Everyone loves an un

derdog team, especially one that has a talented quarterback that “dabs” after he scores a touchdown. Whether you have supported them since the beginning or were just here for the ride, the Panthers had a spectacular season, although they lost the title of Super Bowl 50 winners, to the Denver Broncos on February 8.

The Panthers team was officially created 1995 and are a part of the NFL as well as the NFC’s (National Football Conference) South division. During their first few years, the Panther’s came up short in wins, losing at conference their second year and losing twelve games their fourth year. The fan base for the Panthers wasn’t necessarily with them through the tough seasons. In 2001, their regular season record was 1-15, and they were ranked worst in the league. During the 20 years the Panthers have been around, they have only made it to the Super Bowl twice now, in 2004 and 2016, and lost to the Patriots (2004) and the Broncos (2016).

The Panthers have never held a record of 17-2 before. It has taken them time, effort and a sense of team to come together this season. But all the hard work has paid off. The Panthers have obtained an enormous amount of fans (even if some are bandwagon fans) and made a national name for themselves by participating in this year’s Super Bowl.

In the East Meck community, there are many Panthers’ fans, who said they would support the team no matter what. Several interviews conducted before the Super Bowl show that the East Meck population believes in the phrase “Keep Pounding”.

Vice Principal Phillip Price remembers when the Panthers first became a team, while he was growing up in Charlotte.

“When I was little, I was a Greenbay [Packers] fan but that was just because of the colors,” Price said. “Now, I root for the Panthers because they are my home team.”

Price has watched the Panthers go through good and bad seasons, but he says that this time the real difference is that they are playing as a team.

“The leadership from Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly is outstanding,” Price said.

Environmental Science teacher, Angie Dickison, also roots for the Panthers because they are her home team.

“I believe that success breeds success,” she said. “Since the Panthers have been on a winning streak, they have gotten focused and a lot of the momentum they need to continue to the Super Bowl.”

Dickinson lived in Ohio for a while and then moved back to Charlotte for good. When she did, she bought “pay as you play” playoff tickets.

“I hope they do well,” she said. “I just love Greg Olsen. He’s cute as a button.”

Cameron Newton has played a big role in taking the team to the next level.

Newton played for the University of Florida and the University of Blinn College and Auburn University in his college football career and was drafted by the Panthers in 2011. He has played with them since his rookie season in July of 2011 and proved himself quite the quarterback with 18,263 passing yards and 3,207 rushing yards. He also started a widespread trend of the doing dab after his scored a touchdown against the Seahawks in an October game.

Senior Sophia Riddell, another lifelong fan, says that she really likes Newton’s dance.

“It’s was a fun thing to do when we were doing well,” she said.

Riddell said she believes she will always be a fan no matter the record.

“I think people have talked so much trash about [the Panthers], that they want to prove them wrong by working together and winning.” she said.

Other valued players that have made contributions to the team this season are linebacker Kuechly, who won 2014 defensive player of the year award, and tight end, Olsen, who has had 542 receptions in his career.

Even though the Panthers took a hard loss in Denver, fans are still proud of all the hard work the players put in. After the game, many Carolina natives posted encouraging pictures, promising to keep supporting the Panthers, many adding the hashtag “Keep Pounding”.

Overall, the Panthers went above and beyond this season, and hopefully will bring back the same energy next time.