We asked “What’s your Panthers game day ritual?” and received 2,079 responses. Here’s a few patterns and 24 highlights
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This content was co-created with Bud Light.
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In partnership with Bud Light, we recently asked Panthers fans: What’s your game day ritual?
2,079 of you shared your quirky, superstitious and delicious — SO MUCH CHICKEN — routines with us.
By the numbers (how many mentions):
- Beer: 272
- Church: 108
- Bojangles’: 110
- Keep Pounding: 103
- Coffee: 75
- Dab: 45
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Here’s a strong sample of 24 Charlotte game day rituals
“I wear the same Levi 511 jeans. Then I put on my socks, left one always first. Then I put on my Clark Desert Boots, left one always first. Then I put on my black shirt. Finally, I put on my all black Cam Newton jersey.”
“Brush teeth with Colgate Panther blue gel toothpaste morning of game, coffee black, black socks, blue panthers shirt, black boxer briefs, black jeans, panthers hat.”
“Wake up. Think WWCD…What Would Cam Do? He would win. So I seize the day by working out and then laying on my couch all day to watch football.”
“I get Journey’s greatest hits cranking in the house and outside.”
“I meet friends at the Original House of Pancakes to discuss our Saturday nights and build a good base before we head to tailgate. We call it the Pancake Express.”
“If we lose a game, I retire whatever I was wearing (shirt/jersey/hat) for the rest of the season. Last year my dog got her jersey retired week 1, unfortunately.”
“Wake up. Make sure my undergarments do not have colors of the other team. Walk up to the tailgate and enjoy some panther potion and Bud Light. Walk into the stadium after the 2nd siren and cheer loud and give the CLAW.”
“Wake up. Play a pump up song or two while in the shower. Usually early 2000’s rap like DMX or something. Text my friends and confirm we’re all still meeting in the tailgate lot at 8:30 a.m. Throw on a retro jersey — Peppers is my favorite.”
“During our magical Super Bowl run, I sat in the same (clean!) clothes in the same spot on my couch for every single game…EXCEPT for the week 16 loss to the Falcons AND the Super Bowl loss. So yes, I am personally responsible for the lack of a perfect season.”
“Put on my Panthers gear and tailgate with friends — while listening to my Bills-fan husband complain about why they can’t be on instead of the Panthers, and love the fact that that annoys him.”
“I am up exactly at 6:00am every Panthers game day morning with the blaring sounds of the FOX NFL Sunday Theme song playing in the background. I play the song three times followed by the playing of the Carolina Panthers Keep Pounding Theme Song (play it one time). Upon jumping up, I immediately do 50 push-ups, 50 sit-ups and 50 jumping jacks, with the motivation that the Panthers are going to get a big win today, followed by running in place for 60 seconds to get the blood pumping. On home game days the ritual is to leave my home at 8:01am (Cam is #1…that’s why I leave at 8:01) to head down to the stadium to park and Roaring Riot Tailgate. I drink only Bud Light beer (cans or bottles) on Panthers game days (both home and away) and eat the Super Bowl Nachos (with extra sour cream) in the stadium every home game or if they are playing away will order loaded nachos (extra sour cream) wherever I am watching the game. I have been doing this ritual the same way since the 2003 Super Bowl run season and love the Carolina Panthers.”
“Dab, dab, dab.”
“Bagels from Poppy’s, grocery trip for game day essentials, kids down for nap by 12:45, game on at 1:00 in peaceful silence for 3 whole magical hours.”
“Sometimes simple is better. I sit on the couch in my boxers and Luke jersey and yell at the TV like I am at the game. The wife originally thought she could handle it. Now she uses this time to run errands.”
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“My husband (of 3 weeks) has his ‘laid back and simple routine.’ In my mind, I thought as a naive newlywed that laid back and simple meant that we would enjoy the same together in a calm manner and I would skim magazines, decorate the house, read a good book all while he watched the game…y’all, I was WRONG. Apparently, laid back and simple means boxers, jersey, and yelling (YELLING) at the TV like you are on the sidelines with the team. I thought I could do it, now I’ve learned Sunday afternoons are for running errands OUTSIDE of the house.”
“Like everyone else, I am new to Charlotte and struggled to make friends outside of work because well, meeting fellow 20 somethings when you aren’t in school or don’t have kids is hard! Luckily, football was that game changer. Finding that common love for football made all the difference for finding folks to hang out with on the weekends.”
“Bojangles’ biscuits for breakfast washed down with… numerous crisp Bud Lights. Toss the football and play flip cup prior to game time while eating Chicken Supremes.”
“We have a panther statue that everyone has to rub before leaving out tailgate spot.”
“Party until I am sufficiently capable of pretending Luke is my lover.”
“I work at Levine Children’s, so if I’m working on game day I wear work appropriate team gear, specifically a shirt featuring Greg Olsen’s charity, The Heartest Yard. After a win, Sweet Caroline must always be played regardless of where I’m watching from. During the game, if Cam throws an interception, I always chug whatever I’m drinking and immediately order a new one- it takes away the bad juju. #ItsOnlyWeirdIfItDoesntWork.”
“Order two medium thin crust Domino’s pizzas and then watch the game on the downstairs TV. If we are losing I have to move upstairs and put the TV on mute while I read my book and only look at the score after I have read a whole chapter.”
“Every game day I have to drink coffee out of my Panthers mug. I’ve done it for every game this season, even rushing home from my mother’s on Thanksgiving and taking a swig of day old coffee, because there wasn’t enough time before kick off the brew a fresh pot.”
“I love the Panthers! But that was not always the case. You see, I came to the US from Guatemala, and I had no idea about American Football. All I have known in my life was futbol (soccer). But I was once walking through the SouthPark mall with my daughter, when I saw a couple of guys getting their pictures taken with other people. These two guys looked at us and asked us if we wanted a pic too. The main guy was friendly and a gentleman to my daughter. He talked with her with a big smile. Like a gentle giant. That was Cam Newton and one of his friends. That experience left a lasting impression on me. So, I may not have a game-day ritual yet, but every time the Panthers play, I smile.”
“Blast the song ‘Dominate The Foe’ by Ked Woodley.”
