Cam Newton, I hope you’re ready.
Because on Thursday night, when you’re getting booed as you walk across the stage at Radio City Music Hall to greet NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the media spotlight will have officially reached new heights.
Newton went from an unknown quarterback prospect at Auburn University to Heisman trophy winner and potential No. 1 overall pick in the span of eight months. While he captivated college football fans on the field, Newton’s not-so-squeaky-clean past quickly caught up to him.
There was the alleged laptop theft while at the University of Florida.
Then the three instances of cheating that eventually led to his departure from the Gators.
WATCH NBC SPORTS COVERAGE OF THE CAM NEWTON STORY:
[NBCVIDEO source=”SPORTS” video=”http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/33399756″ w=”592″ h=”346″ launch_id=”42785777″ id=”msnbcb4e36″]
Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.
And of course, the allegations that his father, Cecil Newton, was seeking six-figures from colleges in a pay-for-play scheme.
To Newton’s credit, the 6-foot-6, 250-pound quarterback seemed to thrive off the controversy that surrounded him as he led the Tigers to a BCS National Championship.
Prior to the start of the 2010 college football season, Newton wasn’t on the radar of NFL scouts. Despite a subpar combine in February, Newton shot up the NFL draft boards and is reportedly one of four players that the Carolina Panthers could select with the No. 1 overall pick.
While nobody can question Newton’s raw talent, several analysts have openly wondered if he has the toughness and desire to make it in the NFL.
“It’s just this gut feeling I have: I don’t know how great he wants to be,” NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said on the Dan Patrick Show Monday. “He’s got all the tools. Mechanically, he’s way beyond where Tim Tebow and Vince Young were as college quarterbacks…. He’s got everything on the physical side. “Something tells me that he’ll be content to be a multimillionaire who’s pretty good.”
Mayock’s comments are mild in nature compared to Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly, who ripped Newton in his scouting report for the draft:
Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup. Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them. Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and always will struggle to win a locker room. Only a one-year producer. Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness — is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example. Immature and has had issues with authority. Not dependable.
Questioning Newton’s mechanics or run-first style of play is one thing — but calling a guy that you’ve never met before “disingenuous” and “very scripted” is another.
Thorough research doesn’t cut it when you’re assassinating someone’s character. That’s not to say Newton is a saint. He continues to find new ways to stir up controversy and makes himself an easy target for the media.
On Wednesday, a group of top draft prospects, including Newton, had a media availability session at a NFL-sponsored event in New York City. When it came time to do interviews, Newton hopped in the backseat of a car and took off; telling Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer, “I’m not doing any interviews.”
Later a league source told Fowler that Newton didn’t accept money or airline tickets from the NFL and instead let the NFL Players Association to pay for his trip. As a result, Newton didn’t feel obligated to play by the league’s rules.
If Newton surrounds himself with the right support group to help guide him through the NFL process, there’s no reason why he can’t be the next great Pro Bowl quarterback.
If he doesn’t though, the comparisons to Oakland Raiders bust JaMarcus Russell will quickly bubble to the surface.
Russell was the last black quarterback to go No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft and has been out of the league since 2009. Talent-wise, Newton is a more complete quarterback than Russell was when he came out of LSU.
However, Russell’s fall from grace in such a short span should be a reminder to Newton that he’s far from invincible.
Good luck.