The hype of Super Bowl 50 is well underway, but it began last week with a bold blast of truth from the man of the hour ― a 26-year-old who just graduated in June with a sociology degree from Auburn University.
It was the place where Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton developed into the whole person he has become. A Heisman winner. A leader of a team at football’s most important position with stats making him the potential most valuable player in all the NFL.
A Super Bowl 50 victory would put him up there with legends Joe Namath and Joe Montana as just the third quarterback ever to win both a Super Bowl and an NCAA college championship.
Newton would also be the only one not named Joe and the first named Cameron.
Oh, and he’d be the only African-American.
Anyone have a problem with that? Unfortunately, some still do.
But the public’s feelings are a unique cocktail combined with all sorts of things.
