If you don’t know, you better ask somebody: Cam is for real
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By DERON SNYDER
Cam Newton makes some folks irrational. They are so blinded by preconceived and post-conceived notions of the Carolina quarterback, they make nonsensical statements and mean-spirited decisions.
Consider what happened Sunday in the Panthers’ 41-38 victory against New Orleans. After rifling a 13-yard touchdown to Ted Ginn Jr., Newton runs to the end zone. He virtually begs the ref for the ball because – as everyone who watches football knows – Newton likes to give them to children in the stands.
The ref looks at Newton, turns away dismissively and tosses the ball, leaving his hand extended like the follow-through on a shot (or offensive gesture). Then he struts away as if he proved anything besides the fact he’s a jerk. Newton can’t believe it but the scene gets worse. He runs toward the “ball boy” – a balding, middle-aged man with a gut – and asks him for the ball. Incredibly, this lowly sideline assistant balks and tries to play keep away, believing he has more authority than the starting QB. Exasperated, Newton snatches it from his hand, runs back to the end zone and hands it to a little girl in a Panthers jersey.
It was one thing when Packers’ defensive end Julius Peppers last month threw a ball aside disdainfully to prevent Newton from doing his thing. (As on Sunday, Newton retrieved it and made a little boy happy). But I can’t imagine a ref and ball boy being that rude if, say, Tom Brady or Russell Wilson asked for the pigskin.
The sequence exemplified the disrespect some have for Newton, merely one of the NFL’s biggest stars and the unquestioned leader of a 12-0 team. He entered the league with a couple of strikes against him in critics’ minds, who couldn’t see past the allegations of theft at Florida and improper benefits at Auburn, the spread-option style and infamously alleged “insincere smile.” And, of course, the end zone dancing, first-down gesturing and Man of Steel mimicking.
Five seasons into his career, Newton still can’t get his due credit, even though he’s the main reason Carolina has won 16 consecutive regular-season games. Some headlines I saw in the weeks leading up to Sunday’s game were mind-boggling:
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