Cam Newton, San Diego Chargers, and Florida State

Three thoughts:

Cam Newton?  No sooner do I apologize for my public frustration with Cam Newton than I read that Newton goes with this blast:  “I’m an African-American quarterback that scares people because they haven’t seen nothing that they can compare me to.”

At first I was upset about the comment then I thought back to all the football I’ve watched in 43 years and I actually laughed at the absurdity and sheer arrogance of his statement.  Maybe I’m missing the context of what he said and I hope I did, but I’m going to go off the quote itself assuming he actually meant what he said.

Scared?  Please…I don’t go to bed at night shaking in fear because you are a good Quarterback.  Trust me Cam, one Quarterback from the Carolina Panthers isn’t going to “SCARE” me.  In fact, quite the opposite, I’m actually coming around to appreciate your ability and talent as a quarterback.

Compare?  Hey Cam, not to burst your bubble, but we’ve actually seen what you do before.  Ever heard of Warren Moon?  Go back and look at what Warren Moon (one of the statistically best QB’s in NFL history) had to deal with just to get into the NFL to get a chance to prove himself, then watch him play in the NFL.  If he could have started his NFL career sooner rather than have to play five years in Canada waiting for a chance, we could be talking about him as the best Quarterback ever.

Ever heard of Randall Cunningham? The late Steve McNair (Super Bowl Starter)? Donovan McNabb (Super Bowl Starter)?

No?  How ‘bout current players such as Super Bowl Champion Russell Wilson and Michael Vick?  You do them a great disservice by your comment.  It smacks of a lack of knowledge of NFL history at best, disrespect of that history at worst.

San Diego Chargers.  A little bit of honesty here, I have always had a soft spot for the San Diego Chargers.  Love the location, the logo, the uniforms, loved Air Coryell, LT, just everything.  But we are coming down to the final dance for the baby blues…

The Chargers announced that they will remain in San Diego for another year, but that they have also agreed in principle with the Rams to share that palace in Los Angeles starting in 2017 if things can’t be worked out in 2016.

As a fan who is appreciative that the NBA gave Sacramento one more year to make their miracle, San Diego and the Chargers have been “trying” (quotes intended) for 30 years to negotiate for a new stadium and it just couldn’t happen.  What’s going to change in one year?

My take is that the difference here is this – San Diego is the one city in the NFL-sphere that doesn’t necessarily need the NFL, if you have ever been there, you know exactly what I’m talking about!!!  I can’t imagine San Diego falling to pieces if the Chargers leave.

Which leads me to this thought:  As much as I have the soft spot, I actually lived down there for eight years and I never once got the impression that the Chargers were ever fully supported by the city and by those who live there.  In fact, it almost always seemed to me that San Diego was much more of a Raider town, with the exception of the Coryell/Fouts years.

So here’s my two questions:  Assuming politicians and businessmen can get together to make it happen (A BIG IF):  Where are they gonna put this stadium that makes sense, and do they have enough fans that will support the team?

I hope I’m wrong, but this seems like an exercise in futility and that all this is doing is tearing the heart of the true San Diego fans.

Florida State 2016 Football Schedule.  I’ve criticized my former team (Florida State) for their literal CHICKEN SHIT schedules they’ve played in the past.  But this year, they actually are going to play an improved (it could use further improvement) schedule (and in 2017 they get Alabama):

Home:  Charleston Southern, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Clemson, Boston College, Florida

Road:  Louisville, South Florida, Miami (FL), NC State, Syracuse

Neutral:  Ole Miss (Orlando)

It’s improved and adding a solid SEC West team is good, but one piece of constructive criticism here:  I would replace Wake Forest with Notre Dame, and if they’re gonna have a cupcake on their schedule, make it one from Florida, maybe Florida A&M?  Don’t they share Tallahassee?

We have to be honest here – in the future a one loss ACC Champ may not make it to the dance.  This past season, if the PAC 12 wasn’t busy killing off each other (read: Stanford), they would have got a playoff nod and it could very well have been at the expense of Clemson.  The writing is on the wall – Florida State MUST play a more challenging schedule to be even remotely close to getting a sniff at the playoffs.

The thing to remember here is that the media absolutely makes it a point to bitch about the ACC even more so than the Big 12 and that apparently resonates – the ACC Champion MUST play a strong out of conference schedule and should really consider getting rid of the one remaining cupcake on their schedule.   The ACC as a whole has got to step it up.  There are solid programs there, but they all have to take that next step.  Lots of tradition, but they need to step it up.