Who do you hate least, Caveman Luck or Pretty Boy Brady

Grab the mic Panther fans and let the nation know!  Open Mic is an open discussion thread. Just drop a comment in the comments section below.  Respond to other fans, and as always #KeepPounding.

It's really splitting neck hairs isn't it?  Who is worse, the Caveman who chose to go back to school for interior design instead of coming to Carolina, or the playboy who ruined our decade?They both suck, so who sucks the least?

Boomer Esiason's Bigoted Top 5 NFL Overrated Players

Boomer Esiason recently released a Top 5 Overrated NFL Players list, ranking Cam Newton #1 overrated NFL player. The bulk of Boomer’s claim rested on two premises.  First, “He is not Peyton Manning; he is not Drew Brees; he is not Tom Brady, or Aaron Rodgers,” he stated.  Second, he questioned if Cam made players around him better or if they made him better than he really is? Now really we could just stop there. Boomer obviously hasn’t looked at the Panthers’ roster lately or followed the organization over the last five years. Did he notice the 2-14 team Cam inherited? This team had serious personnel deficiencies on both sides of the ball prior to last season.  While Gettleman addressed these deficiencies on defense, there are still glaring personnel weaknesses on offense. The offensive line has been in shambles for years, Carolina has never had a strong receiving core, and the backfield has ran half-staff because of Jonathan’s Stewart's chronic injuries. I guess Boomer views Steve Smith’s 2011 and 2012 resurrection as a result of him simply turning on a switch. The three years, he languished in obscurity must of been because he didn’t make Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen better, but just chose to under-perform.

Boomer’s claim is just another example of the longstanding disdain for Cam Newton by a substantial portion of the national media. This is nothing new, but by this point it has become so commonplace, one has to wonder does this have anything really to do with Cam himself, or is there some underlying prejudice involved?  Is it Cam or is it the “new age” quarterback?  Because these guys aren’t the “prototypical” statue quarterbacks that the Boomers were, there is this strange belief that they they aren’t athletic quarterbacks, but just great athletes who just happen to play quarterback.  Their success is rarely attributed to their quarterbacking ability, but instead attributed to “freakish athleticism.”

I’ll let you draw your own conclusions as to why that is…..I’ve got my own, which will be coming to the website soon. Let’s just say Cam Newton and RGIII are viewed as guys whose successes are because of their athleticism, while Boomer’s boy Andrew Luck’s quarterbacking foregone greatness says a lot. If you can tolerate Boomer until his take on Trent Richardson, he describes Luck as “an All-World quarterback.”  So what has Luck done to establish himself as “All World” already?  Was it his one playoff win?  Is that all it takes?  What does it say to just accept Luck’s greatness, but then call Cam overrated in the midst to comparing him to quarterbacks with Super Bowl rings and who on their way to the Hall of Fame.

Please Boomer, point to the stats that so clearly delineate Andrew Luck as an “All World” quarterback, but regulate Cam to a “good” quarterback.  Take a look at their career stats, and you’ll see that this supposed gap doesn’t exist.

Cam Newton

Year	QBrec	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	Int	Int%	QBR	Sk	Yds	4QC	GWD
2011*	6-10-0	310	517	60.0	4051	21	17	3.3	55.04	35	260	1	1
2012	7-9-0	280	485	57.7	3869	19	12	2.5	54.22	36	244	1	1
2013*	12-4-0	292	473	61.7	3379	24	13	2.7		43	336	4	4
Career	25-23-0	882	1475	59.8	11299	64	42	2.8		114	840	6	6

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/31/2014.

Andrew Luck

Year	QBrec	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	Int	Int%	QBR	Sk	Yds	4QC	GWD
2012*	11-5-0	339	627	54.1	4374	23	18	2.9	64.99	41	246	4	7
2013*	11-5-0	343	570	60.2	3822	23	9	1.6		32	227	4	4
Career	22-10-0	682	1197	57.0	8196	46	27	2.3		73	473	8	11

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/31/2014.

I’m not saying that Cam Newton should be proclaimed an elite QB right now, but I don’t think Andrew Luck should be either just yet.

What ensues from all of this is that Cam isn’t overrated, Boomer, he is underrated.  Like I said, this is nothing new.  He has withstood unwarranted criticism from a dismissive media before he ever took an NFL snap.   Former Texan GM Charlie Casserly sounded just as prejudiced as Boomer when he stated that he would “take Kevin Kolb over Cam Newton 100 times out of 100 chances.”

This is just silly.  Cam Newton has been nothing less than sensational since the very first moment he stepped on the field. He took the league by storm, putting up Madden numbers in his rookie season when all circumstances seemed to suggest a difficult transition to the NFL.  During a lockout year, 2-12 team, and a new head coach, Cam defied the diminutive analysis from haters like Casserly by earning Rookie of the Year, making the Pro Bowl, and shattering rookie quarterback records in rushing, passing, and rushing TDs. 

In further contradiction to the hate, Cam has only improved each year--like any young promising player should. This past year’s steps forward as a leader on and off the field, the ability to will 4th quarter wins, a 61.7% completion rate, and a 12-4 record all support Cam’s growth and the reality that he is a NFL quarterback--not just a freak athlete who plays quarterback.

So, consider this reality laying the “boom” on the subconsciously bigoted Boomer! It's time to just accept that Cam Newton is just as viable as any other talented, effective quarterback who has yet to win a Super Bowl Championship.  Even when he does, I have a sneaky feeling it will not be because of "Cam," but in spite of him in the eyes of guys like Boomer Esiason.  How many Super Bowls did Boomer win by the way?  Should we judge him in comparison to Montana, Young, Elway, and Favre in an overrated discussion?  I'm guessing he won't fair well in such company in the end.  One thing is for sure, most people think of it like this......

By "the Professor" aka Tony Dunn.
@Cat_Chronicles

C3 Podcast: Was Cam Newton Lucky He Outranked Luck in the NFL Top 100?

The C3 Crew brings on Drafttek.com's Rick McGlothlin aka ColtsDrafter and Jake Arthur, Editor/Indianapolis Colts Beat Writer for @IndySportsRep, to tackle the question. Let the fan debate continue as we anticipate this upcoming season.  The guys will also discuss the Colts and Panthers 2014 outlook in relation to the two young quarterbacks, Andrew Luck and Cam Newton.  

Cam Newton or Andrew Luck? Your Call Panther Nation! Vote

So it seems as though Panther Nation is sensitive to the topic of Cam vs Luck.  I posed the question on Facebook “Would you trade Cam for Luck?”  375 responses later (and counting) I realized that this is not your ordinary Panther topic.  Why does this question resonate?  I can’t speak for all of Panther Nation but I can speak for myself and I can share some of the posts.  Let me know if you agree and then vote for who you think is better, Andrew Luck or Super Cam. 

Then tune in to this website at 10:00 EST on Tuesday July 1 and watch us discuss the results and this topic with two Colts Fans.  One of which is my fellow DraftTek Analyst, Rick McGlothlin.  This is going to be good. 

First, here are some posts from Facebook: 

·                  

Remove

Donald Hamrick Like Marcus said he don't know what game u watched so Aaron it clearly speaks u don't know shit about football cause da QB was doing a little bit of everything then Steve Smith didn't really catch shit that's why he no longer with u no disrespect to him but we have to move forward with Benjamin just watch as this team progress fake ass Panthers why don't u ride the bandwagon with the Colts u look better

·        

Remove

Will Britt Cam is the best player for the panthers. He gets the stadium pumped and it is not boring to go to a game anymore. Cam Newton all the way! #KeepPounding

·        

Remove

Aaron Prince I am a long time panther fan. Our defense won us all those games. Cam blew the playoffs. So I'm in favor of shipping him out for Luck, that's if the colts would have cam.

Now here is my perspective:  Did you have a hot girlfriend in high school that either turned you down or dumped you?  Well I did and I equate her to Andrew Luck.  There will always be that “WTH” component when thinking about her and about Luck.  He basically told us that we weren’t good enough for him so he went back to Stanford.  Well, just like in real life, I married way better than that girl from past and we at Panther Nation married way better with Cam. 

Now go vote and let’s see what you think Panther Nation.  Let’s hear your voice!  And follow me on twitter @PanthersDrafter.  And as always, Keep Pounding.

Was it Luck that Cam Newton Ranked Ahead of Andrew "Caveman" Luck in the NFL Top 100?

Wednesday night, NFL Network continued its Top 100 Players of 2014 and, in a somewhat shocking reveal ranked Cam Newton at #24.  Although I was a little surprised, I wasn’t disappointed.  It’s nice to see Cam get some credit for his growth as a player and contribution to Carolina’s divisional
championship run.  I thought this was a fair ranking, despite the fact that Cam’s stats declined on paper a bit.  Cam may have not put up the freakish numbers he did in his first two seasons, but he did have his best season as a quarterback, leading his team to 12 wins, a division championship, and an impressive 62% completion rate.  Perhaps the most pleasing part of this ranking was that SuperCam was ranked six spots higher than Andrew Luck.  Anytime I see Cam Newton stick it to Andrew Luck, I’m smiling!  I still believe Andrew Luck decided to forgo the NFL draft and return for his senior season because he didn’t want to come to Carolina—and for that I will never like him.  Maybe I should though, because I love some Cam Newton.  This guy has what it takes to be one of the greatest ever, and I’m still ecstatic he landed in Carolina!

Described by Ryan Kalil as an “incredible teammate” and by Mike Tolbert as “destined for greatness,” Cam Newton has become Carolina’s first superstar.  He is the first player in NFL history to accumulate more than 13,000 combined passing and rushing yards in his first three seasons.  His rise to stardom hasn’t been without criticism, however, and neither was this ranking ahead of Andrew Luck at #24 out of 100.  In NFL Network’s Around the League podcast, Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal and Chris Wesseling all stated they would all take Andrew Luck over of Cam Newton.  Rosenthal claimed that it “really isn’t even close” between the two and that he didn’t think any GM would take Newton ahead of Luck.   I’m not sure I agree.  Look, Luck is clearly a good player, but so is Cam.  These guys are way too in love with Andrew Luck.  Dan Hanzus joked he would “get in bed” with Andrew Luck over even Aaron Rodgers!

Cam took a big step forward last year as a quarterback and leader.  I truly believe he is showing that he will be better than anyone expected.  So many want to write him off as a running quarterback or just a freak athlete.  Yes, he is a freak athlete and he can shrug off six tackles and the run for 30 yards, but he’s also emerging as a top-tier quarterback.  If he continues to improve as he did last year, WATCH OUT!  You may just be watching one of the greatest ever.

Cam is the real deal.  Let’s hope he gets a big deal from Dave Gettleman and proves it to the haters.