Fire Moon's Claim That Newton is Victim of Racism

Moon: great at playing football and race cards.

Earlier this week NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon told CBSSports.com that some pre-draft criticism of top QB prospect Cam Newton is racially biased, and for that he should be fired.

Moon said: "[Newton] is being held to different standards from white quarterbacks. I thought we were past all this stuff about African-American quarterbacks, but I guess we're not. I don't see other quarterbacks in the draft being criticized by the media or fans about their smile or called a phony."

Moon was likely referring to comments made by Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly, who said Newton is "very disingenuous" with "a fake smile [that] comes off as very scripted." He also called Newton "selfish" with "an enormous ego" and "a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law." In addition, he "does not command respect from teammates and always will struggle to win a locker room," Nawrocki said.

It would seem very difficult to make that sort of scathing appraisal in limited contact with someone, and it's hard to say what "a fake smile" has to do with Newton's ability to throw a football. Maybe Nawrocki is a racist. Or perhaps Newton stood Nawrocki up for an interview and he's bitter. But maybe his comments are completely accurate, and should he not be able to make them simply because Newton is black? Most tellingly - Moon did not actually refute ANY of Nawrocki's (or any one else's) criticism of Newton.

Moon, who serves as an advisor to Newton, said many have questioned whether Newton can transition from the spread offense to a pro-style offense, but Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford (a Native American), who played in similar college schemes, faced few of the same questions. He's wrong. In a 2010 draft preview, NFL Draft Dog.com said: "Most of the passes in the [Oklahoma] playbook are out of the shotgun formation. That brings us to perhaps the biggest concern that GMs have about not only Bradford but almost all of the college spread formation quarterbacks—what about his footwork?"

Then there's JaMarcus Russell, the latest cautionary tale whom Moon said is being lumped with Newton. Russell was as hot a prospect in 2007 as Peyton Manning in 1997. ESPN's Todd McShay said at the time (to his everlasting shame no doubt): "I can't remember being in such awe of a quarterback in my decade of attending combines and pro days. Russell's passing session was the most impressive of all the pro days I've been to. His footwork for such a big quarterback was surprising. He was nimble in his dropbacks, rolling out and throwing on the run." Russell didn't draw the same type of criticism as Newton has, so perhaps there is just something about Newton that rubs people the wrong way and is unrelated to race?

Moon experienced racism in his life and knows of what he speaks. But it seems like every time there is criticism of a black athlete that could be construed as racist, someone plays the race card. Moon said he "thought we were past all this stuff with African-American quarterbacks." As long as people keep bringing up race on questionable grounds, we won't get past it.