NFL Team Highlights 2003-04 - Carolina Panthers

Rating:
Summary: So close... and yet...
Review: Although I was rootin' a little bit more for the Pats in Super Bowl XXXVIII than I was for Carolina, I wanted the Panthers to make a good game of it. And if they had won, no biggie-- I could've lived with it. I'd have been out a hundred bucks, but I could've lived with it. After all, how could I not have a little love for the team that sent two of my least-fave franchises (the Rams and the Cowboys) to an early off-season?

Anyhoo, I rather enjoyed this particular presentation chronicling the highs and lows of the 2003 NFC champs as they pulled off several close wins-- including 4 OTers in enemy territory-- on the way to their first Super Bowl appearance. The background score that played as the highlights rolled was beautifully dramatic, and was the perfect complement to the action on the screen. And while the presentation was relatively short compared to its Super Bowl Champion Patriots counterpart (25 minutes versus 55; check out the Pats DVD at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00011D1GS/qid=1097034556/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-8262383-3207811?v=glance&s=dvd ) and didn't cover every game the Panthers played that season, it had a good pace and didn't get bogged down in extensive player or coach interviews. I swear to God, if I hafta hear another player talkin' `bout "givin' 100%", I'm gonna launch my foot right through my TV screen! Also, there also wasn't much analysis of key plays, something I usually see in the longer-running NFL Films highlights shows.

Some of the show's more notable highlights:

- Opening montage featuring Carolina's valiant yet vainglorious efforts in Super Bowl XXXVIII against New England.

- Week 2 at Tampa Bay: Carolina blocks an extra point at the end of regulation to force overtime. Carolina kicker John Kasay wins it on a field goal in the extra period. Panthers 12, Bucs 9.

- Week 6 at Indianapolis: QB Jake Delhomme helps Carolina overcome a 10-point deficit to force overtime. Kasay comes through with the winning kick for the second time this season. Panthers 23, Colts 20.

- Week 8 at New Orleans: The Panthers' third OT game of the season ends with another Kasay FG for the win. Panthers 23, Saints 20.

- Week 14 at Atlanta: The Panthers suffer their only OT loss of the season when Atlanta returns an intercepted Delhomme pass for the winning score. Atlanta 20, Carolina 14.

- First-round playoff vs. Dallas: DIE BLOWBOY SCUM! DIE DIE DIE-okay, I'm all right now... I'm calm... I'm-- uh-oh...

- Divisional playoff at St. Louis: DIE RAM SCUM!!! DIE DIE DIE!!! The Lambs bite it on the first play of the game's second OT period as the Panthers torch St. Louis' secondary with a long TD pass play. Panthers 29, Rams 23.

- NFC championship at Philadelphia. While one Manning was gettin' intercepted thrice in New England by Ty Law earlier this day, another Manning-- Ricky Manning, Jr. that is-- picked off three Donovan McNabb passes to help sink the Eagles' Super Bowl hopes. Also of note in this contest is the tremendous second effort by Panthers RB DeShaun Foster as he finally gets over the goal line on a short yardage play for the put-away points. Panthers 14, Eagles 3.

Also included in this platter is the "world broadcast" of Super Bowl XXXVIII. Pretty much the entire game is shown here, including all of the kickoffs, punts, and extra point/2-point conversion attempts. The only things taken out were the huddles and some prior-to-the-snap "dead time". BTW why would a die-hard Panther faithful wanna watch a game his team lost? Is there some kinda masochistic streak in Carolina rooters I haven't been told about?

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