Despite the fact that I work at a sports bar and that my younger brother and dad love it, I have no sports knowledge. I can't tell you about baseball, basketball or football. I can't tell you what sport plays in what season or what people play for each team. Heck, I can't even tell you when the Olympics are! But what I can talk about is one person in particular, Cam Newton. I could spit facts about Cam all day long! This is because of fact that the topic surrounds me here at Cheyney. Here at my HBCU the average young man you talk to about Cam Newton will beam with pride while speaking, and it is clear that they respect him. From my perspective here are the top 5 reasons young black men love Cam Newton.
1. Cam Newton's skin color.
Cam has a gorgeous milk chocolate complexion and also happens to play quarterback. According to one young man, he is one of the few quarterbacks in the NFL that is black. This makes him not only an exceptional player, but a great role model for younger generations, someone they can see themselves in. Another student says that because he is black and such a predominate force on the field, that his attitude helps to break down stereotypes about black men.
2. His activities on and off the field.
He throws with ease, always communicates, is basically undefeated this season.... the list goes on and on. But what most people don't know is that Cam's off field actives are just as good if not better. Cam runs his own foundation, The Cam Newton Foundation. According to their mission statement:
"The Cam Newton Foundation is committed to enhancing the lives of young people by addressing their socioeconomic, educational, physical and emotional needs. The overarching CNF theme is "Every 1 Matters." Under that mantra, three focus areas exist: Every 1 Learns, Every 1 Plays, Ever 1 Gives."
His organization is based in Georgia, where Cam grew up as a child, and focuses on the local area. This gets him brownie points in the eyes of many of my fellow student's.
3. His college career.
His college career, though having a few bumps along the way, was flawless. He has great stats and pretty nice highlights, and let's not forget....he won the Heisman Trophy! I must have heard this phrase 1 million times in the past few weeks. His college career was the dream of the average college player, which makes him highly respected within the college player community.
4. His attitude on the field.
They like the way he interacts with the other players, fans and public in general. "He's always smiling," one of the students said. He's confident but humble, and his energy is unbeatable. This is especially visible when he dances after a touch down, then goes to give the football to children in the crowd.
5. This season.
This season Cam lead the Panthers to the 50th Superbowl. They were practically undefeated, one game lost this entire season. Ever since the start of the season they've been watching him and gained respect as he took his team to the top.
I may not be all too knowing about sports, but even I can tell Cam Newton is something special.
