Media, Fans and Newton

[Mr. Scot]

Let me start this off with a question...

What kind of a guy is Matt Cassel? Good guy? Jerk? What?

Don't know? How about Sam Bradford? How are his leadership skills? Is he respected by his teammates?

Still nothing? What about Brandon Weeden? Got anything on him?

No? Ryan Fitzpatrick maybe?

Now why is it that people on this board don't seem to know as much about some of these other quarterbacks as they do about ours?

The reason is pretty simple actually. You don't care.

They're not important to your fanhood, so you don't think much about them. And why should you? It's not worth the effort to you really, is it?

Now if, on the other hand, you lived in the Kansas City area, or Buffalo, or Cleveland, or Saint Louis, you'd likely hear plenty about these guys. In fact, they'd be the primary topic of conversation among the fanbase because quarterbacks generally are. And if they were slighted by the national media, you'd probably get in a huff about how they disrespected the quarterback of your team so unfairly.

But of course, since you live here and you're a Panthers fan, you don't worry about those guys. And if you heard some random comment about them from the media, minus a frame of reference, you'd likely be inclined to believe it.

So knowing that, lemme ask you this...

Other than in our team rivals' cities, how much thought do you really think the rest of the country gives Cam Newton?

I'd wager the answer is probably about as much thought as you give Matt Flynn.

And here's the thing. The Panthers are not an elite franchise, so those national media guys who aren't directly tasked with covering the team...they probably aren't especially concerned with whether or not he gets treated fairly either.

Now you can say it's their job to know things and get them right, and you'd have a valid point. But realistically speaking, they probably just don't care all that much, and for similar reasons to why you don't care about the names mentioned here.

Does that excuse people going off half-cocked on partial information? No, but it does help explain it. Point being that a lot of the guys you might think are "out to get" Newton really aren't. They just aren't especially concerned with whether they get the info right because it's not as important to them as it is to us who follow the Panthers so closely.

On the flip side, everybody knows - and cares - about Peyton Manning, ElI Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, etc. because they've got rings. Likewise, people know plenty about Tony Romo, Mark Sanchez and The Golden Calf of Bristol because, being from big market / high ticket franchises, they get more attention.

Obviously, the Panthers are never going to be in a big market. Thus, if the team - and its players - want to be looked at the way some other teams are, it's going to take winning. Winning big, and winning consistently.

Up till then, if you want to keep a chip on your shoulders about how the rest of the world and the media views Newton, you're free to do so.

Just realize that honestly, they don't really care that much. And if you were them, you wouldn't either.

(been a while since I've gone on a good ramble; felt like it) :D

[mwright350]

While I agree with the premise that we can expect media treatment to be the same until we start winning regularly and largely I do believe we're in different territory with Cam and the rest of the country than Cassel, Fitzpatrick, Weeden, Bradford, and that ilk. The local media will be skewed to covering our own players, as it should be, but how much outright wrong or character negative press do we see any of those guys getting on ESPN or the NFL Network?

Passive indifference leads to not being reported on at all. As Panther fans we all know how passive indifference / not caring goes because we are well acquainted with it since we have spent almost our entire history as essentially irrelevant. Cam's relationship with the national media feels different - there's a distinct feeling of waiting for him to do anything they can skewer him for.

I consider myself a pretty level-headed guy, I try not to see intent where it isn't, and I don't have a victim complex (I don't think?)...but there is way too much negative / made-up reporting about Cam with the national guys than there should be if we were really in "don't care" territory with the national sports media (for the most part - some of them are pretty level headed and amazingly not sensationalist). Maybe they don't care about reporting something accurately but they clearly do care about keeping their story-line with Cam going however they can. If that means sensationalizing anything that can be reported negatively and glossing over the pieces that don't fit their narrative then that's what we get.

[X-Clown]

Sorry Scot, I can't agree with you on this one. Most people inside and outside of our fanbase have a strong opinion one way or the other about Cam, because he is MUCH more scrutinized nationally than the Bradfords and Staffords of the world.

[Mr. Scot]

Sorry Scot, I can't agree with you on this one. Most people inside and outside of our fanbase have a strong opinion one way or the other about Cam, because he is MUCH more scrutinized nationally than the Bradfords and Staffords of the world.

The point isn't so much about how closely he's scrutinized. It's more whether or not they care about getting it right.

I don't think we're important enough that they put a super high priority on that.

I figure they're more likely to just sort of believe whatever they hear because it's not worth the effort to check it out. After all, it's just the Panthers. And reality is the vast majority of people outside the Carolinas don't give a flying rodent's rectum about this team.

If we become an elite team, that changes. Till then, we're a footnote.

[Panthers Nation]

Sorry Scot, I can't agree with you on this one. Most people inside and outside of our fanbase have a strong opinion one way or the other about Cam, because he is MUCH more scrutinized nationally than the Bradfords and Staffords of the world.

Agree 100%.

[tiger7_88]

You don't see a difference between how the national sports media treats Cam and Cassell, Bradford, Weeden, and Fitzpatrick.

lol...

[Montsta]

Go read anything on ESPN, Foxsports, or PFT about Cam Newton, scroll down and read the comments, and tell me you can't feel the hate and vitriol on your skin like its bug spray. It's disgusting. Last year, a lot of the Cam haters died off, now this year they are back and stronger than ever. And all the hate is from unfounded bullshit. I read on the Foxsports site about Cam's 21K fine, and people are saying he pushed the ref, and kicked Kelly in the face and should be kicked out of the league. I've never seen anything like it. Roethlisberger didn't get half the hate Cam gets after he fuging raped somebody.

I typically don't give a damn if someone talks crap about a player on my team, but the Cam hate has me taking it personally because it is ALL based off and driven by a false media narrative. It actually gets me pissed off now to where I want to punch people. Yes, I have rage issues but I don't care. I hear the same poo over and over about Cam for doing things EVERYBODY does. The raiders came out and publicly said they were trying to hurt Cam, so he kicked one of them off of him as he tried. Do you hear about that? Nope, just the kick. The AFC players trying to take him out at last years pro bowl. Anything? Nope, Cam sucks and threw four picks. Panthers getting blown out by Giants and Cam does the superman and everyone won't get off his ass. Arian Foster does his bow after scoring when the Texans were down by 5 touchdowns, not a fuging peep.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. When Cam wins a Super Bowl, I hope he drops the drawers and takes a poo right on the NFL logo at midfield, smears it in real good, then uses it to write Cammy Cam Juice on the Lombardi trophy in his own feces. fug you haters.

Sorry end rage rant.

TL;DR VERSION: Yes Cam gets hated on nationwide more than anyone else in the league.

[mwright350]

The point isn't so much about how closely he's scrutinized. It's more whether or not they care about getting it right.

I don't think we're important enough that they put a super high priority on that.

I figure they're more likely to just sort of believe whatever they hear because it's not worth the effort to check it out. After all, it's just the Panthers. And reality is the vast majority of people outside the Carolinas don't give a flying rodent's rectum about this team.

If we become an elite team, that changes. Till then, we're a footnote.

I didn't edit the quote to keep post integrity but the last line is the point I'm not sure matters. The Panthers are, indeed, a footnote. But Cam individually isn't being reported on as a footnote - he's being talked about a lot more than QBs on similarly bad teams. In fact he's being talked about more than some QBs on much better teams.

I make this point because it's not the Panthers they are talking about. It's Cam...we only know what team he's on because of the Jersey he's wearing. Cam is a story.

So the team is a footnote - that we agree on. But the man isn't and he's their (they being a good portion of the national sports media) heel right now.

[Mr. Scot]

Go read anything on ESPN, Foxsports, or PFT about Cam Newton, scroll down and read the comments, and tell me you can't feel the hate and vitriol on your skin like its bug spray. It's disgusting. Last year, a lot of the Cam haters died off, now this year they are back and stronger than ever. And all the hate is from unfounded bullshit. I read on the Foxsports site about Cam's 21K fine, and people are saying he pushed the ref, and kicked Kelly in the face and should be kicked out of the league. I've never seen anything like it. Roethlisberger didn't get half the hate Cam gets after he fuging raped somebody.

I typically don't give a damn if someone talks crap about a player on my team, but the Cam hate has me taking it personally because it is ALL based off and driven by a false media narrative. It actually gets me pissed off now to where I want to punch people. Yes, I have rage issues but I don't care. I hear the same poo over and over about Cam for doing things EVERYBODY does. The raiders came out and publicly said they were trying to hurt Cam, so he kicked one of them off of him as he tried. Do you hear about that? Nope, just the kick. The AFC players trying to take him out at last years pro bowl. Anything? Nope, Cam sucks and threw four picks. Panthers getting blown out by Giants and Cam does the superman and everyone won't get off his ass. Arian Foster does his bow after scoring when the Texans were down by 5 touchdowns, not a fuging peep.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. When Cam wins a Super Bowl, I hope he drops the drawers and takes a poo right on the NFL logo at midfield, smears it in real good, then uses it to write Cammy Cam Juice in the Lombardi trophy in his own feces. fug you haters.

Sorry end rage rant.

TL;DR VERSION: Yes Cam gets hated on nationwide more than anyone else in the league.

How much of those comments do you think come from rival fans?

And for the record, Roethlisberger was the subject of plenty of negative coverage, including a multipage SI cover article about just how big a jerk he really was.

I think you're looking through your homer glasses here, though granted that's a lot of us.

But you're also missing the point. The question is do they care enough to actually inform themselves about Newton, or do they just go off of whatever stray bits of information they hear?

My contention? They don't. We're not that important.

[Mr. Scot]

I didn't edit the quote to keep post integrity but the last line is the point I'm not sure matters. The Panthers are, indeed, a footnote. But Cam individually isn't being reported on as a footnote - he's being talked about a lot more than QBs on similarly bad teams. In fact he's being talked about more than some QBs on much better teams.

I make this point because it's not the Panthers they are talking about. It's Cam...we only know what team he's on because of the Jersey he's wearing. Cam is a story.

So the team is a footnote - that we agree on. But the man isn't and he's their (they being a good portion of the national sports media) heel right now.

Ah, but is he a story that they're putting any real effort into researching, or are they just repeating what they hear others say? That's the crux of the question.

Yes, Newton gets plenty of media attention, but since he's not yet one of the elites and isn't playing for the Cowboys or the Jets, he doesn't truly get the benefit of the doubt that he might otherwise receive.

And until this team is elite, that won't change.

[Montsta]

How much of those comments do you think come from rival fans?

And for the record, Roethlisberger was the subject of plenty of negative coverage, including a multipage SI cover article about just how big a jerk he really was.

I think you're looking through your homer glasses here, though granted that's a lot of us.

But you're also missing the point. The question is do they care enough to actually inform themselves about Newton, or do they just go off of whatever stray bits of information they hear?

My contention? They don't. We're not that important.

Cam could go on and have a Brady-esque career, and the narrative wont change at all IMO.

Paid to play;

Stolen laptops;

Me-first selfish prima donna;

Arrogant jerk.

fug the haters.

[mwright350]

Ah, but is he a story that they're putting any real effort into researching, or are they just writing what they hear? That's the crux of the question.

Yes, Newton gets plenty of media attention, but since he's not yet one of the elites and isn't playing for the Cowboys or the Jets, he doesn't truly get the benefit of the doubt that he might otherwise receive.

And until this team is elite, that won't change.

There's still a bit of a disconnect with the comparison to QBs from other teams though.

Clearly they don't care enough to get it right (the motivation we can debate all day but that wouldn't matter...because the result is the same, they don't).

My question, and the issue I would hold their feet to the fire on, is why report all of the rumors, local BS, and comments from fans about Cam where they don't about the other QBs on teams they don't care about? I can't answer that - none of us can. My position is this though: if you're going to call yourself a journalist / reporter and you care enough about someone to report about them you have a responsibility to get it right. If someone can't live up to that standard they should call themselves entertainers, not journalists / reporters, and lump themselves in with the Frank Caliendos of the world. Different method of delivery with similar levels of fact checking.

I guess we could go back and forth about the whys, the hows, and the whats but at the end of the day I see that the pieces of the national media who choose to report on Cam but do not choose to bother getting it right are undeniably, indefensibly, wrong.

*edit*

I realize, also, that it's their job to be sensationalist, blow things out of proportion, and get hits. But that doesn't mean I think it's right. I typically ignore them for exactly that reason. But I can't offer them, or support any offering of, an excuse for doing it to the level they have been.

[Mr. Scot]

Cam could go on and have a Brady-esque career, and the narrative wont change at all IMO.

Paid to play;

Stolen laptops;

Me-first selfish prima donna;

Arrogant jerk.

fug the haters.

I'm not sure I buy that. Newton got loads of praise from the media last season. Plenty of guys were talking him up as the next big thing.

Are there people who will hate him no matter what? Absolutely. Loads of them in Atlanta, New Orleans and Tampa especially.

But yes, I believe if he rebounds next season (and the team does too) the narrative will at least start to change.

We'll see.

[Mr. Scot]

There's still a bit of a disconnect with the comparison to QBs from other teams though.

Clearly they don't care enough to get it right (the motivation we can debate all day but that wouldn't matter...because the result is the same, they don't).

My question, and the issue I would hold their feet to the fire on, is why report all of the rumors, local BS, and comments from fans about Cam where they don't about the other QBs on teams they don't care about? I can't answer that - none of us can. My position is this though: if you're going to call yourself a journalist / reporter and you care enough about someone to report about them you have a responsibility to get it right. If someone can't live up to that standard they should call themselves entertainers, not journalists / reporters, and lump themselves in with the Frank Caliendos of the world. Different method of delivery with similar levels of fact checking.

I guess we could go back and forth about the whys, the hows, and the whats but at the end of the day I see that the pieces of the national media who choose to report on Cam but do not choose to bother getting it right are undeniably, indefensibly, wrong.

And I fully expect that to continue.

As to whether journalists should have higher standards, absolutely they should. But crap like what Jim Rome puts out is what passes for "journalism" in the sports world these days. And that's more likely to get worse, not better.

Truthfully, that as much as anything is my big complaint.