Cam Newton Needs to Show Humility

Auburn quarterback and Heisman frontrunner Cam Newton obviously didn’t learn anything from the backlash against LeBron James’ “Decision.” In an interview with ESPN’s Chris Fowler, Newton stole some of the words right out of James’ mouth.

“I felt that as a whole Auburn possessed, you know, what’s best for Cam Newton,” Newton said in response to a question regarding why he chose Auburn over Mississippi State. You’ve got to love a 21-year-old college student who refers to himself in the third person. And that was just one of the many times during the interview Newton referred to himself in that way.

When asked if he had any conversations with anyone at Mississippi State before signing with Auburn, Newton took the LeBronisms to the next level. He expressed a great amount of respect for Mississippi head football coach Dan Mullen, whom he called when he made his decision.

“I wanted to tell him how I really felt about him, and I told him, but I also told him that I was going to take my talents to, you know, Auburn,” Newton said. Really? After all the heat James took last summer, why would anyone else let those words escape their mouth?

The answer is simple — because Newton and James have one key personality trait in common — an ego that far exceeds their “talents.” James has the words “Chosen One” tattooed across his shoulders. He’s not exactly the poster child for humility — something a pastor’s son like Newton should exude.

It’s just not reasonable to believe that Newton had no idea that his father, Cecil, sought money for his son’s “talents.” It’s also ridiculous to think that, as he said in his interview, Newton has yet to discuss the issue with his father.

When you do the things Newton is capable of on the football field it’s easy to see how a sense of superiority might develop, but Newton needs to realize that the best thing for him right now is to be humble and use the word “me” once in a while.