"They are the young Bobcats. I hear the term so frequently, and use the term so frequently, I say we make it official. Get on your feet and meet and greet the Young Bobcats.

Charlotte is the worst team in the NBA. That's no surprise. The surprise would be if the Bobcats weren't. I wrote before the season that the Young Bobcats were the 2010 Carolina Panthers because what else could they be?

Rather than spend eternity going 7-9 and 9-7, the Panthers jettisoned their veterans, sent rookies and second-year players onto the field and lost 14 of 16 games. To become better they became worse.

Those 16 games felt like 32. Watching them was punishment.

"Kids, you stop fooling around and go to sleep now or you will march down here and watch tape of the Young Panthers' 27-3 loss to Pittsburgh."

"We can't hear you, dad. We're asleep."

The payoff was six victories in 2011, and more entertainment than any Panthers offense has ever offered.

The Bobcats, even with Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson, were the NBA equivalent of 7-9. If everything went right, then they could contend for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Let the thrill ride begin.

The Bobcats, too, chose to become worse to become better."