October 25, 2024 • 7 mins
Celebrate 30 seasons of Carolina Panthers football with Jim Szoke. Join him as he sits down with the key figures who shaped the past 29 seasons, reminiscing on the moments that made Panthers history. This week's guest is former Panthers fullback, Mike Tolbert.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Fullback Mike Tobert played his college football down the road
to Coastal Carolina and then played five of his ten
NFL seasons with the Panthers, three times a Pro Bowl player,
We catch up with one of the all time fan
favorites who continues to make Charlotte his home.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Thirty seasons of Panther Football a celebration of the players, coaches,
and other key figures who've contributed to the organizational success.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
All right, catch up with the great Mike Tobert, our
all time favorite Panthers fullback broadcast partner from past times. Mike,
with this group of thirty years of Panthers football. But
what's it like with this gathering of different generations of
great Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I mean it's fun, you know, getting able to just
to sit down and break bread with guys that you
really that, you know what, you haven't spent a lot
of time with, you know, getting to speak with Berlin
and Wesley, you know, I know, Al, I know Wrook,
you know. But being able to talk to guys that
you don't get to talk to on regular it's a
good time, you know what I'm saying. Almost bring it
back that locker room feel just in there cutting up.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
So of course, you know, I've been here since the beginning.
It's cool to see generations now that this organization goes
back that part that it's not I mean, it's young
compared to some teams, but it's guts a real history
to it now.
Speaker 5 (01:18):
Oh yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I mean, you know, we got what two Super Bowl
appearances in the history of the franchise, and we got
guys from both teams here.
Speaker 5 (01:27):
You know, we got guys that was on the first
team that's here.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
You know, so being able to you know, pick the
brains of them and see how was it like in
two thousand and three, what was it like?
Speaker 5 (01:36):
My bad, what was it like in ninety five, ninety six?
You know what I'm saying, Like it's just it's nostalgic.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
But at the same time, it's fun to be right
and it's fun to be invited, you know what I'm saying.
You know, you get some teams that they may forget
about the people that's been became beforem but the fact
that Jeremy and the Leegens committee here do a good
job of keeping us.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
Involved and they and then they want.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Us involved, and you know, so it's fun to be
able to be involved, to still be wanting.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Well, you absolutely are. And you know you mentioned there's
been two Super Bowls. Not everybody here has been on
those teams of three in twenty fifteen, What's what's it
like to be a part of a special part of
this history of that was like a really honestly the
best season of Panthers football.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
Well, I mean, it was.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Just to be a part of it was a special thing.
That's probably the most fun I've had playing football in
my life.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
You know, I learned earlier.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
That that was the best record that the team is
a team Panthers team has ever had, which I thought
it was, but to get confirmation what was good.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
But then just talking with.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Roman and Luke and Mario and Trey, you know, as
we were talking about that season, you know, the little
things that slip your mind, like how we were in
the locker room, the games we played, the freestyle Fridays.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
You know, how loose we were, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
How I used to mock players and coaches at practice
on Saturday, you know what I'm saying. So those little
things made that season specially But you.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Look back at that season with special but there's a
lot of frustration obviously about how the game went, and
especially on the offensive side. You look back and think
back about that what just didn't click on that particular
day as far as especially the offense getn't going well.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
I mean, first of all, we got to get credit
to Denver. They had a really good defense, I think
top one or two defense in the league that year.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
You know, we were one of the top defenses, but
also we had a top offense.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
A lot of things didn't work, you know what I'm
saying that day. You know, the game plan we had
we just didn't execute. You know, I mean, hell, I
fumbled in the Super Bowl. You know what I mean,
we gave you never do that right, you know what
I'm saying, Like, we gave up, we gave up sacks,
we gave up touchdowns, we fumbled like we just played
(04:04):
uncharacteristic and we still had a chance to win.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
In fact, the game was close at the end. You know,
we just couldn't break that barrier.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
You know, Unfortunately for everybody's here tonight, they're retired, so
they can't.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
Go get a Super Bowl. But we're rooting for our
Panthers here and see where we go.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
You know, when the franchise again has had Super Bowls,
has also had one win and two win seasons and
things like that, what's the mentality that it takes and
patience maybe that it takes to get back to that
level once again.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Well, I think it's vision, you know, that's from that
comes from the top down, you know, from temper down
to day and.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
Today and envisioning or given that vision to the players.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
You know, it could be a three year vision, it
could be a five year vision. It could be something
that we feel like we could compete this year.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
You never know. I mean, it could be a rebuild,
it could be a special season. But you have to
play every down, every play. You got to go into
every game with the belief that you're gonna win. You know.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
That's how we were in twenty fifteen, Like we had
no expectations.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
In twenty fifteen, we lost our first round draft pick
six seven receiver in training count. You know what I'm saying,
Like Ted again as a hell of a football player.
He was our number one receiver that year because Kevin
went down. You know what I'm saying when Ted is
the fastest guy I've ever been around, you know what
I'm saying, But he's never been touted as that number
(05:32):
one guy, which I think he can do it.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
But you know what I'm saying, It's one of those
things where you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Our expectations went from middle of the road to below
that because we lost him. But at the end of
that year, we had what defensive Player of the Year
in Luke, We had ten to eleven Pro Bowlers, few
All pros League MVP. You know what I'm saying, because
we believe every game went out Game one one when out,
(05:59):
Game two, one, went out, Game three, one, went to Seattle,
game four, fall back one.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
So everybody started to believe, you know what I'm saying,
So believing in the games.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
You know what I'm saying, one at a time, you
know what I'm saying, Just try to stack those wins.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
And Ron Rivera seems like the right coach at the
right time for this organization. Then, because of just you
had these as you kind of alluded to, these big personalities,
had Cam, you had Josh Norman, I mean, you had
a lot of big personalities, but you had the guys
at different stages of their career as well, and he
was able to kind of let everyone be themselves and
bring all that together.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
I mean, so Ron's a he was a former player,
so he knows that locker room.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
He knows what it's like.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
But we had a really good mix of older guys
like Charles Johnson, myself, Jonathan Stewart, who else, Greg and Khalil,
you know, guys that were older statesmen in the game,
but also guys that could.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Help monitor the younger guys.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
You know what I'm saying, Like Josh, Like I know
him Josh since he was ten years old, So like
anytime he was having a problem with Josh, but I told,
can you talk to him? Like I'll talk to him,
but like let's put it together, you.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
Know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
So, I mean we run was the best coach head
coaches I've ever played for.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Him, Like, great to catch up with you guy. We
enjoyed having you on the broadcast. Up to see you
again real shit.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
And doing that. Let's do it, man, I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Maybe like thirty seasons of Panther Football
Fullback Mike Tobert played his college football down the road
to Coastal Carolina and then played five of his ten
NFL seasons with the Panthers, three times a Pro Bowl player,
We catch up with one of the all time fan
favorites who continues to make Charlotte his home.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Thirty seasons of Panther Football a celebration of the players, coaches,
and other key figures who've contributed to the organizational success.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
All right, catch up with the great Mike Tobert, our
all time favorite Panthers fullback broadcast partner from past times. Mike,
with this group of thirty years of Panthers football. But
what's it like with this gathering of different generations of
great Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I mean it's fun, you know, getting able to just
to sit down and break bread with guys that you
really that, you know what, you haven't spent a lot
of time with, you know, getting to speak with Berlin
and Wesley, you know, I know, Al, I know Wrook,
you know. But being able to talk to guys that
you don't get to talk to on regular it's a
good time, you know what I'm saying. Almost bring it
back that locker room feel just in there cutting up.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
So of course, you know, I've been here since the beginning.
It's cool to see generations now that this organization goes
back that part that it's not I mean, it's young
compared to some teams, but it's guts a real history
to it now.
Speaker 5 (01:18):
Oh yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I mean, you know, we got what two Super Bowl
appearances in the history of the franchise, and we got
guys from both teams here.
Speaker 5 (01:27):
You know, we got guys that was on the first
team that's here.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
You know, so being able to you know, pick the
brains of them and see how was it like in
two thousand and three, what was it like?
Speaker 5 (01:36):
My bad, what was it like in ninety five, ninety six?
You know what I'm saying, Like it's just it's nostalgic.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
But at the same time, it's fun to be right
and it's fun to be invited, you know what I'm saying.
You know, you get some teams that they may forget
about the people that's been became beforem but the fact
that Jeremy and the Leegens committee here do a good
job of keeping us.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
Involved and they and then they want.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Us involved, and you know, so it's fun to be
able to be involved, to still be wanting.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Well, you absolutely are. And you know you mentioned there's
been two Super Bowls. Not everybody here has been on
those teams of three in twenty fifteen, What's what's it
like to be a part of a special part of
this history of that was like a really honestly the
best season of Panthers football.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
Well, I mean, it was.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Just to be a part of it was a special thing.
That's probably the most fun I've had playing football in
my life.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
You know, I learned earlier.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
That that was the best record that the team is
a team Panthers team has ever had, which I thought
it was, but to get confirmation what was good.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
But then just talking with.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Roman and Luke and Mario and Trey, you know, as
we were talking about that season, you know, the little
things that slip your mind, like how we were in
the locker room, the games we played, the freestyle Fridays.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
You know, how loose we were, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
How I used to mock players and coaches at practice
on Saturday, you know what I'm saying. So those little
things made that season specially But you.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Look back at that season with special but there's a
lot of frustration obviously about how the game went, and
especially on the offensive side. You look back and think
back about that what just didn't click on that particular
day as far as especially the offense getn't going well.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
I mean, first of all, we got to get credit
to Denver. They had a really good defense, I think
top one or two defense in the league that year.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
You know, we were one of the top defenses, but
also we had a top offense.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
A lot of things didn't work, you know what I'm
saying that day. You know, the game plan we had
we just didn't execute. You know, I mean, hell, I
fumbled in the Super Bowl. You know what I mean,
we gave you never do that right, you know what
I'm saying, Like, we gave up, we gave up sacks,
we gave up touchdowns, we fumbled like we just played
(04:04):
uncharacteristic and we still had a chance to win.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
In fact, the game was close at the end. You know,
we just couldn't break that barrier.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
You know, Unfortunately for everybody's here tonight, they're retired, so
they can't.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
Go get a Super Bowl. But we're rooting for our
Panthers here and see where we go.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
You know, when the franchise again has had Super Bowls,
has also had one win and two win seasons and
things like that, what's the mentality that it takes and
patience maybe that it takes to get back to that
level once again.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Well, I think it's vision, you know, that's from that
comes from the top down, you know, from temper down
to day and.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
Today and envisioning or given that vision to the players.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
You know, it could be a three year vision, it
could be a five year vision. It could be something
that we feel like we could compete this year.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
You never know. I mean, it could be a rebuild,
it could be a special season. But you have to
play every down, every play. You got to go into
every game with the belief that you're gonna win. You know.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
That's how we were in twenty fifteen, Like we had
no expectations.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
In twenty fifteen, we lost our first round draft pick
six seven receiver in training count. You know what I'm saying,
Like Ted again as a hell of a football player.
He was our number one receiver that year because Kevin
went down. You know what I'm saying when Ted is
the fastest guy I've ever been around, you know what
I'm saying, But he's never been touted as that number
(05:32):
one guy, which I think he can do it.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
But you know what I'm saying, It's one of those
things where you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Our expectations went from middle of the road to below
that because we lost him. But at the end of
that year, we had what defensive Player of the Year
in Luke, We had ten to eleven Pro Bowlers, few
All pros League MVP. You know what I'm saying, because
we believe every game went out Game one one when out,
(05:59):
Game two, one, went out, Game three, one, went to Seattle,
game four, fall back one.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
So everybody started to believe, you know what I'm saying,
So believing in the games.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
You know what I'm saying, one at a time, you
know what I'm saying, Just try to stack those wins.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
And Ron Rivera seems like the right coach at the
right time for this organization. Then, because of just you
had these as you kind of alluded to, these big personalities,
had Cam, you had Josh Norman, I mean, you had
a lot of big personalities, but you had the guys
at different stages of their career as well, and he
was able to kind of let everyone be themselves and
bring all that together.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
I mean, so Ron's a he was a former player,
so he knows that locker room.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
He knows what it's like.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
But we had a really good mix of older guys
like Charles Johnson, myself, Jonathan Stewart, who else, Greg and Khalil,
you know, guys that were older statesmen in the game,
but also guys that could.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Help monitor the younger guys.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
You know what I'm saying, Like Josh, Like I know
him Josh since he was ten years old, So like
anytime he was having a problem with Josh, but I told,
can you talk to him? Like I'll talk to him,
but like let's put it together, you.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
Know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
So, I mean we run was the best coach head
coaches I've ever played for.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Him, Like, great to catch up with you guy. We
enjoyed having you on the broadcast. Up to see you
again real shit.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
And doing that. Let's do it, man, I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Maybe like thirty seasons of Panther Football
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