[News] Eisenberg: So Cam Newton Likes To Celebrate. Who Really Cares?

[donkeyking64]

Can't I just dislike him, because he rubs me the wrong way? I kind of like Suh, eventhough I probably shouldn't. I don't know why suddenly everyone needs a good reason to not like someone.

Hmmm...rubs you the wrong way??? Did Ray Lewis rub you the wrong way? What about Aaron Rodgers discount double checking his way to the one commercial that probably rates higher than most on recall?

This is ISSUE #1 that NEVER gets talked about. Sports is complicated. We love Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress and Ray Lewis and Lebron James when they play for OUR HOME team. When they don't, we find a reason to dislike them. But that's actually OK...it's just that no one acknowledges the psychology of a sports fan.

ISSUE #2 the one that always gets talked about SOMETIMES we give more backlash to the players above, than we would if the QB was Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady. When Brady does what he does it's passion. Or if the player is JJ Watt. JJ Watt celebrates and salutes his rear end off. As does Julian Edelman. When Watt does it, he's just a phenom with a high motor and we know he works hard because we've seen the log cabin retreat for the summer.

But when people have seasons where they throw for a bunch of TDs and run for a bunch of TDs, that player is usually celebrated. Sometimes even, that player is the guy that everyone wants to draft in their Fantasy Football League. He's generally not the guy that "rubs me" or anyone else "the wrong way".

They are having fun. Winning is fun. And most times when you win, you have less of a filter.

[donkeyking64]

  On 2/2/2016 at 0:08 PM, eek said:

John it has nothing to do with his color or race or celebrating. its the way he goes about it and its not just him. its the whole team. they are very arrogant.

Not Kuechly. That kid is the anti cam. Very mature for his age. No dancing when he scores. And he has scored plenty.

so Dancing makes you arrogant. Do you know how hard it is for these guys to make plays. Heck if you're a 1st round draft pick you still have to earn it.

Just because one guy celebrates his play doesn't make him any more less of an individual than the guy that doesn't celebrate his play.

JJ Watt does some dancing and saluting. Do you dislike him too? Let me guess, you hate Ben Roethlisberger LESS than you hate Tom Brady because Ben doesn't headbutt his teammates? Or let me guess, you actually like Ben MORE than Aaron Rodgers because Ben doesn't discount double check? Do I have that right?

[donkeyking64]

  On 2/2/2016 at 3:05 PM, RaineV1 said:

People only care about guys being flashy or showoffs if they play on other teams. If it's a player on a team you like then it's called 'swagger' or something like that and people suddenly love it.

Yep. Just imagine if Ray Lewis had been a Steeler. Oh how we would have loathed him. 

EXACTLY. The psychology of sports. People tend to attribute everything to r______m (even though that can be a major element of the thought process) when most often times, it's because the player is doing real well....I call it the "Patriots Factor". We hate more than we appreciate the fact that we are living through an era that will be talked about and reflected on 20 yrs from now

[balfan23]

On 2/3/2016 at 10:03 AM, Machineman said:

To me, the guy is annoying. I like players to act as if they have done it before; leave the childish antics to the children. No doubt, he is good but his act just annoys me. I understand that I may be in a minority on this as the younger generation really adores this sort of thing but I just tend to cheer for the guys that understand the power of humility and the meaning of being humble. I miss the old days when a guy scores a touchdown and hands the ball to the ref instead of going into a minute long, orchestrated "dance" or whatever it is they do. I'll be cheering for Paton Manning and the Broncos for the Super Bowl. I'd even cheer for the Steelers if they were playing. Please Mr. Newton, grow up.

Well, I'd say this Super Bowl could really be a case of - out with the old, in with the new. I'm all for it (and rest assured, I'm not a young man). IMO, there are a lot of guys in the league that seem to do more than celebrate ... they really taunt. I don't see Cam doing that ... to me, it just looks like he's having fun and he's getting his own guys fired up with his enthusiasm. 

The difference here is we're talking about a QB who is an MVP caliber, rather than a wide out or a sack artist. There are loads of guys who are easily as demonstrative - could even name a couple on our own team. However, i don't begrudge anyone to seek to find rooting interests in sports. You really don't have to justify yours to me or anyone else (though I find it stunning that you'd root for the Steelers in this circumstance). 

As always, when a guy is on your team, they largely get a pass and they're hated if they're not. Not too many fans of the squirrel dance outside of Baltimore. Carolina has been my #2a team (behind the #1 Ravens and along side the #2b Vikings). So, I'm rooting Carolina.