The Interesting Criticism of Cam Newton
Cam Newton’s demeanor once again becomes the talking point after a tough loss to the New Orleans Saints.
The Carolina Panthers have not lived up to the hype so far in 2016. The team is 1-5 and no one really knows how to fix the issues plaguing this group as they continue to drop close games. Many are pointing towards a struggling Cam Newton as one of the driving factors behind such poor play.
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After a close loss to the New Orleans Saints, Newton was criticized for his actions during the post-game press conference. After snippily responding to a couple of questions, Newton stormed out of the presser on Sunday afternoon. Hearkening back to Super Bowl 50, one must wonder if this conversation is coming back up once again and whether or not it’s truly valid.
David Newton of ESPN wrote this week on Newton’s attitude and how the 2015 MVP needs to change it. What was interesting about his piece and opinion is how he presented the idea of Newton’s attitude being almost childlike. That is difficult to read.
An excerpt from Newton’s rundown on the Panthers quarterback:
"His pouty face after the 41-38 loss to the Saints is unbecoming of a team captain, of the image you should want from the leader of your team, particularly when your team is struggling at 1-5. Nobody tells Newton to simply lose the attitude. Maybe it’s time."
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There are many different things to question about this piece. Before jumping into the conversation though, David Newton also pointed out that he defended Cam after the Super Bowl 50 loss. But he thinks the situation against the Saints was different, partially due to the fact that Cam Newton had at least an hour to shower before standing in front of the media.
However, pieces like this still need to be challenged. While David Newton points to his support of Cam Newton at different points in this controversy, it’s still a telling issue with an African American player is denigrated to the status of a child in such a professional setting. Where’s this same type of commentary when Tom Brady storms off the field cursing at officials? What about when Aaron Rodgers acts combative with media members after a tough game? These things happen in professional sports where these stars are put on a pedestal to perform and fall short, especially with the struggles the Panthers are experiencing.
This is a similar tone that is taken with African American professional athletes. The terms “spoiled,” “boy,” or “brat,” are often used to talk about these individuals as if they are less than the men and women they truly are.
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Serena Williams is another example of a star athlete that has been spoken about in the same manner after suffering an intense loss. Why is it that these athletes have to be spoken to or about in such a way that feigns authority over their being? Not seeing that as a problem is a part of the issue.
David Newton is allowed to have his own opinion about how players and their performances. However, it is very indicative of the continuing conversation surrounding race and sports when a full grown adult is compared to a child and spoken as such in an overly demeaning way.