By Eric Margolin
In the past, I have been a big defender of Cam Newton. He seemed to be a genuinely good person. While slightly petulant when dealing with the media, he has donated money to charity and gives every touchdown ball to a child in the stands. I believed he earned a bad reputation based on part on the fact he was an outspoken African-American quarterback in a league where less than a quarter of the QBs are black. I’m a Saints fan at heart, yet I didn’t dislike the Panther’s QB because he seemed like a good person. But Newton’s comments at a press conference on October 4th were unacceptable, uncalled for, and sexist. After Newton was asked a question about former University of Michigan WR Devin Funchess’ improved route running by Jourdan Rodrigue, he chuckled and replied, “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes…It’s funny.” Rodrigue, a female reporter from the Charlotte Observer, tweeted that she confronted Newton after the press conference and said of the second confrontation, “it was worse.” Like a professional, she chose to focus on her job and continue writing about the Panthers. However, I am not Jourdan Rodrigue.
Pardon my language, but this is some sexist bullshit. To laugh at a woman for trying to do her job is unacceptable, inappropriate, and just plain wrong. I’m honestly at a loss for words on the subject. This wasn’t some accidental trigger that set off a few people. Newton’s closed-minded comments reveal true insight into his personality. Newton believes that a woman asking a serious question about football is comical. He believes that women don’t deserve to ask intelligent questions about football. I understand football is male dominated profession and I understand sports journalism a male dominated profession. But anyone who asks an intelligent question deserves the best answer you can give them. Anyone is allowed to ask a question without being laughed at. To assume that a woman doesn’t know about football solely based on the fact she is a woman is wrong. It’s not funny Cam.
This story will probably die down in a few days. People will forget because that’s what they do when a star athlete does something wrong. We forgot about Ben Roethlisberger. We forgot about Kobe Bryant. We forgot about Joe Mixon. Those people committed crimes yet people still buy their jerseys, go to games, and put money in their pockets. Newton “just” made a sexist remark. By this time next week, very few people will remember. But they should. It’s not okay for Cam Newton or anyone to degrade a female reporter for doing her job. By this time next week, Newton will have given a halfhearted apology with some crap written up by the Panthers’ PR team. He might even do some sort of charitable work for young girls who want to be in sports. But he can give footballs to every kid in Bank of America stadium on Sunday and it won’t change the fact that his misogynistic comments revealed his true colors. We’ve seen who Cam Newton really is, and it’s not pretty.
Side notes:
Image via Ron Clements/Omnisport
Pardon my language, but this is some sexist bullshit. To laugh at a woman for trying to do her job is unacceptable, inappropriate, and just plain wrong. I’m honestly at a loss for words on the subject. This wasn’t some accidental trigger that set off a few people. Newton’s closed-minded comments reveal true insight into his personality. Newton believes that a woman asking a serious question about football is comical. He believes that women don’t deserve to ask intelligent questions about football. I understand football is male dominated profession and I understand sports journalism a male dominated profession. But anyone who asks an intelligent question deserves the best answer you can give them. Anyone is allowed to ask a question without being laughed at. To assume that a woman doesn’t know about football solely based on the fact she is a woman is wrong. It’s not funny Cam.
This story will probably die down in a few days. People will forget because that’s what they do when a star athlete does something wrong. We forgot about Ben Roethlisberger. We forgot about Kobe Bryant. We forgot about Joe Mixon. Those people committed crimes yet people still buy their jerseys, go to games, and put money in their pockets. Newton “just” made a sexist remark. By this time next week, very few people will remember. But they should. It’s not okay for Cam Newton or anyone to degrade a female reporter for doing her job. By this time next week, Newton will have given a halfhearted apology with some crap written up by the Panthers’ PR team. He might even do some sort of charitable work for young girls who want to be in sports. But he can give footballs to every kid in Bank of America stadium on Sunday and it won’t change the fact that his misogynistic comments revealed his true colors. We’ve seen who Cam Newton really is, and it’s not pretty.
Side notes:
- Cam Newton was benched last year for a series against the Seahawks for not wearing a tie on the team’s plane to Seattle. As of now there are no plans in place for any disciplinary action from either the Carolina Panthers or the NFL. What does that say?
- Dannon Yogurt recently pulled their sponsorship of Cam Newton. Who would have thought a yogurt company was the most socially conscious of all Newton’s sponsors?
- Watch the full interaction here.
Image via Ron Clements/Omnisport