“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 will always struggle to win a locker room…Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness — is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example. Immature and has had issues with authority. Not dependable.”
Is this an unbiased assessment of a rookie’s talent or does this critique sound personal?
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon knows how it feels to be a black quarterback in the NFL. He knows that they are not always given the leeway to progress at the natural rate of their white counterparts. “A lot of the criticism he’s receiving is unfortunate and racially based,” Moon told CBS Sports. “I thought we were all past this. I don’t see other quarterbacks in the draft being criticized by the media or fans about their smile or called a phony. ”He’s being held to different standards from white quarterbacks. I thought we were past all this stuff about African-American quarterbacks, but I guess we’re not.”
Cam Newton is no choir boy and he comes to the league with some baggage, but is the deck already stacked against him?
