Super Bowl 50- EKnight vs Denver Bronco

[Cathal]

Race? Hah. Most of the NFL is black and we all like players who are black. You seriously think race is an issue? hah

[EKnight]

I don't know if it is or not- at least here on this board. There's a lot of talk on sports radio that race is absolutely an issue there, so I wanted to get a guage on what the opinion was here, since there seems to be a few vocal people who dislike him.

Sorry, but "I don't like his smile," and "he celebrates too long," seem like pretty shallow and piss-poor reasons to HATE a player. It certainly seems like there could be more to it than that- that's why I asked.

[Rich]

I don't know if it is or not- at least here on this board. There's a lot of talk on sports radio that race is absolutely an issue there, so I wanted to get a guage on what the opinion was here, since there seems to be a few vocal people who dislike him.

Sorry, but "I don't like his smile," and "he celebrates too long," seem like pretty shallow and piss-poor reasons to HATE a player. It certainly seems like there could be more to it than that- that's why I asked.

I'm pretty sure the use of the word hate is hyperbole. I don't imagine that if anyone here saw Cam Newton at the mall they'd get the sudden urge to run him over with a car...

[Cathal]

I don't know if it is or not- at least here on this board. There's a lot of talk on sports radio that race is absolutely an issue there, so I wanted to get a guage on what the opinion was here, since there seems to be a few vocal people who dislike him.

Sorry, but "I don't like his smile," and "he celebrates too long," seem like pretty shallow and piss-poor reasons to HATE a player. It certainly seems like there could be more to it than that- that's why I asked.

This is sports. We don't need a reason to hate people other than maybe their hair looks funny. Nothing is very logical. Sometimes it's just very simple, people dislike people just because and there is nothing else behind it. It's only because you like this guy that you are getting upset about it. It happens.

[CF DolFan]

I honestly don't think it is as much race as people like to say. It's more  I hated Terry Bradshaw when he played. I loved seeing his helmet get knocked off to see his bald head (he wore a toupee at the time). After seeing him in a few movies I realized he was a pretty funny guy and I cold relate to him.  I think that's a lot of the same thing with Newton. He is doing things others guys aren't or haven't and so it automatically puts people on the defensive to protect whoever they feel is the best. If he starts making tons of commercial poking fun at himself and doing comedy skits on SNL his fan club will grow. The same thing will happen if he just keeps winning. 

[Rich]

I'm Hispanic. I must hate Tom Brady because he's white.

[Phishfan]

If he starts making tons of commercial poking fun at himself and doing comedy skits on SNL his fan club will grow. 

I'm just loosening up my arm..

[Spider-Dan]

Sorry, but "I don't like his smile," and "he celebrates too long," seem like pretty shallow and piss-poor reasons to HATE a player. It certainly seems like there could be more to it than that- that's why I asked.

I think it's fair to say that on this board, people may not like Cam Newton because he's the QB of the Panthers, and it's probable that they don't like the Panthers (a team which would otherwise not be on the radar of most Dolphins' fans) because that team seems to have a very outspoken and annoying bandwagon fan.

[BuccaneerBrad]

Race? Hah. Most of the NFL is black and we all like players who are black. You seriously think race is an issue? hah

But how many of them were QBs.  I don't remember very many good black QB's before Cam, Jameis, and Russell Wilson arrived on the scene.

[Cathal]

But how many of them were QBs.  I don't remember very many good black QB's before Cam, Jameis, and Russell Wilson arrived on the scene.

I knew someone would ask about that. I have no answer. Maybe it's because of EKnight we don't like Cam, maybe some people have the problem with his history, or it's just simply his yogurt commercials. I dunno.

[fyo]

But how many of them were QBs.  I don't remember very many good black QB's before Cam, Jameis, and Russell Wilson arrived on the scene.

McNabb was underrated in his prime. Vick might have been overrated, but was hugely popular. At least until the dog thing surfaced.

Going through Philly isn't going to make anyone not popular, of course ;-).

[BuccaneerBrad]

McNabb was underrated in his prime. Vick might have been overrated, but was hugely popular. At least until the dog thing surfaced.

Going through Philly isn't going to make anyone not popular, of course ;-).

McNabb was underrated.  Vick was overrated.  The only others I can think of are Doug Williams, Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon and Steve Mcnair. 

[Sunstroke]

The only others I can think of are Doug Williams, Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon and Steve Mcnair. 

All of which were pretty damned good QBs...

[BuccaneerBrad]

All of which were pretty damned good QBs...

There is a long list of "pretty damned good QBs" from the past and we came up with only six that were black. 

Now you have Cam Newton who played the best season of his life and is a lock for MVP, Russell Wilson who has a ring and came within an ass hair of another one, and Jameis Winston who is a rising star that made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.  That's 50% more in just one generation. 

Then you have Dak Prescott who won MOP at today's Senior Bowl, Jacoby Brisett who has all the tools, and Vernon Adams who is undersized but dangerous entering the draft this year.  While all three of those guys have flawed games, I'm sure at least one of them will turn out to be "pretty damned good"

The point is, the NFL has never had such a glut of talented black QBs before. 

[Tenshot13]

I'm not defending anything. I really don't like that smug smile of his. Deal with it.