Newton's time is now for Carolina

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) throws during practice in preparation for the Super Bowl 50 football game Thursday Feb. 4, 2016 in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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SAN FRANCISCO • He is revered by teammates, respected by opponents. Some would deny him his youthful exuberance. His swagger, after all, can be over the top.

But it’s clear this is Cam Newton’s time. He is exploding onto the scene as one of the sports world’s most captivating personalities, and bringing the Carolina Panthers along for the ride.

For many, Denver’s Peyton Manning is the sentimental choice to win Super Bowl 50. But the brash, young quarterback on the other sideline looks every bit like the future of the game.

“Cam Newton will be named the MVP, and that’s who you are facing in the Super Bowl,” said Rams Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk, framing the challenge facing Manning.

“It’s not like it’s Rex Grossman. This is Cam Newton. And Cam has earned everything that he has gotten.

“We have scrutinized him from dancing, to press conference etiquette, to attire. We’ve picked him apart. And right now he stands one game away, one man away, from winning what this league is all about. The Super Bowl.”

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Newton arrived here for Super Bowl 50, and social media exploded because he was wearing a gold zebra-striped pair of Versace pants, priced at $849.

He did a fashion 180 at his Tuesday media session — wearing a plain white T — and some criticized him for not dressing up. On Thursday, his final media obligation of the week, he was asked why he was wearing socks with his sandals.

Newton turned the tables on his inquisitor.

“Why are you wearing jeans with shoes?” Newton replied. “It’s just comfort. I mean we’re still at our team hotel, so it just gives you guys something else to talk about, you know?”

Newton normally craves attention like a moth craves light. He oozes charisma. For him, it’s never a case of a little “dab” will do you. He enjoys the spotlight, and gets it.

Snoop Dogg shows up to interview him. Reporters from Hungary, Japan, Mexico — you name it — jockey for a sound bite.

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He can be funny, as in: “I’m trilingual myself. I know how to speak Spanish, English obviously — and I speak pretty good Ebonics.”

But he can also stir the pot. As in: “I’m a African-American quarterback and that scares people.”

As Super Bowl week progressed, Newton declined to engage in any further discussion on race and quarterbacks.

“I don’t even want to touch on the topic of black quarterback, because I think this game is bigger than black, white, or even green,” Newton said Tuesday. “So I think we limit ourselves when we label ourselves just black, this, that, and the third.”

A reporter persisted on the subject, asking Newton about the stereotype of the black quarterback as being unable to play in the pocket.

“I think we shattered that a long time ago,” Newton replied.

And then came a question on whether the stereotyping of black quarterbacks was an issue.

Unruffled, Newton replied: “It’s not an issue. It’s an issue for you.”

To some, the entire issue of Newton’s cocky in-game celebrations and the whole notion — as he puts it — of being the “scary African-American quarterback” is overblown and an over-worn theme.

But if there’s anyone that should be “scared” of Newton, it’s the AFC champion Denver Broncos. So far no one’s discovered a Kryptonite for the man who plays like Superman. The Broncos must figure out a way to defend his laser-like passes, keep him from breaking contain on the pass rush, and try to bring down his 6-foot-5, 245-pound frame in short yardage.

But you know what? Even the opposition likes him.

“That’s my favorite quarterback,” Denver linebacker Von Miller said. “I really do like everything about him. He shows a lot of emotion. You can see the way his teammates react to him, that everybody loves him. I just think he’s great. He’s a great quarterback, and he’s the future of the sport.”

Much to the delight of Charlotte-area youth, who get a football after each touchdown these days, Newton has been a TD machine for the 17-1 Panthers. During the regular season, he threw for 35 TDs and scored 10 more rushing. In two playoff contests leading up to Sunday’s Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium, Newton has accounted for five more — three by air and two by land.

Beyond the production and the raw numbers is the leadership he provides on and away from the field.

“Love him,” said Carolina cornerback Cortland Finnegan, the former Ram. “What I love about him most is there’ll be a serious moment, and he’ll find a way to lighten the mood.

“And he’ll demand so much respect, and he’ll go out there and make a play. There’s nothing that he hasn’t been able to do. He’s got my MVP vote, and that’s because not only what he does on the field but what he does off the field.

“What he does off the field is not very much covered, but I can tell you that he’s always been about the team. And that’s one of the things that you can’t put into words.”

At just 26 years old, and five years into his NFL career, Newton probably hasn’t even hit his prime. But in order to make it to the pantheon of NFL quarterbacks, it helps immensely to win a Super Bowl. Or two.

As Carolina coach Ron Rivera says, it’s Newton’s time. He’s won a junior college championship. An NCAA championship. Next up: the Lombardi Trophy.

“Most certainly, I think it’s his moment,” Rivera said. “As well as it’s our moment. I think having been in the national championship game (for Auburn), it’s kind of helped him in terms of preparation for the onslaught of attention we have gotten as a football team and he’s gotten as an individual.”

But as Super Bowl week wore on, even Newton seemed to tire of all the questions. His charisma tank was running low.

He was very short with some answers. On several occasions, he prefaced an answer by saying he’s addressed the question a thousand times. At Wednesday’s session, he began the proceedings by saying: “Nothing has changed since 24 hours (ago),” and repeated those words Thursday.

But the talking is over. On Sunday, he gets to do what he does best: play football. And this time, it’s in front of the entire football world.

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