Here is a post from a guest blogger. Please enjoy!

Contribution by Kennith Griffin

It all started out great in 1997. That’s when the Carolina Panthers became an expansion team. During their first year ever, they managed to make the NFC Championship Game. Do you have any idea how improbable that is? I wish I knew what the odds on that happening were. And, of course, I wish I had made the bet. If I had, I’d probably be enjoying the sunshine on the Gulf Coast of Florida instead of bagging groceries in Charlotte. Then again, I wouldn’t have an opportunity to watch all the Panthers games with my friends on DirectTV. I cherish those days. Even if they lose, it’s still cool to spend time with people that are rooting with you. But don’t get me wrong. It’s much better if they win.

They say no one remembers the losers, but if you’re a fan of a team, you remember. For example, the Panthers almost won the Super Bowl in 2003. What could have been if they had pulled that game out? Maybe they would have been a dynasty instead of the Patriots. The importance of psychology in sports is highly underrated. If a team wins a close game, they’re likely to continue doing so. They have the mental edge. When they keep losing close games, they’re just waiting for something to go wrong. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, which is what has seemed to happen with the Panthers.