<h3>By Lee Scott</h3>
There was quite the competition for attention going on recently between the snowstorm, Jonah and the football game between the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals. We were riveted by the television reports as city by city got hit by the powerful storm. Instead of inches of snow being counted, the Meteorologists were talking in feet. We understood their pain after having lived through our own storm named Joaquin last October. But as we watched Storm Central, we in the Carolinas had one question. Was the NFC Championship game still going to be played Sunday night in Charlotte? As we sat there watching the snow hit Charlotte it was not long before even Beaufort had a few flurries. But the storm tracked north and the crews got busy cleaning up the streets, the stadium and the airport to allow fans to get into the city.

Now truthfully, I have been a football fan of other teams. My real first football team was the Cleveland Browns back in the 60s, but only because I babysat for Lisa Lavelli, daughter of Dante (Gluefingers) Lavelli, a Hall of Famer. Unfortunately, I was not old enough to appreciate some of his Hall of Famer friends that came through his house during that period.

Then I moved to Maryland and the Baltimore Colts left during the night to go to Indianapolis and Maryland had no football team. But the Washington Redskins were still playing and we became Redskins fans. Then in a strange turn of events, the Browns relocated to Baltimore and changed their name to the Ravens. So I slowly moved from the Redskins burgundy and gold colors to the Ravens black and purple.

But now here in the Carolinas, where so many of us are from somewhere else, there is a team that binds us all. Sir Purr, the black panther snarls at us, but we love that determined look. Yes, there are still flags for the Patriots, the Bronco’s, the Cardinals and other teams flying, but this past season, with the Carolina Panthers doing so well, we newcomers, started to watch our team play.

As we switched back and forth between the Weather Channel and Fox that Sunday evening, we found ourselves more excited about the game. And as family and friends began to dig out from underneath a few feet of snow the next day, we were celebrating. Go Panthers!!