Rituals are important to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.
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After scoring a touchdown during Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, he gave a game ball to lucky fan, Colin Toler. “We played in Green Bay past year and I didn’t see no “Panther Country” signs up there”.
Cam Newton said in the post-game press conference that bringing a Packers sign to the Panthers stadium was disrespectful.
When questioned about it, Newton said he was “protecting his house”. Lost in the shuffle of the “controversy” surrounding Newton tearing down a Green Bay fans’ sign is the fact that Newton is actually a pretty good dude.
“We make it tough, I don’t know why”, Panthers tight end Greg Olsen said. “I was passing, the sign was dangling…”, Newton continued. There, it’s just a respect thing.
“We thought he was coming to say “Hi” or “Thank you for your service” or something because I had my vet hat on”, Dobs said. The Army Veteran told WRAL he spent $500 on the banner and $3,700 on tickets to attend the game. When they realized Dobs’s family already had prime seats, he said a Panthers executive assured him they’d “make it up to him in a few way”.
Signs are allowed in Bank of America Stadium, but as part of National Football League policy, fans can not affix banners supporting opposing teams to the railings.
Wednesday, Dobs went to the UPS store in Fayetteville to pick up his new banner.
Dobs said he thought Newton was going to sign the banner as the quarterback approached them. We were excited to see Aaron and Cam on the field.
“I was just waiting on my moment and it came today on the first long one and I made sure I hauled that one in and kept feeding”, Funchess said.
Newton, Carolina’s fifth-year quarterback, mentioned the laptop incident at Florida in the context of his hope that his perseverance can serve as inspiration to others.
However, NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk noted that “the rules precluded him from displaying it in the first place”, with regards to the flaunting of the banner.
“You adjust as the season goes along”, Larrivee says, “teams will get a book on you”.
“It’s being taken care of”, Rivera told reporters Monday. It just doesn’t match”, Newton said after Sunday’s game “No disrespect to any Green Bay Packer.
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Colin got high-fives and selfie requests from the fans around him.
