PANTHERS.

[kannon]

When the 1996 season started I decided that I didn't want to be a 49ers fan just because I lived in close proximity to San Francisco. While I watched the games from week to week, there were two teams that stuck out to me in particular. The Brett Favre led Green Bay Packers, and the second year Carolina Panthers. The difference maker for me was that I felt like the panthers were a good team, but had no particularly stand out players. Green Bay had Favre. Antonio Freeman. Dorsey Levens. Desmond Howard. Reggie White.

When it got to the post season, I'd already made my parents buy me a Brett Favre jersey for Christmas. I remember watching the 49ers play the Packers in Lambeau in the playoffs. My entire family rooting for the 49ers. Me rooting for the Packers. And when the Packers won, even though they were the #1 seed in the NFC that year, I felt like the underdog in my household. And that win just made me love them even more. Then they went on to beat the Panthers in the NFC Championship game. And that was when the Panthers fell off my radar. Then the Packers went on to beat the Patriots in the superbowl.

People called me a bandwagoner at first. But 20 years later, that's still my team.

But I was really close to being a Panthers fan.