I wonder if Cam Newton was white?

[Lomax to Green 84]

Would the labels (athletic, running quarterback, raw, plays in a simplified offense, wide recievers are always wide open, plays like Jamarcus Russell) be the same if he was a white guy playing say at an elite academic institution like say STANFORD?

I wonder if Cam Newton wasn't a super athletic black kid from the South would he create the same polarizing opinions?

I'm not defending Cam Newton and especially not his father because they may very well be guilty of accepting money. I do, however, get really pissed when I hear people take shots at Newton's (especially the Jamarcus Russell comparisons) ability and intelligence as a quarterback. The only similarity between Newton and Russell is that both are really big, strong armed black quarterbacks from the south. Other than that they are night and day different. Newton is a winner, a tremendous leader, and 10 times the player Russell ever was at LSU.

Sorry to vent. I just really hope we don't blackball this kid as a bad guy because of this controversy. Watch him play and then make a judgement. I see a budding superstar and I fear the Cards will pass just because he has some red flags. The other thing that really bothers me is that we are talking about 180,000 dollars when universities, the NCAA, and coaches are making millions upon millions of dollars because of guys like Cam Newton. Yes, accepting money is wrong, but so is this entire system when coaches can accept multi million dollar deals and bail out on them within a year.

 

[desertdawg]

I've tried to compare Newton to others, it doesn't work for me. Nobody else had the arm and the wheels and the size. He does things well like other QBs, but he is in his own category IMO.

 

[Zeno]

The comparisons to Jamarcus Russell are solely based on race, their playing styles, body type and strengths/weaknesses are completely different. Russell has the stronger arm by a mile but in no way is Russell even in the same league athletically.

The Vince Young comparison is much more apt IMO(and nothing to do with race), although Young threw about 80 more passes and rushed about 100 times less. Young averaged about a yard more a carry but had less TDs but threw for 500 or so more yards. There is nobody else even similar to compare him to, Young at least had 2 full years of college experience going for him too.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I've never compared him to Russell. He's a much better athlete than Russell ever was. But I think it's kind of short-sighted to disregard the controversy and just shrug it off. What seems to be getting swept under the rug is his " the money was too good at Auburn" comment. You don't think he knew everything his dad was doing? That would pretty naive on anyone's part. What about his academic fraud charges? The guy has alot of red flags and I think he's trouble.
You may think it a hypocritical system, and you're right, but coaches leaving for other jobs isn't against any rules. Taking money, academic fraud and the likes are. Just because the system isn't right doesn't mean Newton should be above playing by the rules.

 

[Pariah]

The comparisons to Jamarcus Russell are solely based on race, their playing styles, body type and strengths/weaknesses

Oh, is that all?

 

[AzStevenCal]

The other thing that really bothers me is that we are talking about 180,000 dollars when universities, the NCAA, and coaches are making millions upon millions of dollars because of guys like Cam Newton. Yes, accepting money is wrong, but so is this entire system when coaches can accept multi million dollar deals and bail out on them within a year.

If you don't really believe in this kind of behavior why rationalize it. It's this same thinking that has people justifying their actions when they defraud their insurance company, hide their assets from the IRS and soon-to-be ex-spouses or when they buy pirated entertainment because they feel it's overpriced. Without bringing the morality of these kind of actions into play it sure seems to me that those of us that follow the laws and rules of society are the ones that ultimately get screwed by this self serving behavior and that's more than a little bit frustrating.

I think the actions of his father say a lot about that man's character and the cynic in me believes the son is just as involved. However, it's one thing to rush to an ill-informed decision when you're miles away and powerless to affect the outcome (me, IOW) but it's quite another to hold Cam responsible for the actions of his father when there is no proof of culpablity on Cam's part. If he satisfied the psych/social aspects of the draft research I'd pick him in a second. I think he has star potential at the next level.

Steve

 

[Zeno]

Oh, is that all?

Ha. Grammar police.

 

[NJCardFan]

Would the labels (athletic, running quarterback, raw, plays in a simplified offense, wide recievers are always wide open, plays like Jamarcus Russell) be the same if he was a white guy playing say at an elite academic institution like say STANFORD?

I wonder if Cam Newton wasn't a super athletic black kid from the South would he create the same polarizing opinions?

I'm not defending Cam Newton and especially not his father because they may very well be guilty of accepting money. I do, however, get really pissed when I hear people take shots at Newton's (especially the Jamarcus Russell comparisons) ability and intelligence as a quarterback. The only similarity between Newton and Russell is that both are really big, strong armed black quarterbacks from the south. Other than that they are night and day different. Newton is a winner, a tremendous leader, and 10 times the player Russell ever was at LSU.

Sorry to vent. I just really hope we don't blackball this kid as a bad guy because of this controversy. Watch him play and then make a judgement. I see a budding superstar and I fear the Cards will pass just because he has some red flags. The other thing that really bothers me is that we are talking about 180,000 dollars when universities, the NCAA, and coaches are making millions upon millions of dollars because of guys like Cam Newton. Yes, accepting money is wrong, but so is this entire system when coaches can accept multi million dollar deals and bail out on them within a year.

Yeah, it's all a race thing. I'm so tired of this crap. The "boo hoo I was born with all this God given talent but I did something illegal but they're picking on me because I'm black" garbage. This is why racism will never die in this country.

 

[AnotherHOMER]

College students should get paid. Millions being made off the students. they get a education in return? I'd rather get paid my share and pay for the classes.

Its a shame how college programs make money off these kids.

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

Yeah, it's all a race thing. I'm so tired of this crap. The "boo hoo I was born with all this God given talent but I did something illegal but they're picking on me because I'm black" garbage. This is why racism will never die in this country.

I'm not saying the money issue is a race thing. I'm saying that it seems that whenever a gifted black quarterback comes around the steroetypes come with it (great athlete, running quarterback, raw talent). Those words to me just seem me to happen all to often with black quarterbacks.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

College students should get paid. Millions being made off the students. they get a education in return? I'd rather get paid my share and pay for the classes.

Its a shame how college programs make money off these kids.

Monetarily it is probably one of the most, if not the most, unjust systems around. That still doesn't make it right what Newton and his family did.

 

[bugboy]

As a football fan of 25 years, I think discussions of race aren't as relevant as they are made out to be. As Mike Ditka or Bill Parcells would undoubtedly say, either a guy can play or he can't. End of story.

When it comes to college players, though, I do notice the following trends.

1. Black players usually have their decision making ability (i.e. intelligence), character and maturity questioned far more often than white players do.

2. White players usually have their arm strength (or lack thereof) and their speed (or lack thereof) picked apart far more often than black players do.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

I'm not saying the money issue is a race thing. I'm saying that it seems that whenever a gifted black quarterback comes around the steroetypes come with it (great athlete, running quarterback, raw talent). Those words to me just seem me to happen all to often with black quarterbacks.

We've heard great athlete with plenty of white guys. Running quarterback is probably a common stereotype, but for a lot of the athletic ones - it's accurate - they have the QB run a lot and it can result is less experience reading defenses compared to a pocket QB (hence raw talent).

You could also say that when any gifted athlete is found taking snaps in college football, they call them a quarterback with raw talent, regardless of accuracy

 

[desertdawg]

I'm not saying the money issue is a race thing. I'm saying that it seems that whenever a gifted black quarterback comes around the steroetypes come with it (great athlete, running quarterback, raw talent). Those words to me just seem me to happen all to often with black quarterbacks.

+1
It happens with the whiteboys too. When some one has a lot of hype around them, a lot of people try and look through the hype to see whats really there. If Newton didn't have the issues that he put him self in, people/media would be debating on Luck or Newton as to who should go first in the draft.

Cam did fit the stereotype earlier in the season, he would run at the drop of a hat. His game has matured big time and his receivers are loving it. I've been talking lately about his biggest growth spurt, the kid is freezing defenses. He gets out of the pocket, runs to the LOS and the defenders don't know whether to go at him or stay and cover. Then he burns them like sweet gaunja.

 

[Russ Smith]

The thing is the system he's in requires almost no reading of defense. He comes up the LOS and he has one read on the options he reads the DE whether to pitch it or run it himself. on the pass plays he has the pass/run option and if the first receiver isn't open, he almost always takes off and runs.

That's why reading NFL defenses is something everyone questions with him, because he's now played in 3 systems, Florida, JC, and Auburn, where he didn't have to read defense.

 

[Zeno]

The thing is the system he's in requires almost no reading of defense. He comes up the LOS and he has one read on the options he reads the DE whether to pitch it or run it himself. on the pass plays he has the pass/run option and if the first receiver isn't open, he almost always takes off and runs.

This is very similar to what the offense was for Vince Young, if I remember right they simplified it to half the field (right or left)...if he couldn't complete a pass there he ran. Newton is going to have a similar learning curve as Young...the question is will he be mentally tougher than Young and does he have the mental aptitude to do it?

A lot will depend on his offseason interviews IMO...if teams are convinced he CAN learn his potential alone will move him way up draft boards.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

I am all for Sir Cam Newton of Cardinals to run the show.

 

[Timm Rosenbach]

The thing is the system he's in requires almost no reading of defense. He comes up the LOS and he has one read on the options he reads the DE whether to pitch it or run it himself. on the pass plays he has the pass/run option and if the first receiver isn't open, he almost always takes off and runs.

That's why reading NFL defenses is something everyone questions with him, because he's now played in 3 systems, Florida, JC, and Auburn, where he didn't have to read defense.

Bingo. He is a great college QB who is able to dominate defenses in a particular college system. Just like Ryan Mallett

Andrew Luck is a great NFL QB who will be succesful if given even merely competent weapons

 

[bugboy]

Bingo. He is a great college QB who is able to dominate defenses in a particular college system. Just like Ryan Mallett

Andrew Luck is a great NFL QB who will be succesful if given even merely competent weapons

Until Newton and Luck actually get on a field, that is all assumption and speculation. I'll believe Luck is capable of dominating the NFL when I actually see it. What's to stop him from being the next Leaf, David Carr or Alex Smith?

In the meantime, Luck will have to get in line because I am still waiting for Reggie Bush to "dominate" the NFL, being a "once in a generation" talent at running back and all.

We heard tall tales about his inevitable NFL greatness for months and watched the Texans front office get buried for passing him up for Mario Williams. Only to find out the Reggie Bush hype train was nothing but hot air.

 

[Zeno]

Bingo. He is a great college QB who is able to dominate defenses in a particular college system. Just like Ryan Mallett

Andrew Luck is a great NFL QB who will be succesful if given even merely competent weapons

Aren't you kinda getting the cart in front of the horse? Luck isn't even an NFL player yet let alone a great one. I believe in Luck too but to say he is a "great NFL QB" without throwing a pro pass is kinda silly.

 

[moklerman]

I think this is just being over-sensitive. For example, Bradford was scrutinized for many of the same things. Could he read a defense? Were his plays and reads being called in from the sideline? Was he a system QB?

When you win the Heisman and are directly under the media spotlight, you're going to get more attention. Positive AND negative.

I wonder if it's a safer proposition to question a white QB's abilities or a black QB's abilities? With the race card continually dropped at the slightest sign of criticism, I'd think that in today's media environment, any criticism that actually shows up should be taken very seriously since it is likely not being offered without consideration of backlash.

 

[Southpaw]

Would the labels (athletic, running quarterback, raw, plays in a simplified offense, wide recievers are always wide open, plays like Jamarcus Russell) be the same if he was a white guy playing say at an elite academic institution like say STANFORD?

I wonder if Cam Newton wasn't a super athletic black kid from the South would he create the same polarizing opinions?

I'm not defending Cam Newton and especially not his father because they may very well be guilty of accepting money. I do, however, get really pissed when I hear people take shots at Newton's (especially the Jamarcus Russell comparisons) ability and intelligence as a quarterback. The only similarity between Newton and Russell is that both are really big, strong armed black quarterbacks from the south. Other than that they are night and day different. Newton is a winner, a tremendous leader, and 10 times the player Russell ever was at LSU.

Sorry to vent. I just really hope we don't blackball this kid as a bad guy because of this controversy. Watch him play and then make a judgement. I see a budding superstar and I fear the Cards will pass just because he has some red flags. The other thing that really bothers me is that we are talking about 180,000 dollars when universities, the NCAA, and coaches are making millions upon millions of dollars because of guys like Cam Newton. Yes, accepting money is wrong, but so is this entire system when coaches can accept multi million dollar deals and bail out on them within a year.

Really? A race based thread?

 

[DoTheDew]

Would the labels (athletic, running quarterback, raw, plays in a simplified offense, wide recievers are always wide open, plays like Jamarcus Russell) be the same if he was a white guy playing say at an elite academic institution like say STANFORD?

The raw label is because the kid has only one year of starting experience. He had all of 12 attempts in his first two years.

Athletic is a complementary label. Were he white and equally athletic he probably wouldn't get the same credit for it.
Running quarterback is do to the fact that he SET RECORDS FOR RUSHING AS A QB.
The offense label, well Auburn doesn't run a pro style offense, but neither do most schools. (Standford does FYI).
Wide open receivers-could be said of any college QB since college defenses suck compared to NFL.
JaMarcus Russell- MAYBE that one is based on race.

 

[oaken1]

if Cam were white, all the draft gurus out there would be saying that he projects as a first round tight end............

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

if Cam were white, all the draft gurus out there would be saying that he projects as a first round tight end............

or H-back like Tebow.