We’re sitting here today on the heels of a 36-20 Patriots win over the Raiders (it’s still weird thinking of Cam Newton as the “Patriots quarterback” since that was Tom Brady for 20 or so years and to my knowledge the Patriots have never started a black quarterback in their history). Given that Cam Newton is our subject, then, it’s hardly surprising to observe there’s a considerable multitude of headlines surrounding the proceedings.
One incident proviso of such reporting opportunities has involved the shoes that the quarterback wore to the game which, according to masslive.com, indicated that he “salutes Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther on his feet during pregame.” There was another one after the game, which of course followed reports of his exceptional performance, that was something about how Cam Newton liking the “vibe” of playing on the Patriots. But in googling words in an attempt to find it, I got something else unexpected, the Boston Globe headline that “Cam Newton is giving off really good vibes at Patriots camp” and another one relating that “Patriots wideout Julian Edelman likes Cam Newton’s vibe.”
Now, let’s just backtrack here, because sometimes I just can’t even reconcile, or process, the reports I hear about a person. We’re talking about an individual here, who may actually also be the first black quarterback to ever start for the Patriots, for whom a Google search turns up not only literally no negativity but also this bright, toothy smile that anybody with anything remotely resembling a “heart” would want to root for. Anyway, we’ve in recent months leading up to this Patriots deal had any number of “analysts” condemning his attitude, his objectives, and everything else you could think of, including one individual who I believe was Skip Bayless asserting that “Cam Newton only cares about Cam Newton.” The general consensus was that he was egotistical, arrogant, a “prima donna,” etc., but maybe it’s time we reevaluate the implications of somebody having such an alleged “excess of self-esteem,” if you will. The guy has been nothing but a positive firebrand and a force to be reckoned with on the field with the New England Patriots. Of course, nobody who saw him take that hit in the ’18 playoff game against the Saints should have doubted his toughness or competitive drive. At least, reason would certainly seem to dictate otherwise.