Armour, Nancy. The Real Reason behind Criticism of Cam Newton. USA Today 29 Jan. 2016. Web.

26 Feb.2016.
In this article, Nancy Armour exemplifies the aspects of Cam Newtons celebration dance. This article
compares African Americans and Caucasian football players as it relates to celebrating after completing
plays on the field. As mentioned, Cam Newton is considered arrogant for his celebration dance while
other players such as Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers is considered passionate for completing
the same act. However, when Newton does his Dab dance, he is committing unsportsmanlike conduct.
This situation seems to be a contradiction. If a rule applies to one player, it should be applied to all of
them. Cynthia Frisby, an associate professor in Missouri who studies stereotyping of black athletes,
calls this situation the Illusory Correlation Theory. This concept is described as having certain ideas
about a group of people so when you come into contact with someone similar, they are automatically
grouped into the same category. For example, Frisby is saying that critics already have certain
perceptions of African Americans, so when they view Cam Newton, he does not receive a fair chance.
According to the article, minorities are expected to do their jobs quietly. With that being said, Cam
Newton is not allowed to express himself in any kind of fashion.
This article contains information that would be very beneficial in my research paper. After reading this
article several times, it is apparent that race has something to do with the criticism of Cam Newton.
How is it wrong for African American football players to complete an act, but its perfectly fine if a
Caucasian football player completes the same act? This article supports the claim that race is at the core
of the criticism.
Bell, Jarrett. Racial Bias Builds Hurdle for Smith. USA Today 22 Apr. 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
In this article, the racial bias against black quarterbacks is brought to the forefront. The article
elaborates on the trend of bash-lashing among black quarterbacks such as Cam Newton, Geno Smith,
and Robert Griffin III. The quarterbacks in question are all talented and have refrained from taking part

in any kind of damaging behavior. With that being said, there seems to be an underlying issue at hand.
Being accused of faking a smile and being arrogant are the things critics choose to point out about these
players. Nonetheless, they all one have one common denominator among the three of them: race. As a
result, these quarterbacks have two strikes against them, one for being black and one for being
successful in the NFL. The stereotypical claims that are being made seem to be related to
discrimination. According to my interpretation of the article, it is suggested that there is a penalty for
being black in the NFL. If critics cant find any dirt on these players, they bring up senseless topics like
the ones mentioned above.
This article could provide support in my research paper because of the discussion of the reoccurring
trend of back-lash among black quarterbacks. This could support my claim that race could possibly be
the primary reason behind the criticism of Cam Newton. Frequently, there are stories in the media
about African American players, but there seems to be a hidden agenda behind all of the criticism.
What do all of the players have in common? I believe this article could solidify my claim that race
could have something to do with the criticism of Cam Newton.
BrothersonSports.Boss, 2 Feb. 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.

In this photograph, discrimination is presented towards Cam Newton because the color of his skin. This

photo proves that racism exists not only in everyday life, but also in group organizations such as the
NFL. The photograph illustrates football players celebrating on the field after successfully completing a
play. However, three of the four players pictured are Caucasian; their celebration is considered to be
passionate, resilient, and warrior-like behavior. The fourth player on the photo is Cam Newton. On his
portion of the image reads the words showboating, disgrace, thug, and bad role model. If all of these
players are committing similar acts, why is Cam Newton being called a showboat? The only noticeable
difference is the color of their skin. This situation seems to be a double standard.
This photograph presents hard evidence that racism is behind the back-lashing of Cam Newton. Why is
it acceptable for other players with a lighter skin complexion to express themselves, but when Newton
does it, its an issue. In the media, critics hardly ever criticism Caucasian players for celebrations.
However, Cam Newton is always being criticized because of his Dab dance. This photograph will
provide the foundation of my research paper. It will also help back up why I chose my position on this
topic. Ultimately, the presence of this photograph will help readers understand the reasoning behind my
argument.
EspnFirstTake. Cam Newton: Criticized Because Im Incomparable. Online video clip. YouTube.
YouTube, 28 Jan. 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
In this video clip, Steven A. Smith issues out his opinion of Cam Newton's interview with ESPN. In the
interview, Cam Newton curbed a question from a reporter. Newton stated that no matter how he would
have answered the question, he knew it would be interpreted wrong. According to Smith, Cam Newton
has fulfilled all of his responsibilities as a leader in the league. He goes on to explain that America has
a set of standards that only apply to black quarterbacks. Smith states that society wants to tell African
American players how to act and perform. Cam Newton has been a quarterback in the league for five
years. During those five years, hes had a press conference every week and been bombarded with
questions on a weekly basis. Critics have continuously questioned his character and commitment to the

league. Caucasian quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees commitment to the
league does not get questioned weekly. It seems as though questions do not persist with Caucasian
quarterbacks. According to Skip Bayless, another ESPN host, his research showed that most of Cam
Newtons criticism comes from opponents that were defeated by him.
This article would be very beneficial to my research paper because it contains information that backs
up racism as being a part of the criticism of Cam Newton. It compared Cam Newton with Caucasian
quarterbacks and how Newton is bombarded with questions on a weekly basis. While Caucasian
players hardly ever have their character questioned, Cam Newton is continuously being harassed by the
media.
Hubbuch, Bart. You Wont Believe How Warren Moon Described Cam Newton Critics. New York
Post 1 Feb. 2016. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
In this article, Bart Hubbuch made some interesting claims regarding the criticism of Cam Newton. He
brings up comments made by Hall of Fame quarterback, Warren Moon. Moon knows what it is like to
be an African American quarterback in the NFL. With that being said, he has mentored Cam Newton
since he played at Auburn. It seems that Moon believes that Newton's criticism is stemming from his
past. In college, Cam Newton was involved in scandal of receiving stolen merchandise. This was a
mistake Newton made while he was a teenager. According to Moon, critics are holding onto the
negative things the Newton has done in his past. He states that critics act as if Cam Newton raped five
pastors daughters and is getting away with it. This just shows the severity of the Cam Newtons
criticism. He also goes on to explain how Cam Newton has evolved and created a more positive image
since his college days. Lately, Newton has refrained from doing anything but a celebration dance after
making a touchdown. There is no rule against doing a celebration dance in the league. However, critics
refuse to allow the past to die.
The strength of this article is the claim that Cam Newton's past may be fueling the criticism. From this

information, I gathered that critics may be targeting Newton because of his troubling past. It is
understood that critics already had pre-conceived notions about Newton before he entered the league.
As a result, they did not give him a fair chance because of these reasons. This analysis and support
from former quarterback, Warren Moon, will help validate my claim that the severity of the Cam
Newton criticism has gone too far.