I talked with Jon Gruden today by phone about Cam Newton to get some insight from the former Tampa Bay head coach and Super Bowl winner who’s now a color analyst for “Monday Night Football.”
I will write a lot more about this in my column for Thursday’s newspaper, but I will tell you that Gruden absolutely loves the Panthers’ rookie quarterback.
“What Cam has done so far from a statistical standpoint has been spectacular -- absolutely jaw-dropping,” Gruden said. “I’m in total shock and awe about him. The fact that he’s had two 400-yard games already – and one of them against the Packers – I’m not sure any quarterback has ever started out better.”
Not that Gruden didn’t think Newton would be good. He did, and he became more convinced of it when the two spent about eight hours together one day for a show that aired on ESPN before April’s draft.
“From a talent standpoint, the guy is a physical freak for his position,” Gruden said. “I knew it would happen for him, but I didn’t know it would happen this quickly. But Cam has a certain degree of magic.”
That show produced one of the primary bits of ammunition for the anti-Cam crowd, when Newton struggled to come up with an Auburn play after Gruden asked him to call one as if he were in the Auburn huddle. Newton finally said, “Thirty-six.”
Gruden explains more about that situation and what he took away from Newton’s answer to that question in Thursday's column.
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9 years ago
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38 comments:
Cam has been nothing but sensational, but hopefully the Panthers will enroll him in grammar or media classes. The sad standards for enrollment in U of Fla and Auburn are painfully obvious to anyone who listens to him speak.
Hint- don't use "ain't" more than once in a sentence.
This has been the best decision that the Panthers front office have ever made. They are very fortunate and need to take full advantage of such a talent. The guy is great for the community, NFL, Kids, and more. He always keeps a smile which is priceless.
Gruden is terribly annoying. He's such a brown noser. I'm sure its because he thought everyone thought he was an ass b/c of the Chucky look thing. But come on, do you have to praise everyone and everything. (although Cam has looked pretty impressive so far)
@ 4:10......if you're really looking for grammer out of NFL players, you're wasting your time. It "aint" gonna happen
Didn't this guy also think Jimmy C was a can't miss??
With Cam's ability to play QB he could gotten into 99% of college in the US
@ 4:13....what's grammer?
Who is Seyi Ajirotutu? Did anyone know he was on the team and is 3rd string behind Smith and Edwards?
Yea well I was in "shock & awe" over my 1st wife too & THAT didn't work out very well.
Gruden is an IDIOT! Not because of him liking Cam,but monday night in the closing minutes,he bragged about the 'skins blitzing Romo and even drew up a chart abd circled dallas's wide receivers and said he would keep blitzing because the dallas wr's can't run the proper routes.The next play on 3rd and 23,Romo connected with Dez Bryant for a first down and an extra 15 YARDS on Deangelo Hall for a facemask.Gruden then says,"i can't believe they blitzed 3 times in a row!" Gruden is a worm who is all hype and harps on whoever is the hot player,then makes excuses when that player makes a bone head play.Gruden and Brent Musberger on espn are the worst!
Cam certainly has surprised me. Good for the Panthers. Now if they can just get a decent team around him. That may take awhile with Richardson in charge.
Sorry grammar nazis but a'int is a word here in the south.
Im actually THRILLED that Andrew Luck stayed in school and we got CAM NEWTON. Personally, I think Cam is going to be an all pro for many years, barring injury. I think he is a far better QB then Andrew Luck will ever be!
Gruden writes all the QBs names on his trapper keeper. He loves them all. He practically made sweet love to Romo on Monday night.
@4:10. "Ain't" is an acceptable word in the English dictionary, so there is no problem with Cam's use of the word. Also, Cam is very articulate, so I don't know who you are using as a model with your criticism. Did you ever have a professor in college (if you went to college)who was brilliant with calculations, but couldn't spell worth a darn? Other then maybe thinking too highly of your own intelligence, do you have a point? And as Statler and Waldorf of the Muffets Show might say to Fozzie Bear, the one on your head doesn't count.
Anon 6:06, "I ain't never seen nothing like that before." said Cam after Sunday's game.
I guess in today's world, this is considered articulate. I ain't never heard of no triple negatives used before.
Being a talented athlete does not mean that you don't have a grasp of the language. Simply put, the purpose of language is to communicate. Didja understand his answer when he was asked a question? If so, then he properly communicated his thought/opinion on the matter. The fact that he doesn't adhere to the queen's English is another matter entirely but which is completely irrelevant to his on-field and community performance.
Right on, Mista Accurate!
Cam is not the new Editor for Webster's. And if you don't like Cam, it's YOU, not Cam.(I think Gruden said that about DelHomme..., too)
As for the "Chuckie" haters: You have to admit, he's intertaining.
Gruden: I'm in shock and awe of that physical freak of a quarterback that NORTH CAROLINA has....LOL
Cam haters will find something wrong with him no matter what he does. You should be ashamed of yourselves! His grammar isn't stellar but so what? Everything that you point out goes back to him not being a white guy.I'll tell you this Newton may not use the best grammar but he is intelligent. How come speaking incorrectly never came up when people talked about Brett Favre? Hell, he didn't even know that the r should gave gone before the v in his own last name.
Hes a BUM like his supporters. Any mediocre QB could have been better than him against the Jags proving nobody is a one man show.
Clausen would have easily won that game.
The sickening Newton hype never stops.
Trade this DUD asap to shut the idiots up.
Hes not even a true QB.
TO BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF THE HATE DIRECT AT CAM ISN'T MANY HIDING THEIR FEELINGS THAT A BLACK KID ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO BE A QB IS TO BELIEVE THAT IS NEVER RAINS IN CALIFORINIA.
I seriously believe the media made it okay for the closet racist to come out and hide behind their constant criticism of Cam. They will sit and justify their hate for him by nitpicking everything he does.
And to the person who claim they are sick of the Cam hype, pay attention..Cam gets critized way more than he gets hyped but I guess it's the fact that he is proving that he belongs as a QB that bothers many.
Now we're hatin' on the way he talks? C'mon, people. I mean, really.
Gruden is a guy that's hard to figure out. Sometimes his way of articulating makes him appear somewhat comical. Cam might have taken it that way. But, that little blunder on his show with Cam got all blown out of proportion. Media ran away with it. It meant absolutely nothing and I think Cam has proven that time and time again on the field. They're all impressed now and why not? Crow tastes pretty good with ketchup...so I've heard.
i agree with the people not liking his grammer, his grammer does need work, BUT as a quarterback, he's been VERY impressive and i am now glad we have him, i thought it was a mistake, but now i dont mind it.
Did he finish high school? He talks illiterate. Can he even read and write? My 5 year old sister is more intelligent and talks better English.
Anonymous said...
Did he finish high school? He talks illiterate. Can he even read and write? My 5 year old sister is more intelligent and talks better English.
Really... how about "My 5 year old sister is more intelligent and "SPEAKS" better English, dumb a#$.
'
Clausen would have been sacked 8 times if he had played against Jacksonville. I can not fathom how someone could watch Newton play and not see his skill and potential.
I hear much worse grammar from white people in Gastonia every day at work than Cam-talk. He's obviously a smart dude, at least in the football sense. For a guy to come out of college and grasp the pro game so quickly is amazing. He's gonna make mistakes all year and throughout his career - hell, Tom Brady toseed 4 picks last week - but what he's done so far as a rookie is nothing short of phenomenal.
As close as that game was Sunday, I don't believe Clausen would have won it b/c he doesn't have the calmness or the pocket awareness Cam has. He doesn't progress through his reads quickly enough yet - he's only a 2nd year qb, so maybe that will change - and he doesn't sense pressure well. Cam is a read and react guy. He reads the situation quickly and acts accordingly. What I've really been impressed with, besides his arm strength, accuracy (when he wasn't sailing passes high in the first half Sunday) and innate physical talent is his patience. He rushed a few passes and stared down a few against Green Bay, but his calmness and patience in the pocket show that this game is not too fast for him. And no matter how pretty a pass you can throw or how well you can disect a defense in the film room - and those are important abilities - the biggest jump in each level of play is the speed of the game. It's not played faster anywhere than in the NFL and the fact that he's already acclimated himself to the speed of the game from the jump, esp at the qb position, is very very rare. I think right now he's going on natural ability. When he truly disects everything and becomes an expert at the game, I think the game could become embarrisingly slow for him. Think Vick = Dr. J. Cam Newton may = Jordan.
Gruden and others knows Newtons stay in Carolina and the NFL is short lived with his lurid criminal background that includes felony theft and multiple cheating at U of Florida and kicked out of the school and pay for play with his "Rev" paternal at Auburn for 200,000. The FBI CIA DOJ and all government police officials have been involved in his investigation still ongoing.
The Heisman will come back as will the NCAA title to Auburn but that dosent matter? Reggie Bush had his Heisman returned and was traded by New Orleans to remove the stench after pressure from fans and the city. Bush was nothing as bad as a Newton and actually played 4 years in college at Univer of S Cal graduating with a high GPA.
The Newton scandal is by far the worse ever seen in the NFL and especially from a rookie. Clearly this is why so many are rushing to his defense to cover for him but in the end we know Carolina will be so embarrassed by this major complex scandal that Richardson will be forced to get rid of him as it will affect the play of the team adversely and the entire states.
Newton is a goner. Just a matter of time although he never stays more than a year anywhere he goes anyway. Scammers all the same.
He cain't say 'ain't'?
He does try to use all sorts of words in his his interview that you normally don't hear from a typical ball player, words that would normally be used by a more educated type guy.
HOWEVER, 75% of the time the words are pronounced right, but used wrongly, or not in the proper frame, which makes him sound foolish.
ON THE OTHER HAND, at least he is making a conscious effort to not represent the team in some thuggish manner, acting all hip-hop etc.
At least we don't have to suffer through the normal ebonics that many black athletes spout off with.
Do these blind butt sniffer water carrying poverty trailor trash loser nerds think they own this site and monitor it? What a joke.
Learn to drive and stop making illegal u-turns in front of other cars almost causing wrecks driving away pretending nothing happened or you'll get more than road rage next time.
Anon 8:21 AM
Yea cause that was relevant to the story....
I don"t care if he uses the word ain't or says he was "fickin" to throw it to Steve. Just win the game man and don't turn the ball over. Off to a good start with that in his rookie debut I would say. Get over it Cam haters! I know it kills you this guy is a winner and the best to come for along time. Having said that, please don't start with Andrew Luck posts.
"My 5 year old sister", would that be your OLDER sister?
As for his grammar, think of what he is showing the young people that idolize him right now. I do NOT understand how someone who idolizes Michael Vick is so loved? Hasn't the Panthers learned anything from Rae Carruth? If Newton is so wonderful why are the Panther 1-3 so far? Oh, let's see. He was high and away in college and guess what?? He is higher and more away now. Our receivers have to jump and dive for catches. Why can't he get them to the players without them losing stride? Oh, I remember...high and away..
What on earth does the President have to do with football and Cam Newton?
Both suck?
Really.... One tries really hard to not attribute Cam hatred to race, but comments like this make it impossible.
It's recently been the best determination that this Panthers top office get ever produced. These are very lucky and require to take full advantage of a real skill.
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