0:03

A new team made up of older

0:05

players. That's how farmer. Carolina Panthers

0:08

defensive lineman Gerald Williams remembers

0:10

those early days. We kind of play

0:12

with a chip on our shoulders because we

0:15

were called over the heere game. But we and

0:17

uh mine felt like we

0:19

could compete with any of the best in the National

0:21

Football League, and I think we've made that evidence

0:24

throughout the segment representing

0:26

the over the Hill game. Gerald Williams

0:28

looks back with us next on the podcast

0:32

five Seasons of Panthers Football,

0:34

a celebration of the players, coaches,

0:36

and other people who have contributed to the

0:39

organizational success. No to

0:42

mcmixon, one

0:44

of the defensive stalwarts

0:47

from the Carolina

0:50

Panthers. Gerald Williams joins us

0:52

by telephone on the podcast. Right now,

0:54

where are you, Gerald? I

0:56

am currently sitting in my car

0:59

on patrol. You

1:01

you're tracking down the bad guys like you used to when

1:03

you played. I'm doing my best.

1:06

Can't catch him as quickly as our youth keep

1:09

What do you remember about those

1:11

early teams and and and some

1:14

of the big personalities that that you played

1:16

football with here, Well,

1:19

I'd have to tell you make the I

1:21

remember hearing something that Luke Kickley

1:23

said the other day during his retirement

1:26

speech. Um, the

1:28

most memorable thing that I

1:30

keep with me and I took with me once

1:33

I retired is the

1:35

relationships that you build, not

1:38

not only on the field,

1:40

but the relationships that you build standing

1:42

in the hours watching film and

1:45

the different characters that you you build

1:47

those relationships with. And it's

1:50

just that camaraderie will always be there

1:52

and even beyond

1:54

the days of playing. Gerald

1:57

even though you played a lot of years with Pittsburgh

1:59

before, come in here from out of urban

2:02

To what degree do you sort of identify

2:04

as a Carolina Panther when you think back on your

2:06

career, I

2:10

would say that the being that I've made the Carolina's

2:13

my home. I UM,

2:15

I would say that I identifying totally

2:19

with the Carolina Panthers, considering, uh,

2:21

this is home now, this is the

2:23

Carolina Panther country, and my

2:27

heart is here in the Carolinas. What

2:29

was Dom Capers like to play for

2:34

Coach Capers? And and I don't know for those

2:36

who have played sports

2:38

and they hear the analogy he

2:41

was a players coach, it's kind

2:43

of hard to explain what that means unless

2:45

you will actually participated in

2:48

some type or some level of sports.

2:50

What that really means? And I

2:52

guess I've tried to define

2:55

that over the years, and simply, I think

2:57

it means he's a guy

2:59

or coach that allows

3:01

you to be yourself within the

3:03

system that he's attempted to institute.

3:07

Talking to Officer Gerald Williams,

3:09

d lineman extraordinaire from the early

3:12

Panther teams on the podcast, Gerald, what did

3:14

you guys know that that n team

3:17

was going to be something special? Well,

3:21

I think we we all knew it, especially

3:24

early in training camp when we

3:26

started to identify ourselves with

3:28

the Over the Hill Game named it and

3:30

I cannot remember who actually gave us that name,

3:32

but we adopted that name,

3:34

and we kind of play with

3:37

a chip on our shoulders because we

3:39

were called over the Hill Game. But we and

3:41

our mind felt like

3:43

we could compete with any of the best in the

3:45

National Football League, and I think we made that

3:47

evidence throughout the season. We

3:50

had Mark Carrier on the podcast, White

3:52

Stone has been on several other from your

3:55

teammates and some of those guys, Gerald have

3:57

said that those early Panther

3:59

teams had to swagger, kind of

4:01

that had the tap root inexperience because

4:04

you all, a lot of you were older guys. Do you feel

4:06

the same way I do? I

4:08

do. Being being experienced

4:10

and having time in the league,

4:13

you have a better understanding of what

4:16

is expected of you. We understood

4:19

what it meant to be a professional,

4:21

and we we showed up as professionals

4:23

every time we suited up and hit that field.

4:26

Who are some of your best friends that you're still in

4:28

touch with from the from your path or teams?

4:32

Well, I think you know that me

4:34

that my best friend from those path of days

4:37

where is the white Stone? And I stay in

4:39

touch with him quite frequently. But

4:41

I managed to and had a lot of friendship,

4:44

so especially that d Lion my fault, still

4:46

lives here in town, and I stay in touch with

4:48

him, and a lot of the guys that

4:50

are still in town. I stay in touch with those

4:52

guys. But I had a number of friends on

4:54

that especial on the defensive side of the ball.

4:57

Well, Dwight looks like he could still play.

5:00

He looks like he's lifting weights and chopping

5:02

wood, running up down mountains.

5:04

But he told us that he's like a car

5:06

that looks good when you see it from across the road,

5:09

but he said it ain't got no engine in it. Can

5:12

you identify with that sentiment at all? Yes,

5:15

I certainly can. I'm that Cadillac

5:17

that shining on the outside but not much

5:19

inside. You could do well, oh

5:22

my gosh, Well we'll cut you

5:24

loose. A couple more questions for you, Gerald, and thank

5:27

you for your time. How do you feel about being

5:29

a member of the Panther Frattorney? How do you feel

5:31

about the changes that are going on now and in

5:33

the future of our franchise. I

5:35

think the future of the franchise is going to be bright.

5:38

I like the these choice in the head coach

5:40

that that Mr Temper has chosen

5:42

for the team moving forward. Um. I

5:45

believe him from watching Mr Coach

5:48

Rule from a distance that he's a forward thinker,

5:50

and I believe that this is what the organization

5:53

needs and I think he's gonna do

5:55

great things. I really like his choice

5:57

in the offensive coordinator and coach Brady.

6:00

Um. I'm just looking forward to what the futures

6:02

go to hall for us. Definitely a lot

6:04

of excitement in the building. Last question

6:06

for you, Cherry Williams, You're

6:09

not forgotten at all. Your contributions

6:11

to this organization. You're an important part of

6:13

our history. How do you want fans

6:15

to think about you and remember you when

6:18

your name comes up when discussing the

6:20

history of Panther football.

6:23

I think it's uh. If I'm remember

6:25

by any of the stands, especially

6:27

when there's a lot of years, is that I

6:29

gave every time I played,

6:31

I gave it. And uh

6:34

myself and my over the heel game teammates

6:37

on the defensive side of the ball, No matter

6:39

our age, you always got a hundred in

6:41

tempers cent out of us. You guys

6:43

were amazing. We'll let you get back out there on

6:45

patrol. Appreciate your time and

6:48

keep pounding. We appreciated

6:50

me. Go Panthers. We'll

6:56

continue our historical perspective of

6:58

the first quarter century of Panther it ball next

7:00

time right here on the podcast m

7:07

HM