NFL-Aikman sees Panthers as possible powerhouse

By Larry Fine SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Three-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Troy Aikman says the Carolina Panthers could be on the brink of a blockbuster run in the National Football League if they can avoid pitfalls that can come with success. Hall of Famer Aikman, who won three Super Bowl rings in a four-year stretch in the 1990s, said the emergence of quarterback Cam Newton and the Panthers' core of young players could make the Panthers a perennial powerhouse. Carolina, 17-1 this season, is nearly a touchdown favorite against the Denver Broncos for Sunday's Super Bowl 50 at Levi's Stadium in the suburb of Santa Clara. "First off, can they keep them intact with the salary cap and who you pay," Aikman told Reuters in an interview. Aikman noted the quality young players powering the Panthers in Pro Bowlers Newton, linebacker Luke Kuechly, cornerback Josh Norman and their beefy defensive tackles Lotulelei Starr and Kawann Short. "They're built for the nucleus to be there for a while," he said. Then come some intangible factors. "But you never know the effect human nature is going to have on these guys," said Aikman. "If they were to win this week, is that hunger still there? Does it look the same, does it feel the same? "The teams I was on when we were able to win three (Super Bowls) in four years, I can honestly tell you that there was never any animosity, or internal strife in trying to gain more recognition for what any one of us had accomplished." Strife free for the Cowboys, at least among the players. "There was none of that. There was with our owner and head coach, unfortunately, Jimmy (coach Johnson) and Jerry (owner Jones) but with the team there wasn't." That clash of Texas-sized egos led to the exit of coach Johnson and the arrival of Barry Switzer. Aikman said smooth sailing was the exception and not the rule in the NFL. "That's kind of unusual. That's not typical. When you have young players and then all of a sudden they hit this stage and they achieve something, will they be able to continue? That will be the challenge for Ron Rivera." Aikman, a paragon of accuracy throwing the football, said for all of the 26-year-old Newton's powerful rushing as a dual-threat signal caller, he has been impressed with his passing. "He's made some unbelievable throws," said Aikman, who like Newton, was the number one player taken in the draft (in 1989). "As much as he's done running the football and as hard as he is to defend because of that, the reason that this team is playing in this game is because of what he's been able to do throwing the football." Aikman, who retired after the 2000 season, faced an unexpected challenge of his own near the end of his NFL career. "I was diagnosed with melanoma (skin cancer) in 1998," said Aikman. "I found a spot on my shoulder when I was getting out of the shower and got it checked and was diagnosed with melanoma stage two. I went in and they removed it, and didn't require any further treatment." Aikman said he got educated quickly about the dangers of the disease and now has partnered with Novartis in an awareness campaign for those with advanced melanoma. "It's important for people to find out what form they have so they can get treated properly and give themselves the best chance to beat an obviously very tough opponent," said Aikman, pointing people toward the website melanomajustgotpersonal.com). (Editing by Steve Keating.)