THREE very cool Panthers contests

Here's a very cool Panthers contest -- an "American Idol"-type of experience, but live in front of the fans at halftime of Panthers games! Contestants will square off during halftime of the games Aug. 29, Sept. 3 and Sept. 13. Prizes include a VIP package with tickets and autographed memorabilia. Fans enter by uploading videos, and win the right to sing at the games through online voting. For details, go to panthers.com or WCNC.com.

Seems like there's often a cool hat that becomes a fashion statement at a sporting event. Remember the 2004 Olympics parade cap? Here at training camp there is a very cool hat -- because it keeps you cool and because the team wears them. Offensive lineman Jordan Gross wears one in the photo above. Well I've gotten my hands on one of the team's 

official players sun hats -- its the one the team gives the players and is size small/medium --

 and I'm giving it away. Tweet me here, or contact me on Facebook here. The fan with the best

 10-word answer on why they need the hat wins.

-- Here's our third very cool contest.  Five kids get to come on the field for practice, bond with a player, and carry their gear on Wednesday and Friday, and next Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (A parent gets to come with each kid, so you're family might be a double winner.) Team Spartanburg Sports Council, the Panthers and Wofford College partner in the contest. Team Spartanburg is also holding a party during tonight's practice, so you can watch with TopCats and Sir Purr while you enjoy refreshments. Of course, it's all on Team Spartanburg's Facebook page.

-- Middle linebacker Jon Beason is on Twitter -- @jonbeason --  and he used it in an interesting way today: He gave an update on his own injury after the morning practice. "Just a sprain!! Relax" he tweeted at lunchtime, after reporters and fans were abuzz about him possibly getting hurt. Despite that, he says he's still getting the hang of Twitter. One big hangup? He wishes it had a better name. (Heard that one before. Or is "tweeting" part of the geeky craze?) Like what kind of name? He'll get back to us. 

-- Panthers PR man Charlie Dayton told me Twitter has changed his job. This is the first year its had an impact. When defensive lineman Maake Kimoeatu got hurt today, Twitter lit up with reports from journos and comments from fans. Dayton told me he doesn't worry much about players tweeting and posting on Facebook. "You can't stop it," he said.

-- Panthers training camp chef Aidan Waite told me about feeding the players in a video below. I thought this was interesting: The players have to check in for three meals every day. It's mandatory. Has Waite ever fed them tofu? "I've never gone quite that far." 

-- Another video below shows Julius Peppers walking off the field with a towel on his head. The defensive star has kept a low profile in camp -- and he never has been very talkative. But his coach on the field didn't seem too cowed by Peppers' new $16 million, one-year contract. The coach bellowed at his guys like a marine sergeant this morning. To watch the coach bellow, see the video in the previous post.