Morning Buzz: Special ties to the Panthers' home

More than 70,000 people are expected to pack Bank of America Stadium on Saturday when the Carolina Panthers take on the Arizona Cardinals. Hundreds of thousands more have filled the stands for Panthers games in the stadium's 13 years.


Then there are Panthers fans who have never seen their team play in person. This recent story featured some, but others also haven't been to game yet still have a special connection to the monolith on Mint Street.


People like Johnnie Hill of Charlotte, who spent hundreds of hours in the winter chill and summer heat helping build what was first named Ericsson Stadium.


In the 1990s, Hill was a supervisor at the company that provided much of the concrete for the $187 million stadium -- the big black and gray panels, seat panels and the stair-like sections that support the seats. A Vietnam veteran, Hill managed the crew that repaired damage to panels, ensuring the concrete would be flawless for the stadium's first game Sept. 22, 1996.


Now 66, Hill said recently that he retired in May and passes by the stadium a few times a week but has never been inside to see the Panthers play.


Neither has Joe Young of Lenoir, who previously lived in Charlotte and worked for the company that set up the four-day Billy Graham crusade at the stadium in 1996. Still, Young can brag about something most other fans haven't done.


"In the middle of the night, I walked out to the midfield area where the NFL logo is now," he said. "There was not a person in the stadium except a few more (set-up) guys somewhere."


Sandra Miller of Charlotte enjoyed a similar experience before the stadium opened. She was a receptionist for the irrigation company that worked on the stadium's turf, she said, and had a few chances to visit while the venue was empty -- sitting one time on the 50-yard line, and another time in the very top row on a beautiful summer day.


Miller also admitted that she checked out the private suites, opening a window and imagining what it would be like to watch a game from there. Another amenity also didn't escape notice.
"I even used the toilet," she said, "just so I can say I did."


Does anyone else have a special link to Bank of America Stadium or a unique experience to share? Post your stadium connections below.


Your Morning Buzz:


The Rock Hill Herald's Darin Gantt writes that the Panthers may not have Super Bowl rings, but they have significant playoff experience.


Faith, not football, defines Kurt Warner, writes the Arizona Republic's Paola Boivin.


The Arizona Republic's game prediction (and breakdown) : Panthers 27, Cardinals 24.


ESPN.com's Mike Sando says the nation is learning what Arizona opponents already know about Cards WR Larry Fitzgerald's talent.


The Sporting News writer Greg Cosell says the remaining playoff teams, including the Panthers, are utilizing a potent defensive weapon, the zone blitz.