Thanks for summing up so much of what I feel about Cam Newton. I have always hated trash talking, but I like it when players celebrate in creative and funny ways. (Remember T.O. spiking the ball on the Dallas star?) This season, I’ve grown to like Newton for the dab and the smiles. (and if fat old college coaches are doing it, what’s the problem?)

Unlike so many players who do a stupid dance, try to look cool and then expect the fans to worship at their feet, Cam is exactly like a super fan. He goes crazy like we all do and then he follows up by being good to kids.

Maybe he’s a little immature, but I’ll take his joy and his sorrow over all the canned responses and corporate bullish*t (“I’ll be drinking a lot of Budweiser tonight and Von’s paying for it”).

The one thing no one has pointed out was the character he showed in bouncing back to congratulate Peyton Manning after the agony he showed when he collapsed to the turf when Denver was about to score their last touchdown. I wrote about this here and also presented a sports psychology perspective on his development.