Carolina Panthers Coach Ron Rivera Bans Team From Riding Hoverboards

The Carolina Panthers are 1-game away from the Super Bowl. Thusly, they are doing everything they can to give themselves an edge, or to avoid stupid injuries. Which really means no more hoverboards (sigh!). Panthers head coach Ron Rivera banned the team from using them ahead of their showdown with the Arizona Cardinals. He cited freak accidents, and unexpected fires as the chief reasons to do so.

"Have you seen those things on YouTube blowing up?" Rivera said, via ESPN. "I mean, that's what concerns me more than anything else. What if something crazy happens?

"I will say this, too: I caught them drag racing in the freaking hallway one time, too."

To prove it--the fires, not the drag racing--he showed them a video. 

The ban on hoverboards was actually put in place a few weeks back, just before Christmas. And while it's only enforced inside the team's stadium, Rivera strongly urges the players not to ride to and from work, as star quarterback Cam Newton is known to do. Perhaps this Mike Tyson crash had something to do with Rivera's decision, too:

So far the Panthers have been able to avoid any such injuries.

On Sunday, the Panthers beat the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round. They will now host the Cardinals this Sunday in the NFC Championship game for a spot in the Super Bowl. The Panthers come in as the No. 1 seed, having lost just 1-game all year, while the Cardinals come in as the No. 2 seed.

The game will also serve as the first time two former Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks have met in the Playoffs. Newton won in 2010 during his time at Auburn, while Carson Palmer won in 2002 during his time at USC. Both quarterbacks were also the overall No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.

Should be fun. Now the video Rivera likely showed his team.