Published April 1, 2011 - 8:05am
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Warren Moon has come out and said that the criticism of Cam Newton is fueled by racism. I’m very pro-Cam Newton and think he has major potential even at the next level, but I do understand the concerns about him, and think Moon’s comments are ridiculous.
Here’s what he had to say:
“A lot of the criticism he’s receiving is unfortunate and racially based,” Moon, who is Newton’s adviser, told the website. “I thought we were all past this. I don’t see other quarterbacks in the draft being criticized by the media or fans about their smile or called a phony. He’s being held to different standards from white quarterbacks. I thought we were past all this stuff about African-American quarterbacks, but I guess we’re not.
“Of course there is racism in every walk of society. We’ve made a lot of progress in this country. But racism is still there. I just thought in the sports arena we were beyond it. I think the way Cam is being treated shows we’re not.”
Again, I think Newton is an incredible player. Most of the criticism isn’t whether or not he is a viable option in the NFL, but more based on how high should he be drafted? At the top of the draft, millions of dollars are at stake and thus, any possible draft pick is put through incredible scrutiny. This isn’t racism, it’s business.
Moreover, to ignore the fact that Newton has had controversy surrounding his college career is just stupid. Does the controversy from college mean he won’t work out in the NFL? Of course not, but when you are doing guaranteed contracts in the tens of millions, wouldn’t you want to look into everything?
Racism it seems has changed its definition in recent times from criticizing someone because of the color of their skin to criticizing someone who is black.
Thoughts?

I thought we were passed the RACE Card becuase the President is HALF black. This is rediculous! People arent trashing his athleticism, just his character. Steal laptops, cheat on test(a couple of times!) and have your dad sell you around to school (which you claim you didnt know about) and you would probably be criticized too.
I know of no one that cares about the color of this kid’s skin! The argument has always been about his character! Warren Moon is “grasping at straws” with this one!
Cam Newton is an exceptional athlete, no matter the color his skin is. It’s his actions and character that most people are questioning.
Who are these critics that Warren Moon is reading? I haven’t seen any critics attack him for smiling.
Pretty sure Warren Moon is seeking either money or relevance. He’s likely out of both.