Cam Newton should put Superman back in the booth, and not just until he can win some games but for good. This isn't about Jerry Richardson's creepy Plantation drawl asking that a then rookie "stay clean" nor the Carolina Panthers being located in the "Bible Belt". This is merely semantics, the difference between enthusiasm (fist pumps, jumping into teammates and slapping hands) and scripted Wide Receiver styled self promotion which Mr.Newtons celebrations clearly are. Branding is important, and i love the fact that the kid is getting his share of commercials, i even like the Under Armour "spats" (can you say Joe Willie Namath?) and the "fake smile" the scouting troll groused about coming out of college, he's a leading man what the hell?. All of the QB's who succeed have been "That guy" since 8th grade so i am not looking for any humble choir boy here, i just don't want any Wide Receivers. When guys like Michael Irvin and Deon Sanders endorse your behaviour and your a QB, it's akin to receiving compliments from short order cooks and your a world class chef. Sanders and Irvin are players who had to create a market for positions that traditionally didn't receive the money nor the attention of the Quarterback.The Quarterback is the marquee position in sports, so when Cam accentuated his face saving performance vs. Atlanta with patented (Cris Carter) first down celebrations he cheapened the built in branding that already existed from day one. He also contributed to a league wide incentive to put him on IR, adding to the already swelling resentment for the QB position created by the NFL rules committee. The recent criticism and vitriol captured by the Charlotte Examiners cartoon was the kind of heat that (dare i say it) only a Wide Receiver can attract. Wide Receivers are portrayed as cartoonish narcissists, childlike and therefore worthy of a certain brand of bashing- and honestly a lot of it rolls off of their backs because many are too self absorbed to care. With the NFL resembling a Global Monolith and NFL Franchises cold, all consuming corporations theres only one position in sport that resembles a CEO-the Quarterback. Cam Newton is Presidential in stature (6'5), look and ease with the enormity of his calling, but he has to back away from partying like a Wide out. He will be over scrutinized, like Tony Romo's backwards baseball hat and Jay Cutlers "Body Language" and only a Super Bowl will give him the wiggle room to "floss" a little. Quarterbacks are routinely lauded for being flat liners in tough spots and "fiery" when it's time to be a motivator- but it's hard to do that when your thinking about how (and where) your going to rock the "Superman". And believe it or not, teammates know the difference between an arrogant guy (like all QB's need be) and an obnoxious clown- and the first guy they will run through a wall for. Obnoxious yet successful clowns are tolerated, but they cant inspire people to go beyond their potential. Steve Smith touched on that lack of maturity because he knows, he's a Wide Receiver who sees that this kid can take him back to the promise land. If Carolina drafts a front line 6'3 + mercurial weapon at Wide Receiver how can he be reigned in when the QB is topping him in the end zone "look at me" department?. A lot of the guys in helmets have to work at getting noticed off of the field, and Cam Newton isn't one of them. He comes off as that too good to be true guy that women don't trust; and it's usually for good reason-and you can see it in close games. @RealSkipBayless was right, and I'll add we shouldn't even be having this "likability" discussion about someone this young, and with this much promise. The fact that we are is something that may be good for Rappers and Wideouts, but not Quarterbacks, it isn't becoming a Heisman Trophy Winner and beneath the NFL's version of a CEO.
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