Sometimes, people need to take a deep breath and just breathe. Life is grand. Have fun and enjoy it. It seems like that’s the attitude that Cam Newton has. If you have an issue with Newton, you’ve been suckered into believing what the media clips want you to remember. Newton is a fierce NFL player with a huge heart that goes unnoticed. Newton is not the problem.
There’s been a truckload of negative fallout over the end zone dance that Newton did during a game against the Titans. If you didn’t see it, you’re not really into football. Newton scored a rushing touchdown, scrambled to his feet and did a celebration dance. Tennessee linebacker Avery Williamson wasn’t impressed with Newton’s dance moves and got in his face. What was Cam’s reaction? He busted out with a few more moves.
The incident went viral and had all sorts of opinions streaming on social media. The biggest attention grabber was a Tennessee mom that wrote a personal letter to the Charlotte Observer . She explained that Newton should be a better role model for the youth of today. She was appalled that her daughter had to watch the antics on the field. Rosemary Plorin was outright angry at Newton.
Here’s the catch. It was her daughter’s first NFL experience and she saw the home team lose. The Panthers and Cam Newton waltzed into Nissan Stadium and danced–yes the pun is indeed intended–all over the Titans. For this Newton is a bad role model? Maybe those expensive seats, combined with a beat down, had something to do with Rosemary’s anger.
The problem is not Cam Newton. The problem lies with a society that thinks the way it’s told. Rosemary jumped to conclusions about Newton before she even knew his entire background. She was hurt that her daughter had to witness the cruelties of a losing team. Get used to it. It’s life rooting for a sports team. You take the good with the bad and learn life lessons.
When Plorin took the time to learn more about Newton and his off the field interactions with children, she issued an apology .
“I watched the video of Cam Newton responding to media questions about my letter to him earlier this week,” Plorin told the Charlotte Observer . “I really appreciate his comments and his respect for my thoughts, and I was impressed with the sensitivity and graciousness with which he spoke. I am sorry I didn’t understand him better until this week. It is clear from his remarks that he recognizes his leadership role, both on and off the field, and that he truly cares about the kids watching him. I respect his comments just as much as he did mine, and I wish him nothing but continued success on the field and in life.”
Why is society so quick to make judgments? The entire fiasco with Newton could have been avoided with a little personal investigation and understanding. What many see as an attitude or severe cockiness is no more than the desire to be competitive and entertain. Isn’t that what we pay to see when going to a sporting event? We want to be entertained.
The Tennessee mom would do well to look at the history of the NFL. Dancing, gestures, foul language and worse are a part of its culture. Even popular video games, like Madden NFL , have graphic cinemas of players dancing in the end zone. It’s all part of a pop culture that embraces the sport as the number one past time. Rosemary did nothing more than draw attention to herself for 15 minutes-of-fame. Three other players broke out into the “Dab” dance during week 10 of the NFL season. Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike DeVito, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson and New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham were guilty of not being role models. Why didn’t Plorin address those players? Does being a role model only pertain to The Panthers and Cam Newton?
Newton responded to Plorin, per Sporting News , saying, “Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion. Everyone is. You can’t fault her for that. If she feels offended, I apologize to her, but at the end of the day, I am who I am. It is what it is.”
Are those the words and actions of a man who doesn’t take his platform seriously? Sometimes it’s a matter of perspective and emotion. If you don’t want him to dance, keep him out of the end zone.
[Feature Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]
