ESPN First Take host Stephen A. Smith said Cam Newton will be treated like a villain if he beats Peyton Manning. Is he right for once?
ESPN may have some of the best sports programming on TV but one of their most hated shows has to be First Take.
Centered around Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless, the show is chalked full of unnecessary yelling and reasoning that causes most fans to roll their eyes. However, when asked about Cam Newton and the Panthers playing in the Super Bowl, Stephen A gave an interesting answer that could ring true.
After the NFC and AFC Championship games wrapped Sunday, the biggest narrative likely becomes Peyton Manning’s last Super Bowl appearance. But during First Take Smith interjected by saying that “Cam Newton is going to be a villain.”
As much as I hate to agree with Stephen A. Smith, he’s right.
No matter what happens, all eyes will be on Manning because he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the game with retirement looming. But if Newton wins, he will become enemy number one because he took down Manning in his possibly the last game of his career.
This won’t be the first time Newton has been labeled a villain. The fact he has fun on the field has angered more than a few people, even when he gives souvenir footballs to kids after a touchdown. And more recently, Newton has been on the receiving end of hate from countless Seahawks fans.
The Super Bowl will be full of story lines, but Manning vs. Newton will be the most exciting. If Newton wins, will Stephen A be right in that he becomes a villain or will Manning be able to pull it off one last time? Stay tuned…
Featured image via 247 Sports
