The "Get To Know Cam Newton" Thread

[Skew]

Can someone post the article on the laptop shenanigans?

I still haven't read that.

And which school did he get kicked out of? And how much was his father shopping him to other schools for?

Can someone post all those articles? I didn't read any of them.

Thanks.

[Skew]

What???

I'm serious.

I never read any of those articles and I really want to "Get to know Cam Newton" since this is the thread for it.

[C47]

Maybe KT will be kind enough to post them...

[teeray]

What???

I'm serious.

I never read any of those articles and I really want to "Get to know Cam Newton" since this is the thread for it.

Cliff notes: He either stole a laptop or bought a stolen laptop depending on who you believe.

He wasn't kicked out of any school. There is a report that sourced a single unnamed person who claims he was accused of cheating on some papers at Florida. That has never been confirmed. He finished the semester and was not kicked out of school.

Nobody knows a whole lot about the pay for play thing except that there isn't any evidence at this time that Cam knew about it. The other thing that investigators are trying to figure out is if Cecil Newton solicited money or if he was approached by some schools offering money. That hasn't been resolved to my knowledge.

[Kevin Greene]

This will look great on Sundays.

[Ruff]

I hope that Cam chooses #12 as his jersey ... the old classic number for star QBs in years past. Jimmy Clausen already has #2 anyway. Let him keep it. #12 is better.

Except... You know... That guy named David Gettis... Has that number...

[Skew]

Well that's 2 Huddle Mods that have come in and poo in the Cam info thread.

Do I hear 3?

And that's another Huddle poster who isn't smart enough to know a legitimate question when asked. Sorry if I want to know all there is to know about Cam Newton, and not just what you want me to know about Cam Newton.

Cliff notes: He either stole a laptop or bought a stolen laptop depending on who you believe.

He wasn't kicked out of any school. There is a report that sourced a single unnamed person who claims he was accused of cheating on some papers at Florida. That has never been confirmed. He finished the semester and was not kicked out of school.

Nobody knows a whole lot about the pay for play thing except that there isn't any evidence at this time that Cam knew about it. The other thing that investigators are trying to figure out is if Cecil Newton solicited money or if he was approached by some schools offering money. That hasn't been resolved to my knowledge.

Link to the articles?

[SOJA]

so I know he said he wants number 2, but if he can't have that can he have number 1? I really wouldn't mind that, number 2 is kind of spoiled for me, kind of like number 80.....going to take some time to get rid of that pickles taste

[King Taharqa]

so I know he said he wants number 2, but if he can't have that can he have number 1? I really wouldn't mind that, number 2 is kind of spoiled for me, kind of like number 80.....going to take some time to get rid of that pickles taste

I agree, he looks good holding up that #1 jersey next to his Head Coach. :cool:

[Jackofalltrades]

No, he can't wear # 1, no Panther can as per Richardson.

[rayzor]

thought i would throw in some of the stuff i've posted before that led me to be won over....

did a quick search for discussion on cam newton's intangibles and here is some of what i saw.

The position of quarterback is earned not only by a player's physical performance but also by how he leads. It is easy to take for granted that Newton is a leader on the Tigers.

"He's got the ability, once he gets in the huddle, that all eyes are on him, and whatever he says, they're going to do," Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said.

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Newton already had transferred once. He went to Blinn (Texas) Junior College for the 2009 season and led his team to the juco national championship. Moving to Auburn was a little more complicated.

"Honestly, that's something that either can be a good thing or a bad thing," Newton said Wednesday at a news conference at the Camelback Inn. "A person that has so much status going into a program, everybody already has their thoughts about it. 'Who was this? He probably thinks he is going to get this and that.'"

Senior offensive tackle Lee Ziemba feels ownership of the Tigers. He has started all 51 games of his college career.

"You're trying to figure someone out when you first meet him," Ziemba said. "Every little thing they do is critiqued. As soon as he got here, it took him no time at all to become one of [us]."

During winter workouts, Newton so impressed his offensive teammates in the weight room that they named him -- a quarterback -- to a five-man tug-of-war team to take on the defense. The offense won.

"For me, I really wanted to go into Auburn and earn everything that I got with the team respect, trying to be that leader on this football team," Newton said. "And I knew it was a price I had to pay."

Ziemba remembers seeing Newton over the summer. Players put a great deal of stock in how hard a teammate works when there's no coach forcing him to do it.

"He was in the rain, throwing passes on the weekend when we were at the lake," Ziemba said. "He was dragging receivers out there with him. That kind of work ethic prepared our guys to follow him."

Newton plays football the way George Clooney acts. He tosses it off with such ease that you don't see what it took to get there. He puts in his time in video study. He searches other quarterbacks for clues, for pieces he can make his own.

"If I feel there's a trait that I don't have in my game," Newton said, "I'm going to try to take it from another quarterback that I saw and try to apply it to my own."

A trait that Newton doesn't have? Cooking a seven-course French dinner? Balancing the federal budget? Help us out here.

"You look at the Peyton Mannings, the Tom Bradys, the Andrew Lucks, the Jake Lockers, Terrelle Pryor," Newton said. "All these guys have something different they bring to the table. I'm a fan of all those guys. I'm continuously trying to see what they do, what makes them that good player or that great player and apply it to my own [game]."

The coaches saw that work ethic. They took note of how the players responded to Newton.

"They really believe in him," Malzahn said. "That's really one of the main reasons he won the job. In the spring, we saw that. They really trust him. So his leadership is definitely a big reason we're here."

In the span of 12 months, Newton has gone from juco transfer to national figure.

"I tried to go shopping yesterday," Newton said, "and I felt as if it was a memo to everybody that Cam Newton is coming. It is kind of crazy."

He has survived an NCAA investigation into his eligibility that made his father infamous. After winning the Heisman, Newton read the Top Ten List on "The Late Show with David Letterman." Jay Leno wants Newton on the "Tonight Show" next week if the Tigers win. GQ wants some time in the spring. The NFL beckons.

Newton has handled it all. That's what a leader does.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls10/columns/story?columnist=maisel_ivan&id=5993420

and these are comments made by one of the people who work with the athletic department at blinn college:

"Blinn College and its football programs deserve a great deal of credit for molding Cam into the student-athlete he is today. He came to Blinn because he wanted to play instead of sitting out a year and he knew Blinn had one of the best Juco (junior college) programs in the country. He was certainly confident (not arrogant) when he arrived in Brenham, Texas. He told his coach Brad Franchione that the answer to every question concerning the Buccaneers was 'Cam Newton, baby!' He was right and continues to be the answer at Auburn.

"The talent potential was always there. What Cam lacked was maturity. The coaches worked tirelessly with him to teach him how to not only be a great athlete, but to be a true leader. Cam was a handful. There's no doubt about that. Channeling all that energy was key and our Blinn coaches truly miss him now. His work ethic was tremendous and his positive attitude never wavered.

"Cam was as successful off the field as he was on it. People loved being around him. Coach Franchione's kids still want to know when Cam is coming back to Blinn. His son Wyatt, 7, took Cam to school for show and tell. And daughter Isabella, 4, admires him so much that she called him her boyfriend. Imagine that hulking football player being gentle and playful with those little kids. It was a sight.

"That infectious smile you see at the conclusion of every game is genuine. In my three decades of working in the media and in public relations, I've dealt with countless athletes and I can honestly say none compare to Cam Newton. This is a young man who readily admits his lack of judgment in the computer incident (at Florida) and who humbly asked for a second chance. He has made the most of it and will reach the pinnacle when he accepts the Heisman Trophy.

http://keysnews.com/node/28258

this was interesting...it's a blogpost from a church stewardship and leadership consultant. you may not agree with everything in it, but it does give you a few things to consider.

10 Things That Make Cam Newton A Special Leader

With the exception of The Golden Calf of Bristol, college football has not had a player mean more to his team and university than Newton. The following is what I feels make him completely unique.

1. Resilience – His ability to perform at a high level under the cloud of a NCAA investigation has been amazing. Many times the difference between a successful and unsuccessful person is one simply chooses to get back up after getting knocked down.
   
2. Composure - Auburn trailed in 8 of their 13 victories this year. Newton had the capacity to remain calm and keep his teammates focused of coming back one play at a time.
   
3. Work Ethic - Newton’s ability to learn the Spread Offense and his 2nd half conditioning are indicators of the hard work and sweat equity he has put in this season.
   
4. Leadership Skills - One of the memorable moments of the college football season was Newton inspiring his team prior to the Georgia game. What made this memorable was the timing as the story of the recruiting scandal had broken earlier in the week.
   
5. Loyalty - Whether Cecil Newton erred or not, to date Cam has not dishonored his father. One person’s character does not determine your’s.
   
6. Maturity - Cam’s mistakes as a freshman have now become public record. We have all made mistakes, particularly in our youth. Cam appears to have learned from his and has matured greatly.
   
7. Personal Growth - Cam has developed into a quality pocket passer as the season progressed. His skills as a dual-threat athlete make him almost indefensible.
   
8. Attitude - Not since Magic Johnson was at Michigan State in 1978-79 has an athlete’s smile seemed to embody the sheer enjoyment of collegiate athletics. Attitude makes you attractive and draws people to you. Attitude also determines your altitude and no one is flying higher than Newton currently.
   
9. Self-Awareness - The moment is never bigger than Newton. He has risen to the challenge of beating six Top 25 teams this year.
   
10. Coachable - Newton runs offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s complicated system with multiple reads on each play flawlessly. This is the result of superior coaching and Cam’s ability to capture the information.
    

http://briandoddonleadership.com/2010/12/05/10-things-that-make-cam-newton-a-special-leader/

[rayzor]

if you are familiar with Gil Brandt (very respected NFL talent evaluator) but he had some really encouraging things to say about him:

Longtime NFL personnel man Gil Brandt, now working as a draft consultant, called Newton "the most exciting player I can ever remember watching" and said the 6-foot-6, 250-pound quarterback has displayed all the physical skills necessary to be an NFL star.

"I am not an advocate of guys coming out of school early," Brandt said in a recent telephone interview. "But I think that if he does come out of school, I don't think there's any question he'll be selected in the first half of the first round (of the draft) unless there is something physically wrong with him."

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Still, NFL quarterbacks can't make a living running the ball. In the second half of the season, as Auburn's opponents became more intent on stopping Newton in the running game, he passed more.

The results were encouraging. The junior has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns with only six interceptions.

"He has excellent accuracy," Brandt said. "I'm amazed at his accuracy whether it be 10 yards down field or 20 yards down field or more. He's got arm strength.

"There is no question he is physically ready."

Brandt said the only thing Newton doesn't have he can only get by staying in school for another season: experience.

After Newton and Auburn play Oregon in the BCS championship in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 10, he will have started a total of 14 college games.

"When I guy gets to around 30 games in college, that usually is when the light turns on," Brandt said.

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Newton, of course, has said he'll think about the NFL after the BCS championship game.

The NFL, though, is already thinking about him.

"The sky's the limit for that kid," Brandt said.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/40631135/ns/sports-college_football/

[rayzor]

Can someone post the article on the laptop shenanigans?

I still haven't read that.

And which school did he get kicked out of? And how much was his father shopping him to other schools for?

Can someone post all those articles? I didn't read any of them.

Thanks.

this probably has the most balanced look at newton and what he has done on and off th field. one of the authors of the article actually posted in here for a while when he saw that the article was linked and being discussed in here.

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports/columnists/hyde/blog/2011/02/draft_winds_a_thorough_breakdo.html

actually probably the best and most thorough breakdown of what he has done.

[Lumps]

this probably has the most balanced look at newton and what he has done on and off th field. one of the authors of the article actually posted in here for a while when he saw that the article was linked and being discussed in here.

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports/columnists/hyde/blog/2011/02/draft_winds_a_thorough_breakdo.html

actually probably the best and most thorough breakdown of what he has done.

/thread

nice post.

Go CAM!