Different from many large cities, Charlotte, North Carolina does not have any particular style or type of food that defines the city. The closest type of food to define Charlotte cuisine would be southern style cooking, which is popular and outstanding in this city. Charlotte is a booming southern town due to its connection to the banking community. The city is young and modern and with this comes many restaurants and events. Johnson and Wales culinary school is located in Charlotte and many graduated chefs staying in the area to cook and open restaurants. While ethnic cuisine is not extremely common in Charlotte, diners will find authentic international cuisine in this city. In all parts of Charlotte, from Ballantyne to the South End, diners will find many top notch restaurants from a range of cooking styles. Find restaurant daily specials and restaurant coupons on CharlotteNow.com TODAY!
About Charlotte North Carolina
Welcome to Charlotte, a dynamic city that combines world-class amenities with warm Southern hospitality. Recently named by Cosmopolitan Magazine as one of the top “Hot Cities” in the nation for nightclubs and entertainment, you’ll find exciting restaurants and nightlife but also a wide range of arts and cultural attractions, professional sports, excellent shopping and state-of-the-art meeting facilities. You will find safe, tree-lined streets, walking trails, lakes, parks and nature preserves.
That’s the beauty of a city that also leaves lasting impressions. Charlotte attracts newcomers from all over the world and beckons visitors to return soon. As North Carolina’s No. 1 travel destination, over 14 million people visit the Charlotte area each year.
Charlotte has experienced both a renaissance and rejuvenation in many areas. What’s new or better in Charlotte? Dining. Four star restaurants and small intimate bistros can be found throughout the Center City and surrounding neighborhoods. Johnson & Wales University’s recent arrival is strengthening the city’s culinary and hospitality industry.
The re-emergence of the Historic Charlotte Trolley is one of several ways to get around in Charlotte now; providing a scenic route from Center City Charlotte to the art, antiques and fine dining in the Historic South End. The Gold Rush, Charlotte’s rubber-wheeled trolley, gets you anywhere you need to go free of charge.
Charlotte’s culturally enriched tapestry offers possibilities as limitless and diverse as its people and lifestyles. Fine art, hands-on-science exhibits, historical sites and renowned botanical gardens – Charlotte’s museums and cultural attractions are among the finest in the country. Discovery Place, a science museum providing ever-changing, entertaining exhibits ranging from life science to space exploration.
The US National Whitewater Center, a public park featuring mountain-biking trails, climbing centers and a custom-made whitewater river also opens this spring. The striking skyline of Charlotte makes a great first impression. The remarkable and varied architecture not only symbolizes a diverse city that means business, but also one that characterizes the progress and opportunity of the New South.
A sports enthusiast’s dream, Charlotte is home to not only the fabulous Belk Bowl but also the NFL Carolina Panthers and the NBA Charlotte Bobcats, who opened their 2005 – 2006 season in the new Time Warner Cable Arena in the Center City.
And Charlotte has style. From the top names in manufacturing and retail outlets, to upscale boutiques and unique shops nestled in neighborhood shopping centers, Charlotte offers a truly unique shopping experience with a wide range of retail options. Charlotte’s newest shopping addition is Northlake Mall, a 1.1 million square-foot, two-level regional shopping center with up to 150 stores and restaurants located in the northern suburbs of Charlotte.
Vibrant and robust, Charlotte continues to build upon its reputation as a world-class city through arts, science and historical attractions, eclectic dining, unique shopping, and entertainment options.
For more information, check out CharlotteNOW.com or call 704 728 4142.
Lodging and Dining
Within walking distance of Bank of America Stadium, Center City Charlotte has over 150 restaurants, entertainment and arts venues, and 3,700 hotel rooms, to suit all tastes and budgets. Visit these links for more details:
Transportation
Charlotte’s brand-new LYNX Light Rail Line makes Uptown more accessible than ever!
Pair that with the free Gold Rush shuttle, and you have a variety of convenient ways to get to all the action without using your car.
Parking
Growing cities go through growing pains, and Charlotte is no exception. That means it’s wise to plan ahead for your parking needs. Please note that plenty of parking is available within blocks of the Bank of America Stadium, as are free shuttles via the Gold Rush.
Charlotte Restaurants & What to do in Charlotte
Visit CharlotteNOW.com to find complete listings of all Charlotte events including time, place, tickets, photos, videos and much more . . . your 24/7 portal for what to do in Charlotte.
In addition, find Charlotte Daily specials as well as local & national Charlotte restaurants coupons.
So many things to do in Charlotte from symphonies to musical to theater to sports events.
Charlotte NC offers some of the finest entertainment, bar, and nightlife found anywhere.
What to do in Charlotte . . .Visit Charlotte & CharlotteNOW.com event calendar today !
Osso coming to N.C. Music Factory
Look for Osso, from Alex Myrick and chef Gene Briggs of uptown’s Blue, and Noah Lazes of the N.C. Music Factory, to open Dec. 8 or thereabouts, serving regional Italian cuisine in a contemporary space designed by François Fossard. (This photo is by Fossard, who designed Miami Beach’s Mansion and SET, Butter in New York City and Charlotte, and more.) Myrick expects the menu will hit all 20 of Italy’s regions; Briggs’ opening lineup will likely range from the obviously necessary osso buco (veal shank with saffron risotto) to sea bass to wild boar ragu with pappardelle, with all pastas being made in-house.
The place’s name followed Fossard’s design, which, as Myrick puts it, is like “staring into the belly of the whale,” suggesting the Italian word for bone: Osso. A fireplace will bridge the dining room and a lounge area, and “make no mistake,” says Myrick: “As the night goes on, it will be a fun place to be….We don’t ever want music to overtake your ability to carry on a conversation, but this is New York all the way.”
Expect high sound quality and for the place to stay open until 2 a.m. on weekends (and maybe more). Dinner will be served six nights a week (closed Mondays), and the menu will range from small plates for $10-$14 to entrees about $13-$30. Lobster crabcakes, short-rib-stuffed arrancini (Sicilian fried rice balls), tuna crudo with blood orange, Margherita pizza, veal meatballs, sea bass over lobster and pumpkin orzo: You get the picture. Need more?
FOO FIGHTERS IN CONCERT next Tuesday
Having just wrapped up a sold out weekend at
Milton Keynes National Bowl in London where
they rocked the worlds of no less than 130,000
insanely appreciative fans, Foo Fighters have
confirmed the latest series of dates in their
forthcoming U.S. arena tour. FOO FIGHTERS
will play Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte
on November 8. Special guests will be Social Distortion and The Joy Formidable.
The ever-expanding tour rides the relentless momentum of Foo Fighters’ recently released seventh album Wasting Light, certified gold less than two months after debuting at #1 in a dozen countries. Wasting Light has also generated arguably the best critical notices of the band’s 16-year career. The newly released Foo Fighters: Back & Forth documentary, directed by Oscar winner James Moll, has done likewise, with a just-out four-star ROLLING STONE review raving “a classic rockumentary arc… Dave Grohl has lived an extraordinarily cinematic life.”
Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear will be playing hits spanning the Foo Fighters’ catalogue of multi-platinum arena anthems, including new staples such as the 13-week Modern Rock #1 “Rope” and “Walk,” the band’s latest single and subject of the brilliant Sam Jones-directed parody of the classic crime drama Falling Down. Already a viral sensation, the “Walk” clip has been viewed more than a million times since its June 2 premiere.
Big Man on Campus Round Five
Think you have the biggest ENTOURAGE?.. Now you have FIVE Chances to prove it.
Get Paid to Party… Bring Friends to Win Big! Bring the biggest Entourage each week to qualify for the Finals and get a semester of school PAID for. (Guests 21+ will get free cover until midnight, 18-20 will get half priced cover until midnight.)
Round Five and Final Chance to qualify – Tuesday November 1st . Contest runs Tuesday Nights Thru November 1st. The winner of each night will comepete in the Finals on Tuesday November 8th to win a Semester of Tuition!*
Winner of each round will also win VIP treatment for their entourage the following week.
*Winner of the Finals to receive CASH Value of One Semester-Undergrad, In State Tuition.
To Enter: Email Prany@WhiskyRiverCharlotte.com – Must register each week by 5pm Tuesday.
Doors Open at 5pm, Contest runs until Midnight each week.
$2 ML Bottles and $4 Flavored Lemon Drops
18+ Welcome Text 980-333-3923 for more info
Panthers QB Newton answers critics in a big way
Cam Newton does not have a bulletin board or a file filled with quotes from the draft analysts who questioned whether the Panthers rookie quarterback was ready for the NFL.
For one thing, there wouldn’t be room for all the negative critiques.
“There were a couple of them, but we’d be here all day if I was to sit up here” going through them, Newton said last week. “I’d have a scroll. Authors and sports analysts. But I don’t have anything against anybody. That’s their job. That’s what they do.”
What Newton has done in his first seven games is set rookie passing and rushing records each week while poking holes in the pre-draft arguments that his success in his year at Auburn would not transfer to the NFL – certainly not this quickly.
After a 2-14 season that gave Carolina the No. 1 pick it used on Newton, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner has made the Panthers interesting again. Fox Sports sent its No. 2 crew to Charlotte this weekend to call a game between teams that are a combined 3-11.
Newton, at 6-foot-5 and 248 pounds, has been on the field for each of the Panthers’ 453 offensive plays this season. He is on pace to break Peyton Manning’s rookie record of 3,739 passing yards and needs one rushing touchdown to pass Vince Young as the all-time rookie leader in that category with eight.
What Newton has yet to do consistently is win – a fact that drives him more than silencing his doubters.
“I’m not here to say, ‘OK, first play of the game, so-and-so said this. All right, I’m about to prove to him that I can,’” Newton said. “I don’t do that. I just try to first win the game. That’s why I play the game.”
But as he reaches the midway point of his first season, it’s worth examining the four main criticisms of Newton prior to this season and what he has done to dispel them.
Criticism No. 1
“Cam Newton won’t be able to handle a pro-style offense.”
While Newton was leading Auburn to the national title last season, he would call plays based on a numbering system signaled in from the sideline. It was a simple approach for Auburn’s spread offense, which featured few of the complexities standard in an NFL offense.
ESPN analyst Jon Gruden tried to illustrate the difference by asking Newton to call one of Auburn’s plays during Gruden’s “QB Camp” series. Newton’s awkward response was further evidence for doubters who thought he would be in over his head in an NFL meeting room.
Most believed the lockout also would adversely affect Newton and other rookie quarterbacks, who had to head to training camp without attending minicamps or team-run OTAs. Newton spent part of the lockout at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., working with former Panthers quarterback Chris Weinke and ex-Browns quarterback Ken Dorsey, who played for Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski in Cleveland.
Newton received a copy of the Panthers’ playbook during the 24-hour window the lockout was halted following the first night of the draft. That enabled him to run the Panthers’ plays and get familiar with Chudzinski’s terminology during the training sessions at IMG.
“When we got him after he had gone through the offseason and saw what happened with all the work he’d done with Chris Weinke down at IMG and showed up here ready to go, it was impressive,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said.
The Panthers have been careful not to put too much on Newton’s plate too soon, keeping the audibles to a minimum and having center Ryan Kalil assist with front recognition.
“We give him some things that are standard,” Chudzinski said. “He has to change some protections. He does a decent amount at the line of scrimmage. We’ve been giving him a little bit more as he’s been able to handle it.”
Chudzinski said Newton is becoming better at finding secondary receivers, pointing to a check-down throw Newton made to fullback Jerome Felton last week against Washington.
Criticism No. 2
“Cam Newton has the arm strength but lacks the accuracy.”
Newton completed 66 percent of his passes at Auburn. But concerns about his accuracy arose after an erratic showing at the combine, when Newton had trouble connecting on the deep outs.
Those doubts grew louder after a preseason in which Newton’s completion percentage was 42.4.
But in Week 1 at Arizona, Newton completed 24 of 37 passes for 422 yards, breaking Manning’s record for passing yards in a rookie debut. Newton is completing 60.3 percent of his passes in an offense that is not a dink-and-dunk scheme. Most of Newton’s throws are downfield.
“In the preseason he was really off. He was all over the place,” said ESPN’s Merril Hoge, who was among those who weren’t sure Newton would succeed. “But week after week, he’s gotten better and better and better.”
Hoge said Newton has improved his throwing motion, which Hoge said is more fundamentally sound than Tim Tebow’s, which he said “ain’t ever gonna get straight.”
Hoge said when Newton misses on a throw, he usually misses to his left – as he did early in last week’s game against Washington.
But in the second half, Newton completed two long passes down the left sideline, including a perfectly placed throw to Steve Smith to the Redskins’ 1-yard line. Hoge likes the way Newton keeps his head still while surveying the field.
“If (a quarterback) looks like he’s in a tennis match, it ain’t very good,” Hoge said. “But if it’s very controlled, uses his eyes and his head – I tell you, (Newton) looks like he’s been playing for years.”
Criticism No. 3
“Cam Newton will flee the pocket.”
Newton was Auburn’s leading rusher with 1,473 yards and a school-record 20 touchdowns. But when the Panthers broke down Newton’s 264 carries during their pre-draft study, they found most were designed as runs.
“There was such a huge misnomer that he’s a scramble quarterback that runs. No, he wasn’t,” Rivera said. “He did not scramble to run. He scrambled to stay alive in the pocket.”
Chudzinski has tried to take advantage of Newton’s running ability, installing a read-option package similar to what Auburn used as well as a distinct, triple-option scheme. Newton, the Panthers’ third-leading rusher with 266 yards, has a great shot to break Steve Grogan’s record of 12 rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback.
And several times a game, Newton escapes the pocket, breaks containment and makes tacklers look bad on a scramble. But Hoge said it is not his first option.
“He literally has to be forced” to run, Hoge said.
Criticism No. 4
“Cam Newton is not a leader.”
The character issues that dogged Newton before the draft stemmed from his history at Florida, where he was implicated in a stolen laptop incident and faced allegations of academic cheating, as well as the pay-for-play scheme his father orchestrated with Mississippi State.
Newton also raised eyebrows around the league when he told Sports Illustrated’s Peter King: “I see myself not only as a football player, but an entertainer and icon.”
Some analysts characterized Newton as an ego-driven athlete who was not a team player. Pro Football Weekly’s Nolan Nawrocki wrote a scathing review of Newton, citing his “fake smile” and “me-first attitude” and predicting Newton would “struggle to win a locker room.”
Nawrocki said he didn’t pull the character assessment “out of thin air,” but through conversations with a number of the league’s talent evaluators. Nawrocki also said it’s too soon to judge Newton’s leadership skills.
“I still think those other issues need to be determined,” Nawrocki said. “Vince Young went to the Pro Bowl his first year. He went there in his fourth. He was off the team in his fifth. Sometimes you’re not going to have an answer for five years. We’ll see how it plays out. He’s more talented than Vince. He’s more in that Ben Roethlisberger category.”
Nawrocki was not the only one questioning Newton. In a survey of 24 NFL executives – mostly general managers or scouting directors – the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that 11 of them said they wouldn’t take Newton in the first round.
But after a lengthy background process and several face-to-face meetings with Newton, the Panthers were convinced the character issues would not be a problem.
“There were a lot of stories that you heard that when you went and checked them out, you came away feeling very good about Cam Newton as a person,” general manager Marty Hurney said on draft night.
Newton, who was recently exonerated by the NCAA in the Auburn case, does not taking losing well – brooding in his locker stall after his teammates have showered and left. Newton brushed off tight end Greg Olsen’s attempt to encourage him after a Week 4 loss in Chicago, although Olsen said later it was not a big deal.
Even after the Panthers decided they would take Newton first, Rivera said he had a lingering question about Newton’s work ethic, based on things he’d heard and Newton’s athleticism.
“I guess maybe in the back of my mind I just wondered, is he going to do all those extra things?” Rivera said. “And I’ll tell you right now, that question has been answered immediately.”
Newton has been coming to Bank of America Stadium on Tuesdays – the players’ off-day – for extra film work. Hoge, the former Steelers fullback, said Newton’s preparations are evident.
“Watching his overall improvement, it’s not by accident. He’s working hard,” Hoge said. “He’s learning things from week to week and he’s making a difference week to week.”
Saturday, October 29, 2011 21:03
Halfway through NFL season, who’s in?
For some teams, Carolina among them, the season will be half finished Sunday about 4 p.m. Time flies when you’re having fun and, despite losing five of seven games, the Panthers have been entertaining.
In 2010 the halfway point came the third Sunday of September.
The season felt like a forced march, with lots of gear, uphill, in the rain. This season it has sped by.
Was the opener in Arizona really seven weeks ago?
The best first-half team is defending champion Green Bay. The most surprising team is San Francisco. At 5-1, the 49ers have the same record as New England.
Everybody but the undefeated Packers, Patriots and 49ers has at least two losses.
I don’t know who the worst team is. Probably it’s Indianapolis, although Miami and St. Louis also are credibly bad.
I know only that the Panthers no longer contend for the title.
Last week: 8-5
Season: 73-30
Lock of the week, the lone game I pick against the spread: I said New Orleans would cover against Indianapolis, so I got that one.
Season: 3-4
This week’s games, with the home team in CAPS:
CAROLINA 29, Minnesota 23: The Panthers are 29th against the rush, giving up 133.4 yards a game, 19 more than the league average. I’m thinking the Vikings and Adrian Peterson are aware of this.
But I like the adjustments the defense made last week against Washington. I like them to do it again Sunday.
Two things:
If you bring binoculars, and can take your eyes off Cam Newton and Steve Smith, watch Minnesota defensive end Jared Allen. He leads the league with 11 1/2 sacks, 3 1/2 more than anybody else. Carolina defensive end Charles Johnson, who has been a force, has six. Chicago’s Julius Peppers has four.
The idea that fans shouldn’t sell their tickets to supporters of the opposing team is absurd. Most fans complaining about the proliferation of Washington fans at Bank of America Stadium last week watched the game on TV. If you don’t want Minnesota fans at the stadium Sunday, offer the scalpers more than the people wearing purple Alan Page jerseys.
Detroit 24, DENVER 20: I kind of like Tim Tebow. I met him at Daytona International Speedway. Nice guy, and bigger than you’d think. He’s without pretense. But he’s not magical and his team isn’t good.
New England 30, PITTSBURGH 27: The Steelers often play as if they got old at the same time. I believe in the organization. But nothing about them this season suggests they’re elite.
PHILADELPHIA 33, Dallas 31: I have rules. Never park next to a yellow curb; never work out next to the talk-talk talkative women at the gym (if you go to my gym you understand); never pick the Cowboys in a close game.
BALTIMORE 34, Arizona 20
HOUSTON 24, Jacksonville 20
NEW YORK GIANTS 31, Miami 16
New Orleans 33, St. Louis 17
TENNESSEE 29, Indianapolis 17
SAN FRANCISCO 26, Cleveland 16
Cincinnati 14, SEATTLE 10
San Diego 31, KANSAS CITY 29
Lock of the week
Buffalo (-5) 11 over Washington: The game is in Toronto, the Redskins are beaten up and this is the final Sunday of Locktober.
Saturday, October 29, 2011 20:59
Matchups: Minnesota Vikings at Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
Coach: Ron Rivera
Key Stats
0 Times before Sunday a first-round quarterback has faced two first-round quarterbacks from the same draft class as rookies. Cam Newton squared off with Blaine Gabbert in Week 3 and gets Christian Ponder Sunday.
1 Interceptions by Panthers cornerbacks. Chris Gamble’s pick of the Redskins’ John Beck last week was the first by a corner and 25th of Gamble’s career, tying Eric Davis’ team record.
128 Consecutive games with a reception by Jeremy Shockey, who has caught a pass in every NFL game he’s played. It’s the second-longest active streak among tight ends behind Tony Gonzalez (171).
250 Newton has thrown for 250 yards in four games. Since 1960, only three rookies have reached 250 yards in five: Matt Ryan, Sam Bradford and Peyton Manning.
Starting Lineup
Offense
| WR1 | 89 Steve Smith |
| LT | 69 Jordan Gross |
| LG | 70 Travelle Wharton |
| C | 67 Ryan Kalil |
| RG | 63 Geoff Hangartner |
| RT | 77 Byron Bell |
| TE | 88 Greg Olsen |
| WR2 | 11 Brandon LaFell |
| QB | 1 Cam Newton |
| TE | 80 Jeremy Shockey |
| RB | 34 DeAngelo Williams |
Defense
| LDE | 76 Greg Hardy |
| LDT | 97 Terrell McClain |
| NT | 94 Sione Fua |
| RDE | 95 Charles Johnson |
| WLB | 59 Omar Gaither |
| MLB | 55 Dan Conner |
| SLB | 50 James Anderson |
| LCB | 20 Chris Gamble |
| RCB | 41 Captain Munnerlyn |
| SS | 30 Charles Godfrey |
| FS | 23 Sherrod Martin |
Special Teams
| K | 10 Olindo Mare |
| P | 7 Jason Baker |
| H | 7 Jason Baker |
| PR | 14 Armanti Edwards |
| KOR | 81 Kealoha Pilares |
| LS | 44 J.J. Jansen |
Injuries
DOUBTFUL: S Jordan Pugh (head). QUESTIONABLE: CB Darius Butler (not injury related), WR Armanti Edwards (foot). PROBABLE: LB Omar Gaither (knee), QB Cam Newton (illness).
Schedule/Results
| Opponent | Time | TV | |
| September | |||
| 11 | At Arizona | L 28-21 | |
| 18 | Green Bay | L 30-23 | |
| 25 | Jacksonville | W 16-10 | |
| October | |||
| 2 | At Chicago | L 34-29 | |
| 9 | New Orleans | L 30-27 | |
| 16 | At Atlanta | L 31-17 | |
| 23 | Washington | W 33-20 | |
| 30 | Minnesota | 1 | Fox |
| November | |||
| 6 | Bye | 1 | |
| 13 | Tennessee | 1 | CBS |
| 20 | At Detroit | 1* | Fox |
| 27 | At Indianapolis | 1* | Fox |
| December | |||
| 4 | At Tampa Bay | 1* | Fox |
| 11 | Atlanta | 1* | Fox |
| 18 | At Houston | 1* | Fox |
| 24 | Tampa Bay | 1* | Fox |
| January | |||
| 1 | At New Orleans | 1* | Fox |
NOTE: * Time subject to change.
Minnesota Vikings
Coach: Leslie Frazier
Key Stats
3 Members of the Chicago Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl team on the sidelines, including two with the Vikings. Frazier and linebackers coach Mike Singletary were teammates of Panthers coach Ron Rivera.
9 Consecutive games with a sack for defensive end Jared Allen. He leads the NFL with 11.5 sacks, more than seven teams.
28 Career 100-yard rushing games in 71 games for Adrian Peterson, including postseason. Peterson, the NFL’s leading rusher, ran for 175 yards and a score last week vs. Green Bay.
31.1 Yards per kickoff return for Percy Harvin. He had a 103-yarder against San Diego in Week 1.
Starting Lineup
Offense
| WR1 | 12 Percy Harvin |
| LT | 74 Charlie Johnson |
| LG | 76 Steve Hutchinson |
| C | 65 John Sullivan |
| RG | 61 Joe Berger |
| RT | 71 Phil Loadholt |
| TE | 81 Visanthe Shiancoe |
| WR2 | 19 Devin Aromashodu |
| QB | 7 Christian Ponder |
| FB | 44 Ryan D’Imperio |
| RB | 28 Adrian Peterson |
Defense
| LDE | 96 Brian Robison |
| LDT | 92 Remi Ayodele |
| RDT | 93 Kevin Williams |
| RDE | 69 Jared Allen |
| SLB | 52 Chad Greenway |
| MLB | 56 E.J. Henderson |
| WLB | 50 Erin Henderson |
| LCB | 26 Antoine Winfield |
| RCB | 23 Cedric Griffin |
| SS | 33 Jamarca Sanford |
| FS | 39 Husain Abdullah |
Special Teams
| K | 8 Ryan Longwell |
| P | 4 Chris Kluwe |
| LS | 46 Cullen Loeffler |
| H | 4 Chris Kluwe |
| PR | 35 Marcus Sherels |
| KR | 12 Percy Harvin |
Injuries
OUT: G Anthony Herrera (knee). QUESTIONABLE: RB Lorenzo Booker (concussion), WR Percy Harvin (ribs), CB Antoine Winfield (neck). PROBABLE: S Husain Abdullah (concussion), DE Jared Allen (not injury related), DT Remi Ayodele (ankle), LB E.J. Henderson (knee), RB Adrian Peterson (ankle), DE Brian Robison (shoulder), S Jamarca Sanford (concussion), TE Visanthe Shiancoe (foot), C John Sullivan (concussion).
Schedule/Results
| Opponent | Time | TV | |
| September | |||
| 11 | At San Diego | L,24-17 | |
| 18 | Tampa Bay | L,24-20 | |
| 25 | Detroit | L,26-23 | |
| October | |||
| 2 | At Kansas City | L,22-17 | |
| 9 | Arizona | W,34-10 | |
| 16 | At Chicago | L,39-10 | |
| 23 | Green Bay | L,33-27 | |
| 30 | At Carolina | 1 | Fox |
| November | |||
| 7 | Bye | ||
| 14 | At Green Bay | 8:30 | ESPN |
| 20 | Oakland | 1 | CBS |
| 27 | At Atlanta | 1 | Fox |
| December | |||
| 4 | Denver | 4:05 | CBS |
| 11 | At Detroit | 1 | Fox |
| 18 | New Orleans | 1 | Fox |
| 24 | At Washington | 1 | Fox |
| January | |||
| 1 | Chicago | 1 | Fox |
Saturday, October 29, 2011 20:57
Stopping Adrian Peterson won’t be easy task for Panthers
Can the Panthers stop Peterson?
Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson has rushed for 1,200 or more yards in each of his first four seasons, and is on his way again. Peterson gashed the Packers for 175 yards last week and leads the league in rushing with 712 yards. Meanwhile, the Panthers are 29th at stopping the run, allowing 133 yards a game. Getting outside linebacker Omar Gaither back from a knee injury should help, but bottling up Peterson will require a group effort.
Limiting rookie mistakes
This is true for both teams as Vikings first-year quarterback Christian Ponder makes his second start. Both Ponder and Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton were victimized by Green Bay cornerback Charles Woodson, who picked off both of them twice.
When Newton protects the ball, the Panthers have won. He has nine turnovers (all interceptions) in their five losses, none in their two victories.
’85 Bears reunion weekend
Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier and linebackers coach Mike Singletary were defensive teammates of the Panthers’ Ron Rivera on Chicago’s Super Bowl-winning team in 1985. The only thing missing Sunday will be Buddy Ryan and his 46 defense.
Frazier and Rivera remain close – the two talk at least once a week. But both need a win Sunday heading into their bye weeks.
Saturday, October 29, 2011 20:57
Don’t disrespect Steve Smith, ever
The Panthers and Vikings play about every other year, aren’t division rivals and don’t have a huge history. But I vividly remember two plays from the teams’ nine games.
The first came in 2001. In the first game of his NFL career, about to touch the ball for the first time, a kick returner named Steve Smith was already angry. I know you’re stunned.
Smith told me long ago a Vikings special-teamer disrespected him before the game, referring to Smith’s college in telling him: “This ain’t Utah no more, son.”
“That was the wrong thing to say,” Smith said. The first time he touched the ball in a real NFL game, he returned it 93 yards for a touchdown. Carolina won that day, then lost the next 15 in a row. Hardly anyone from that game is still playing. But Smith is, leading the NFL in reception yards.
The other play I remember came in 1997. The game was tied in the fourth quarter and Minnesota was at the Carolina 3 when Vikings quarterback Brad Johnson had his pass swatted by Panthers nose tackle Greg Kragen. End of play, right? Nope. Johnson caught the deflection and then ran into the end zone.
The official play-by-play read: “Johnson 3 pass from Johnson.” I guess fantasy footballers got double credit. Minnesota won the game.
Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson dressed up for a Halloween costume party this week as Chewbacca of “Star Wars” fame. Johnson said that the judging must have been rigged, however, because somehow his costume didn’t win. “Chewbacca? That’s classic,” Johnson said.
The Panthers’ ability – or inability – to stop Adrian Peterson will be the biggest key Sunday. I think Cam Newton will outplay Christian Ponder, but that advantage could be negated if Peterson goes for 150.
I’ve missed the Panthers’ outcome the past two weeks, dropping my record over the past 22 Carolina games to 16-6. But I think the final score Sunday will be Carolina 30, Minnesota 21.
Bret Michaels Returns to Whisky River November 23
Legendary rock star Bret Michaels showed the Queen City Nothin’ but a Good Time the night before Thanksgiving a year ago and now he’s coming back for a second helping.
The Poison front man returns to the Whisky River stage on Wednesday night, November 23, giving Charlotte rock fans an opportunity to reunite with friends and family before enjoying their Thanksgiving feast.
Michaels is perhaps best known for his time with Poison, which includes three multi-platinum albums and six top 10 hits in the 1980s and early 1990s. In addition, Michaels has release three solo albums, including 2010’s Custom Built, which peaked at No. 1 on both the Billboard Independent Album and Hard Rock Album charts.
Michaels has also enjoyed success over the years as a reality television personality appearing on VH1’s “Rock of Love” and “Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It.” Michaels gained attention for winning “Celebrity Apprentice 3” in 2010 and for co-hosting the Miss Universe 2010 pageant with Natalie Morales.
Tickets for Bret Michaels at Whisky River are $30 for general admission and $60 for VIP, both of which are available now online at WhiskyRiverCharlotte.com. Doors will open at 5 p.m. on November 23; Bret Michaels at Whisky River is a 21-and-up event. Whisky River is located at EpiCentre, 210 E Trade Street in the heart of uptown Charlotte.
Owned by NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Whisky River is one of Charlotte, North Carolina’s most popular evening entertainment venues in the heart of the vibrant uptown scene at the EpiCentre. With its unpretentious charm and electrifying blend of live music performances, celebrity guests and dynamic DJs spinning everything from rock to country and more, Whisky River is the ideal destination for casual, feel-good fun. So grab your friends and get ready for a revved-up time at Charlotte’s favorite place to unwind – Whisky River. Oh, and don’t forget to take a ride on our famous, and always entertaining, mechanical bull – if you dare!