Stop Comparing Cam Newton To Jordan Spieth

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On the surface, Cam Newton and Jordan Spieth don’t have much in common other than that they’ve both lost major sporting events in the last few months. The Carolina Panthers lost Super Bowl 50 to the Denver Broncos in February and Spieth had a massive meltdown on the back nine during Sunday’s final round action of the Masters.

Those losses were crushing in their own ways. Newton was playing in his first Super Bowl, something he, along with every other kid that’s ever played football, has been waiting for his entire life. Spieth, on the other hand, knows what it’s like to win a Masters, and through 63 holes in Augusta, was on his way to winning another.

Both spent countless hours practicing and preparing their craft. Both came up short. That’s where the comparison ends, though.

How Newton and Spieth handled those losses were different, if for no other reason than they’re two completely different people. Still, Twitter loves to compare things that have, at best, loose connections in an effort to push a narrative they think does (or should) exist.

In this instance, it was about Newton “learning something” from Spieth.


To Spieth’s credit, he did handle his post-Masters interview well, given the circumstances — those circumstances being that he had to put the ceremonial green jacket on Danny Willett. That’s the jacket, in Spieth’s mind, that he should have been wearing. To partake in that had to be excruciating for Spieth.

But that’s how Spieth reacted. Newton has nothing to do with it. No, Newton didn’t handle the Super Bowl loss well. This is well-documented. But not every athlete handles big losses well. It’s certainly not worth revisiting as some sort of teachable moment. Maybe Newton’s learned from it, maybe he hasn’t. Either way, those are the types of frivolous matters that have no bearing on our own lives at all.

At this point, those making comparisons are more interested in teaching Newton a lesson than focusing on Spieth anyway. And before anyone goes anointing Spieth as the king of “class,” understand that even composed athletes have moments where they need some time to themselves:

Spieth had a moment of frustration before composing himself. Newton couldn’t quite bring himself to answer questions following the biggest loss of his life.

If you can’t let that go, then it’s a personal thing against Newton. If you’re going to feel that way, fine, but just be honest about it.

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