I honestly can’t sit here and tell you that I hate Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. I mean, sure, the guy appears to come across as arrogant, brash and childish at times, but isn’t that also what makes him be so successful at his job?
With so many people shitting on Cam this year—from the Packers fan calling the cops on Newton after the signal-caller stole his banner, to Titans players thinking the dude was showing disrespect with his touchdown dance this past Sunday—another person named Rosemary Plorin of Nashville decided to jump on the hate train by writing a letter to the Charlotte Observer about what her and her 9-year-old daughter witnessed at the Titans game, via the Charlotte Observer:
Because of where we sat, we had a close up view of your conduct in the fourth quarter. The chest puffs. The pelvic thrusts. The arrogant struts and the ‘in your face’ taunting of both the Titans’ players and fans. We saw it all.
I refuse to believe you don’t realize you are a role model. You are paid millions of dollars every week to play hard and be a leader. In the off season you’re expected to make appearances, support charities, and inspire young kids to pursue your sport and all sports. With everything the NFL has gone through in recent years, I’m confident they have advised that you are, by virtue of your position and career choice, a role model.
And because you are a role model, your behavior brought out like behavior in the stands. Some of the Panthers fans in our section began taunting the hometown fans. Many Titans fans booed you, a few offering instructive, but not necessarily family friendly, suggestions as to how you might change your behavior.
My daughter sensed the change immediately – and started asking questions. Won’t he get in trouble for doing that? Is he trying to make people mad? Do you think he knows he looks like a spoiled brat?
I didn’t have great answers for her, and honestly, in an effort to minimize your negative impact and what was otherwise a really fun day, I redirected her attention to the cheerleaders and mascot.
I could tell she was still thinking about it as we boarded a shuttle back to our car. “I guess he doesn’t have kids or a Mom at home watching the game,” she added.
I don’t know if Plorin could come across as anymore insane, honestly. Not only does she actually take the time to cry about Newton’s dance moves, but she actually told her daughter to ignore the football game and just focus on the cheerleaders dancing because, you know, watching women dance around in skimpy outfits is always better. Sounds like a little ironic to me, mom.
Cam has shot down all the criticism by saying he’s a firm believer that, “if you don’t like me to do it then don’t let me in (the end zone),” while the Panthers Twitter account supported him by trolling all those making a big stink out of their quarterback shaking it after scoring.
Newton plays with a childish enthusiasm that I wish more football players showed, so, even if he did go over the line a bit, that doesn’t mean he’s the fucking devil disguised as a quarterback each week—although this lady’s letter might have you think otherwise.
[H/T Deadspin, Charlotte Observer]