Carolina Panthers

The 1993 NFL season was one of the most important ones in the history of the Carolina Panthers. The team was neither a member of the league nor did it have a name, but it was in that October that the NFL owners decided to award the both of the Carolina's with an expansion team. Later on the team selected Charlotte as its home with the nickname and mascot the panther.

Almost overnight, the team went from being a new member of league to a Super Bowl contender. The teams second season in the league saw them post a 12 - 4 regular season record, led by the brilliant running of Tim Biakabutuka. However, despite this success, the team would fail to advance to the Super Bowl.

Despite the teams youth, many stand out players have worn a Carolina Panthers jersey. Heisman trophy winning Quarterback Chris Weinke helped lay the foundation for a successful first decade of the 21st century after being drafted by the team in 2001. This began a chain of events that culminated in their advancing to the Super Bowl at the conclusion of the 2003 season. Entering as a wild card team, they reeled off a series of upsets, before losing to the New England Patriots by a score of 32 - 29. The game was even closer than the final score, since Jake Delhomme had given the Panthers the opportunity to still will the game as time ran out.

Pro bowl caliber Running Back D’Angelo Williams has made significant contributions to the Carolina Panthers. Drafted in 2006, he is a current member of the team, holding many of the teams rushing records with the prospect of establishing high standards for all future Panther running backs.

Since the Panthers do not have a long history, the team has left the original Carolina Panther jersey design relatively intact. For their home games, the panthers uniforms are all black, with blue trim around the shoulders and neck. For away games, the uniform is all white with blue trim around he neck and shoulders. For their alternate uniforms, the uniform is blue, with black lining around the shoulders and the collar.

One of the nice things about a Carolina Panthers jersey is that with the newness of the team, there are no long standing rivalries. Instead of tradition, the aura of newness and the promise of treading uncharted territory is associated both with the team and its uniform.

So when you purchase some Carolina Panthers memorabilia, realize that you are not associated with one of the storied sports franchises. Instead, you have decided to support a new team that frowns upon tradition. While some teams look to the past and their impressive achievement, the Carolina Panthers are creating their tradition, writing their history, and looking toward a very promising future.