I now hate Ken Lucas

After 4,000 votes and several hundred enthusiastic entries, I've made my choice regarding what the Carolina Panthers' defense should be nicknamed. I was leaning this way already before Sunday's 20-6 loss to Atlanta, so let's make it official.

This defense doesn't deserve a nickname.

It was a fun idea, but it isn't ready to bloom. I talked to five defensive starters about it -- Julius Peppers, Chris Draft, Dan Morgan and Ken Lucas before the Falcons game, Michael Rucker afterward -- and they all agreed that they haven't done enough yet to be worthy of a nickname like "Steel Curtain," "Purple People Eaters" or "Doomsday Defense."

Many fans' suggestions were clever, and thanks to all who submitted them. Two names clearly stood above the rest when we conducted online voting for "Name that Defense" on charlotte.com (most fans voted before the Atlanta game).

The two top vote-getters were "Southern Discomfort" and "Black and Blue Wrecking Crew."

Put this in your mental file for a few months or years from now -- "Black and Blue Wrecking Crew" was the most popular choice among the five defensive players I talked to. If the defense ever does deserve a nickname, that might be it.

"Southern Discomfort sounds too weak," cornerback Ken Lucas said.

But for now, I think we're almost all in agreement. No nickname. Not yet.

Fans can be cruel. I was receiving dozens of defensive nickname suggestions every day last week via e-mail while the Panthers were 0-0 and a trendy Super Bowl pick. All of them had favorable connotations.

Then the Panthers lost one game and allowed Warrick Dunn to gain 132 yards -- the most yardage of any NFL running back in Week One. And the jokes started coming.

In the last few days, here is just a sampling of the many e-mails I've received about possible new monikers for the Panther defense: Carolina Cupcakes. Scared-y Cats. Catnipped. Swiss Cheese. The Charlotte Sieve. "Sgt. Peppers and the No Hearts Club" Band.

Even if Carolina shuts out Minnesota on Sunday and scores a couple of defensive touchdowns -- and I think the Panthers will win in Minneapolis -- that doesn't mean this defense should be christened. We need to see consistency.

"We really haven't done anything yet," Draft said.

"We're not worthy of a nickname right now," Lucas said.

"I don't think we should have one," Peppers said.

"It's hard to say we deserve one after we just ate some humble pie," Rucker said Wednesday.

It's impossible to argue with all of that. The last thing Carolina defenders want is to be dubbed with some ferocious nickname and then finish 28th in the NFL -- where they stand at the moment -- in total defense.

So, this motion is tabled. No soup for you, and no nickname for now. We'll bring it up for reconsideration some day, but only after it's clear that something special is happening on defense.

Right now, it's not.

Nickname Madness

The top four vote-getters of the online "Nickname the Defense" poll on charlotte.com. There were approximately 4,000 votes.


1. SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT 26 percent. "Winner winner chicken dinner!"
2. BLACK AND BLUE WRECKING CREW 25 percent.
3."DON'T GIVE IT A NICKNAME" 18 percent.
4. CAROLINA CRUSH 11 percent.

 

maybe they should go with Paper Monsters

 

To be honest Pitch...Southern Discomfort is kinda weak. The name has its genesis in one of the lamest liquors known to man. Southern comfort is a bourbon liqour for guys who swing the other way.

 

Kinda tells you a little about the originator of the nickname.

 

I personally blame each and every person who took part in that stupid contest.

Yep, it was regular whiskey with peach, vanilla, orange, sugar, and spices added to appeal to women.

 

naming our defense is stupid, imo

 

that name sucks

 

after Sunday calling them Defense is a stretch