Cherrelle Cox

March 27, 2016

Assignment Three
Title: Cam Newton Criticism: Finding the Underlying Issue
The title I chose to accommodate my research paper is effective in many ways. The title give readers
the following information: the subject and the approach. First and foremost, it tells the audience what
the research paper is about. The audience will automatically know what I intend on talking based off of
the title of the paper. Finally, the second part of the title informs reader how I plan to deliver the
information. Glancing at the title, readers should know that the paper is about the criticism of NFL
athlete Cam Newton. The second part of the title, finding the underlying issue, lets the audience know
that I completed some research to provide support for the topic. The second part of the title also leaves
a mystery for the audience. After reading the title, readers are left in the dark of what the underlying
issue may be, which leaves them curious. I decided to use the two step title approach by placing a colon
within the title. The goal of using this title is to give the audience the information they need in order for
them to decide whether they want to continue reading.
Introduction:
From my point of view, the best way to start the introduction paragraph is with a question. This
approach serves as a guideline to challenge the reader's thinking. The question may relate to asking the
audience, why they think Cam Newton is heavily criticized. The question will give readers a chance to
think about the issue. Using the question in the introduction is a way to connect with the audience and
to get them involved. As a result, readers are less likely to lose interest in the paper. Another question
may be, whether they think race is at the core of the criticism. The goal of the introduction paragraph is
to grab the attention of the audience by testing their way of thinking, leaving them wanting more
evidence to support my position on the issue.
Thesis:

My thesis statement will be similar to: In this research paper, the audience will be informed that race is
at the core of the Cam Newton criticism. The thesis statement that I have listed may not have the exact
wording, however, it will be similar in nature. I would like to have a thesis that is straight-forward. As a
result, the audience will already be aware of what the research paper is about. I plan to center the paper
around the fact that Cam Newton being discriminated or stereotyped in the league because of his race.
My objective is to prepare the audience with the main idea of the paper, therefore, they will know what
to expect out the remainder of the paper. Once the thesis becomes clearer, I plan to introduce the
evidence, such as statements, interviews, etc., to solidify my argument.
Entry #1: Survey
I plan to use the surveys to gather the opinions of a random group of individuals. Following the
submission, I will then analyze the data from the survey. I want to issue out surveys in an attempt to
determine other peoples thoughts, besides critics and myself, on the Cam Newton criticism. I think that
this will be an interesting way to receive feedback on the issue.
Entry #2: Newspaper Article
As the author, I would go in depth of how critics point out irrelevant things about Cam Newton to
assassinate his character. Critics like to magnify Newtons celebration dances and his reaction in press
conferences. However, those same critics taunt Cam Newton in press conferences every week about
senseless topics. When Newton decides not to answer their questions, they call him arrogant. My goal
is to explain to the audience that critics torment Cam Newton to get a reaction out of him.
Entry #3: Letter to Editor
In the letter, I would tell the editor how I feel about Cam Newton. I would tell him or her that Cam
Newton is just having fun while doing what he loves to do. Instead of portraying him to be a villain like
critics, I would list the things that critics do to provoke him, such as harassing him in press conferences
every week, questioning his commitment to the league, and criticizing for doing celebration dances. I
plan to point out that other players commit the same acts as Cam Newton, however, they do not receive

criticism for it because they are not the same color as him. In this entry, I intend on pointing out the
double standard in the league in the regards of race.
Entry #4: Collage
I would use the collage to paint a picture of Cam Newton. I plan on finding pictures of him making
plays on the field, celebrating, participating in press conferences, etc. The collage will show Cam
Newton as a person and some of the things he endures as an athlete. Another idea would be a
compare/contrast collage. This collage would illustrate the reaction to Cam Newton's behavior versus
the reaction to Caucasian players' behavior. As a result, the double-standard would be exemplified
before the audience.
Entry #5: Time-line
I would use the time-line to demonstrate a trend analysis of back-lashing among African American
athletes. After doing research, I gathered that many African American players have endured what Cam
Newton is experiencing today. My objective is to exhibit that there is a trend of criticism among
African American players in the league. As a result, the audience will grasped the fact that race is a
factor in the criticism.
Entry #6: Report
I would use the report to show a ratio of how much critics target African American athletes, particularly
Cam Newton, versus Caucasian athletes. From the information I gathered from research, Cam Newton
has press conferences every week. Also, he gets his character and commitment questioned repeatedly. I
would like to show my audience that Cam Newton is targeted because of his race. Caucasian athletes
hardly ever get their commitment to the league questioned. My objective is to exemplify whatever Cam
Newton does, big or small, it will be magnified because of the color of his skin.
Entry #7: Diary
In my diary, I would like to explain why I believe Cam Newton is at the center of criticism. I would
gather all the information that I gathered from research and incorporate it as a personal entry in my

diary. I think this will show the audience why I chose my position on the issue. It will give the audience
a chance to view the argument from my point of view. I believe that Newton's personality and
intentions in the league are misconstrued. In history, black athletes weren't suitable to be quarterbacks.
Nonetheless, Cam Newton is a successful African American quarterback. Therefore, Newton is always
being targeted in the media.
Concluding Strategy:
In my concluding paragraph, I plan to tie up all the loose ends. In this paragraph, I will analyze a
photograph with four players pictured. In the photograph, three of the four players are Caucasian and
underneath their photos read the words: warrior, passionate, and resilient. While under the fourth player
picture read the words: showboating, bad role model, disgrace, and thug. The fourth player is Cam
Newton, who is an African American quarterback. The four players are committing similar if not the
same acts. However, Cam Newton picture is the only one to receive negative feedback. I believe this
photograph will validate all claims made in the body of the research paper. As a result, the audience
will be convinced that race does play a role in the criticism of Cam Newton. The goal of the concluding
paragraph is to sum up all of my points with the submission of the photograph. By the end of this
paragraph, the audience should be able to view the criticism of Cam Newton from my stance.

Armour, Nancy. The Real Reason behind Criticism of Cam Newton. USA Today (2016): n.p.
Academic Search Premier. 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. Newton's Law? More Wins. USA Today (2016): n.p. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22
Mar. 2016.
In this article, North Carolina Panthers' Coach, Ron Rivera mentioned how critics continuously
bombard Cam Newton with the same questions. According to Rivera, critics should allow Newton's
actions to speak for itself on the football field. This article could help validate my reasoning that critics

are targeting African American quarterbacks. The questions critics choose to ask are questions they can
find out by watching him on the field. Instead, critics harass Newton until they receive a negative
reaction. Thus, they will have something to torment him about in the future. In the end, it is a lose-lose
situation. Regardless of how Cam Newton tries to solidify his image, critics still decide to sabotage his
name time and time again.
Bell, Jarrett. Racial Bias Builds Hurdle for Smith. USA Today (2016): n.p. Academic Search Premier.
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.
Conyer Jr., James L. Race in American Sports. Jefferson: McFarland, 2014. Print.

This book will complement my research paper very well. The information relates to how society is
constantly reminded that race still matters in everyday life, particularly sports. According to the book,
African Americans are considered intellectually inferior and athletically superior to their counterparts.
This explains why Cam Newton is heavily criticized in press conferences and interviews. The media
attempts to portray successful African American athletes such as Cam Newton as being a villain. From
what I grasped from the book, critics chose to target African American athletes so that they can belittle
them. This information will help me exhibit the racial bias as it pertains to Cam Newton.
EspnFirstTake. Cam Newton: Criticized Because Im Incomparable. 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.

Harris, John. Cam Newton: Why is Race Talk Dominating Media instead of His MVP Performance?
BOSS Sports. 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.
Hubbuch, Bart. You Wont Believe How Warren Moon Described Cam Newton Critics. New York
Post. 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.
Is Newton Showing Off or Simply Celebrating? USA Today (2016): n.p. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 22 Mar. 2016.

This article contains random people responding the criticism of Cam Newton. According to the
responses, many people believe Cam Newton criticism comes from jealousy and race. This article
complements my stance in the research paper. Either people don't have a problem with Newton's
behavior in the league or they believe hes arrogant for his actions. There are several contradictions in
some of the comments. One particular comment states that it is perfectly fine for Green Bay Packers'
players to celebrate, however, they believe that Cam Newton is selfish for completing similar behavior.
The criticism boils down to one specific issue: race. The first thing critics see when they look at Cam
Newton is color. His talent is not acknowledged because critics cannot seem to look past the color of
his skin.
Messianeo, Joe. Why Cam Newton's Dancing is a Dumb Controversy. Football Nation. Football
Nation, LLC. 2015. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
This article introduces the facts of why Cam Newton receives so much attention. First, the Carolina
Panthers remained undefeated for a while during their regular season. Next, he violates the NFL
unwritten rules that seem to honor those of Caucasian players. According to the article, the unwritten
laws are racially coded. Therefore, Caucasian players can get away with things that players like Cam
Newton cannot. With that being said, this article hits on the topic of race being a part of the criticism. It
adds another measure of depth by stating that the NFL unwritten laws are racially coded. This
statement validates that Cam Newton is targeted because of his race.
Peter, Josh. Super bowls First Black Quarterback Defends Cam Newton. USA Today Sports. USA
Today, 1 Feb. 2016. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
In 1988, Doug Williams was the first black quarterback to play in the Super bowl. The situation of Cam
Newton being criticism seem so familiar to Williams. According to Williams, people are going to deny
race being a part of criticism regardless of the circumstances. I could use this article to illustrate a trend
of back-lash of African American quarterbacks that goes all the way back to 1988. This article will

present harder evidence that critics are targeting Cam Newton because of his race. Doug Williams did
not celebrate or have a past that Cam do, but he still received criticism. Critics seem to find reasons to
target African American players. Having records of African American quarterback stating that they
were heavily criticized creates a trend analysis. Also, it further validates my claim in the research paper.