November 14, 2025 • 29 mins
This week on Stew and the Crew, J-Stew is joined by Austen Kroll from "Southern Charm" to share his Panthers fandom origin story, discuss what it is like to be a Panthers fan in the public eye, and so much more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
With the thirteenth pick in the two thousand and eight
NFL draft. Caroen La hand the sellect Jonathan.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Stewart gives to Stewart. He leaves touched up.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Stewart oh rough tough right, angry man out at elbows, knees.
Stewart hesitates, accelerates.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
That's what I'm talking about. Fit the spash Moll football.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Contain Stuart cat running round. Stewart jump over a tackler
at the tenth flows up, Laura's his shoulder, keeps running.
No one will touch him. Jonathan Stewart house does it?
You talk about explosive plays in the run game. It's
like the fourth of July around here.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Right now you are listening to Stu and the crew.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
All right, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Stu and
the Crew. This is week eleven. I have a special
guest with us this afternoon. For tuning in, you should
know that we have someone from Bravo. You know, if
you watch Bravo, you've seen Southern Charm and you might
(00:57):
know of a guy name Austin Krohll. Austin Crowe is
a Charlotte native and I'm glad to have him here
on the podcast, because it's just an opportunity for us
to engage with not just a guy that's local and
and and that's engaged, but someone that is, you know,
(01:18):
carrying the weight in the burden sometimes as a Panther
fan in the public eye.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
And so.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
No further ado, we have Austin Crowe Southern charm cast
and Panther fan.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
What's up dog? How you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I appreciate the intro and uh and and yeah, man,
kind of what she said is funny as someone who
carries the burden, yeahs fan in the public eye. Man.
Sometimes like I want to post things and I refrained
because I'm like, all right, right, I don't want I
don't want these people within the organization, you know that
I know to see and be pissed at me. So
(02:00):
so I'm just gonna, you know, hold back. Or like
I see someone post something and it's like I want
to comment, and.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I'm like, no, So what do you do instead? There?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
You text me, I text you, I text you, Yeah, yeah,
I text you and a Panther group chattermine and vent
a little bit.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Yes, yeah, you know, we we'll get to the Panthers
where they are currently and whatnot. But I want to
give you a chance to shout out you know, your home,
your hometown, and your school and and just kind of see,
you know, tell the tell the audience about you know,
you being in Charlotte. You know when did you first
become a fan of the Black and Blue? Was it
(02:41):
when they first came to Charlotte? Was it a little
bit after, like tell us you know your your engagement
there when it comes to the Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yes, So growing up in Charlotte, I moved to South
Charlotte immediately with the family, so Mecklenburg County. I went
to Providence Day which is a private school there, and
then the Carolinas. I'm sure that everyone knows who who's
who's from Charlotte. Uh, basically first grade through ninth grade,
(03:11):
and then I transferred over to public school to graduate.
I transferred over to Providence High School because I was
down there in that South Charlotte area. Now I remember
the Panthers coming Now I went to school too, all right, First,
I remember the Panthers coming in, you know, ninety five,
(03:32):
right when their exhibition year was in Clemson or whatever
you want to call it. They're they're like inaugural year, right, yeah,
and then and then my and then my folks got
season tickets and had season tickets ever since. Anyways, Yeah,
so ninety five and Clemson and then you know, the
(03:52):
next year, my parents got three tickets to the Panthers,
which is funny because I didn't have my younger sister
then and so they only got three. They didn't kept four.
So once she got like an age and kind of
been wanting to go to Panthers game and stuff, it
was always kind of like a always kind of like
a fight, right, And I was like, Katie, you don't
even like the cats, Like get out of here, I'm going,
(04:13):
you know. So we used to fight about that.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
How did you guys resolve that? Was there like paper
rock scissors? Was it like taking turns?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I'd like hate to say it's too but like I mean,
like seniority ruled bro okay, you know. And then it
got to the point too, you know, where I got
older and older and it was like, you know, me
and my sister would just go and my parents would
be like, yeah, man, you know, y'all go and I
invite a friend or whatever. And also kind of funny
(04:47):
and of note was that at Providence Day, Jerry Richardson's
grandson Johnson went there with me.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Johnson shout out to Johnson, one of the.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
He one of my boys too, yep. And uh, and
it's just so funny, man, because in the early go
of it, you know, and and like I wasn't like
a like a massive ball knower, you know, back back then,
right like I just went to the games and wanted
to win, and like I knew, you know, what was going.
But we used to make make fun of Johnson, man
(05:21):
when when the Panthers stunk and and things like that.
And then and then we all started to grow and
we were like, wait, we're like massive Panthers fans. Actually,
it's like the coolest thing on earth that your grandfather,
you know, started this. And there you have the origin
story of of me as a Panthers fan, you know.
(05:44):
And since then it was always like you know, and
as you said, I like went to Bama, right man,
But even my like even man throughout Bama because it's
not it's not like an NFL state, right it doesn't
have any NFL teams, and so NFL Sunday was not
a big deal there. And uh, I mean, man, watching
(06:06):
Panthers was always like I was almost more excited to
watch him the Panthers games than like to watch the
Banda games on Saturday. So yeah, well black and Blue
since since ninety five, man.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
So you've been bleeding black and blue for a long time.
Like what what give me one moment that really gave
you this motion, this notion of oh, I'm all in
you know. I mean, I know your Panther, your your
your parents had you know, season tickets, and you were
kind of born into it. But when did you go
(06:41):
from it being something that was passed down to you
to know, I own this?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah? Yeah, you know because my folks moved moved to
Charlotte from the DC area, so my dad was kind
of like a commander's fan.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yeah, the Redskins, Redskins back there.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, and but you know he quickly was like all right, man, Panthers.
You know, I have tickets and this and that, and
I'll never forget the Steve Smith touchdown versus you know,
the Rams, the then same Saint Louis Rams and ot.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
And that's when I was like, yeah, that was my.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Like, this is this is awesome, this is like I
like this feeling you know, and you know, we were
all sitting there man watching with like even biting nails.
And guy, mean, I don't even know that year. Well,
actually I do. I guess it was three mm hm.
And so if we're going to three, you know, I
(07:39):
was like sixteen years old or something, so kind of
maybe it was before then. I mean, but dude, I
was there man the game that like you uh and
and D'Angelo man each each you know, hit that mark
for for uh yards yards each for the first time ever.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Like this, it's good talking to you because like you
almost kind of sound like the actual fan of a
Carolina Panther now, someone that's you know, back and forth,
you know, going to another team or another player and
following another team. Bandwagon type people, right, what you get
a lot of these days, right, not a lot of
(08:19):
people that have boughten in you know since the nineties, right,
since since the early two thousands, A lot of a
lot of the fans have been adopted during the twenty
fourteen twenty fifteen seasons, where you know, things kind of
started rolling again in this new era, right, give me fifteen,
(08:40):
would you say, yeah, yeah, yeah, the new era twenty
fourteen to fifteen season. You know, I think that's where
a lot of you know, people started moving to Charlotte,
economy started moving a little bit, and we were winning, right,
and that's when Cam was at the all time his
all time high. But you know, if you could give
(09:02):
a definition of what a Carolina Panther fan is, what
is that definition? Yeah, because because when you look at
a Buffalo Bills fan, you know a lot of it
is you know, chaos, right, and what's the definition of
you know, or or the definition of insanity?
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Right?
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Doing something over and over again and you're not You're
not getting anything?
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Yes, I mean, well, look man, the Panthers are are
obviously in the grand scheme of things, a young football
team in the NFL, right, Like you know, comparatively speaking,
you know, I mean you got these Giants fans or
Buffalo fans, as you know you said, and I mean
their fandom has been passed down, you know what I mean.
(09:50):
They were born wearing like a Bill's jersey, you know,
or like a Bill's you know, ones of your Giants
or Eagles or you know, I mean their fan bases
are just so mass you and Charlotte is like a
smaller market too than like a lot of these other
teams that you know began way back when, other than
the twenty fifteen in fourteen fifteen season then when Cam
(10:12):
was on a tear, you mean the whole boys were
on a tear, you know, and everyone man was wearing
like a Newton jersey from like here to even Berlin,
you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, and uh like,
other than that, you cannot describe the Carolina Panthers as
anyone being like a bandwagon, right. It's like, you know,
I mean I can see someone jumping on like a
(10:34):
like a Kansas City train because they're like Patty Mahomes
or Travis Kelcey or like a Bill's bandwagon because of
Josh Allen and what he's been doing. And like there
are no bandwagon Panthers fans too, yeah, right.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
And so when you totally invested, yeah, and when.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
You see one in the wild man, like you know,
you're like, hell, yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
Man, we've been going through it together.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Remember when I was in Remember when I was in
uh well then you don't know where I was, but
I was in New York and I sent you a
picture of this dude wearing a stewed jersey jersey like
a game when I was like, yo, that's legit. I
don't see that very much. So I answer your question.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Of like, no, it does.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
There's not a there's not a bandwagon Panther fan. And
I think the frustrations, you know, the last seven years,
and I'll ask you a question after this, but the
last seven to eight years, it's been very hard as
a Panther fan. And but what I what I truly
believe is, you know, it's worth it at the end.
Whenever that is, it's going to be worth it because
(11:43):
there's a lot of good times ahead. And then, like
to your point, we are a young organization and you know,
we have to go through certain things, just like all
the other organizations that you talked about, the Giants, the Commanders,
the Eagles, the Jets, you know, the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns.
You know, they've gone through seasons where they've gone in droughts, right,
(12:04):
but they've been in seasons where they've been on a roll.
And we've been in a season where we started off
hot as an organization and in the grand scheme of things,
and then we go into a spell of you know, okay,
who are the Carolina Panthers, and then we find who
we are in our identity, you know, especially through Sam Mills, right,
(12:25):
keep pounding, and then Cam Newton comes here from Auburn
and that whole presence in the South and the SEC
and all eyes are on the Carolina Panthers all of
a sudden. Then we actually, you know, put some things
together that made it. You know, Charlotte at one point
was a place to be, like and it still is
(12:46):
a place to be because people are still moving here.
But as far as a sports town, I think we
have the tangible ingredients to be a sports town, right.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
But my question to you, jeez, how do you corn
it from?
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Now we're gonna bring corn its into this.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
Come on, man, how do you how do you as
a Charlotte ten as a Carolina fan right of sports?
Speaker 3 (13:13):
How do you cope? How have you cope get.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Coped with like the losing seasons and just staying in it?
Speaker 3 (13:21):
How do you stay in it?
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Well? All right, so we all go through the off
season hype, right, and like we wipe the clean at
a certain point we're like, all right, I'm ready to
be hurt again, you know what I mean. You're like,
like in the off season, You're like, all right, man,
this season was a wash. Let's forget it. And then
like an episode like a blueprint comes out and all
(13:45):
the boys are chattering and you're like, oh, maybe a
blueprint it was hot, and we start chattering and then
we're like, yo, man, tet tet is the answer. You know,
we convince ourselves of all the things, right, of all
the things, it's gonna be a great year, man, Shoot,
but finish the year hoigh, you know, man, Briceman finished
you know last year hot. I mean, look, man, going
(14:05):
five and four, I mean the sky was bluer, you know, Man,
the birds were chirping. We just beat NFC leaders, you know, Packers,
and I know that we only put up like sixteen
points and and and but it's exactly kind of what
you're saying, where the downs make the highs just so
much better. And I mean it like I'm thinking back
(14:32):
to last season. Man. Last season was tough, and and
it's a whole it's like a whole thing of of
not trying to put your head down so much because,
as you said, like like being U being like a
person in the public eye or whatever who's a fan
of you know, I don't want to be out there
(14:53):
man trashing the team. I don't want to be trashing
the team, but I can't. But like I am not.
There's a dude in my group chat who is the ultimate,
you know, optimist. I can't. I'm not only the ultimate optimist.
I'm just not the ultimate pessimist.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Yeah, I hear you.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
So it's like finding that in between. Because again, they're
your Carolina Panthers this year, so you're either going to
watch them and just be in straight misery or you
can choose to be optimistic and put yourself in their shoes. Right,
Like you played sports in high school, right, Yeah, so
you know what it's like to be an athlete and
to have you know, expectations and to then not have
(15:33):
those expectations met. It's reasonable to be upset, especially as
a fan, right. You invest a lot of your money
and your time to tune in to make you know
the Panther nation what it is, because without the fans,
you know, they're you're really just playing a game, and
you're just playing it, you know, amongst each other. The
(15:53):
fans is what makes this game so special. And that's
why I'm glad that you're on here. To talk in
behalf of the fan about the experiences, about the times
that you've had to go through. And we're now here
on a cusp, right. You know, we've had a roller
coaster season so far, and literally roller coaster. We're beating
teams that were kind of like scratching our heads and
(16:15):
saying to ourselves, how do we do that?
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Are we a good team? I guess we are a
good team.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Well, there's certain elements that do show up on Sunday,
and then there's elements that don't show up on Sunday.
You know, case in point, the last game that they
played against the Saints. One and eighteen comes in here
and they do something that a lot of teams didn't do,
which is they went all in on stopping the run
and saying, hey, if you're gonna beat us, we want
(16:40):
you to throw the ball deep. We want you to
throw the ball like you haven't been throwing it because
we haven't seen it.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
On tape yet.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
When you're now in a position as a fan after
you lose a division game, something that meets like, you
know what these division games mean, right, Saints? Right, if
it's your first time playing them, it means it means
twice right. The main the means of the game, it
just means double right. You go into an Atlanta Falcons
(17:11):
week on the road, you've already beaten them thirty to zero.
As a fan, your emotions where are they?
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Man? I feel like you're such an optimist right my
text you Man, You're always like yeah, but this, yeah,
but this, yeah, but that last game even you got
a little like a little like emotional response from you.
And I liked it, right, And I liked it. I
(17:42):
was like, there we go, like you know, and that's
what you said. Man. They were like they stacked the
box and they were like, all right, man, you improve
it with your arm. You know what we did. We
did not prove it. You put a seven points on
a team playing like a rookie quarterback at the bank.
(18:04):
I mean, yeah, a field goal got blocked. That that's
something that you can't eat them and prepare for, I
mean coming how often does that happen? I mean? And
then you know the miscommunication from Jimmy Hornman taking that
taking that hand off, or maybe he wasn't supposed to
take the handout, like you know, and we're driving right
(18:25):
and all of a sudden you add, you add those
potential mid ten points to the board, and seventeen seventeen.
I think my expectations moving forward. I hate to say
it too, but I don't have any expectations. I don't
have any expectations at this moment because you look at
(18:46):
thirty to zero and you're like, wow in the hell,
and then you look at all the major stat categories.
The Falcons beat us in all the major stack categories
except for the one that matters, and that's the final score, right,
So like they had total yards and and this and that,
like they they they beat us, Yeah, they did, right,
(19:09):
So now we play on the road and you know,
you obviously hope that that we course correct with what
just happened against A one and what you say, one
and eight? Yeah, And like, man, Stu, I I hate
(19:34):
the Falcons so much, And.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
I like, why do you hate them so much?
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Because, man, division Maybe because I had a bunch of
buddies that alent to Alabama with that were Falcons fans. Man,
like a lot of the Atlantic kids went went to
Tlabama And okay, no, no, I'm gonna tell you why,
Mike Vick I hate the Falcons because because of mike Vic, Like, man,
it didn't matter if if like we had that guy
(20:00):
on third and twenty two, you know, she would scramble
for that first down and he broke our hearts many times.
You know, you just kept that play alive. Maybe that's why.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
So is it safe to say that division games really
do mean a lot to these fans because you see
these teams just like us as players, we see these
teams twice a year. You as a fan are saying
to yourself, Okay, we get a chance to be two
to zero against a team in one year, and if
we do that, we have bragging rights.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
I mean, yeah, absolutely, you.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Remember the year and it's every year that that's a
thing because as opposed to like you know, non division
division games and non conference games, you know, those happen,
you know, on various occasions, right, depending on how they
schedule things with NFL. But every year, the division games
they are going to happen. So you have an expectation
(20:58):
there that we do need to win these games.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Yeah, I mean, look, man, you know we're playing the
Rams at some point coming up, and it's like I
want to beat the Rams, but like I don't, you know,
I'm not going to cry into my pillow, like I
wanted to eat the Rams so bad. It's like, all right, Rams,
like you you really don't mean anything to our season
in the long run. Yeah, and uh, you know, I
(21:26):
remember this season when we lost the Saints three times
in one seasons two three times, man, and that that stung.
And I was like, wait, maybe the Saints have taken
that top spot for teams that I hate more more
than the Falcons because that was particularly like, that was
particularly like we own you. You know, that was tough.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
That was tough. You don't want to ever be owned, right,
You'll never want to be owned?
Speaker 4 (21:51):
So where's the bright spots that you see with the
Carolina Panthers right now? You know, we talked about our
frustrations and how we cope, and you know that it's
going to mean that much more going through the pain
now and being able to be victorious on the end
at some point. But what are the bright spots that
you are enjoying this season in comparison to the seasons before,
(22:14):
Because there's a total different shift, I think, in my opinion,
with this team that we see now as opposed to
the teams that we've seen in the past.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Okay, I think that for the first time in a
long time. I mean because because you can't argue numbers, right,
you can't argue the fact that Rico was going absolutely off,
which the offensive line was performing well, right. I mean
I used to every Panthers fan knows the absolute you
(22:46):
know heartache of a bad or inept or not performing
well offensive line, right. I mean, you know, man, even
the year after twenty fourteen to fifteen, it was like
Cam can't throw the ball if he's on his you
know what I mean, Like, I don't care how how
good you are. Now, the offensive line is a bright spot,
even though that we have a bunch of injuries. I
(23:09):
think that the defensive line, I mean, Derek Brown is
a is like a man child.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
Yeah, Derick Brown.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Dereck Brown is the hardest working player of the game
every single game, in my opinion, And we give that
award to other players every game. And it's basically it
should be a statue of Derrick Brown.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yeah. Yeah, I saw that play of him the other week.
Man or he was on the inside, he didn't make
the play and then and then you know, he didn't
have a chance at the quarterback and they chased down
me in the running back or whatever. I was like, man,
this guy is a dog. Our defense is nice, you
know sometimes and you know other times Bill's game, they're
(23:52):
not so nice, you know.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
But yeah, but they went to Green Bay and they
did they did what they were supposed to do in
Green Bay. I felt like they did what they were
supposed to do against the Saints, and I think it's
now time for you know, the offense, in my opinion,
needs to be as aggressive as they are in the
run game, in the passing game, as far as their
execution and game plan. You know, you have to be
(24:16):
able to have that in your tool belt because each game,
I feel like because of all the data, all the assessments,
all the post game adjustments that teams do make, they're
making them at an all time high now because of
data and AI and all kinds of stuffy and so
you do have to be sure that you are preparing
(24:39):
throughout the week to be able to let loose bombs,
you know, like you have to have those things tapped
in and practice and ready to go. But before we
get out of here, man, I appreciate that insight, you know,
because it's it's right it's right there alone. You're not
You're not alone, right, players feel the exact same thing.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
That you feel.
Speaker 4 (25:02):
Boston and all the fans that are out there listening,
they feel the frustrations.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
They want to win.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
They want to make sure that they are in position
aligned to execute on the field for you guys, and
so I just want to make sure that you know,
you guys do understand that, and the coaching staff understands that,
and eventually we are going to get that done. We're
five and five, we're five hundred. If you would have asked,
(25:30):
if I would have told you before the season started
we'll be five and five, what would you have seen?
Speaker 3 (25:36):
What would you have said?
Speaker 2 (25:37):
I mean, I would have looked the schedule, you know,
and put like a W and an L next to
each team, and it probably would not have come out
to five and five. It probably would have been more
like two.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
And you know, and so there, so there's growth there.
Speaker 4 (25:52):
And as long as you're not a bandwagon fan, because
we do keep receipts out here and you ain't out
there dog Custs and the Panthers. You're along for the ride, Okay,
you are along for the ride, and you have your ticket.
You have your seat, and Austin crow you have your seat.
You have been a loyal fan. I appreciate our friend,
(26:13):
our friendship. But before we get out of here, a
Panthers super Bowl win would.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Be what a year is it? Twenty five? The Panthers
super Bowl is two thousand and man.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
Thirty three, two thousand and thirty three. Ladies and gentlemen,
we heard it here. First the super Bowl chance in
two thousand and thirty three Carolina Panthers predicted by Austin Crowe.
And then one last question. I got a lot of questions. Sorry,
all good, Keep pounding, What does it mean to you?
(26:58):
And when has it meant the most to you in
your life?
Speaker 2 (27:02):
I mean, keep pounding is the motto of just been
ultimate resilience. Right. We all know the great Sam Mills
and what he meant and means to this organization. So
the key pounding is like in a nutshell is like,
hey man, you know when you fall, man, you pick
(27:24):
yourself back up and you keep on moving. And I
think that that's what it means to me. I think
that might be what it means to a lot of
the fan base, but that's that's what it means to
me And I don't know, man, I guess I experience
it like in everyday life, you know. I mean kind
(27:46):
of like that motto right there, right man, you put
your heart and soul into something, maybe it doesn't you know, man,
do as well or go the way that you know
you thought that it was going to go, which has
happened to me. And you know you're kind of like
keep pounding, man, like yeah, keep pounding, man, moving and
grooving and and good, good things will happen, man, as
(28:08):
long as you, you know, put put all your focus
and energy into it and just keep pounding.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Yeah. I like that.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
Well, man, appreciate your time. I know you're busy. You're
about to go to Las Vegas or because for Bravo,
for Bravo Vegas or Bravo Super Bowls.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
What you kind of told me what it was like,
that is.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Exactly what it is, dude. It's three days of like crazy,
there's like thirty thousand people that come. It's Comic Con.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
But for Bravo nice.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
And I mean all I can say is that, you know,
I go there with Shep, with people like Shep who
you know, you know, and they let us in Vegas.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
What do you a bunch of animals, Well, just make
sure you stay ay, you stay locked in.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Okay, yeah yeah man.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
The Repomi had them then. As about the bad
With the thirteenth pick in the two thousand and eight
NFL draft. Caroen La hand the sellect Jonathan.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Stewart gives to Stewart. He leaves touched up.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Stewart oh rough tough right, angry man out at elbows, knees.
Stewart hesitates, accelerates.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
That's what I'm talking about. Fit the spash Moll football.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Contain Stuart cat running round. Stewart jump over a tackler
at the tenth flows up, Laura's his shoulder, keeps running.
No one will touch him. Jonathan Stewart house does it?
You talk about explosive plays in the run game. It's
like the fourth of July around here.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Right now you are listening to Stu and the crew.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
All right, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Stu and
the Crew. This is week eleven. I have a special
guest with us this afternoon. For tuning in, you should
know that we have someone from Bravo. You know, if
you watch Bravo, you've seen Southern Charm and you might
(00:57):
know of a guy name Austin Krohll. Austin Crowe is
a Charlotte native and I'm glad to have him here
on the podcast, because it's just an opportunity for us
to engage with not just a guy that's local and
and and that's engaged, but someone that is, you know,
(01:18):
carrying the weight in the burden sometimes as a Panther
fan in the public eye.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
And so.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
No further ado, we have Austin Crowe Southern charm cast
and Panther fan.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
What's up dog? How you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I appreciate the intro and uh and and yeah, man,
kind of what she said is funny as someone who
carries the burden, yeahs fan in the public eye. Man.
Sometimes like I want to post things and I refrained
because I'm like, all right, right, I don't want I
don't want these people within the organization, you know that
I know to see and be pissed at me. So
(02:00):
so I'm just gonna, you know, hold back. Or like
I see someone post something and it's like I want
to comment, and.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I'm like, no, So what do you do instead? There?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
You text me, I text you, I text you, Yeah, yeah,
I text you and a Panther group chattermine and vent
a little bit.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Yes, yeah, you know, we we'll get to the Panthers
where they are currently and whatnot. But I want to
give you a chance to shout out you know, your home,
your hometown, and your school and and just kind of see,
you know, tell the tell the audience about you know,
you being in Charlotte. You know when did you first
become a fan of the Black and Blue? Was it
(02:41):
when they first came to Charlotte? Was it a little
bit after, like tell us you know your your engagement
there when it comes to the Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yes, So growing up in Charlotte, I moved to South
Charlotte immediately with the family, so Mecklenburg County. I went
to Providence Day which is a private school there, and
then the Carolinas. I'm sure that everyone knows who who's
who's from Charlotte. Uh, basically first grade through ninth grade,
(03:11):
and then I transferred over to public school to graduate.
I transferred over to Providence High School because I was
down there in that South Charlotte area. Now I remember
the Panthers coming Now I went to school too, all right, First,
I remember the Panthers coming in, you know, ninety five,
(03:32):
right when their exhibition year was in Clemson or whatever
you want to call it. They're they're like inaugural year, right, yeah,
and then and then my and then my folks got
season tickets and had season tickets ever since. Anyways, Yeah,
so ninety five and Clemson and then you know, the
(03:52):
next year, my parents got three tickets to the Panthers,
which is funny because I didn't have my younger sister
then and so they only got three. They didn't kept four.
So once she got like an age and kind of
been wanting to go to Panthers game and stuff, it
was always kind of like a always kind of like
a fight, right, And I was like, Katie, you don't
even like the cats, Like get out of here, I'm going,
(04:13):
you know. So we used to fight about that.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
How did you guys resolve that? Was there like paper
rock scissors? Was it like taking turns?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I'd like hate to say it's too but like I mean,
like seniority ruled bro okay, you know. And then it
got to the point too, you know, where I got
older and older and it was like, you know, me
and my sister would just go and my parents would
be like, yeah, man, you know, y'all go and I
invite a friend or whatever. And also kind of funny
(04:47):
and of note was that at Providence Day, Jerry Richardson's
grandson Johnson went there with me.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Johnson shout out to Johnson, one of the.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
He one of my boys too, yep. And uh, and
it's just so funny, man, because in the early go
of it, you know, and and like I wasn't like
a like a massive ball knower, you know, back back then,
right like I just went to the games and wanted
to win, and like I knew, you know, what was going.
But we used to make make fun of Johnson, man
(05:21):
when when the Panthers stunk and and things like that.
And then and then we all started to grow and
we were like, wait, we're like massive Panthers fans. Actually,
it's like the coolest thing on earth that your grandfather,
you know, started this. And there you have the origin
story of of me as a Panthers fan, you know.
(05:44):
And since then it was always like you know, and
as you said, I like went to Bama, right man,
But even my like even man throughout Bama because it's
not it's not like an NFL state, right it doesn't
have any NFL teams, and so NFL Sunday was not
a big deal there. And uh, I mean, man, watching
(06:06):
Panthers was always like I was almost more excited to
watch him the Panthers games than like to watch the
Banda games on Saturday. So yeah, well black and Blue
since since ninety five, man.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
So you've been bleeding black and blue for a long time.
Like what what give me one moment that really gave
you this motion, this notion of oh, I'm all in
you know. I mean, I know your Panther, your your
your parents had you know, season tickets, and you were
kind of born into it. But when did you go
(06:41):
from it being something that was passed down to you
to know, I own this?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah? Yeah, you know because my folks moved moved to
Charlotte from the DC area, so my dad was kind
of like a commander's fan.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yeah, the Redskins, Redskins back there.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, and but you know he quickly was like all right, man, Panthers.
You know, I have tickets and this and that, and
I'll never forget the Steve Smith touchdown versus you know,
the Rams, the then same Saint Louis Rams and ot.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
And that's when I was like, yeah, that was my.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Like, this is this is awesome, this is like I
like this feeling you know, and you know, we were
all sitting there man watching with like even biting nails.
And guy, mean, I don't even know that year. Well,
actually I do. I guess it was three mm hm.
And so if we're going to three, you know, I
(07:39):
was like sixteen years old or something, so kind of
maybe it was before then. I mean, but dude, I
was there man the game that like you uh and
and D'Angelo man each each you know, hit that mark
for for uh yards yards each for the first time ever.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Like this, it's good talking to you because like you
almost kind of sound like the actual fan of a
Carolina Panther now, someone that's you know, back and forth,
you know, going to another team or another player and
following another team. Bandwagon type people, right, what you get
a lot of these days, right, not a lot of
(08:19):
people that have boughten in you know since the nineties, right,
since since the early two thousands, A lot of a
lot of the fans have been adopted during the twenty
fourteen twenty fifteen seasons, where you know, things kind of
started rolling again in this new era, right, give me fifteen,
(08:40):
would you say, yeah, yeah, yeah, the new era twenty
fourteen to fifteen season. You know, I think that's where
a lot of you know, people started moving to Charlotte,
economy started moving a little bit, and we were winning, right,
and that's when Cam was at the all time his
all time high. But you know, if you could give
(09:02):
a definition of what a Carolina Panther fan is, what
is that definition? Yeah, because because when you look at
a Buffalo Bills fan, you know a lot of it
is you know, chaos, right, and what's the definition of
you know, or or the definition of insanity?
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Right?
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Doing something over and over again and you're not You're
not getting anything?
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Yes, I mean, well, look man, the Panthers are are
obviously in the grand scheme of things, a young football
team in the NFL, right, Like you know, comparatively speaking,
you know, I mean you got these Giants fans or
Buffalo fans, as you know you said, and I mean
their fandom has been passed down, you know what I mean.
(09:50):
They were born wearing like a Bill's jersey, you know,
or like a Bill's you know, ones of your Giants
or Eagles or you know, I mean their fan bases
are just so mass you and Charlotte is like a
smaller market too than like a lot of these other
teams that you know began way back when, other than
the twenty fifteen in fourteen fifteen season then when Cam
(10:12):
was on a tear, you mean the whole boys were
on a tear, you know, and everyone man was wearing
like a Newton jersey from like here to even Berlin,
you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, and uh like,
other than that, you cannot describe the Carolina Panthers as
anyone being like a bandwagon, right. It's like, you know,
I mean I can see someone jumping on like a
(10:34):
like a Kansas City train because they're like Patty Mahomes
or Travis Kelcey or like a Bill's bandwagon because of
Josh Allen and what he's been doing. And like there
are no bandwagon Panthers fans too, yeah, right.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
And so when you totally invested, yeah, and when.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
You see one in the wild man, like you know,
you're like, hell, yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
Man, we've been going through it together.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Remember when I was in Remember when I was in
uh well then you don't know where I was, but
I was in New York and I sent you a
picture of this dude wearing a stewed jersey jersey like
a game when I was like, yo, that's legit. I
don't see that very much. So I answer your question.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Of like, no, it does.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
There's not a there's not a bandwagon Panther fan. And
I think the frustrations, you know, the last seven years,
and I'll ask you a question after this, but the
last seven to eight years, it's been very hard as
a Panther fan. And but what I what I truly
believe is, you know, it's worth it at the end.
Whenever that is, it's going to be worth it because
(11:43):
there's a lot of good times ahead. And then, like
to your point, we are a young organization and you know,
we have to go through certain things, just like all
the other organizations that you talked about, the Giants, the Commanders,
the Eagles, the Jets, you know, the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns.
You know, they've gone through seasons where they've gone in droughts, right,
(12:04):
but they've been in seasons where they've been on a roll.
And we've been in a season where we started off
hot as an organization and in the grand scheme of things,
and then we go into a spell of you know, okay,
who are the Carolina Panthers, and then we find who
we are in our identity, you know, especially through Sam Mills, right,
(12:25):
keep pounding, and then Cam Newton comes here from Auburn
and that whole presence in the South and the SEC
and all eyes are on the Carolina Panthers all of
a sudden. Then we actually, you know, put some things
together that made it. You know, Charlotte at one point
was a place to be, like and it still is
(12:46):
a place to be because people are still moving here.
But as far as a sports town, I think we
have the tangible ingredients to be a sports town, right.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
But my question to you, jeez, how do you corn
it from?
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Now we're gonna bring corn its into this.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
Come on, man, how do you how do you as
a Charlotte ten as a Carolina fan right of sports?
Speaker 3 (13:13):
How do you cope? How have you cope get.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Coped with like the losing seasons and just staying in it?
Speaker 3 (13:21):
How do you stay in it?
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Well? All right, so we all go through the off
season hype, right, and like we wipe the clean at
a certain point we're like, all right, I'm ready to
be hurt again, you know what I mean. You're like,
like in the off season, You're like, all right, man,
this season was a wash. Let's forget it. And then
like an episode like a blueprint comes out and all
(13:45):
the boys are chattering and you're like, oh, maybe a
blueprint it was hot, and we start chattering and then
we're like, yo, man, tet tet is the answer. You know,
we convince ourselves of all the things, right, of all
the things, it's gonna be a great year, man, Shoot,
but finish the year hoigh, you know, man, Briceman finished
you know last year hot. I mean, look, man, going
(14:05):
five and four, I mean the sky was bluer, you know, Man,
the birds were chirping. We just beat NFC leaders, you know, Packers,
and I know that we only put up like sixteen
points and and and but it's exactly kind of what
you're saying, where the downs make the highs just so
much better. And I mean it like I'm thinking back
(14:32):
to last season. Man. Last season was tough, and and
it's a whole it's like a whole thing of of
not trying to put your head down so much because,
as you said, like like being U being like a
person in the public eye or whatever who's a fan
of you know, I don't want to be out there
(14:53):
man trashing the team. I don't want to be trashing
the team, but I can't. But like I am not.
There's a dude in my group chat who is the ultimate,
you know, optimist. I can't. I'm not only the ultimate optimist.
I'm just not the ultimate pessimist.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Yeah, I hear you.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
So it's like finding that in between. Because again, they're
your Carolina Panthers this year, so you're either going to
watch them and just be in straight misery or you
can choose to be optimistic and put yourself in their shoes. Right,
Like you played sports in high school, right, Yeah, so
you know what it's like to be an athlete and
to have you know, expectations and to then not have
(15:33):
those expectations met. It's reasonable to be upset, especially as
a fan, right. You invest a lot of your money
and your time to tune in to make you know
the Panther nation what it is, because without the fans,
you know, they're you're really just playing a game, and
you're just playing it, you know, amongst each other. The
(15:53):
fans is what makes this game so special. And that's
why I'm glad that you're on here. To talk in
behalf of the fan about the experiences, about the times
that you've had to go through. And we're now here
on a cusp, right. You know, we've had a roller
coaster season so far, and literally roller coaster. We're beating
teams that were kind of like scratching our heads and
(16:15):
saying to ourselves, how do we do that?
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Are we a good team? I guess we are a
good team.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Well, there's certain elements that do show up on Sunday,
and then there's elements that don't show up on Sunday.
You know, case in point, the last game that they
played against the Saints. One and eighteen comes in here
and they do something that a lot of teams didn't do,
which is they went all in on stopping the run
and saying, hey, if you're gonna beat us, we want
(16:40):
you to throw the ball deep. We want you to
throw the ball like you haven't been throwing it because
we haven't seen it.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
On tape yet.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
When you're now in a position as a fan after
you lose a division game, something that meets like, you
know what these division games mean, right, Saints? Right, if
it's your first time playing them, it means it means
twice right. The main the means of the game, it
just means double right. You go into an Atlanta Falcons
(17:11):
week on the road, you've already beaten them thirty to zero.
As a fan, your emotions where are they?
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Man? I feel like you're such an optimist right my
text you Man, You're always like yeah, but this, yeah,
but this, yeah, but that last game even you got
a little like a little like emotional response from you.
And I liked it, right, And I liked it. I
(17:42):
was like, there we go, like you know, and that's
what you said. Man. They were like they stacked the
box and they were like, all right, man, you improve
it with your arm. You know what we did. We
did not prove it. You put a seven points on
a team playing like a rookie quarterback at the bank.
(18:04):
I mean, yeah, a field goal got blocked. That that's
something that you can't eat them and prepare for, I
mean coming how often does that happen? I mean? And
then you know the miscommunication from Jimmy Hornman taking that
taking that hand off, or maybe he wasn't supposed to
take the handout, like you know, and we're driving right
(18:25):
and all of a sudden you add, you add those
potential mid ten points to the board, and seventeen seventeen.
I think my expectations moving forward. I hate to say
it too, but I don't have any expectations. I don't
have any expectations at this moment because you look at
(18:46):
thirty to zero and you're like, wow in the hell,
and then you look at all the major stat categories.
The Falcons beat us in all the major stack categories
except for the one that matters, and that's the final score, right,
So like they had total yards and and this and that,
like they they they beat us, Yeah, they did, right,
(19:09):
So now we play on the road and you know,
you obviously hope that that we course correct with what
just happened against A one and what you say, one
and eight? Yeah, And like, man, Stu, I I hate
(19:34):
the Falcons so much, And.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
I like, why do you hate them so much?
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Because, man, division Maybe because I had a bunch of
buddies that alent to Alabama with that were Falcons fans. Man,
like a lot of the Atlantic kids went went to
Tlabama And okay, no, no, I'm gonna tell you why,
Mike Vick I hate the Falcons because because of mike Vic, Like, man,
it didn't matter if if like we had that guy
(20:00):
on third and twenty two, you know, she would scramble
for that first down and he broke our hearts many times.
You know, you just kept that play alive. Maybe that's why.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
So is it safe to say that division games really
do mean a lot to these fans because you see
these teams just like us as players, we see these
teams twice a year. You as a fan are saying
to yourself, Okay, we get a chance to be two
to zero against a team in one year, and if
we do that, we have bragging rights.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
I mean, yeah, absolutely, you.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Remember the year and it's every year that that's a
thing because as opposed to like you know, non division
division games and non conference games, you know, those happen,
you know, on various occasions, right, depending on how they
schedule things with NFL. But every year, the division games
they are going to happen. So you have an expectation
(20:58):
there that we do need to win these games.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Yeah, I mean, look, man, you know we're playing the
Rams at some point coming up, and it's like I
want to beat the Rams, but like I don't, you know,
I'm not going to cry into my pillow, like I
wanted to eat the Rams so bad. It's like, all right, Rams,
like you you really don't mean anything to our season
in the long run. Yeah, and uh, you know, I
(21:26):
remember this season when we lost the Saints three times
in one seasons two three times, man, and that that stung.
And I was like, wait, maybe the Saints have taken
that top spot for teams that I hate more more
than the Falcons because that was particularly like, that was
particularly like we own you. You know, that was tough.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
That was tough. You don't want to ever be owned, right,
You'll never want to be owned?
Speaker 4 (21:51):
So where's the bright spots that you see with the
Carolina Panthers right now? You know, we talked about our
frustrations and how we cope, and you know that it's
going to mean that much more going through the pain
now and being able to be victorious on the end
at some point. But what are the bright spots that
you are enjoying this season in comparison to the seasons before,
(22:14):
Because there's a total different shift, I think, in my opinion,
with this team that we see now as opposed to
the teams that we've seen in the past.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Okay, I think that for the first time in a
long time. I mean because because you can't argue numbers, right,
you can't argue the fact that Rico was going absolutely off,
which the offensive line was performing well, right. I mean
I used to every Panthers fan knows the absolute you
(22:46):
know heartache of a bad or inept or not performing
well offensive line, right. I mean, you know, man, even
the year after twenty fourteen to fifteen, it was like
Cam can't throw the ball if he's on his you
know what I mean, Like, I don't care how how
good you are. Now, the offensive line is a bright spot,
even though that we have a bunch of injuries. I
(23:09):
think that the defensive line, I mean, Derek Brown is
a is like a man child.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
Yeah, Derick Brown.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Dereck Brown is the hardest working player of the game
every single game, in my opinion, And we give that
award to other players every game. And it's basically it
should be a statue of Derrick Brown.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yeah. Yeah, I saw that play of him the other week.
Man or he was on the inside, he didn't make
the play and then and then you know, he didn't
have a chance at the quarterback and they chased down
me in the running back or whatever. I was like, man,
this guy is a dog. Our defense is nice, you
know sometimes and you know other times Bill's game, they're
(23:52):
not so nice, you know.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
But yeah, but they went to Green Bay and they
did they did what they were supposed to do in
Green Bay. I felt like they did what they were
supposed to do against the Saints, and I think it's
now time for you know, the offense, in my opinion,
needs to be as aggressive as they are in the
run game, in the passing game, as far as their
execution and game plan. You know, you have to be
(24:16):
able to have that in your tool belt because each game,
I feel like because of all the data, all the assessments,
all the post game adjustments that teams do make, they're
making them at an all time high now because of
data and AI and all kinds of stuffy and so
you do have to be sure that you are preparing
(24:39):
throughout the week to be able to let loose bombs,
you know, like you have to have those things tapped
in and practice and ready to go. But before we
get out of here, man, I appreciate that insight, you know,
because it's it's right it's right there alone. You're not
You're not alone, right, players feel the exact same thing.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
That you feel.
Speaker 4 (25:02):
Boston and all the fans that are out there listening,
they feel the frustrations.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
They want to win.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
They want to make sure that they are in position
aligned to execute on the field for you guys, and
so I just want to make sure that you know,
you guys do understand that, and the coaching staff understands that,
and eventually we are going to get that done. We're
five and five, we're five hundred. If you would have asked,
(25:30):
if I would have told you before the season started
we'll be five and five, what would you have seen?
Speaker 3 (25:36):
What would you have said?
Speaker 2 (25:37):
I mean, I would have looked the schedule, you know,
and put like a W and an L next to
each team, and it probably would not have come out
to five and five. It probably would have been more
like two.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
And you know, and so there, so there's growth there.
Speaker 4 (25:52):
And as long as you're not a bandwagon fan, because
we do keep receipts out here and you ain't out
there dog Custs and the Panthers. You're along for the ride, Okay,
you are along for the ride, and you have your ticket.
You have your seat, and Austin crow you have your seat.
You have been a loyal fan. I appreciate our friend,
(26:13):
our friendship. But before we get out of here, a
Panthers super Bowl win would.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Be what a year is it? Twenty five? The Panthers
super Bowl is two thousand and man.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
Thirty three, two thousand and thirty three. Ladies and gentlemen,
we heard it here. First the super Bowl chance in
two thousand and thirty three Carolina Panthers predicted by Austin Crowe.
And then one last question. I got a lot of questions. Sorry,
all good, Keep pounding, What does it mean to you?
(26:58):
And when has it meant the most to you in
your life?
Speaker 2 (27:02):
I mean, keep pounding is the motto of just been
ultimate resilience. Right. We all know the great Sam Mills
and what he meant and means to this organization. So
the key pounding is like in a nutshell is like,
hey man, you know when you fall, man, you pick
(27:24):
yourself back up and you keep on moving. And I
think that that's what it means to me. I think
that might be what it means to a lot of
the fan base, but that's that's what it means to
me And I don't know, man, I guess I experience
it like in everyday life, you know. I mean kind
(27:46):
of like that motto right there, right man, you put
your heart and soul into something, maybe it doesn't you know, man,
do as well or go the way that you know
you thought that it was going to go, which has
happened to me. And you know you're kind of like
keep pounding, man, like yeah, keep pounding, man, moving and
grooving and and good, good things will happen, man, as
(28:08):
long as you, you know, put put all your focus
and energy into it and just keep pounding.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Yeah. I like that.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
Well, man, appreciate your time. I know you're busy. You're
about to go to Las Vegas or because for Bravo,
for Bravo Vegas or Bravo Super Bowls.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
What you kind of told me what it was like,
that is.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Exactly what it is, dude. It's three days of like crazy,
there's like thirty thousand people that come. It's Comic Con.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
But for Bravo nice.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
And I mean all I can say is that, you know,
I go there with Shep, with people like Shep who
you know, you know, and they let us in Vegas.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
What do you a bunch of animals, Well, just make
sure you stay ay, you stay locked in.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Okay, yeah yeah man.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
The Repomi had them then. As about the bad
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