Is Cam Newton an A$$ or Just Young?

Folks, I'm not a sports enthusiast, although I do like a good game regardless of the sport, nor am I a football aficionado, but I'm a mother raising a son and know good and bad behavior when I see it. And no I don't consider farting and fart noises bad behavior, annoying...yes, in church...embarrassing. Cam Newton's recent behavior after the Super Bowl and all the hype from the harpies that call themselves reporters, has me thinking about this topic. It's actually not just Cam we should be talking about, it's all childish behavior displayed by purported adults, especially those who are public figures and role models. But that topic would go on endlessly.

My immediate reaction to Cam's behavior was, "What a childish a-hole he is, how embarrassing for the Panthers." It was a knee-jerk reaction that many of us felt. The reaction he had to losing the Super Bowl is along the same lines as my son losing at a game of Life or Monopoly. And no, I don't let my son win anymore just to let him, if he beats me it's fair and square. Then I stopped to think about things. Cam Newton is 26 years old and a QB for an NFL team, that's the top of the heap, the elite, the best football has to offer (we won't get into the college versus pro debate). At 26, I was working and going out drinking and partying every night. He's only been in the NFL since 2011 (I believe, don't quote me), five teeny, tiny years. I've been working in the IT industry for over 15 years and I'm still learning to be a leader and a manager, plus I'm in my late 40's, I've had more life experience than he has. As much as I try, I still get passionate from time to time, my humanness gets the best of me. With all that said, is Cam really the a$$hole he's made out to be?

Honestly after looking at my life, where I was at that age and the fact he just lost the Super Bowl, the BIGGEST game of the year for football, I think I'd be upset too and I sure as heck wouldn't want to talk about the details of how I lost ad nauseum to news vultures, asking the same question a different way, over and over. I did see that he went over to Peyton Manning and congratulated him I also saw a grown man cry from the Panthers. Winning or losing is a big deal to these guys, it's their job to be passionate about their work. With that being said though...when my son pouts and acts like a sore loser after a game, I work on correcting his behavior, because no one likes being around someone who can't lose gracefully and for that matter, I don't let him be a gloating jerk when he wins. For some it takes years to master the art of winning and losing with grace. Cam Newton isn't there yet. I'm not sure if he's close to his mom, but I would hope she would tell him not to display that kind of behavior, he's better than that. Explain to him how to be a leader to his team, and leading by example when losing, will be something that he'll have to learn.

Cam is definitely a talented ball player, he couldn't have gotten where he is at age 26 if he wasn't. And in professional sports, there's nothing wrong with confidence in yourself and your team, you have to have that. If I was part of the Panther's organization, I'd hire a coach to help teach Cam leadership, how to put on a "game face" even after you lost the big game, how to answer the myriad of questions being fired at you to elicit a reaction, to teach him to be a graceful winner and loser. If the Panther's won't do it for him, he should consider doing it for himself. He's a public figure and role model to many aspiring athletes. They will be looking to him at critical points in his career and want to emulate his behavior on and off the field. Do the right thing Cam and let this be an exception and not a rule. We are human and make mistakes, let it be a one-time thing and move on. Be everything you can be...and more.