Charlotte, NC

There are stories … and there are lessons … and, fortunately, my siblings and I were blessed with two angels who provided one, but always included the other within them.

Yesterday, after a long, hard search, I found a song that I first heard on WSOC-FM back in August, 1990. The song’s first chorus went like this (I can’t write all the verses, of course, without permission from the owner. More about that in a minute):

He was sowin’ love … for the fam’ly.
He was sowin’ loooove. He took a little extra time
lookin’ forward to … a boun-ti-ful har-vest.
Like a good father does, he was sowin’ love

The night I heard that song for the first time also, sadly, was the night that humble, mighty man passed from his mortal shell into a free and serene world. Each time I hear it, I’ve gotta admit, I weep big time.

Now, the second verse dealt with mama, and, in the chorus, just substitute She for He. It’s that simple.
But that’s what Eola and Irene Hinson were truly like. No “working the rooms” or “socializing”, “putting on airs” or whatever; what you saw in public was what we saw … and then some … in private!

Paul Overstreet included that song on his album, Forever and Ever, Amen (a song he also wrote and which included another one of my faves, Seein’ My Father In Me). In performing that song, he painted a precise musical vignette of what occurred, first, in daddy’s magnificent garden in Pineville in spring of 1961, then in his “shop” (a little tin-roof building where, in the “office” part, he had a sewing-machine set up for mama to do her work freely) three years later.

As I wrote that piece on veterans, and finally came across the copy I downloaded. There’s much more to this story, but, suffice to say, over the past few days of illness, my mind has been flooded with memories … of good times … and the wonder of angels disguised as parents …
And, while you’ve heard me speak of them before, the reason I wrote this piece is to ask you to download or buy this song at your earliest opportunity — especially if you’re a parent of youngsters, or have warm memories of your own!
Just be ready to shed a few tears when ya hear it …

PERSONALIZATIONS

We’re all Carolina fans here, right (hey … what other color of blue is there??)? Well, either that or our hearts beat Bobcats or pump Panther blood!
Well, here’s your chance to show your support for the team of your choice (and let’s not forget all the fab high schools and kids’ teams we have out there!) by gettin’ them up-close and-personalized on woven blankets, afghans, pillows, wall hangings, towels and more!
Imagine the impact on the sports person in your family this Christmas when they open yer present with “their” team’s logo on it!
Here’s one that’ll really thrill ‘em: It’s a blanket with the team’s photo on it in full color! (what a keepsake!) It’s a “must-see” when ya click on the link I’m about to give you!
And get this — you can get these at great savings by just visiting the best online spot for sports gifts.
C’mon … it’s still a great sports season in Charlotte … and Christmas isn’t that far away!! So order now!

Sheeesh … Summer School; words that most kids hate to hear.
But … the Panthers??
Yep! They’ve got it, more or less. Actually, it’s sort of a warm-up — voluntary practices that’ll last until mid-June (their official training camp doesn’t begin until sometime in July).
Here’s a little bit about their summer school:

• The practices officially are offseason training activities (OTAs). They’re not allowed pads or contact, and they’re closed to the public.

• Popular rookie running back Jonathan Stewart won’t be there. Y’see, his school in Oregon (which uses the quarter system) is still in session, and the NFL doesn’t allow players to work in OTAs until after their classes have ended.

• The other rookies are expected to be on hand. On Tuesday, they did re-sign Curtis DeLoatch, who played six games last season before injuring his knee. Curtis, who was born in Murfreesboro, has played for the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints and the Panthers in four seasons.

I just hope they come outta their summer school with a lot better feeling than a lot of us did years ago!!

GOIN’ WITH THE LOGO

Y’know, as a businessman/media consultant/writer, I’ve gotta put a lot of business cards into action! But it takes forever to have the logos worked up, layin’ the whole card out like ya want it, then having ‘em printed by a local company. Then you’ve gotta wait … and wait … and hope they come out okay.
But there’s one place you can go online and have great ones made … to your specifications, ’cause you make ‘em yourself!
And it’s sooooo easy! I just tried a couple of designs myself, and the process is really simple: Among the six easy-to-follow steps, you pick out a logo from your field, find the template you want, type in a few basic lines (your name, street info, phone number), check out the finished product, and pay (by secured server, natch!) … but only when you’re satisfied!
Now, you have plenty of eye-catching logos to choose from, can go back and rework what you want (it doesn’t matter if you do it a dozen times!), and, when finished, I can guarantee you’ll have a sharp, professional-looking business card ready for print!
Hey … I’ll show you mine, if you’ll show me yours when ya get it done:

Now, this took me all of about five minutes to complete (of course, you’ll want to know what you’re gonna put on the card ahead-of-time. It makes sense, right?)
Believe me, it’s the easiest but most professional card you’d ever want … and you’re 100% in the process! So, why not give the best site for your logo design a visit just by clicking the link I just gave ya?
You’ll really be thrilled with the results!

It’s still kinda hard to believe that one of the true superstars of today’s football is gonna be retiring from the Panthers after Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay. But, if anyone deserves the break, it’s #16 — quarterback Vinny Testaverde.
The Long Island native, who played for the University of Miami when he won the Heisman Trophy in 1986, was picked in the 1987 NFL draft by the … Tampa Bay Buccaneers! So it’s a bit ironic that his final game in the sport will be against his mentors.
At 43-and-change, he’s the oldest quarterback in NFL history to start and win a game. During his time as a Panther, he’s been bothered by problems with an Achilles tendon … but it certainly didn’t slow him down!
Testaverde has always been close to his fans, and, though now among the true legends of pro football, has never lost his humility and warmth. Combining all that with one of the most precise passing arms in the sport, you could almost say he was the epitome of gridiron greatness.
No doubt, he’ll be missed by thousands of Panther fans … by the Queen City itself … and every person who’s ever followed the pigskin.

STOP-UP THE POP-UPS!

Let me ask ya something: Are you more than a little annoyed by those blasted “pop-ups” that hit your monitor screen when ya least expect them? Let’s say you’re reading something about Testaverde’s career when, suddenly, a small ad window shows up claiming you’re the 1,000,000th visitor and get a free (put whatever you want here). Not only are they as unwelcome as a chipped front tooth, but they lead ya to some garbage you don’t wanna buy!
Well, there’s a sure-fire way of sendin’ these interruptions back to hacker heaven (or opposite)! Y’see, the makers of a product called STOPzilla give you the best in pop-up protection, spyware removal, kills of browser hijackers and much, much more. In fact, STOPzilla is so dependable and reputable that it was even a clue on the game show Jeopardy! back in 2003. (The clue was: “STOPzilla is software to stop these from constantly appearing on your computer screen.” Natch, the answer was “pop-ups”. But it just goes to show how good this software is!)
You can get this one-stop relief from spyware and pop-ups at a great price … and, once ya get it, you won’t even have to do any configuring! It happens automatically, and runs in the background without bogging down any of your programs!
So, for the absolute best and most reliable popup blocker on the market, just click the link you just passed, and order today … you (and your PC or laptop) will be glad you did! (Incidentally, you’ll order on a secure site to make the transaction safe! These people are serious about guarding your privacy!)
I mean, after all, Alex Trebek wouldn’t steer ya wrong, would he?

Sadly, it’s official: Mike Minter, the Carolina Panthers’ legend who led a career high in tackles and games started, announced his retirement Tuesday.

At a news conference at the team’s training camp site, he wiped away tears (that’s most likely why he was wearing sunglasses) and said his knees were giving him so much pain that he had to quit a year earlier than originally planned.

“I want to say this is probably the second hardest thing that I’ve ever had to do,” Minter said. “The first thing was losing my mom, and the second thing is losing football. This is a game I love, a game I have been playing for a long time and it was a hard decision to come to.”

“When we think about having the privilege to have a person who starts and ends his career the way Mike has, it’s extraordinary,” said Panthers’ owner Jerry Richardson said while fighting back his own tears (as many at the news conference were already doing).

Minter was the Panthers’ second-round pick in 1997, and became a fan favorite due to his trademark toughness, hard hits, time spent on-field as a Panther and his work for and in the community.

He has 467 more tackles than any other player in Panther history, and has compiled a number of records during his time as Carolina’s best: 141 starts, 94 consecutive starts, 9 fumble recoveries and 4 interception returns for touchdowns.

Although Minter is just 5′ 10″ and weighs in at 195 pounds, he’s overcome three knee surgeries and a staph infection to become Carolina’s key player. He hadn’t missed a game since early 2001, despite several injuries that would at least temporarily sideline a normal player. He played with a torn biceps muscle and even on a broken foot during Carolina’s loss to New England in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2003 season.

Panthers coach John Fox remembered when a speaker asked the players about their contribution to the team.

“He asked us, ‘Is it better now than before you came?”‘ Fox said. “I can say right now, Mike, this football team is a better team.”

For some time now, Minter’s knee problems have worsened. He took a pay cut in March and said that 2007 would be his final season. Still, he was willing to come in to start at free safety. But he’s been unable to practice normally at training camp and told reporters last week he was thinking about moving up his retirement; he just wasn’t sure if his body would hold up over the full, 16-game season. He informed the rest of the team about his decision Sunday night during a team meeting.

“Coming into the offseason, you figure you will get healthy, get your knees back and try to get some more magic out of them legs,” he said. “At the end of the day, there wasn’t anything left.

Over the past five seasons, Minter was the Panthers’ defensive captain and certainly well respected in the locker room as well as in the community, where he was involved in several business and charitable concerns. His fans were always important to him, and he would gladly take the time to sign autographs mix and mingle with them.

“That’s the one point that needs to be made: this was a man off the football field,” said veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme. “I’m not talking in a masculine type of way. I’m talking in a fatherly type of way and the civic person he was. This a true man and a true pro when he came to play.”

Though the Panthers have lost a valued player, Charlotte is fortunate to have had a warm, considerate and compassionate friend. We all wish Mike, his wife and kids, the happiest of lives

… and a quick healing of those knees!

Now, if you’re a true Crown Towner, you’ve gotta be a fan of the mighty Carolina Panthers football frenzy! (Geez … do I really need to explain ‘em to ya?!?)

And these NFL giants (little “g”, please … though they could run through them Yankees any day!) are givin’ back to their fans this Saturday, AUGUST 4, at 11 AM with the humongous Panther FanFest at the Bank of America Stadium located at 800 S. Mint St.

And, man, if this doesn’t getcha pumped up for the coming football season, nothing will! It’s an all-day famfest (meaning, family fun, folks!) with music, games, the great Panther mascot, Sir Purr, Panther-themed camo and other goodies, and … yes, even the cheerleading Top Cats will be there (EAGLE NOTE: The two “TCs” who fouled have been evicted from the squad … so don’t judge the rest of the dynamic group by the actions of those two losers!)

So grab the kids and come on down to the BoA Stadium this Saturday for some great fun, and show your support for the Best Team In The NFL!! Oh … and remember to wear the colors, too!

THE CATCH OF THE CENTURY

Twice weekly, I’m gonna throw in a couple of memories from the Eagle’s vault. Sometimes funny, occasionally a tear-jerker, but always true:

It was 1962, and my Uncles Cull and Conley Vick (on mama’s side) went down to Windy Hill Pier on Ocean Drive Beach in S. C. for a bit of fishing. They both cast their lines out, and, soon, Conley was reeling in a humongous rascal that actually broke his rod and snapped the line! Flabbergasted, they soon packed it up and headed back for Pineville with one heck of a fish story!
But … the “story” was far from over …
Two years later, Conley died of prostate cancer at the age of 62. Seven years later — in 1971 — Cull returned to their old spot on the pier, remembering the incident with a chuckle. He cast out … and, with a lot of pulling and reeling and tugging, caught a huge fish that certainly could’ve fed the entire family, and then some, with one exception:
In its mouth …
was a hook … with the line, and part of a rod, bobbing behind it!
It was Uncle Conley’s near-catch from years before!
Uncle Cull laughed and cried hysterically, not believing what he’d just caught! The newspapers (especially the old Charlotte News) carried an article on the miracle, which was considered a one-in-a-million occurrence!
Now, Cull died a few years ago at the ripe old age of 95 … but never did he, nor his family, ever forget that incident!
Miracles do happen, and when ya least expect ‘em!

Charlotte has a lot to offer, but nothing more exciting than the Carolina Panthers. Before we go on with what they did in the draft, I think it would only be fair to mention that I am not a Panthers fan… I’m a Patriots fan - and guess who beat Carolina a few years back? Yep, that would be us!

Anyhoo…

After a relatively disappointing season last year, they certainly have come back to do well in the draft. They got a linebacker, center, defensive end, wide receiver, punt returner, safety, special teams, AND a tight end. I would say that Coach John Fox must be plenty pleased with the results.

Granted, there is no way they are going to beat the Patriots, even if we are just playing them in preseason, but there is a chance they will do well this year. If you do get a chance to come see them play, I think you’d be pleasantly surprised at what you find here!!

Charlotte, NFL Draft, Carolina Panthers