In this week's Time Out for Sports, Carolina Panthers legend Sam Mills was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last weekend. The quarterback competition heats up at Panthers training camp and coaching shakeups at West Charlotte High. Joining WFAE's Claire Donnelly to talk about the week in sports is the Charlotte Observer sportswriter Langston Wertz Jr.
Sam Mills obviously had a fantastic career, but he became a legend for the Panthers, even though he only played three years for the organization from 1995 to 1997. Mills played at a Pro Bowl level into his late 30s, when that was unheard of Wertz Jr said.
"In 2003, he was diagnosed with cancer, which was a very aggressive form, he was only given months to live," Wertz Jr. said. "And then in January 2004, right before the Panthers are going to play the Cowboys in the playoffs, he gave that "keep pounding" speech before the playoff game. He told the guys not fighting had never been an option for him and not fighting in this game should not be an option for them either. He told them to keep pounding. And to this day, Panthers fans still say, 'keep pounding.'"
You can listen to the full Time Out for Sports conversation above. Here’s a quick look at what else Donnelly and Wertz Jr. covered this week.
- Bryant Young, Charlotte Christian's assistant football coach and former 49er, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame. His acceptance speech included an emotional tribute to his late son.
- Ryan Copeland, West Charlotte High girls' soccer coach, has resigned after it was discovered he'd sent sexual texts to a student.
- West Charlotte's football coach, Sam Greiner, was suspended last week as CMS investigates allegations that he recruited players from outside the district and mistreated student-athletes by denying them adequate rest and water breaks.
- The battle for quarterback continues in Spartanburg, with the Panthers' first preseason game kicking off on Saturday against the Washington Commanders.