SportsChannel8 proudly presents our Super Bowl ad for Cam Newton’s Band-Aids for Feelings. Enjoy and be sure to join us at the Panthers Trophy Party before the Super Bowl!
Category Archives: NFL
Event: SportsChannel8 Panthers Pre-Party At Trophy!!!
Will the Panthers win Super Bowl 50? Will they lose? Is it odd people are talking more about Cam’s race than Peyton being investigated for HGH use? How will we feel after the game based on the outcome?
These are questions we don’t have answers to.
What we do know: by Sunday afternoon, Panthers fans will be jacked up and looking for a way to kill the remaining hours before kick-off (that hopefully will stay in bounds).
WE HAVE A PLAN.
What: Panthers Pre-game Party with the SportsChannel8 crew. We’ll have televisions with pre-game coverage on, and we’ll be staying at the bar to watch the game.
Where: Trophy Brewing on Maywood in Raleigh (map here)
When: Super Bowl Sunday, 3pm-???? (We’ll be watching the game at the bar)
Who: I said, the SportsChannel8 crew, who else?! Some of the good folks from Trophy will be around as well so you can check out their huge new brewing facilities.
What else: man, you’re demanding. There will be food trucks, contests for prizes (Garth Brooks tickets, ACC hoops tickets, Trophy gear), maybe even a free beer if you can prove to the SportsChannel8 crew you’re not a bandwagon fan of either a) the Panthers or b) SportsChannel8
Monday morning, hopefully, we’ll be fans of the SUPER BOWL CHAMPION Carolina Panthers. Monday afternoon/evening you’ll probably just want a beer to calm the nerves and the fellowship of other Panthers fans.
Please join us.
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Gr8 Deb8: Does Cam Newton Need To Apologize to Lil B?
Headed into the Super Bowl you want your team to be in optimal condition: physically, mentally and, yes, cosmically. It is the third category we address here. No one wants their team or favorite player suffering from jinxes or curses beyond their powers to control that will hinder their performance in a big game. At the same time, one needn’t offer undue respect to half-way prophets and wannabe hexers.
This week it was suggested that rapper Lil B “invented” the Dab dance move–undoubtedly made popular to the masses by Panthers quarterback Cam Newton–back in 2010. The question arose: does Cam need to pay reverence, or even apologize, to Lil B for using his move in order to avoid the dreaded “Based God’s Curse?” We asked Really, Really Lil B (Brett Thompson) and Stat Boi (Brian Geisinger) to look at both sides in a Gr8 Deb8:
YES: Cam should apologize
by Brett Thompson
I am a huge fan of Cam. I wear a blue #1 jersey with pride on Sundays. I have a sticker of him dabbing on my laptop. I’ve watched his NFL Network mic’d up segment at least 20 times. I’m a firm believer that he currently embodies what the likable star athlete should be: Successful, exciting, fun and real. He’s about to play in the biggest game of his life: Super Bowl 50. He’s on top of the world.
It takes just one man to bring it all crashing down, and he need to make amends with that man immediately.
It’s not Roger Goodell, who actually probably really appreciates what Newton is doing for the NFL’s #brand right now. It’s not Seahawks fans, who are currently trying to ban Newton from their stadium so they never have to lose to him at home again. It’s not even John Kasay, who the team should probably avoid like the plague, just in case.
Cam needs to make things right with Lil B The Based God right now.
This fall, dabbing swept the nation by storm thanks to Migos’ banger, “Pipe It Up.” It’s a fun song and dabbing is really easy and cool, so naturally once Newton did it, everybody started doing it.
This week, Vice dropped a bombshell: Lil B might have invented the dab.
This is the biggest deal, Cam.
For those who didn’t know, Lil B is known as one of the rawest rappers alive, using an eclectic blend of sharp lyricism and sensational beats to establish himself as one of the few songbirds of this generation. His most recent mixtape, “Thugged Out Pissed Off,” was a three-disc collector’s set, a concept album that explored life on the streets of the Bay Area through Lil B’s eyes.
He’s more famous, however, for his past issue with superstar athletes.
Has Cam ever heard of Kevin Durant?
Durant was once in the conversation with LeBron James as the best player in the NBA. He even won the MVP trophy in 2014. He was well on his way to becoming the new face of basketball itself.
Then he called Lil B a “wack” rapper.
Lil B, as any sane and righteous human being would do, cursed Kevin Durant and dropped the hottest diss track of 2014 on KD. Durant missed large chunks of last season due to injury, and has been usurped by Russell Westbrook as the best player on his team as a result. He has never been the same.
Are you not convinced yet?
Enter James Harden.
Harden, like Cam, developed his own signature dance as he hit the prime of his career. Instead of dabbing, Harden did the “cooking dance” after hitting shots.
Unfortunately for Harden, Lil B invented the cooking dance IN THE SAME MUSIC VIDEO HE INVENTED THE DAB IN back in 2010. Lil B found out about this in May of 2015 and told Harden to pay respect. Harden denied awareness of The Based God’s existence, and Lil B cursed him, too. Harden’s Rockets flamed out in the Western Conference Finals.
The Based God’s Curse is real, and Newton needs to pay homage to Lil B before it’s too late. Cam has hung out with Young Jeezy and Future. He’s eaten Bojangles with DMX and Mike Epps. He’s listened to 2 Chainz in your legendary Beats by Dre commercial.
It’s time to let Lil B into his circle before it’s too late. Before the Super Bowl dream turns into a nightmare. Before Cam possibly never scores a touchdown again, and for once, think of the children when they don’t get those touchdown balls.
NO: No Band-aids for Lil B’s feelings
by Brian Geisinger
While SportsChannel8 would never want to offend a person with the cosmic reach of one Lil B, something has to be said in Cam’s defense here. This will be sweet and short, unlike a Based God record (in 2011, he released a 676-track mixtape), because I don’t want to waste too much time on this foolery. You’re the Dab Daddy, and you don’t owe anyone jack, man.
I know you’re not concerned with this comedy. Trust me, I don’t forget that you’ve stared the Sports Illustrated cover jinx in the face and laughed. You even made a made viral attempt to become the face of Madden. We all k
now you’re too busy hoverboarding (that’s a verb, right?) around Charlotte, and taking pictures with buddies Young Jeezy and Future before the biggest game of your life to be worried about the genesis of the dab.
Do people actually think you should be sweating where you got a certain dance from when this is your crew? Nah, homes. Nah.
If there’s any party who actually owes the Based God an apology, it would have to be the aforementioned Migos. However, I’m guessing no one really wants to start stuff with them, because this is a trio that’s not afraid to literally get in a freaking highway shootout. No, seriously.
I have no issue if Lil B wants to join the Panthers bandwagon; we welcome aboard just about anyone, especially if they have a good ear for beats and extraterrestrial powers. Steph Curry can play intermediary, too, if need be. But just to reiterate: you’ve done nothing wrong. Please continue to score touchdowns and dance and dab and laugh at fools who can’t stop you. Questions about who invited the dab may exist, but there’s no confusion surrounding who’s made it popular: that’s you, Cam. This is precisely what the kids refer to these days as #based.
Also, Cam: how quickly do you think Lil B would reverse his stance on if The Servant found his way to the Bay Area this offseason? this offseason? Just saying.
#KeepPounding, and thank you, #BasedCam.
Playoff Snow in Charlotte?
**NOON UPDATE (SEE BELOW)**
No. At least not right now.
We’ve been tracking a potential disturbance in model forecasts over the last several days, with the GFS (Global Forecast System) hinting at winter weather while the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) was saying something completely different.
Behind Enemy Lines: New York Giants
Stall Wars: The Bat Awakens
It’s widely accepted that BofA is the greatest NFL venue in history. However on occasion Panthers fans will venture to other NFL stadiums to take in a game. We document these in a series entitled “Behind Enemy Lines.” Our guest correspondent for this edition is Andrew Batchelor, who we talked out of writing a spec screenplay for Episode VIII that included Cam Newton as Lando’s son. You can enjoy his piece on the Panthers-Seahawks game from earlier this season here.
Woo boy, where do I begin with this one? Like my last trip to see the Panthers on the road in Seattle, Sunday’s game vs. the Giants was a heated one that came down to the final seconds. This time around the Panthers were the ones fending off a furious fourth quarter comeback.
Sunday was a great day for my first northeast football game: cold, but not unbearable, and not a cloud in the sky. Tailgaters were in abundance in the lots surrounding the stadium. I’ve traveled to NYC before but this was my first time venturing out into the ACC footprint of the New Jersey Meadowlands. (ACC schools were by far the best represented in terms of college gear worn.) MetLife Stadium actually is the most expensive stadium ever built at $1.6 billion, but for all that money, there’s nothing particularly memorable about it. It’s big and it looks new. For comparison, Jerry World in Dallas cost $1.3 billion.
Logistically, I can see why many thought transportation before/after Super Bowl 48 was a nightmare. The drive to the parking lot felt straight from ‘European Vacation’ with MetLife Stadium serving as Big Ben and Parliament. Even several Giants fans didn’t seem particularly impressed with their new stadium. Sample conversation on the escalator to the upper deck: Me: “This is a nice stadium. Do you get to many games each year?” Giants fan: “This place sucks.” Me: “OK. Good talk.” Although, their frustration might be because they can’t even get their own Snapchat filter. Panthers’ social media team, they are not.
Panthers fans were certainly not scarce in MetLife on Sunday. This was perfect weekend for fans from North Carolina to travel with UNC, Duke, and Davidson all being NYC at the same time. Nevertheless, Giants’ fans chalked up the attendance to people jumping on the Panthers’ bandwagon based on the taunts heard, including “Seahawks fans last year! *Clap Clap ClapClapClap*. Clever.
The Panthers crowd was easy to spot, too, and not because the black and blue stood out. They were the ones who would dab, Superman, or imitate Cam’s first down point approximately every 30 seconds. As much as it might annoy people now, the Dab is actually the greatest response ever to taunts from an opposing fan. There’s no comeback for it. Giants fan: “Josh Norman sucks!” Panthers fan: *hits Dab* Giants fan curses and sulks off.
By the time halftime arrived, the Panthers had rolled to a 21-7 lead and Giants fans began to turn on each other. Then, it happened. STALL WARS.
My Twitter mentions turned into the worst episode of ‘The Sopranos’. Local and national news outlets reached out to me asking for my breakdown of a bathroom fight. Things got weird. But like many stories, I joined this one in medias res. There are still many questions unanswered. Who is Rey really? Where did the First Order come from? Oops. Sorry, I’m getting all my stories from this weekend mixed up.
I’m really not sure how the whole thing started. I didn’t see anyone carry a bat into the bathroom, so the Giants’ go-to excuse is already ruled out. The fight actually served as a sad parallel to what was going on down on the field. Like the Norman-Beckham Jr. scuffle, I’m sure harsh words and taunts were exchanged by both sides that escalated the situation. But that is no excuse for the end result of fighting in a bathroom or launching your helmet at someone else’s head.
The chaos inside the bathroom trickled outside where another fan decided to realize himself in a corner of the concourse, thus taking the title of “filthiest corner in MetLife Stadium” away from Josh Norman. Much has been written since the game about bats, rumored taunts, and whatever other spin control people try to put on Beckham’s actions. The bottom line is Odell Beckham Jr.’s actions on Sunday were no better than that of an out-of-control, drunk fan fighting in a bathroom stall.
This season has been filled with plenty of hot takes about how to explain things happening at NFL games to kids. As I exited the bathroom, I heard a father explaining to his son what was happening: “someone drank too much and is acting bad”. See? It’s not that hard, Giants. Just say Beckham was out-of-control and acting like an idiot, take his punishment, and move on.
It’s funny to see as the season has progressed how people keep trying to come up with new reasons to dislike the Panthers. In Seattle, it was Cam and his dancing. In New York, people had come to grips with Cam’s skill and star power and shifted their anger towards Josh Norman’s ability to get in Beckham’s head. “Wannabe Deion Sanders”, one Giants fan shouted repeatedly from the stands. I’m admittedly biased with most things related to the state of North Carolina, but this is a fun team with big personalities that is genuinely enjoying themselves during a special season. Would you still prefer the best team in the NFL be one that takes the NFL to court whenever they’re caught cheating or tampering?
Sunday’s game once again came to a close with Cam Newton providing another MVP-worthy game-winning drive, with Graham Gano sealing the deal. Panthers fans made their presence felt exiting MetLife Stadium, filling the concourse levels with loud cheers of “Let’s Go Panthers” and “Keep Pounding”. Call it a bandwagon if you want, but as the Panthers make their presence felt throughout the NFL, their small-market fan base is finally making its presence known as well.
Much like “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, (I’m doing my best here to not divulge spoilers, folks. Join the rest of America and go see the movie already.) Panthers-Giants saw the formation of new rivalries alongside exciting action and hand-wringing surprises, only to end with images of hope for the future. As several Giants fan gave congratulatory “h
ope you win the Super Bowl” remarks, the sea of fans parted to reveal a couple, walking hand-in-hand, with a head-scratching jersey combo.
Maybe there is hope that we can all “Keep Pounding” and move on past Sunday’s shenanigans. Anyone want to start a kickstarter to get a “Together Since 2015” jersey combo for Norman and Beckham for Christmas?
A Very Panther Christmas! Vol. 14-0
Grab your copy of the hottest holiday album hitting the small market this season. Just in time for gift-giving, it’s “A Very Panther Christmas: Vol 14-0”
Join other Carolina fans and enjoy these timeless classics and more.
“Bene in a Manger”
“Beginning To Look A Lot Like Funchess”
“Dab The Halls”
“I Saw Jerry Sipping Bojangles”
“Walking in Mike Minter Wonderland”
“Santa Cam Is Bumming Your Town”
“God Bless You, David Gettleman”
“Here Comes Riverboat”
Cam Newton: Equal Opportunity Philanthropist
Most everyone has some sort of opinion of Cam Newton. Whether it be thinly-veiled racism or repressed anger, the hot takes flow freely. One thing that can’t be disputed is Cam’s giving nature.
It’s been widely noted that Cam sees to it that a fan receives a football after every Panthers touchdown. But did you know that he’s also giving in another sense?
Busted Coverage has the scoop on Cam’s latest example of generosity here.
With each Carolina Panthers victory, I can sense BC leader Joe’s excitement over his investment in Cam Newton’s BCS pants. An undefeated season, a potential MVP award, maybe a Super Bowl — the only thing that can stop Cam now is his hoverboard exploding (or a traffic accident).
But before Cam ripped the heart out of the Atlanta Falcons, he took a little bit of a breather Friday night and hit Cameo Gentleman’s Club for a Rick Ross performance:
Cam is a giver. A giver of touchdowns. A giver of footballs. And a giver of money to well-deserving dancers.