Steve and Rivera on Cam

[Jackofalltrades]

Steve hit the nail on the head. Cam needs to listen to the veterans he respects and make plays for him. I think these guys WANT a leader, look at the way they rallied behind Delhomme, even when he sucked. The D has several leaders is Beason, Johnson, TD and now Kuechly, not to mention a quiet leader in Gamble. The O just doesn't have those personalities and that's where I miss Shockey, he was a lightening rod of emotion and could get everyone fired up.

[King Taharqa]

I found the statement by Smith pretty damning about how there are no leaders on the team. Forget what it says about Cam, what does it say about Smith himself, along with Gross, TD, and CJ? After all, they are the team captains. Doesn't that carry the responsibility to be a leader on the field and off?

Not if you're a "locker room fave" and fans have owned your jersey for 5+ years. You dont need to be a "leader", just show up and collect your paycheck. You also can throw teammates under the bus publicly and dudes will call it "leadership".

[jake14wl]

"Leadership" is the most overrated phenomenon in pro sports. They are grown ass men who get paid very, very well. It's just a damn game. Win on Sunday & IDGAF what you do or who you are Mon-Sat.

[jtnc]

I found the statement by Smith pretty damning about how there are no leaders on the team. Forget what it says about Cam, what does it say about Smith himself, along with Gross, TD, and CJ? After all, they are the team captains. Doesn't that carry the responsibility to be a leader on the field and off?

Look bro, there are leaders... Zod's excellent journalism pressured Byron Bell to admit the truth.

[tiger7_88]

Steve Smith lecturing on leadership.

Leona Helmsley lecturing on charity.

Snookie lecturing on nuclear physics.

lol...

[King Taharqa]

The D has several leaders is Beason, Johnson, TD and now Kuechly, not to mention a quiet leader in Gamble. The O just doesn't have those personalities and that's where I miss Shockey, he was a lightening rod of emotion and could get everyone fired up.

It's too early to proclaim any of those guys as leaders on D. The only "emotional" leader you named was Jon Beason. And he's on IR and seemingly on his way out of Carolina.

[jtnc]

Steve just didn't call out Cam....he called out the entire damn team. Including his teammate who he's known since both played at Utah.

Cold world, no snuggie.

[Jackofalltrades]

It's too early to proclaim any of those guys as leaders on D. The only "emotional" leader you named was Jon Beason. And he's on IR and seemingly on his way out of Carolina.

Right, CJ is wearing the C now because he's not a leader. TD has been regarded as a leader for several seasons now. Godfrey is becoming an emotional leader. There's a lot more to being a leader than what we see on Sunday. Kuechly has been raved about by fellow players about his composure, willingness to work and learn and to lead by example. Those things make you a leader.

[Sword]

I think we all know that to be a leader involves not being an emotional rollercoaster during and after a game that Cam has been. Steve Smith is no emotional rock either; so he really can't be the guy people need to follow the example of when the game is on the line. Cam will get there imo, though. It isn't a talent that you are born with. Leaders are made.

[rayzor]

no comment on what smitty says...but the thing that is going to define cam as the leader that he needs to be, that the TEAM needs him to be is bringing the team back from behind in a game that matters. instead of getting into a funk when things head south, act like the leader he was at auburn and get the team fired back up and charging ahead...but they need to see him doing that himself.

they need to see him not be the mopeyheaded persona he earned, but that guy that brought auburn back against alabama.

the team hasn't seen that guy. until they do, he's not the leader he can be.

he impressed yesterday, but he played well and the panthers pretty much had control the whole game.

what's really going to inspire the players is when he acts inspired in the face of defeat.

now i will say that his work ethic and commitment towards improving and excellence himself has been a great leadership trait, but the team needs more than that from him. they need the one that can inspire them on the field to overcome obstacles and there's not a guy on that team that can do it like he's capable of.

[salafi73]

I found the statement by Smith pretty damning about how there are no leaders on the team. Forget what it says about Cam, what does it say about Smith himself, along with Gross, TD, and CJ? After all, they are the team captains. Doesn't that carry the responsibility to be a leader on the field and off?

I felt the same way and at first I thought it was pretty lame that they were so frank about their 2nd year qb in a Washington Post article. But they don't want to coddle Cam like they're doing in NY with Sanchez. They know he has the potential to get better but the question is can he make his team better. What I found most interesting is that Cam is painted out as being a loner? Like whose his friends?

[Udogg]

Usually when teams rebuild they rebuild around character guys. There are no character guys on this team. There are some strong personalities, but no leaders. The meetings with Steve Smith last year to "convince" him to stay basically made him defacto leader of this team. The purging of all the veteran players before the lockout made him this by default. How can Cam become a leader if the current leader keeps sniping him in the press and his Coach leaves him out to dry?

After reading this article I'm starting to think that the greatest hindrance to Cam Newton is his "brother" Steve Smith. As a "leader" Steve Smith should have nothing to say about Cam to the press. Even if it's not his intent he should know how everything he says can be misconstrued and give fodder for the press to use.

Also, where the fug does Rivera figure into all this? Look at the successful teams in this league and all though they may say the QB is the leader it's more like he is leader 1a with the coach being 1b. Coughlin, Belichek, Harbaugh (both of em), Tomlin, etc.are considered either the leader or part of the leadership team. From reading the articles and watching the interviews you would think Rivera is an administrative assistant. "As Cam goes so does the team go" is not declaration that this is his team. It's more of a declaration of put all the blame on Cam and not me.

Harbaugh has made Alex Smith whom everyone and their mother thought was a bust into a leader. Look at the tone of his interviews from the Singletary days to the Harbaugh days? It's night and day. It's a travesty to be honest. Not just to Cam but to any young player to take all the blame for the shortcomings of both the coaching staff and the so called leadership of this team. Instead of blaming Cam's leadership how about no falling down or dropping balls. Instead of questioning his leadership how about stop taking and active roll in playcalling before we drop into a 1-6 hole?

[raleigh-panther]

The bears are what, 7-1, how much leadership does Jay Cutler have.

Performance on Sunday is all that matters in the pros.

Not all QBs are universally loved or are Manning or Brady. Marino was not a universally loved guy but he performed.

It's a performance based industry.

I'm actually sick of the discussion of Cam's leadership and as much as I like Smith, just shut-up. Talk to your team mates not in the press and when the ball's there for a TD catch it.

[Zaximus]

I also get tired about hearing this leadership stuff. Grown men, getting paid millions, shouldn't need a leader to do their job. I think it's some hidden way of making football seem more than what it is, which is adults getting paid insane amounts of money to play a game.