CBS Philly: Headaches for Cam Newton

[tiger7_88]

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2016/09/09/keidel-headaches-for-cam-newton/?yptr=yahoo

 

Quote

 

Had Peyton Manning been similarly smashed last night, the refs would have needed Tommy John surgery from flipping the flag so frequently. Likewise, Tom Brady would have had a police escort after the first hit.

It’s no secret that Cam has ruffled a few feathers. It’s not confidential that his dabbing and other spastic gridiron dances have chafed his foes and critics. Newton’s antics have spawned an army of detractors.

It’s silly, really. Newton has kept his childishness to the turf. He has no criminal reputation, rap sheet or entourage. In a very real sense, he’s a model NFL citizen. His greatest crime is bad dancing and handing the pigskin to screaming kids. He gives the league perfect PR photo ops every Sunday. Yet it’s hard to think of anyone more vilified.

In a league that has employed Aaron Hernandez, Ray Rice, Rae Carruth and Greg Hardy, Newton is a virtual saint. He’s a young man playing a kid’s game and enjoying the heck out of it. As far as sins go, Newton’s are innocuous.

Sure, we were all irked by his post-game pout following Super Bowl 50. It was bad optics, and in direct contradiction to his public, fun-first coda. The Denver Broncos literally slapped the smile right from his face.

So what? He shouldn’t pay for his poor sportsmanship now. And he surely shouldn’t pay for it with his health. His skill shouldn’t cost him his skull.

Players literally launched themselves, head-first, into Newton last night. And that’s unacceptable.

Newton is fighting for a spot he’s already earned — a perch among top rungs of the sport. When discussing the top-10 quarterbacks in the NFL, it would be criminal to omit Newton. Yet he rarely gets the benefit of the doubt.

Unless Newton’s head hangs from the base of his neck, refs will assume he was tackled legally. You’ll know the calls they missed when the league announces the list of fines assessed to Denver’s defenders. It will likely start with LB Brandon Marshall, who hammered Newton right in the head, dome-to-dome violence. The contact sounded like Giancarlo Stanton cracking a baseball 450 feet.

But unlike the smaller NBA players who hanged from Shaq’s arms like tree limbs, there is a perilous impact to these hits. Indeed, it doesn’t take a knockout, a writhing Newton rolling around the sideline, for these hits to hurt. It’s all the sub-concussive hits that add up and make these men forget their names and wives and lives by the time they turn 50.

There is, of course, a delicate balance between protecting and nursing the quarterback. Twenty years ago, defenders bludgeoned the QB with impunity. The league’s allergic reaction was so swift and slanted that now it feels like the QB plays with the red jersey used in training camp.

But there were at least three hits last night that were almost felonious. It offended even our old-world sensibilities.

Young players have to earn their place on the totem pole, and even earn a few flags. But the NFL MVP should not have to worry about his health on every play simply because it takes two players to tackle him. The NFL has to find a balance between pampering and protection. And it starts with Cam Newton.

 

 

[tondi]

Poor sportsmanship

Fug them

[Silent Majority]

Damn...coming from Philly, even.

[KB_fan]

You know it's pretty ironic that this poo happened on the night that Cam broke both of Steve Young's records for QB rushing TDs and games with both a passing & rushing TD

[tiger7_88]

Just now, KB_fan said:

You know it's pretty ironic that this poo happened on the night that Cam broke both of Steve Young's records for QB rushing TDs and games with both a passing & rushing TD

I like the fact that the writer brought up what you've been preaching about all day, the sub-concussive hits issue.

[TheSpecialJuan]

The league failed Cam last night.

[Toolbox]

Those broncos who launched at him need to be suspended as well.. a fine isn't going to send a good enough message about this bullshlt

[Daddy_Uncle]

the more its talked about nationally, the better for us and for Cam. The NFL won't be able to get away with this much longer

 

[tiger7_88]

3 minutes ago, Daddy_Uncle said:

the more its talked about nationally, the better for us and for Cam. The NFL won't be able to get away with this much longer

 

I sincerely hope it continues on to the pre-game shows on Sunday.

[bigdog10]

When Philly recognizes there is a problem. The problem is worse than previously thought. 

[Toolbox]

1 minute ago, tiger7_88 said:

I sincerely hope it continues on to the pre-game shows on Sunday.

If it was tom golden god brady we would never hear the end of it.

[TheSpecialJuan]

Interesting note from @judybattista: Medical personnel were on the field with Cam Newton during a stoppage... it just wasn't on the broadcast

Ian Rapoport
@RapSheet

[panthertime]

The NFL would not be a fun league without Cam Newton. Accept it America, accept it NFL and referees who are tasked with enforcing the rules of the field. Kids love Cam, we as fans love what he does. We don't enjoy seeing him unnecessarily pummeled with no enforcement of the rules.....

[frash.exe]

I am slowly losing interest in this sport