The Carolina Panthers will select Cam Newton with the first pick in the NFL draft or are working hard to convince the football world they plan to.
If a team craves Newton and offers the appropriate picks the Panthers could trade down, but not too far down, and take Patrick Peterson, the fine cornerback from Louisiana State, or A.J. Green, the tremendous Georgia receiver.
Without a Collective Bargaining Agreement, however, draft day trades become more difficult since only picks, and not players, can be exchanged.
I was at Newton’s Pro Day at Auburn last week and the Panthers sent six representatives. The Panthers will return to Auburn for a private workout with Newton today. One group of Panthers was scheduled to have dinner with Newton and his family Tuesday and another group is scheduled to have dinner with him tonight.
Newton is good for Auburn tourism.
For years fans of the Panthers have watched franchise quarterbacks run onto the field at Bank of America Stadium. They line up behind the other team’s center.
Jake Delhomme was good for the Panthers. Before Jake, Steve Beuerlein was good. Before Beuerlein, Kerry Collins occasionally was good. Kerry was young and brash and could throw the ball all the way to South Blvd.
But the Panthers have never had a quarterback who was the best player in their huddle. They’ve never had a strong-armed athlete who could escape the rush and run for a first down or, with the defense in disarray, throw for it.
If you watched Super Bowl quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger you know the value of a quarterback that can extend a play.
Newton is hugely controversial. One Charlotte man plans to print anti-Newton T-shirts before the draft. Many of the fans that wear them will contend that Cam is a candidate only because Philadelphia’s Michael Vick had an outstanding 2010.
But watch. Newton will play more like Roethlisberger than he does Vick or Vince Young, the running quarterback that washed out at Tennessee.
It's true that even if mini-camps are held and training camp begins on time – no certainly, obviously, because of the labor impasse – Newton probably won’t be ready to start opening day.
This will anger fans who want what they want when they want it.
But if Newton becomes a star, he will be a star for a long time. The Panthers can sign a veteran to lead them until Newton is ready.
The Panthers took Jimmy Clausen in the second round last April. Can they invest their top pick on a quarterback in consecutive drafts?
If quarterback Andrew Luck had left Stanford, what do think they'd do and who would criticize them for it?
The 2011 draft is intriguing. Peterson and Green will start and star immediately, looking good and running well.
But wait. What’s that speeding past them? Is it a Lamborghini? Is it a Ferrari?
Oh. It’s Newton.
Of course, if Newton flops, he might compel the Panthers to join AAA.
Peterson and Green don’t play quarterback. When was the last time an NFL team made a playoff run without a superior quarterback?
If the Panthers had a decent quarterback last season they wouldn’t have the No. 1 pick. They'd have won too many games.
No matter whom you are or what you do there comes a time when you disdain the safe and the predictable and you try to be great.
If you’re the Panthers the time is April 28, the place is Radio City Music Hall and the pick is Cam Newton.
Bravo. Stirring.
Posted by: ripp | March 15, 2011 at 06:42 PM
YALL WHITE BOYS MAD HUH YALL DONT WANT A BLACK MAN RUNNING THINGS HUH? WELL BRUH WE BRINGING CAM TO NC WE GONE RUN SHIT BELIEVE DAT HOME BOY SUWOOO TO THE BLOOD GANG ON DAT SON REAL TALK REAL RIGHT BLOOD GANG IN THE HIZOUS LEGGOO BRUH. NEWTON THE NEXTS BIG BEN ROTH MIXED WITH MIKE VICK U MAD? U MAD HUH I SEE IT IN YA FACE BRUH BRUH LMAO. NEWTON WILL BE THE PICK HATERS MAD??? DONT COME TO THE GAMES FUCK U FAKE ASS PUSSY MOTHAFUCKA FANS YALL JUST RACIST B REAL TALK B BOW BOW BOW FLOCKA FLAME IN THIS BITCH LEGGOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: WAKA FLOCKA FLAME | March 15, 2011 at 07:06 PM
The Real Deal is going to Cry in the Car lmao SMOKESCREEN OH NOES
Posted by: Teeray | March 15, 2011 at 07:08 PM
Matt Moore isn't going to like this very much gee golly I sure hope he is our starting QB after the CBA is reached, he reminds me of a young Tom Brady.
Posted by: THEREALDEAL | March 15, 2011 at 07:10 PM
REALLY !!!!
Posted by: lime | March 15, 2011 at 07:11 PM
Newton will take time to reach his potential when he do watch out NFC.
Posted by: pantherfansince96 | March 15, 2011 at 07:11 PM
I agree with Waka Flocka Flame
redneck NC and SC fan base is against a upstanding black man trying to better his life.
Posted by: HollowMan | March 15, 2011 at 07:13 PM
BOW BOW BOW BOW BOW BITCH I AM BUSSIN AT EM FLOCKA FLOCKA FLOCKA FLOCKA YEAH GET JUMPED IN THE CLUB DO IT WITH NO HANDS ON MY DICK BITCH DO IT DO IT DO IT LEGGGOOO!!!!!!!!!!! ATL IN HUR LEGGGO BOW BOW BOW BOWBOWBOWBWOBOWBOWBWOBOWBOW
Posted by: WAKA FLOCKA FLAME | March 15, 2011 at 07:14 PM
If Chico wants him, I'm riding with him.
Posted by: Pantherfan81 | March 15, 2011 at 07:16 PM
CAMERON IS A SEX SYMBOL HE WILL BE A STAR FOR YEARS AND YEARS OFF THE FIELD N ON. HE HAS IT LIKE A TOM BRADY OR REGGIE BUSH JUST SEXY THE MEDIA LOVES HIM N HATES HIM. CAROLINA WILL BE TALKED ABOUT FOREVER IF HE PUTS UP BIG NUMBERS.
PS-I WANNA SUCK HIS BALLS
Posted by: divaliciouscaramel | March 15, 2011 at 07:17 PM
Damn Nigger smfh
Posted by: Mr.Scot | March 15, 2011 at 07:18 PM
great news. this would be a big time pick and Newton will be a BIG TIME player
Posted by: teeray | March 15, 2011 at 08:12 PM
wish carolina draft cam newton so them racist can go cheer for another team..embarrassing the panther football nation and the great state of north carolina. this team will not miss you for all that think they will hurt this team for leaving to go cheer for another team think again..for every one that leave i bet we pick up new fans from auburn and alabama. so go. please
Posted by: trex | March 15, 2011 at 08:21 PM
its a shame, but ignorant is bliss, hey wocka flock idiot, stay of these message boards with your dumb ass statements, you don't represent me at all, just another ignorant azz nigger..go eat some chicken or write a dumb azz rap..one reason why white people think black people are so stupid..
Posted by: crackhead jones | March 16, 2011 at 09:18 AM
I'm getting sick of this idiotic debate. I think drafting Newton might be a risk worth taking, but there are an awful lot of red flags there, whether it be the multiple character issues, or being very raw for a No. 1 pick and probably a couple of years away from being able to excel in an NFL offense. Does this make me racist HollowMan? I really think the comparisons to Russell and Young are fair, he plays like a hybrid of both. The question is, has he learned from his mistakes and does he have the maturity and work ethic that the other two lacked?
And trolls like divalicious and Mr.Scot, quit spewing your silly, racist vitriol on these boards. There are actually people out there who think you are serious, and it just adds fuel to the fire who think legitimate criticism of Newton is "racism". And Waka Flocka, please get some professional help.
Posted by: Voice O' Reason | March 16, 2011 at 11:42 PM
Lyrrics and delivery I know 2010 Hip-Hop lycris seem to be pushed way to the back as a good beat is all that matters but lets take it back to when Hip-Hop was about good lycris and a good MC has to have lycris.The Rapper has to connect to his or her audience and the average man/lady has to be able to connect to you and relate to you. So fuck a rapper rapping about cars,jewellery,clothes etc. We don't always want to hear about the badness of the hood or wherever you grew up but we can relate to it the mostly because we've bin through it and in some cases still live there.Lyrics>>>>>>> for me it is but there are loads more answers and for some people lycris don't matter these people our killing Hip-Hop with there dumbed down lycris.
Posted by: Sergio | February 20, 2013 at 01:20 PM
shit niggas shot me and my man on cetarnl on the eastside in clarkston, g.a. in august. i think it was a hit them niggas didn't even try to get our jewels, paper or nothing. they hit me once and hit my nigga 9 times. we still here though. them bitch ass nigga skip town though. they know who they. it's live in the atl. dont sleep. get better homie. it dont make you gangsta getting shot. them bullets burn!
Posted by: Yuri | February 21, 2013 at 03:19 AM
he is right about saying stuff that can hit pple to the bone, and caintrfg lasting songs.nowadays I feel too much emphasis is put on punchlines that sound witty but dont really mean much. The impact of those punchlines fade very quickly. That is why Weezy is a good rapper but not a great one IMO. He has to have a very good number of great songs that he is really talking about stuff and that are crafted beautifully
Posted by: Galina | February 21, 2013 at 03:19 AM