Cam Newton: The Disgust Over His Dancing Speaks To More

Celebrations are a part of sport. Elation that comes with the successful completion of a sequence practiced for hours upon hours should be expected. Unfortunately, fans, pundits and some fellow athletes alike take chagrin to said celebrations. When players feel that way, it’s one thing, but when fans and media members are up in arms, that screams of something even deeper.

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A quarterback leads his team to a rousing touchdown that excites the thousands of fans watching in the stadium and millions of fans at home. It was a situation that the team never experienced before in its history. The quarterback responded by celebrating and spewing an empathic “You like that!” (video from NFL.com on YouTube) at reporters as he walked towards the locker room. The reaction: praise, jokes, laughter and t-shirts raising money for charity. No anger, no outrage, no one taking offense.

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Then, there’s another quarterback leading his team towards a position no one expected them to be in. For the first time in the organization’s history the Carolina Panthers are 9-0. The team just defeated the Tennessee Titans behind a very good performance by their leader: Cam Newton.

This comes in a season in which Newton is on the current MVP short list. Quite the turnaround for a player that is still consistently questioned every time he steps onto the field. This is the same player that ESPN reported was instructed by the team’s owner to get piercings or tattoos when he was drafted back in 2011.

This is the same player that had to deal with incessant trolling by sports journalist Rob King for the first few years of his career. Sadly, we find ourselves in a conversation that takes the attention off of Newton’s performance on the field and focuses on the sad fact that people still hide behind fake outrage.

It’s easy to see that Newton enjoys playing the game of football. Whether it’s his huge smile that has been photographed game after game this year or his new dance moves that started this whole “debate;” Newton is out there having fun, regardless of how people feel about it. But their “feelings” are what bring us to this place today.

On Tuesday the Charlotte Observer released a letter that a Tennessee mother wrote to Newton in reference to Sunday’s game. She didn’t talk about his poise as a QB, his leadership on the field and the way his teammates respect and trust him. Instead, she talked about his dance moves. She points towards “pelvic thrusts, arrogant struts and in your face taunting” as the images that burned her 9-year old daughter’s psyche, leading to questions that she couldn’t answer. She would continue to outline why his dancing and celebrations call his leadership and integrity into question.

Nov 15, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) prior to the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Is Newton aware that he’s a role model to some? Of course he does, which is why he’s never been involved in any unscrupulous situations off the field and contributes to the community where he plays. For example, in 2012 Hassan Washington of The Grio reported of Newton’s donation of $150,000 to three schools in Charlotte. He knows his position in the sports world.

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Why is this even a conversation? The reason is because she’s adding fire to a conversation that is beyond the 60 minutes allotted for a NFL game. Is this woman a racist? Probably not, but the fact she felt compelled to write this letter clearly speaks of racial undertones.

What did Newton really do wrong? Yes, he celebrates nearly everything from a First Down to a touch down – some harder than others. Titans players tried to confront him about it in the end zone of their game, which resulted in even more celebration from the quarterback; standard situation on the field of play.

Instead of questioning whether or not Newton’s wrong for dancing, we need to question her motives. Is she this mad when Aaron Rodgers hits his famed “discount double check” move? Was she upset when Newton was on the ground and Titans players celebrated above him? Would she be upset if Luke Kuechly was doing the “dab” or the “electric slide” on the field? Is she upset with Rodgers, Kirk Cousins and the hundreds of other players that celebrate big plays every weekend? Is she upset with the cheerleaders who perform on the sideline?

The answers to those questions aren’t even needed as the questions themselves prove the point. She may not say it outright, but this is yet another chapter in the story in which many black athletes are chastised for showing too much personality on the field. Allen Iverson offended with his cornrows and tattoos. Rashad Evans’ post-fight celebrations earned him a label of being “cocky.” Many still shake their head in disdain when NBA players throw down highlight-reel worthy slam dunks. The trend continues with this letter and will probably never end.

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Instead of having a conversation with her daughter about why Newton’s dance moves make him a poor leader and role model, perhaps she should tell her daughter the reasons why she truly feels the way she does; if she can even stomach the personal inventory needed to understand them.