Cam Newton is going through some growing pains in his second year as an NFL quarterback.
Yes I know it seems like the struggles are in reverse, as he had plenty of success as a rookie, and now is finding things difficult.
Cameron like many other quarterbacks has a mentor, or someone he feels he can relate to.
During Newton pre-draft training, and possibly before, Newton struck up a friendship with Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon.
Moon went through some unjust moments as a player, so he some sense of what Newton is going through right now.
According to Pro Football Talk, Moon feels Newton definitely needs to improve, but feels some of the criticism he receives is off based, and possibly racist.
“I think a lot of this is because so many people want to say ‘I told you so’ about him, but couldn’t because he was so good last year.”
“I think people are overreacting. How can he be a bust? He just had one of the great years a rookie has ever had, and now he can’t play? Come on.”
Moon spoke of Newton being more even keeled, and allowing things to roll off his back.
Moon who dealt with some racism during his playing career, hinted at the fact that Newton may be receiving that treatment as well.
“I don’t understand it,” Moon said. “I heard somebody compare him to Vince Young. It’s the same old crap – it’s always a comparison of one black to another black. I get tired of it. I get tired of defending it.
“If you want to compare him to someone because of his demeanor, compare him to Jay Cutler. There are a lot of guys who whine and moan. Cam’s not biting anybody’s head off or pushing his linemen. He’s just disgruntled, and not handling losing well, because, think about it, he basically didn’t lose in college.
“I don’t think Cam’s as bad as Cutler, because Cutler looks like he doesn’t give a damn sometimes, or he’s yelling and cussing at someone. Cam, he just looks down when they’re losing.”
Moon like so many other also acknowledge that the Panthers offensive approach and lack of a running game may also be hindering Newton.
“I don’t know why they got away from what they were doing last year,” Moon said. “They were running more of a pro-style offense, and now they’re going more to the read-option, the stuff he did in college. I think some of it is coaching. I think some of it is they don’t have enough good players yet. And there’s no question he’s not playing as well as last year.
“That offense doesn’t allow you to be an NFL-type quarterback. It’s a lot of tricks, sticking the ball into a running back’s stomach, trying to freeze the defense. Even though he can do that and had success with it in college, I don’t think it serves him well in the long run. You can’t keep going back and forth. I think he’s a little bit confused with the footwork, and I think that’s one of the problems with his accuracy – his feet are crossed up. Why this change? I think it’s backfiring. I think they’re out-thinking themselves.”
I think the situation simply needs to be handled better by everyone involved. Cameron Newton is an amazing talent that is struggling at quarterback right now. He needs to make sure he’s doing everything in his power to be the best quarterback he can be.
His coaches need to make better use of him, and use those two running backs that right now are insanely rich for nothing.
Finally everything doesn’t have to be black and white. In this day and time it’s to easy for people to scream that’s racist.
Newton can avoid some of the criticism he receives by simply handling his interview process better. Yes answer the questions, but leave out the things that will make you a lighting rod. Stand up straight and fix your disposition, if for nothing else, for the sake of not having people question you.
Lastly criticism is not racist. You know how many quarterbacks get killed by the media on a daily basis?
Here are a few, Tony Romo, Michael Vick, Alex Smith, Christian Ponder, Jay Cutler, Aaron Rodgers, Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco, and Philip Rivers.
Point is I named ten starting quarterbacks in the NFL who are overly scrutinized on a daily basis, and only one was black.
Romo and a few others get worse treatment from media members than Cameron could imagine.
Cameron Newton will be fine and this will all be a bad memory one day.
For now can everyone just chill out.
