Mark Gastineau says hello. Because all of the individualistic, self aggrandizing, attention grabbing, and Look-At-Me antics and celebrations that the kids love and old timers hate are a new thing that never existed in football before. Ya know what I mean?
No doubt some hate Newton because they are racists. Some object based on their perception that celebrating too much is going on. But the question there is what is too much? It differs for different people. I am one here who really hated when Kyle Wilson did his finger wagging thing. Like many here. But looking back I don't think it was the finger wagging itself that bothered us. It was that he was doing it as a way of taking credit not just for something he didn't actually accomplish himself, but also even when he did accomplish something, it was part of a total of overall play that sucked. Newton on the other hand gets it done and then some. So while I generally don't like too much celebrating, it doesn't bother me all that much. My only thought after first downs is whether celebrating that is a distraction to him and/or his teammates. I guess the evidence is that, for him, it is not, and may even help him focus. I also don't get that his teammates find it distracting. Some other Qb, some other teammates, maybe they would lose focus. But that's not going on with the Panthers. To Nagle's point about success, I do think it's partly about getting used to a player's idiosyncratic behavior, over time. But I also think when people see a player do something new, they sort of wonder whether it is something that is deserved, in terms of success, which relates to the previous point. Randy Moss showed over time that he could consistently get it done. That's why people came to love him more than at first. Imo we will see the same with Newton, assuming he does continue to consistently perform. I used to question him, on two counts. One was that for all his talent the Panthers were not using it and performing on a consistently productive level. That has changed. The other is the unfortunate factor that a greater number of black Qb's tend to run more than get it done in the pocket. That bothers me because I feel over time that such players become less effective, due to aging and the greater likelihood of injury, unless they can be effective in the pocket. So it is to Newton's great credit that he has become one of the best in the pocket, and he can still supplement that with running. Count me now as a big fan as he has, quite obviously, been able to do that.
The race nonsense is out of hand. Cam Newton didn't just enter into the public consciousness this year or when he entered the NFL. People formed their opinion of him in college and most people hated him then because outside of the south people hate the SEC, so all the other fans tired of the SEC bias disliked him for all the attention he got. Then all the non-Auburn SEC fans hated him because he kicked their ass. Those are both rationale reasons to dislike him at that time. So he didn't have national fans coming into the NFL, just Auburn fans. And why would fans of any other NFL team be a fan -- he's not their QB. Auburn and Panther fans love him because he's their QB. The rest of us either don't give a shit, are simply harboring the dislike of him from college because they hate all things SEC and try to justify that dislike by pointing to trivial things like his celebrations, and in some cases appreciate how great he is and have let go of that dislike from college. But the narrative that people have simply developed a dislike for him now based on this season and his behavior this season is pure dishonesty.
Not to mention he got kicked out of University of Florida. Then he went to the highest bidder in Auburn for 180k. He had a far from stellar track record in college. He was always smiling and shit like he does now and many hated it and still do. I just thought he was mad overrated. Only threw the ball more than 21 times three times in his career. Newton only started 1 season and ended up the #1 pick in the draft. I never thought he would be great but he has proven me wrong. His defense has helped him out a ton though. He's a good player, just not a fan of him personally.
I also think the race card is bullshit. He's just a look at me fool. Culpepper, McNabb, McNair, Vick, and Wilson all had good careers and some made Super Bowls. How many times was the race card pulled? Cam is nothing new.
It isn't that I don't like him. I'm just not a fan of the showboating. When anyone does it. It's just obnoxious. I do find Cam to be very sexy though.
I personally don't give a shit that he took money to play for a school as its my opinion that the NCAA should have no legal right to prevent any student from profiting off of their role as a student athlete. That's the type of business and marketing skill that college students should be learning. And if the schools can't pay them they have a right to generate income elsewhere. The problem is the racists argue that even that dislike of his benefits is race driven as people dislike a black student profiting, which is funny because nobody ever argued Reggie Bush was criticized for his benefits because he was black but just because they hated USC. But even the idea that only black athletes are criticized for their behavior has no merit. Cade Mcnown was hammered, and rightfully so, for being a selfish entitled athlete for using handicap placards at UCLA. The race narrative has no merit.
The only thing I'll say in regards to race is this: Obviously the race baiters, ESPN, etc.. are trying to hard to make that the story, perhaps to the point where they are annoyingly over eager. I get that. Not every story about a black player needs to be about race and there are varying levels. but: Lets keep it real here. If he was Cameron Newton the Blond, All American white farm boy, same personality, same showboating, same punchable smile on the field he'd be absolutely LOVED. lets keep it real because its true. Hell there's a real life example of this to point to- Brett Favre. Favre was one of the biggest tools on the football field, celebrated every TD like Newton, etc. Nowhere near the hatred in fact he's one of the all time fan favorite players ever. So there is something to it
I mean Cam has always been that player and people disliked it in college. He has taken it to a whole other level this season. But honestly I think it has more to do with success than race. If the Panthers were 8-8 and watching from home no one would care. He would just look dumb. It's the fact that they are killing it and he just rubs it in. The Panthers actions haven't been the most likable. People want to see them lose. Your example of Cameron Newton the Blonde could in fact be Tom Brady. Brady is nearly hated by everyone, but he is respected. If Brady celebrated like Newton he would be vilified. Brady is also hated so much because he is great.
I agree about the media. They need to fill time, and they draw attention by stirring the pot. This wouldn't even be discussed if the SB was the week after the championship games, with no break.
I'm pretty sure Cam Newton and America's hatred of him would've been a story if they played the SB the day after the Conference Championship games. In fact its been the story this whole season and most of the guy's career
If he was white, no one would give a crap about the things he does. But because he's black and good, the racists get all riled up. The non-racists I know who don't like basically don't like him because he kicked their team's ass this year. He's not a douche about it and while he can go overboard too often, it's not mean spirited. OBJ on the other hand is happy to get in your face about it and be a dick.
Except, there are numerous instances of white QB's being disliked for their behavior as well, which is why I pointed out Cade McNown, so the argument because some white QB's who were so loved for other reasons that their celebrations did not detract from applaud doesn't equate to disliking Cam Newton simply for his celebrations because of his race. Cam Newton had a tremendous amount of people disliking him before setting foot in the NFL for the reasons I already listed.
Cade McNown? One guy. and most people disliked him because he sucked ass. had he made it to a SB I'm pretty sure there would be a different legacy Ryan Leaf was disliked too. What a comparison to Cam Newton
Cam started his career on a terrible team, he took a pretty good beating the first couple of years. Now his team is successful, he's having fun, he looks happy. I don't care for the celebrations myself, but I aint in charge.
Except we are pointing out why behavior made them dislikable. And I could point to more QB's but you know them as well and there is no need to go one by one through a list you already know. You're trying to reduce the validity of my argument simply because I only listed one as meaning there is only one is a weak argument in your part not a weakness in mine. Logical comparisons require the absence of differences not merely the existence of similarities. When you point to the love of Brett Favre's celebrations as a defense of your position you can only do so by ignoring greater differences between he and Cam beyond race. Favre did not come into the NFL disliked by fans who'd made up their mind about him based on peripheral collegiate issues. Cam was disliked in college for many issues and those people still dislike him.
Us racists are very particular about our black football positions. When Deion Sanders was shucking and jiving as he returned punts and INTS for TD, we sure loved that boy for being so darn entertaining. But if he was a QB we'd lynched him good you here!
now you are just being childish. Its obvious you won't even listen to any argument where race is involved whether it has any merit or not. seems like you have a personal issue with that or something. That's fine, I don't care either way, but just know that your other argument about how people disliked him in college becomes pretty meaningless when you become so personally agitated by even the slightest reference that you'll resort to this kind of child's play
