The NFL is always proactive when it comes to correcting the issues plaguing the league. This offseason, they made sideline penalties a point of emphasis, because fans were frustrated with players standing too close to the field. It’s all anyone talked about, I guess? It really spoiled the enjoyment of the game for many. It was the bane of my existence, that’s for sure.
Sure, the NFL refused to simplify the definition of a catch, but hey, as long as players not in the game don’t get too close to side judges or gunners on punt coverage, the real scourge has been identified.
Anyhoo, Cam Newton’s celebrating a 95-yard interception return for a touchdown by running on the field negated the score during Carolina’s first preseason game with Baltimore on Thursday night. It goes down as an “illegal substitution” penalty, even though he was just trailing the play with his arms raised, not blocking for A.J. Klein.
The Panthers lost the TD but kept the ball at the Ravens 26, which means Newton must have run on the field really late into the return? Trying to find an explanation about the ball placement after a penalty in a preseason game seems impossible. All I know is Newton did a bad thing and it doesn’t matter that it’s preseason and the Panthers scored a TD five plays later.
Newton is very remorseful about this, according to ESPN.
“I just got too excited. I was hoping they would give a warning. … I don’t want to have a discussion about something that I’ve learned from. You live and you learn … It happened. We all learned something as a team. We’re moving forward.”
Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be video of this play, so I’m making the assumption that Newton darted just across the sideline because he was so pumped about a teammate scoring. It’s a mistake involving a new rule in a preseason game, something that happens every year to someone, and it’s simply not a big deal and shouldn’t be used to impugn the character of one of the game’s brightest stars.
But what if I was one of those people that didn’t want to do that?
There’s no video, so how do we know Newton didn’t rip off his jersey and run to midfield so everyone would watch him, seeing as how he’s very selfish and bad? I’m only reading quotes, but it’s pretty easy to tell Newton wasn’t remorseful enough for my liking. He’s not a leader.
A real leader is Tom Brady, who would not have run on the field in the Patriots’ first preseason game if a teammate scored a defensive touchdown – because he was smart enough to not be at his team’s first preseason game. Heck, he was smart enough to cheat two years ago so he wouldn’t be at his team’s FIRST FOUR regular-season games, so there’s no way he can negate a defensive touchdown even 25 percent of the way through the season.
Clearly, Newton can learn a lot from the suspended Brady, who considers Donald Trump a friend.
(Via ESPN)
