Cameron Newton: Entertainer/Icon

Indianapolis, IN- Cam Newton, former Auburn Tigers quarterback and 2010 Heisman Trophy winner, has created a significant stir at the NFL combine in Indianapolis this week.  In an interview Thursday, he stated that he views himself “not only as a football player, but an entertainer and an icon.”   The controversy that ensued led him to begin his press conference with the media on Saturday with the following statement:

                “First and foremost, I understand that my obligation is to be the best possible football player that I can be. I know and believe that.  The recent comments were made during the announcement of my new endorsement partnership.  I was making the point that I want to be the best possible ambassador for (Under Armour), just like I want to be the best possible ambassador for whatever team I am lucky enough to play for.  I’m excited to compete this week, and you will see me doing everything possible to become the best player I can possibly be.”

This is just the latest event in a season’s worth of controversy for the Heisman Trophy winning QB who briefly lost NCAA eligibility this year due to a pay-to-play scam orchestrated by his father, Cecil Newton, and Kenny Rogers, a scouting agent with ties to Mississippi State University.

Following the interview, Newton’s agent Buss Cook clarified his previous statements even further.  “What Cam was trying to say,” Cook said “was that with the uncertain labor situation and the high likelihood of a lockout that he might need to use some of his other skills and talents to keep the Cam Newton brand out there.”  “I mean that $180,000 dollars that he was paid to play college football ain’t going to … umm, I mean, well.  Basically Cam is going to need work to pay the bills.”

Cook when on to lay out his long range plans to establish Newton as an entertainer and icon.  “Cam is a brand with its own unique identity like an Enron, Arthur Anderson, or Lehman Brothers.  We need to expand on that identity.”  “It all starts with a guest spot in the season finale of Glee,” Cook said.  Glee creator Ryan Murphy confirmed that Cam Newton would appear in a role tentatively known as “the third African-American kid at McKinley” in which he would portray a glee club member/high school athlete from a rival high school who transfers into the school under somewhat suspicious circumstances.  Murphy went on to say that Newton would be featured singing a mash-up of the songs “Son a Preacher Man” and Dire Straits “Money for Nothing” and leaked the plotline that the controversy surrounding Newton's transfer to the school ends up threatening the New Directions chances for a title at Nationals.

“After Glee comes the guest spot on a Kanye West remake of Eric B and Rakim’s hip hop classic “Paid in Full”.  And if we are lucky and the owners lock us out next week, I think we might be able to get on Dancing with the Stars.  They’re holding out for Snooki right now, but c’mon this guy won the Heisman Trophy.  This isn’t Akili Smith they’re dealing with”

However, if the season does go on, Cook still has plans to diversify Newton’s portfolio.  He reportedly is in talks with the NFL regarding a possible Super Bowl halftime music extravaganza featuring Cam Newton and Christina Aguilera performing a medley of patriotic songs with the lyrics uniquely reinterpreted by Aguilera.  When questioned about this, Cook declined comment and quickly ended the interview with the following statement “It can’t be worse than the Black-Eyed Peas.”