Panthers play the numbers game

    When Charles Chandler blogged that new Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart, who was wearing No.29 in minicamp, was given the No.28 he favored by backup safety Quinton Teal, it got me to thinking.  We had already heard that veteran wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who had been wearing 87 his whole career, was given it for free by third-year tight end Jeff King, who then switched to 47.

    Now, in this all-business day and age it has become something of a tradition for athletes to sell their numbers to teammates who want them for one reason or another. And Muhammad and Stewart, who each make considerably more than the guys who gave them the numbers, could have afforded to pay.

    But there's more going on here than that; the fact that the two players freely gave the numbers has to be a boost for team chemistry; after all, they are just numbers, and if key players are going to be more happy in them, why not keep everyone in a positive frame of mind?

    I applaud Teal and King; although I probably would have held out for at least a Rolex.

    By the way, some other new numbers you may not be familiar with include offensive tackle Jeff Otah (79), defensive tackle Darwin Walker (93, Mike Rucker's old number), DT Ian Scott (94), linebacker Landon Johnson (54), wide receiver D.J. Hackett (18), defensive end Tyler Brayton (96), cornerback Charles Godfrey (30, Mike Minter's old number), linebacker Dan Connor (44) and guards Keydrick Vincent (68), Toniu Fonoti (77, Kris Jenkins' old number) and Milford Brown (61).

-- Stan Olson