Carolina continues quest to get back to Sundby
By "Bucky Katz"

Off-Season 2153 (Charlotte) - As training camp winds down and the 2153 season about to begin, the Carolina Panthers hope they can finally take that next step back to the Sundby Cup, even though a lot of hurdles remain.

Three of those hurdles are the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and the NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles, who all had ten win seasons last season and all of which upgraded their rosters in the offseason.

Other hurdles are replacing their own retired players, including starters G Dennis Dallison, P Malcolm Logan, DE Johnnie Carey, and S Casey Woodward. Other than make trades for other personnel, Carolina GM “Trader” Lee Remley felt they had the personnel already in house to replace them.

On the offensive line, T Bernie Forrest moves over to guard and T Ray Dugan will start at right tackle in his place. DE John Floyd gets his chance to start and he has shined in limited duty in the past, but has a lot to live up to with the rest of the “Carolina sack exchange” piling up double digit sack totals. S Bobby Baker steps up to start at safety and the thought is the secondary won’t miss a beat. Finally, rookie free agent Nate Gunn will try his hand, or rather leg, at being the new punter.

The only real upgrade has been at MLB, where ex-Viking Brian Erickson is out to prove he deserves that $17 million contract. LB Mark Branley is still with the team and backs him up but the Panthers like their linebacker team speed with the new trio as Erickson teams with swift Shane Sawyer and Brad Jones.

The Panthers offense, however, remains intact. MVP HB Jim Mason will carry the load at running back once more, even as thoughts of replacing the league MVP with the younger Mitch Michaels, who will again start at FB, were shockingly entertained.

QB Travis Zimmerman is back with his three speedster amigos at receiver, namely Steve Lewis, Chris Collins, and Aaron Fitzgerald, that opposing defensive backs will have fits keeping up with. Darryl Caston will now return kickoffs and be the fourth receiver after a 100 catch season last year, showing just how competitive and talented this bunch is. Dale Rodgers will return at tight end and is a speedster in his own right.

Finally, the aforementioned “Carolina sack exchange” returns on the defensive line, led by MVP runner up Matt McDonald, who along with Ray Walton gives them tremendous push up the middle. Tony Hoskins returns to team with Floyd at end to bring the heat from the outside.

Expectations are high in Carolina this season and rightly so after the 11-3 campaign last season. But the team will have to overcome the retirements from last season’s team and the changes that have been made both on their team and their competitors squads to realize their renewed goal of a Sundby Cup once again before the window closes on this cast of characters.