THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 2, 1996 TAG: 9609020153
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE LENGTH: 73 lines
Blue paw prints dotted the sidewalks of uptown Charlotte Sunday morning. There was something else unusual on the sidewalks, too.
People.
Normally deserted on weekends, uptown was teeming with Carolina Panthers fans, streaming toward this city's latest monument to its big-league ambitions: Ericsson Stadium.
The occasion was opening not only of Ericsson, the Panthers' Taj Mahal of a stadium, but of a new sports era, one this city has planned and yearned for since owner Jerry Richardson announced plans to pursue an NFL team in 1987.
``This is a special day in the history of North and South Carolina,'' the public address announcer informed the crowd before Carolina's 29-6 win over Atlanta Sunday.
There was no need to tell them.
``It's a big step forward for the city,'' said Mark McNeill of Charlotte, who was sitting at the very top of the 13-story stadium in section 545.
Charlotte got the Hornets in 1988. But, as McNeill said, ``This (The NFL) is another level.''
Charlotte got the Panthers last year.
But because Ericsson Stadium was still under construction, the team played in Clemson, S.C. Road construction made that trip the modern day equivalent of crossing the Rockies in a covered wagon.
Dean and Evelyn Jenkins of Stanley, N.C. had season tickets a year ago.
They went to just three games.
``Getting in and out of Clemson was impossible,'' Dean Jenkins said.
Getting to Ericsson is easier. Just follow the paw prints.
``This place is awesome,'' said David Amundson, a photographer from Winston-Salem. ``It's the best thing that ever happened to this state.''
The $184 million stadium - financed largely by sales of personal-seat licenses to season-ticket holders - was called, ``The best football stadium in America'' by NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who was on hand for the game Sunday.
``With the new stadium, and the success of this expansion franchise last year, this was the logical place to be,'' he said.
The stadium certainly is striking. The exterior is constructed of concrete and black onyx, to simulate the coat of a black panther. The glass over the entrances is a translucent blue.
Each of the stadium's three entrances feature two Panther sculptures, 22 feet long and seven feet tall.
Inside, seats are wide, and come with drink and program holders. Restrooms and concession stands are plentiful. The sight lines are considered the best in the NFL. Even the view from section 545 is good.
And Sunday, so were the results. Game time temperature was a perfect 76 degrees.
After South Carolina native Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish sang the national anthem, the Panthers wasted little time in giving their fans a reason to cheer. With 9:56 left in the first quarter, quarterback Kerry Collins hit Mark Carrier with a 12-yard touchdown pass.
It only got better from there in an afternoon that featured sharp passing by Collins, hard running by rookie tailback Tim Biakabutuka, and a couple of sack dances by manic linebacker Kevin Greene.
``They were louder than the crowd at Michigan,'' Biakabutuka said of the 69,522 in attendance. ``They definitely were.''
Not always at the right times, however.
``They were doing the wave while our offense was on the field,'' Greene said. ``They've got to understand, you've got to keep it real quiet when the offense is on the field.''
They'll learn. This city and region, about the size of Hampton Roads, has come light years in the past decade.
Sports-wise, anyway.
Barbara Richards, a teacher who moved to Charlotte a year ago after 12 years in Virginia Beach, summed up the mood.
``I knew it would be like this,'' she said. ``This is a young and vital city.
``With big-league sports.'' by CNB