What do you guys make of the Cam haters still out there today?

[Frizzy350]

So, my story is this.

I actually had high hopes for 2010.  That was crushed very early.  Still watched all the games (some I did pass out drunk during, dunno if that counts).

 

One day I ask my dad what is going on in college football (I pay no attention to college football until the end of the season).  He gives me the scoop on what teams are good, and it was similar to what I was expecting with the exception of Auburn being undefeated.  I ask how are they so good out of nowhere?  He tells me they have a quarterback like Vince Young.

 

That name sends shivers up my spine.  I absolutely loved VY in college, felt he was robbed by Bush for the heisman (DeAngelo got shafted on that too) and thought he was going to dominate the NFL.  Well yea... that didn't go so well.

 

Draft talk starts up and everyone is saying that Carolina is going to take Cam Newton number 1 overall (despite all the slander they begin to spew about him).  I freak the hell out.  I want Pat Peterson, Dareus or AJ Green... not a Vince Young clone.  I begin to accept the reality.  We are going to take Cam Newton.

 

I actually then go on my own to investigate what he brings to the table.  First, he didn't throw like Young.  I had heard of all the mechanical problems he had throwing.  While I'm no expert on QB mechanics, I could plainly see he didn't have an excessive wind-up (The Golden Calf of Bristol) or have an awkward side-arm (Young).  Maybe his mechanics were poor, but they certainly weren't god awful.

 

Then I noticed his arm strength.  Incredible.  Guy could huck the ball 60+ yards down the field and was also able to throw frozen ropes 30+ yards.  Now arm strength is certainly not everything, but it doesn't hurt.  At this time I'm thinking he's more like Vick.  A dangerous runner with a dangerous arm.

 

Last thing I noticed (which is odd, because everyone else already noticed this) was his size and strength.  I never watched Cam play an actual game of college ball.  I missed the national championship because of work that year.  I had figured Cam was 6-2 or 6-3, maybe 220 lbs - I figured a guy with his rushing stats playing quarterback and being known as a dangerous runner that he'd be about that size.  I was in absolute awe when I read how big he was and my jaw dropped when I saw him bowling over soon-to-be NFL linebackers and linemen,

 

At this point I knew Clausen was a failed experiment,  I figured Newton to be some weird hybrid between Roethlisberger and Vick... and I was completely OK with that.  The Falcons were actually pretty successful with a run first QB and I had seen Roeth win countless playoff games by shaking off pass rushers and scampering around until someone got open.  Even if that was all we got out of Cam, I felt that was enough to warrant him to be our quarterback.  Good enough to add some life into the single most pathetic offense I had ever seen in the NFL (our 2010 squad) and good enough to build around for future success.

 

Still... I had no idea what we were actually getting with this guy.

[TheMaulClaw]

I think Anderson is happy here.  I get the feeling he's just going to do what he can as Cam's trusty back-up until he retires and lives a good peaceful life.  He's never struck me as a guy who likes the spotlight on him.

I agree.

 

That's why we're lucky to have him.  Dude went to a pro bowl.  Modern day pro bowl voting has a lot of politics.  You don't just qb the Cleveland Browns and get handed a pro bowl bid and suck unless potentially your name is Manziel.  Dude can play.

 

I have so much confidence in DA in fact....that if Cam we're to go down (knock on wood)....I still think we could make the playoffs.  

[DaveThePanther2008]

Many things.  When I was younger I hated the Cowboys and Steelers because they were so damn good.  It didn't matter who was running the ball or throwing it.  They sucked. Many others felt the same way.

 

When UNC beat Georgetown in the NCAA title in 1982.  Jordan was lucky....blah blah blah. And it carried into his career.  People can't let the college days go.  We live on the border of ACC/SEC territory.  Good god, fans are killing trees because they hate the other so bad.

 

Not only did Cam come from an SEC school to win the NCAA title and do it with a perennial loser like Auburn (hasn't been good since Pat Dye) He also was booted out of an SEC school to begin with.  God knows Florida fans will never let that go.

 

Finally, Cam enjoys football. Name me one player in the NFL that you see has more fun.  Smiling, laughing and dancing.  Many of those haters can't stand to see this. FOOTBALL IS SERIOUS... WHY IN THE HELL ARE YOU HAVING FUN.

 

So to answer your question.  There will always be haters.  Doesn't matter if Cam wins 10 Championships in a row.  Someone will always have an excuse why it wasn't Cam.

 

He is the greatest pick in Panther history.  I never run to the bathroom or grab a beer when the Panthers are on offense. I don't want to miss witnessing Cam doing what Cam does. Making 5 or 6 defenders miss him to gain a first down. Or dropping a pin point pass to a WR in the endzone.  Throwing missiles so hard you can't believe anyone could.throw a football that fast.

 

Those that hate.  They are missing a ride that doesn't come along too often.  Those that remember watching Michael Jordan know what I am talking about.  He pissed alot of people off because he was so good.  But what a wonderful ride it was watching him.

 

Enjoy Cam, Enjoy the Ride ....the rest of them Fug them.  We know the greatness of Cam Newton.

[MHS831]

Dave makes some strong points.  If you are referring to Panther fans who "hated" (criticized) Cam, there was a reason.  Cam gave them athleticism, but he did not give them consistency, leadership, or even maturity when he got here.  Last year, the biggest changes I saw that contributed to winning were in Rivera and Cam.  Rivera was desperate and knew his job was week-to-week; that will bring out the Riverboat, "go for broke" mindset.  Cam, I think, was ready to mature and was ready to lead.  Winning fueled that.  However, lets not take a thing away from the defense.  Without a strong defense, we probably have a losing season last year and Cam's first-half inconsistency would be a much bigger issue than it is now.  That is what Rivera was referring to yesterday, and people jumped to defend Cam.  Rivera was not attacking Cam; he was pointing out an area where he needs to improve. Blind loyalists call that hate; realists call it growth.  I have been critical of Cam during the first 2 years--I was aware of his numbers.  Marino and Fouts had great numbers, but they don't have rings.  Even they were good leaders, as Cam is now.

 

The team is making strides to make Cam their leader.  Offensively, the team is no longer with its 2 strongest leaders, Gross and Smith.  Kalil, Williams, Stewart remain, but the rest of the offense, with the exception of Williams, knows no other QB here.  This is Cam's team, Cam's city, and Cam's opportunity now.  In my mind, he has done nothing yet, but I am excited about the potential I see.  I still think we are a year away (needing a T, a year for the WRs to gel) but Cam is now ready.  If you were critical of him before last year, you were being honest.  If you are critical now, you are being cynical.  He is doing everything he needs to do to be great.  He has the intelligence, the athleticism, the desire.  We hope he has the supporting cast.

[FootballMaestro]

And why did feel that way, honestly?

 

I am not saying u share that perception, But I honestly feel that there is a very false built in perception towards black players, especially when they want to play the QB position. 

 

Cam was automatically painted into someone like Manziel, despite the reality. His on and off the field actions were speculated and scrutinized to the point where folks were turning everything he did into a concern. LOL

 

It was the MEDIA, and his own ignorance, belief of them. It's that simple.

 

Any fans that followed Cam in Junior College, at Auburn, and/or did their own cursory research, would have known that Cam had been an upstanding citizen and teammate with those teams, while most of the negative PreDraft questions about Cam were totally untrue, and by non NFL people who couldn't care less.