The former Cincinnati Bengals officially set up shop in Charlotte
By "Frank Deford XVI"

Off-Season 2272 (Charlotte) - Chicken and Waffles, Shrimp and Grits, and more Barbeque than you could shake a pig at were on the menu.

Cheerleaders in the new silver and black of the franchise contributed to the pep rally type atmosphere.

This was the goings on at the introduction of the Carolina Panthers to the local media. Fans gathered outside and lined up around the block to get a glimpse of their new team, who were around to sign autographs and take pictures with local football fans.

Football is big in the South, and it definitely showed here.

QB Pat McCullough and HB James White were the headline players that showed up. Everyone wanted to meet the short, powerful White, who at 5-10 and 183 pounds can still run over defenders like they're nothing.

LB David Swafford, another young star who went to Clemson, was glad to be back close to home, as he put it.

'I am from California, but these fans always made this seem like home,' Swafford said. 'I just know they are going to support us when we start play this season.'

Next up for the fans and media was a tour of the Panthers new uptown Charlotte stadium, which is a retractable roof facility with a giant holographic screen floating above the playing surface that covers the length of the field. Along with the custom Virtual Reality interfaces available for fans when they have to leave their seats, no one should ever miss the action in this place.

All in all, the Carolina Panthers made a great debut here, and people are looking forward to see their new team in action when the season starts at long last.

To them, it seems like forever. But that is the football fans lament.