This has been a fun time! It’s been great to soak in all the Super Bowl hype. A few things have happened over the nearly two weeks of hype. One, is that the feeling the Patriots could not be beat, has mellowed in that time

. NFL Players, in particular, have more and more said that the Panthers were going to win. The list is long, and includes the likes of Takeo Spikes, Julian Peterson, Lamal Lewis, La’Roi Grover, Michael Irvin, and many others.

Tom Jackson, is certain that the Panthers will win. Then again, he was certain that the Patriots hated their coach, and we’ve watched 15 victories since that statement.

Why has the tide turned so much in two weeks? Why do so many of the self-proclaimed experts insist that the Patriots will lose? To me, it’s quite simple. With every single media session, the Panther players have convinced those that listen, that they are ready. They have talked confidently. They have acted like nothing scares them, and that they are not the least big intimidated! Frankly, they have talked the talk.

Their talk has changed many minds, but will their play? Now, they have to go out on the field against a very physical and focused Patriots team. Against a team that knows how to win. A team that knows what it takes to win the Super Bowl.

It’s time to put the talking behind, and play a team that has won 14 straight games. Carolina certainly belongs in this game. But their seeming lack of concern, and their overconfidence is something that does not bode well for them. When teams came into any game with the Patriots in 2001, and again this season with that attitude, that team has lost!

The Panthers have talked the talk, but now it’s time to walk the walk!