"The Panthers and Vikings play about every other year, aren't division rivals and don't have a huge history. But I vividly remember two plays from the teams' nine games.

The first came in 2001. In the first game of his NFL career, about to touch the ball for the first time, a kick returner named Steve Smith was already angry. I know you're stunned.

Smith told me long ago a Vikings special-teamer disrespected him before the game, referring to Smith's college in telling him: "This ain't Utah no more, son."

"That was the wrong thing to say," Smith said. The first time he touched the ball in a real NFL game, he returned it 93 yards for a touchdown. Carolina won that day, then lost the next 15 in a row. Hardly anyone from that game is still playing. But Smith is, leading the NFL in reception yards."