Cam Newton to have "private meeting" with J.R.

[Mother Grabber]

I would agree with you, but if he is addicted to coke that will be his whole life.

It isn't like smoking pot. Cocaine consumes you. It is a serious issue that can't co-exist with an athletic career.

Just ask all the NBA players from the 70's and early 80's.

Fug Mallet, he's the next Len Bias.

[teeray]

We're allowed to bring in a certain number of people for private looks. Can we take someone like Newton out onto the practice field, have them look at a bunch of guys lined up in shorts and ask him, 'OK, what do you see? Who's blitzing?' Poo like that? Things that don't involve knowing our playbook, but reading defenses and situations.

Absolutely. And they will.

[raleigh-panther]

People who talk about character issues on this board just kill me.

Would we all prefer the 'choir boys' in the NFL, yes we would. They are in small supply.

On our team, we have a receiver in jail for plotting a murder.

We have another WR who probably should have been in jail, not once, but twice for assaulting a team mate...a man, most on here, admires for his 'fire'.

We had a lineman, 2-3 years ago, can't remember his name now, came for Jacksonville, he and his wife convicted of child abuse.

We have had several players involved with strip clubs and gun episodes.

Our #1 QB drafted in 1995, alcoholic.

One of the biggest commercial icons of the NFL, killed his ex-wife and another person; but, yet is public persona was squeaky clean.

I wonder how each of those measured up with people on this board or during these interviews.

Cam Newton may not be a choir boy, he may have a young an unchecked image and self-importance, but, so far he does not measure up in the pantheon of transgressions as much as our own star wide receiver.

The fact is, we don't know these people, we know an image, carefully controlled and groomed, we see what the NFL wants us to see.

[Tarheels23]

Just like everyone else, JR will be Wowed by Cam's Physical stature and he will fall in love with Cam's politeness and "Yes sir, no sir" southern charm.

[Wither]

FINALLY, someone in the media says what I've been trying to convince the haters of for weeks now. The VY/Russell comparisons are all about race. There's just no other explanation for it because anyone who looks deeper with an objective eye has to realize Newton is not the same numbskull that both those guys are.

Do you talk to KT by any chance?

[Mr. Scot]

FINALLY, someone in the media says what I've been trying to convince the haters of for weeks now. The VY/Russell comparisons are all about race. There's just no other explanation for it because anyone who looks deeper with an objective eye has to realize Newton is not the same numbskull that both those guys are.

The notion that it's impossible to find flaw with Newton unless you're racist is just stupid.

And again, the team has had private meetings with guys they didn't end up drafting before. I wouldn't take this as meaning he's the sure-fire choice.

[SOJA]

back to the football aspect of things....Cam looked awful in the national championship game, when a team had time to gameplan for him....Just saying

[rippadonn]

Not about race-about character and attitude. If it were about race, I would hate 70% of the team. I compared CN to Brian Bozworth and Ryan Leaf too. It is not even about QB to me.

If people think that was the real Cam Newton up there then I have oceeanfront property in Tennessee for sale.

About the visit with JR--He has met with potential picks in the past. He is taking more of a "hands on" approach this year. Because it is with hype-master Newton, it is a story.

This is the time of year when news is minimal so writers find the pockets of interest and exploit them.

You said what Mallett should have done if falsely accused of doing coke. Well, I heard a reporter ask Cam about 4 counts of academic cheating, possession of a stolen computer, and stealing from teammates' lockers. His response?

Put Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Warren Moon, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, etc. beside Cam on the podium and I doubt "intelligent" is the adjective that comes to mind about Cam Newton. He read a prepared statement. He referred to notes. He was obviously coached on what to say. In fact, he had slips that people did not comment on--yet.

If the Panthers sign Newton, which I would call a longshot or an act of desperation and proof that JR has gone off the deep end, then I will support him. But he is not (arguably) the best QB in a weak group.

Alabama fan?

[eViL jEsTeR]

i would imagine every player we bring in for private interview would get a 1 on 1 with the top cheese. at least the first round prospects anyway. mallet isn't a first round prospect for us so there's no reason to even discuss him. i'll be one or two of the defensive prospects will show up before draft day and will also get a 1 on 1 so do read too much into this.

[Mr. Scot]

i would imagine every player we bring in for private interview would get a 1 on 1 with the top cheese. at least the first round prospects anyway. mallet isn't a first round prospect for us so there's no reason to even discuss him. i'll be one or two of the defensive prospects will show up before draft day and will also get a 1 on 1 so do read too much into this.

Not just any first rounder, the number one overall pick.

I definitely expect they'll all get pretty thoroughly grilled.

[ihateforumnames]

Look at this thug!

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[Happy Panther]

Is he black?

I rarely see color in people so I usually don't notice these things.

[Doc Holiday]

You can say what you want about his abilities but I get the impression that he's smarter then Vince Young and much more driven then Russell, I'm still not sold on him but with how well he's handled the media so far you could say I've warmed up a little bit to him.

[Catalyst]

The notion that it's impossible to find flaw with Newton unless you're racist is just stupid.

And again, the team has had private meetings with guys they didn't end up drafting before. I wouldn't take this as meaning he's the sure-fire choice.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. I never said it's impossible to find flaws without going to race. I said all the negative comparisons are of Vince Young & Jamarcus Russell and that, when you really get down to it, Newton isn't similar to those guys - at least no more or less than half the white QB's in the NFL.

To me, the fact that the first two names out of everyone's mouth are VY & Russell tells me that race does play some part in the comparison. Not all, but some.