Steve and Rivera on Cam

[salafi73]

A couple of interesting quotes from the article

“This team doesn’t have leaders,” veteran wide receiver Steve Smith said flatly when asked about Newton’s leadership.

Rivera said quarterbacks must stay a step ahead of defenses. Athletic quarterbacks can succeed, but only those who become proficient passers emerge as the game’s best. Aaron Rodgers evolved, but Michael Vick has never become an elite passer. Whose career arc will Newton’s more closely resemble?

Not long afterward, he returned to the locker room. Someone tapped him on the shoulder and asked if he truly dislikes some parts of his job as much as it appears. He shrugged. “Depends on how you look at it,” he said before looking away.

Rivera said he believes in Newton’s ability to adapt physically but that Newton doesn’t realize how many people are reading into the way he carries himself.

“Being a quarterback is like getting a loan on a car. There’s fine print,” said Smith, the Panthers’ best wide receiver. “. . . There’s a responsibility, which isn’t fair, but it’s there.”

“I know the mistakes I’ve made,” Smith, 33, said, “and so I’m trying to help a guy not go down the same path.”

Smith said it would be easy to allow a young player to simply wallow in his own disappointments and learn the right way on his own. But Smith said that’s not in his personality.

“You can’t allow passive people to be passive,” Smith said.

“At some points and some times in an athlete’s career,” Newton said, “you feel sometimes that you’re in a lose-lose situation. When you pour your heart out and you tell it how it is, then you get condemned.”

Smith said there’s nothing in it for him; he’s nearing the end of his career. But the only team he has played for has plenty at stake.

“I would love to see, when I’m done playing, when I’m sitting on the couch, when I’m an official fan, when I’m watching them with my boys — look at Cam,” Smith said. “Look at that man. Not the football player. The man. That’s what’s important to me.”

Here the fully interview http://www.washingto...6a08_story.html

[PhillyB]

lot of bad juju up in there

but it's the washington post writing an article about the bad guys coming to town, and it was written before the game, so it's not exactly slantless journalism.

[EasternJ]

I think this thread is about to set records for replies.

[hepcat]

for those who want the tl;dr version - Steve Smith said Cam is immature but he hopes one day he grows up so he can watch the Panthers tear it up once he retires.

[King Taharqa]

Steve Smith has 1 TD this year. Nothing to see here.

[Peppers90 NC]

oh no, offensive leadership from the QB position still being questioned. Who woulda thunk it?

[panthers04100]

Steve Smith has 1 TD this year. Nothing to see here.

And thats just as much cams fault as his. Steves also still on pace for 1260 yards this season.

[King Taharqa]

oh no, offensive leadership from the QB position still being questioned. Who woulda thunk it?

from a guy who finally put points on the board yesterday. WRs who dont get in the end zone, dont have room to talk about leaders who save their career. If #89 had more scores and less drops we'd be better than 2-6.

[King Taharqa]

And thats just as much cams fault as his. Steves also still on pace for 1260 yards this season.

Its not Cam's fault #89 cant get open or is dropping balls at alarming rates. Steve had 2 TDs in the 1st week of last season. Let's see how long it takes him to get #2 this year. And the guy still cant keep his mouth shut publicly about teammates. This isnt his team anymore, he needs to learn to fall back and bow out gracefully. Cam is teaching him what leadership and poise is about. He always points the finger at himself. If #89 did that after the Giants game, probably wouldnt've took him til now to do something Lafell and Pilares did weeks ago.

[Iceberg Slim]

meh....I am almost to the point that I don't have to read these articles becuase they all say the same thing. This guy has been painted into what the media has always wanted him to the be painted as. The guy can't win in the media's eyes, but the day I am looking forward to is when he uses this unwarranted hatred and channels it positively into his game.

[Sword]

“I know the mistakes I’ve made,” Smith, 33, said, “and so I’m trying to help a guy not go down the same path.”

Smith said it would be easy to allow a young player to simply wallow in his own disappointments and learn the right way on his own. But Smith said that’s not in his personality. When Newton wandered around the locker room with a dazed expression Wednesday, Smith used a towel to lightly smack his quarterback’s hind parts.

“You can’t allow passive people to be passive,” Smith said.

The project is a work in progress. Newton indicated that he’s unsure how to behave; uncertain of who he’s supposed to be. The same player who declared before last year’s draft that he saw himself not only as a football player but also an “entertainer and an icon,” now seems smothered by the enormity of those expectations.

“At some points and some times in an athlete’s career,” Newton said, “you feel sometimes that you’re in a lose-lose situation. When you pour your heart out and you tell it how it is, then you get condemned.”

Smith said he’ll keep working on his quarterback, and maybe, eventually, Newton will realize that unchecked emotion can undermine physical gifts, no matter how impressive. Smith said there’s nothing in it for him; he’s nearing the end of his career. But the only team he has played for has plenty at stake.

“I would love to see, when I’m done playing, when I’m sitting on the couch, when I’m an official fan, when I’m watching them with my boys — look at Cam,” Smith said. “Look at that man. Not the football player. The man. That’s what’s important to me.”

I don't see a problem with someone trying to keep Cam out of his doldrums. Cam listens to what Steve has to say. He needs to be challenged by somebody on the team since this is still all very new to him.

[MadHatter]

This isnt his team anymore, he needs to learn to fall back and bow out gracefully. Cam is teaching him what leadership and poise is about. He always points the finger at himself. If #89 did that after the Giants game, probably wouldnt've took him til now to do something Lafell and Pilares did weeks ago.

Are you fuging kidding me?

Cam is not teaching ANYONE what leadership is about. Cam has yet to figure that one out for himself.

The only thing Cam is teaching anyone is how to be a good team mate when things are going well.....and then sitting over in the corner sulking like a 7 yo child when things do not go his way.

I guess you and I have very different view of what leadership actually is.

[Marguide]

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?

[jtnc]

Are you fuging kidding me?

Cam is not teaching ANYONE what leadership is about. Cam has yet to figure that one out for himself.

The only thing Cam is teaching anyone is how to be a good team mate when things are going well.....and then sitting over in the corner sulking like a 7 yo child when things do not go his way.

I guess you and I have very different view of what leadership actually is.

You mean like RG3 yesterday? Sorry, but I'm pretty sure I saw him daydreaming not even looking at his coach. You need to get a grip.