Draft guide rips Newton personally

[djsimp]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/PFW-Draft-Guide-rips-Newton-personally-8211-h?urn=nfl-wp657

Tue Mar 29 09:31am EDT

Draft guide rips Newton personally – how much is too much?
By Doug Farrar
 

Every year, I read and enjoy the Pro Football Weekly draft guide written by Nolan Nawrocki — it's a very well-done and comprehensive guide that I put up there with the information given by Russ Lande of the Sporting News and Rob Rang and Chad Reuter of NFLDraftScout.com (who strike me as the best in the business) when I want contrasting but trusted voices on draft-eligible players.

And one of the main things I like about the pre-draft process is that aside from the ceaseless speculation about which prospect's stock is rising and falling based on artificial factors (which you can easily sidestep if you just know who to avoid), it's more about watching tape and comparing football attributes that it is about throwing ridiculous rumors or baseless speculation out there. Sure, there seems to be one fake drug rumor per year, but those rumors generally come from "sources" in the second tier of the draft-o-sphere.

And that's why Nawrocki's takedown of Auburn quarterback Cam Newton was both shocking and very much outside the box. As much as Nawrocki talked about what Newton brings to the field, he also went way off the reservation and got deep into what he considers to be Newton's personal failings.

Under "negatives" for Newton, Nawrocki writes, "Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup.  Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them.  Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and will always struggle to win a locker room . . . Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness — is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example.  Immature and has had issues with authority.  Not dependable."

Now, I'm not arguing the merits of Nawrocki's evaluation — I've heard enough "interesting" things about Newton from trusted sources to wonder if he has the tremendous mental fortitude it takes to be a successful NFL quarterback. I guess the question is — how much amateur psychology do you want in your draft guide?

There's no question that Newton has a very scripted notion of how to deal with the media; that's why he opened his combine press conference with a pre-written statement. And there's been enough off-field controversy linked to Newton's name to make teams wonder if he'll bear down when he needs to at the next level.

But "enormous ego with a sense of entitlement?" "Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them?" How relevant are these evaluations to Newton's future success? You could probably say these things about more than a few successful NFL players at any given time (and you could absolutely say them about one certain currently-retired quarterback who may or may not stay retired for too long). And what does his "fake smile" have to do with anything?

As I said, I respect Nawrocki's opinion of draft-eligible players about as much as I respect the opinions of anyone who does this for a living. And just to make it clear, I'm planning to buy the guide this year, and I encourage others to do the same. But I question how relevant certain personal things are if you're not a team possibly investing millions of dollars in a prospect. In those circumstances, I would absolutely want to know every little thing about Cam Newton, and I can then decide to separate the stuff from the stuff.

And as a reader of other draft evaluations, I want to know if a player has been suspended from a program, or beat someone up in a frat house, or has been busted for PEDs. But I'm not sure how interesting or relevant it is that the prospect I'm reading about is unlikeable, phony, or has a bit too much media savvy for his own good.

How much is too much?

[jmar]

So this guy Nawrocki is a self-styled jock whisperer, more gifted than Bill O'Reilly's expert at reading the movements, expressions and motivations of others.
Amazing!

[JR4AU]

I at least give credit for not throwing out the standard cliches about stealing laptops, or the refuted cheating rumors or baseless Auburn cheating shit.  Im certain the opinion is based on that, but masked with things he claims he perceived through watching him.

[Snaggletiger]

Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness.  Is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example.

And he got this from....where?  I'm no insider and can only judge from what I see and read.  I've never been in the locker room or interviewed his teammates, but I never once read a bad thing about Newton from his coaches or teammates either.  Not a leader?  The guy came in and before he was ever anything more than a big bundle of potential, he said openly he was going to make this his team.  Lead by example.  I'd say he did that.

I've told this before (X100) but the one time I met Newton was after their last scrimmage of the season.  He was the LAST player or coach off the field because he hung around on his own accord and ran wind sprints over and over until he went down to a knee.  It was only about 96 degrees that day too. "Seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example"????

Look, I would never bet against the guy making it to the top.  I think he's destined for greatness in the NFL...eventually.  He knows it.  He's confident and let's you know it.  You can call it cocky if you want but cocky has worked out pretty well for Terrell Owens, Ochocinco etc. hasn't it?  For some reason, this guy has a huge hard on for Cam.  Maybe Cam popped his girl or something because that "evaluation" has nothing to do with football or his abilities.  That's just "Why I hate Cam Newton."

[GH2001]

Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness.  Is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example.

And he got this from....where?  I'm no insider and can only judge from what I see and read.  I've never been in the locker room or interviewed his teammates, but I never once read a bad thing about Newton from his coaches or teammates either.  Not a leader?  The guy came in and before he was ever anything more than a big bundle of potential, he said openly he was going to make this his team.  Lead by example.  I'd say he did that.

I've told this before (X100) but the one time I met Newton was after their last scrimmage of the season.  He was the LAST player or coach off the field because he hung around on his own accord and ran wind sprints over and over until he went down to a knee.  It was only about 96 degrees that day too. "Seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example"????

Look, I would never bet against the guy making it to the top.  I think he's destined for greatness in the NFL...eventually.  He knows it.  He's confident and let's you know it.  You can call it cocky if you want but cocky has worked out pretty well for Terrell Owens, Ochocinco etc. hasn't it?  For some reason, this guy has a huge hard on for Cam.  Maybe Cam popped his girl or something because that "evaluation" has nothing to do with football or his abilities.  That's just "Why I hate Cam Newton."

Cam also puts in a last minute drink order in the drive thru at McD's after he has already ordered at the speaker. I heard he also runs the occasional yellow light at certain intersections throughout the state of Alabama.

That fucking classeless fake bastard. Guys like him are NO way to win a championship, no way to.....wait....nevermind. Carry on.

[Snaggletiger]

I heard Cam passed up the rescue dogs at the animal shelter and bought a purebred puppy.

I'm ashamed to say he played at Auburn.

[GH2001]

I heard Cam passed up the rescue dogs at the animal shelter and bought a purebred puppy.

I'm ashamed to say he played at Auburn.

We would have never won a championship with his classless ass at QB anyway.....what a loser. The smile - its gotta go. Detriment to a team I tell ya.

[Buzz Killington]

I heard three of his teammates needed a ride to visit some friends.  He turned them down.  What a dick.

[Snaggletiger]

I heard three of his teammates needed a ride to visit some friends.  He turned them down.  What a dick.

That's not really that bad.  I mean the guy drove a scooter around campus and.....wait.....you're talking about...Oooohhh, I see what you did there.

[Townhallsavoy]

Under "negatives" for Newton, Nawrocki writes, "Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup.  Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them.  Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and will always struggle to win a locker room . . . Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness — is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example.  Immature and has had issues with authority.  Not dependable."

I'll admit - Newton does possess some of these qualities in public.  But in the locker room?  I've heard nothing but great things.  The team loved him last year.  All summer long we heard about how Cam was practicing and working out more than anybody - even in the rain.  Then Cam never gave up on the team even after it was apparent he would be able to enter the NFL draft. 

[Jumbo]

I heard three of his teammates needed a ride to visit some friends.  He turned them down.  What a dick.

[djsimp]

I'm guessing that Cam should just walk around with a fake frown instead, kicking at every can in sight and bitching about every little thing that comes to mind. This smiling stuff is just too overrated and any sombitch seen doing it should be damned to hell.

[AUsweetheart]

In rebuttal.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/George-Whitfield-on-Cam-Newton-Hes-infectious-the-guy-is-genuine.html

[Saniflush]

Hey Pawl I herd dat Cam ain't gonna git drafted till the sixth round.  What'chu think bout that?
I'll hang up and lissen.

[djsimp]

In rebuttal.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/George-Whitfield-on-Cam-Newton-Hes-infectious-the-guy-is-genuine.html

Great article! I could quote just about anything in it but this is one of my favorites.

Whitfield: "As a quarterback, he’s capable of everything. There are times you get a quarterback and you get a chance to work with him and you learn about him and learn some things he does well and some things he can’t do. Some kids will never have power, accuracy and mobility, or some kids always have power and won’t be that agile. With Cam, it’s like some kind of government experiment. There's nothing he can’t do. He throws with power, throws with touch, the footwork of dropping back. He has the agility of an Allen Iverson in the open field, insane accuracy and an incredible work ethic. He's very tough. He takes everything with a lot of pride. Everything is like a personal competition with himself. If he missed a step in the ladder drill, he would take himself back and do it again. He always has that pilot light on."

[The Prowler]

Nolan Nowrocki (never heard of him before)...is a butthurt University of Florida grad.

[JR4AU]

Nolan Nowrocki (never heard of him before)...is a butthurt University of Florida grad.

Did you really just use the term "butthurt" in a sentence?