS CERTAINLY STILL FEELS LIKE A DREAM. IF YOU THINK BACK TO JUST TWO SEASONS AGO, WHEN FRANK REICH WAS THE HEAD COACH TO START BRYCE YOUNG’S ROOKIE CAMPAIGN. THIS TEAM WON TWO GAMES. NOW HERE THEY ARE PUTTING AN END TO A SEVEN YEAR PLAYOFF DROUGHT. JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING BACK IN BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM ONE MORE TIME. YOU KNOW WE LEFT THIS STADIUM AFTER THE SEAHAWKS GAME. NOT SURE IF WE’RE GOING TO GET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY, BUT TO HAVE ONE MORE CHANCE IN FRONT OF OUR FANS WITH THE ENERGY THAT IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY DOWN THE STRETCH THIS SEASON, IT’S A REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR US AND WE’RE EXCITED FOR IT. PANTHERS AND RAMS WILL REMATCH IN THE WILD CARD ROUND THIS SATURDAY IN CHARLOTTE. KICKOFF IS SET FOR 430 AND THE PANTHERS MAKING THE PLAYOFFS WAS, OF COURSE, THE TALK OF THE TRIAD. SURE WAS. CHRIS PETERSON CAUGHT UP WITH SOME FANS WHO HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING TO BRAG ABOUT AT WORK ON THIS MONDAY. YEARS OF FRUSTRATION ARE FINALLY OVER FOR PANTHERS FANS, AND THEY’RE FIRED UP ABOUT THEIR TEAM MAKING THE PLAYOFFS RIGHT NOW IS A GOOD FEELING TO BE A PANTHER FAN. IT’S A GREAT FEELING BY DAY. ELAINE BROWN IS A SUPERVISOR WITH THE CITY OF WINSTON-SALEM STREETS DIVISION, BUT ON FOOTBALL SUNDAYS, HE TURNS INTO THE MAD CAT, THE MAD CAT STARTED BACK IN 2014. IT WAS THE FIRST ANNUAL PANTHER PRIDE COSTUME CONTEST. I MADE A COSTUME JUST TO WEAR, TO HAVE FUN WITH. AND HERE WE ARE, 12 YEARS LATER, STILL DOING IT. BROWN. I MEAN, THE MAD CAT IS A SEASON TICKET HOLDER WHO SAYS HE’S SEEN MORE LOWS THAN HIGHS IN HIS TIME AS PANTHERS SUPERFAN, BUT THERE’S DEFINITELY AN EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR THIS SEASON. IT MEANS A LOT. I MEAN, IT’S A GREAT FEELING TO ALWAYS SUPPORT MY PANTHERS, REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF A GAME, BUT TO ACTUALLY BE IN CONTENTION AND TO BE HAVING ALL THE MOMENTUM AND ENERGY GOING AROUND MY TEAM RIGHT NOW CIRCULATING, IT FEELS GREAT. IT’S A SIMILAR VIBE HERE AT MOSSY EATS ALES AND SPIRITS IN CLEMMONS, BARTENDER JENNA SWAIN SAYS THE PLACE WAS PACKED ALL WEEKEND. SATURDAY, IT WAS TO CHEER ON THE PANTHERS, AND ON SUNDAY, FANS WERE ROOTING FOR THE FALCONS SO CAROLINA COULD MAKE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS. IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE EVERYBODY, LIKE, COME TOGETHER YESTERDAY AND CHEER ON THE FALCONS, YOU KNOW, HOPING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT HAPPEN. IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THE PANTHERS HAVE WENT TO THE PLAYOFFS. SO IT’S KIND OF EXCITING. IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A LONG TIME 2017 TO BE EXACT. SWAIN SAYS THE ENERGY IN THE RESTAURANT IS DIFFERENT THIS SEASON. YEARS PAST, IT’S LIKE, OH YEAH, THE PANTHERS, THEY LOST AGAIN. AND THEN THIS YEAR IT’S LIKE, OH, THEY’RE WINNING. OH THEY WON AGAIN. WOW. THEY’RE DOING LIKE REALLY GOOD. THE MAD CAT HAS A MESSAGE FOR FANS HEADING TO BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM THIS WEEKEND. IF WE DO OUR PART AS FANS AND REALLY PACK THAT STADIUM OUT, LET’S ROCK THE BANK. WE CAN DO THIS. WHETHER IT’S AT THE STADIUM WITH MAD CAT OR AT YOUR FAVORITE SPORTS BAR, PANTHERS FANS WILL BE DOING THEIR PART TO CHEER THEIR TEAM ON TO VIC
The Panthers making the playoffs was, of course, the talk of the Triad. Years of frustration are finally over for Panthers fans and they’re fired up about their team making the playoffs.Alain Brown’s day job is a supervisor for the city of Winston-Salem’s streets division. But on football Sundays, he becomes Panthers superfan “The Mad Cattah.”His alter ego was born in 2014 when he entered a Panthers Pride costume contest. Twelve years later, through thick and thin, “The Mad Cattah” is still hyping up fans at Bank of America Stadium. He said the vibe among Panthers fans is much different these days. For the first time since 2017, his Panthers are in the playoffs and the atmosphere is incredible.”The Mad Cattah” said, “It means a lot. I mean, it’s a great feeling to always support my Panthers, regardless of the outcome of a game. But to actually be in contention and to be having all the momentum and energy going around my team right now, circulating, it feels great.”It’s a similar scene at Mossy’s Eats Ales and Spirits in Clemmons. Bartender Jenna Swaim said working on Sunday when the Panthers are playing is much more fun these days.That’s what winning will do.Jenna Swaim said, “Years past, it’s like, oh, y’all the Panthers, they lost again. And then this year it’s like, oh, they’re winning. Oh, they won again. Wow, they’re doing, like, really good.”Whether it’s at the stadium with “Mad Cattah” or at your favorite sports bar, Panthers fans will be doing their part to cheer their team on to victory this weekend.
CLEMMONS, N.C. —
The Panthers making the playoffs was, of course, the talk of the Triad.
Years of frustration are finally over for Panthers fans and they’re fired up about their team making the playoffs.
Alain Brown’s day job is a supervisor for the city of Winston-Salem’s streets division. But on football Sundays, he becomes Panthers superfan “The Mad Cattah.”
His alter ego was born in 2014 when he entered a Panthers Pride costume contest. Twelve years later, through thick and thin, “The Mad Cattah” is still hyping up fans at Bank of America Stadium.
He said the vibe among Panthers fans is much different these days. For the first time since 2017, his Panthers are in the playoffs and the atmosphere is incredible.
“The Mad Cattah” said, “It means a lot. I mean, it’s a great feeling to always support my Panthers, regardless of the outcome of a game. But to actually be in contention and to be having all the momentum and energy going around my team right now, circulating, it feels great.”
It’s a similar scene at Mossy’s Eats Ales and Spirits in Clemmons. Bartender Jenna Swaim said working on Sunday when the Panthers are playing is much more fun these days.
That’s what winning will do.
Jenna Swaim said, “Years past, it’s like, oh, y’all the Panthers, they lost again. And then this year it’s like, oh, they’re winning. Oh, they won again. Wow, they’re doing, like, really good.”
Whether it’s at the stadium with “Mad Cattah” or at your favorite sports bar, Panthers fans will be doing their part to cheer their team on to victory this weekend.