Steve Smith Is No Distraction

Today has to be one of the saddest days for me as a Carolina Panthers fan. I’ve been a Panthers fan since they were an expansion team back in 1995. I loved the Panthers in the early days because of Kevin Greene but along the way there were players who played for the Panthers that kept me a fan. In 2001, a young man from California exploded onto the NFL scene. He was a third round pick that the Carolina Panthers had selected. His name is Steve Smith. Steve Smith has been the heart and soul for the Panthers for a long time.

The front office has labeled Steve Smith as distraction and needs to make way for the younger players on the team. The Panthers want their young players to become leaders for the future but what better leader could you have then Steve Smith? I am pretty sure Smith knows he doesn’t have much time left in the league but why not let him finish his career out as a Panther and mentor the young guys?

He has eight franchise records, and I am sure some of them will take a long time to be broken. I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no loyalty in sports anymore. Here is a guy who devoted his time to the team, and to the city of Charlotte and after thirteen years is told he is no longer a member of a team he help build. The Panthers lost will be someone else’s gain. Steve Smith still has a lot to offer and can be a great leader for any team he goes to.

As a fan I am disgusted with these turn of events. I have proudly wore a Steve Smith jersey for a long time and no one deserves to wear the number 89 for the Panthers again. Steve Smith is a hall of fame player in my book and I will be a huge supporter of his no matter where he goes. Thank you Steve Smith for all the memories you gave us as a Carolina Panther.