THE FINAL 49: 

We take a moment during each of the Final 49 weeks until Kickoff 2013 to look at various aspects of the Charlotte 49ers football program.

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Dream Team

Aug. 14, 2013

By Tom Whitestone

This past weekend the Charlotte 49ers football team gathered for a team photo and met with members of the media.

It was just another in a long line of events that have carried us over the past two and a half years as the team has been formed, molded and prepped for opening day.

The 49ers first team photo.

Photographer Wade Bruton thought it would be neat to put the 2013 image next to the one from 1947, back when the 49ers predecessor, the CCUNC Owls, fielded a team. 

That team photo included about 25 players.

This year's team photo has closer to 95.

That team was seated on a stairwell that overlooked their practice field at the high school they were using for classes.

This year, they were seated in their own stadium on their own campus of nearly 1000 acres.

The size of the team, campus and players has changed dramatically in those 60-plus years.

In talking with one of the team members from the 1947 squad, though, both teams share that basic dream and desire.  Both teams, made up mostly of first and second year players, just wanted to play. 

Our fans can relate to that. 

That's what they've wanted for so long.

They've wanted the 49ers to play football.   Now that we are less than a handful of weeks away, every practice, every passing day -- every moment celebrated and passed by brings us closer to seeing that wish granted.

The eyes of the players in the team photos -- from both 1947 and 2013 -- are full of hopes and dreams.

And the eyes of the fans looking at the pictures? 

Those eyes are full of a dream come true.

#Kickoff2013