Excitement of a new Panthers fan
by National Mario on Jul 2, 2011 1:52 AM EDT
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PrintAs far as I knew when I was growing up was that hockey was not an interest of mine. Ice hockey in Florida was a foreign concept, even stranger for a Latin American. I was into baseball and from there would watch and latch onto the Florida Marlins here. It was no problem to latch onto their landlords, the Dolphins, and then the Heat but the Panthers I had not made a connection with. As a kid in South Florida ice hockey is not something that all your classmates were playing or talking about.
My earliest recollection of anything Panther related was the year Pavel Bure lead them to the playoffs but my interest was only passive at best. The game of hockey only drew my interest once after that in 2004 when the Lightning took the Cup. I even got a Lightning championship cap but the interest fell apart when the lockout happened. It wasn’t until my sister and her friends invited me along to see a Panthers-Hurricanes game in 2009. We had snuck into one of the empty club suites and I experienced a Panther blowout of the Canes. A victory at my first Panther game and in a very comfortable setting to boot. My interest was coming back and I followed hockey once the playoffs hit. I began to pick up on all the hockey lore especially about the Stanley Cup, the most unique championship prize in sports in my opinion. Last season I was invited to another game between the Cats and the Penguins. Looking around at the amount of black and yellow was unsettling and reminded me much of Marlins games filled with pesky New York, Philly, and Atlanta fans. I found myself instinctively chanting "Let’s go Cats!" as the fans tried to drown out the Pens fans. We lost that game but I came out a real Panther fan (bought a hat at the game and still where it prominently since) and I began looking for as much information on their past as I could. From merchandise, to videos, to photos, I saw that South Florida once really did love the Cats. Losing does not sit well in South Florida and after 10 years it seems pretty understandable that many have forgotten the team based by the Everglades. In that timeframe the Marlins and the Heat both won championships in two distinct ways the Panthers could not duplicate. The Fish through developing their players and making key signings, coaching choices, and trades when needed. The Heat brought in big name talent to supplement their young superstar. I went to a Sport’s Authority and couldn’t find one Panther item among the Marlins, Heat, Dolphins, Seminoles, Hurricanes, and Gators merchandise. I remember seeing Panther gear when I was a kid in the very same store. The fact the team remains here with a passionate core of fans is a testament to how strong the Panthers of the 90’s appeal was. Everyone wants to get back to the glory days and it seems the team finally intends to do that now in the 2010’s. As a new Panther fan I feel like I am watching a brand new team and it’s exciting to think about South Florida rediscovering this team again. With no Dolphins or Heat in 2011-2012 it could be this very season when people rediscover the Cats just as I did.
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I have a strong feeling we’ll start to see a fan resurgence soon.
Steve Diaz
Twitter - @sdiaz6215
Great story!!!
I, too, also didn’t care about hockey, until my 1st game. It was the Thanksgiving game against the Rangers in 2005. I sat in the 1st row of the upper bowl. The game had me enthralled almost instantaneously. I couldn’t take my eyes off the puck….enjoyed the action of watching it go from one end of the ice to the other. I don’t know if they won that game, since the person I went with wanted to leave early. I am from CT & never went to see the Whalers. I mistook hockey for “boring”…..boy was I wrong! I am now a fan through & through :)
It only takes 1 game
Fish, Heatles, Cats, Fins, Noles
by National Mario on Jul 2, 2011 12:17 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Really great story. Have been a fan of the Panthers since day one, but, being from Newfoundland, have only ever had the chance to see the Panthers play once, and that was on a trip to Calgary in 2007, Alex Auld was in net and we lost to the Flames in Overtime. Only person in the saddledome wearing a Panthers jersey that night (Besides my friend who is a Hawks fan but wore one for moral support). Being an idiot, forgot to bring a camera or cell phone with me to the game.
A blowout against CAR? Now that is luck! 3 Panthers games for me have resulted in 3 goals and 0 wins. The team needs fans like you who can be swooned with just one game and support the team for a lifetime!
From the sound of things Chris...
you should just stick to watching at home so we dont lose so much!
Lol jk man.. No matter what the score is when I go to a cats game I always have a great time, maybe not the outcome you want always but still amazing to see the players up close.
by Rob PKane McMahon on Jul 2, 2011 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh yeah. That’s the reason. ;)
Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Jul 2, 2011 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I actually became a fan in 93...
My dad was a long time Islander fan and had season tickets for their stanley cup glory days.. Being in Florida for many many years afterwards when he heard we were getting a team he was glued to the news of it all. My mother got tickets for him for the Inaugural home game against the pens (her being from pitt originally it naturally got her into it as well)
When my dad heard this he insisted she get a 3rd ticket to bring me along. My first Hockey game was the first home game in panthers history.. I still have multiple programs one of which I’ve had signed by the full team from that very night, a limited edition replica of the inaugural home game banner, mini hockey stick, puck and the very poster from that game still hanging on my wall (next to the stanley cup poster and opening night 96 when they had raised the eastern conference banner) I loved the cats from the very start but being so young may have missed some games or let my mind stray due to other things.. the cup run in 96 was big to me, the team in which I had seen my first game live had made it to play for the holy grail.. granted i was slightly bitter about them beating out mario since i had grown up loving the pens, i was still amazingly happy.
To this day since those finals I’ve turned down trips to colorado (non hockey related) due to being bitter and agitated of the very thought of being anywhere near the team we had lost to (other than home games of course). I stayed glued to my tv the night we traded for bure, disappointed to see jovo leave but excited to see the rocket land in florida.. 2001 draft in sunrise in which i predicted the cats would take weiss, so naturally ive had an unbelievable loyalty towards him personally.. the bitterness of trading luongo for a bag of pucks, only to realize now that hes one of the most overrated goalies around..
many many hockey memories and road trips Ive taken involving the cats, my favorite being a recent trip to tampa sitting between the benches, looking over and seeing (then) freshly drafted hedman sitting right next to me..
The teams going to turn around, bandwagon fans will jump on, afterall it is the only game in town come october.. sports fans in the south florida area hunger for action, they will flock to the arena eventually and the turn outs will get better.. by the time basketball or football resume chances are very good the cats will have plenty of new fans who once knew nothing of hockey or the history of our team..
by Rob PKane McMahon on Jul 2, 2011 9:14 PM EDT reply actions
To this day since those finals I’ve turned down trips to colorado (non hockey related) due to being bitter and agitated of the very thought of being anywhere near the team we had lost to
I see so little Avs stuff around town it’s embarrassing. Panthers have gone 10 years without playoffs, Avs 10 year anniversary of winning the Cup, yet the Panthers have more fans.
Come on down and see you some marmots!
Maybe one day I’ll catch a game in Col.. but the thought of any fans taunting me of them winning the cup as i sit in my cats jersey bugs me. lol
by Rob PKane McMahon on Jul 2, 2011 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I never had a problem, you’ll probably end up sitting in an empty section. Avs are too proud to bring out the tarps
by Chris S Roberts on Jul 2, 2011 9:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Thinking they’re pretty humble right about now
Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Jul 2, 2011 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions
My Story for Anyone
When I was young I got a NHL history book for christmas or a birthday now being born in calgary i do have a heart to my hometown flames but after reading about the heart and soul of that cup team. I gained a soft spot for teams with that heart grit and soul and of course a spot for the panthers. Panther fan from a far, that wont change anytime soon. Go Cats Go
Like I said before, I started following the Panthers when my hometown Avs simply sucked, but instead of bandwagoning onto a well established team I picked the Panthers simply because they needed fans. And now the Panthers are my #1 team forever. For-evar
by Chris S Roberts on Jul 3, 2011 12:05 AM EDT reply actions
And thanks for the compliments from everyone
Fish, Heatles, Cats, Fins, Noles
by National Mario on Jul 3, 2011 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Our pleasure. Deserved to be shared. We all have a story.
Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Jul 3, 2011 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Love the story, thanks for sharing. For me in South FL, when I was small (6 years old maybe) the neighborhood kids always played street hockey and I’d always watch from afar. Once the leader of the “older” kids (10-11 years old), Mike, my neighbor 3 doors down saw me watching. He came over and showed me the game, spurred my interest, planted the seed for my love of the game. I played in roller leagues for 2 years until Incredible Ice opened up, and jumped to ice from day 1.
There is no sport that requires the speed, skill, blood lust yet poetry-in-motion type play that I love so much. Football is set… hike and maybe 3-5 seconds of play before 40 seconds of nothing (and I won’t speak to the over commercialization). Basketball if you get breathed on too hard it’s a foul. Baseball, is… well, baseball. My dad took me to games once I showed interest and have always supported my love for a very very expensive game, and considering he knew nothing about it (he’s a basketball guy) I have to say I’m pretty lucky.
Still miss the days a good majority of the neighborhood would come out and have street hockey games, tournament. Run by the parents, snacks provided for by the moms. Best times in my life
This is pretty much my exact experience with the Cats
i was about 5-6 as well in ’93 when the Cats rolled into town. Living in South Florida all of my life, no one knew what Hockey was. My dad took me to a game in ’96 during the season of the cup run just to do something different. I still remember walking into the Miami Arena and feeling a buzz in the air, like I was about to witness something truly special. I feel in love immediately, like most others it only took one game.
I then got into local roller hockey leagues for a couple of years, but never transitioned to Ice. Eventually during these past 10 years of futility, I slowly distanced from the NHL until this past season, something rekindled the fire inside of me. This was before I even knew who Tallon was and what he was doing for the organization, so I really can’t explain why. But, am I glad I did. I am now a hardcore fan for life of not only the Panthers, but the greatest sport on earth: Hockey.
And I also miss playing street hockey with the net my dad made for me out of PVC pipes and netting,
Thanks for sharing all of your stories. :)
Steve Diaz
Twitter - @sdiaz6215
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