I admit I was cheering for Manning and the Broncos. I am not anti Carolina Panthers or anti Cam Newton. I just thought the "riding off into the sunset" angle for Manning was too appealing and I wanted him to win.
I also want him to retire now. He clearly is not the QB he used to be and if he doesn't retire he will lose my support immediately. Aging athletes who can't/won't recognize the loss of their skills are not very sympathetic figures. I'm sure Peyton Manning is very concerned about losing my support.
I follow the NFL but not like I follow college football. I was a lot more aware of Cam Newton when he was at Auburn than since he has been a pro. Apparently there has been some controversy over his touchdown celebrations but I don't get too worked up about that stuff.
He came across as a very appealing character in a pregame interview with James Brown yesterday. He talked about love of the game, respect for the great players that came before him, many of whom he named by name, and about having fun playing football. I found him very refreshing.
Then came the game. His team lost, he played badly, he has been questioned for lack of effort in chasing a loose ball, and sulked his way through his post-game interview. Not much fun.
It's easy to be cheery and charitable when things are going well. They were 17-1 going into the Super Bowl. They were 5 point favorites to win the game. Cam Newton was being touted as the new "face of the game."
Then the Denver defense showed up and Cam was suddenly normal, human, and below average as a quarterback.
I wonder how hard it will be for him to remember his love of the game as opposed to simply the love of a victory. I can only imagine the pain of a loss in the Super Bowl. Many players never play in one. Many of those who do never play in a second one. There is no guarantee whatsoever that Cam Newton will ever appear in another Super Bowl. Odds are he will but.....
It's what happens to all of us when life throws us a curveball. We lament that loss so much that we forget that that's how life goes. We sulk, pout, get mad, and walk out of our proverbial press conferences.
Well, life shows up the next day just like football will next year for Cam Newton.
There is no reset button Cam.
You lost. Your team sucked. Your stats were certainly not NFL MVP worthy. You are not Super Bowl champs. Your 15-1 record this year will be meaningless next year when every team starts 0-0 and has an equal chance to get to the big game.
So what are you going to do abou it Cam? Deny reality? Fold up? Not look at the tape of how awful you played? Not work on improvement?
And how about you? Do you want the world to see you quit on life like Cam quit on a play? Do you want to pull your sweatshirt hood over your head and give one word answers to questions because you're so depressed about your failure?
My bet is that Cam gets back on the field soon. Picks up a ball. Throws. Runs. Lifts. Uses his loss as fuel for his next success.
That should be you too. You need to start today.
KS
Nashville Thinker
I also want him to retire now. He clearly is not the QB he used to be and if he doesn't retire he will lose my support immediately. Aging athletes who can't/won't recognize the loss of their skills are not very sympathetic figures. I'm sure Peyton Manning is very concerned about losing my support.
I follow the NFL but not like I follow college football. I was a lot more aware of Cam Newton when he was at Auburn than since he has been a pro. Apparently there has been some controversy over his touchdown celebrations but I don't get too worked up about that stuff.
He came across as a very appealing character in a pregame interview with James Brown yesterday. He talked about love of the game, respect for the great players that came before him, many of whom he named by name, and about having fun playing football. I found him very refreshing.
Then came the game. His team lost, he played badly, he has been questioned for lack of effort in chasing a loose ball, and sulked his way through his post-game interview. Not much fun.
It's easy to be cheery and charitable when things are going well. They were 17-1 going into the Super Bowl. They were 5 point favorites to win the game. Cam Newton was being touted as the new "face of the game."
Then the Denver defense showed up and Cam was suddenly normal, human, and below average as a quarterback.
I wonder how hard it will be for him to remember his love of the game as opposed to simply the love of a victory. I can only imagine the pain of a loss in the Super Bowl. Many players never play in one. Many of those who do never play in a second one. There is no guarantee whatsoever that Cam Newton will ever appear in another Super Bowl. Odds are he will but.....
It's what happens to all of us when life throws us a curveball. We lament that loss so much that we forget that that's how life goes. We sulk, pout, get mad, and walk out of our proverbial press conferences.
Well, life shows up the next day just like football will next year for Cam Newton.
There is no reset button Cam.
You lost. Your team sucked. Your stats were certainly not NFL MVP worthy. You are not Super Bowl champs. Your 15-1 record this year will be meaningless next year when every team starts 0-0 and has an equal chance to get to the big game.
So what are you going to do abou it Cam? Deny reality? Fold up? Not look at the tape of how awful you played? Not work on improvement?
And how about you? Do you want the world to see you quit on life like Cam quit on a play? Do you want to pull your sweatshirt hood over your head and give one word answers to questions because you're so depressed about your failure?
My bet is that Cam gets back on the field soon. Picks up a ball. Throws. Runs. Lifts. Uses his loss as fuel for his next success.
That should be you too. You need to start today.
KS
Nashville Thinker
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