PIGDivot
Your point about Cam not being a kid... it's certainly not that I disagree. You are obviously correct.
I was seriously disappointed in the post-game presser. Man up, be respectful, compliment the other team and put it behind you, move on. Accept your lumps, come out looking like you're ready to learn from it and grow as a team leader. And nothing that I will add henceforth will excuse that opportunity to show some real maturity.
But it was also revealed today that the NFL should've done a better job with their media logistics afterward. While Cam sat there, obviously angered by his performance (as he should've been) and undoubtedly unprepared to deal with the line of questioning with the undesirable outcome that occurred - just a few feet away, and simultaneously - Broncos' defensive players were clearly overheard in their post-game pressers talking about how Cam was a non-factor, how their defense revealed his weaknesses under pressure. Now again - that's not an excuse to pout, sulk, hang your head like a spoiled kid and act like you weren't ready for that level of success. Because clearly - not only during the game itself, but also afterward - it was quite evident that he wasn't ready.
Having said all that... I'm not writing the young man off. I like the fact that he's emotional. Some don't - that's fine, I understand. I appreciate Manning's grace, win or lose. I appreciate it when Brady steps up to the podium and answers questions, doesn't make excuses if he comes up short, which he rarely does. I understand and also appreciate the old-school philosophy of "act like you've been there before." Emotional players have drawbacks when the script doesn't play out in their favor. Richard Sherman, one of the most competitive defenders in the league - goes apeshit on live tv when he successfully defends Crabtree and helps his team win the Super Bowl. That same guy, had he lost that game, wouldn't have been any different than Cam Newton Sunday night.
But Sherman is held to a different standard, because "defense guys are just emotional." It's accepted. It's part of the lineage. Not the case with quarterbacks. We expect them to be like Manning and Brady, to say the right things and be the gracious losers.
Cam is different. He's Richard Sherman behind center, like him or hate him for that. If he's the quarterback of the team you root for - you might not like it, but you forgive him. If not - he gets branded as a sore loser and a spoiled brat for life.
I can see both sides. It doesn't excuse the way he carried himself afterward, no way. But at the same time - I don't hate a guy just because he hates losing. And from what I saw last night, beyond the loss itself, it was more about him being disappointed that he no-showed in the biggest game of his life than being upset that he and his team lost. To some degree - completely understandable to feel that way, although we would expect him to face the music afterward.
I might not care for the way he handled things afterward, but I'm not going to nail him to the cross for that, not just this single instance anyway. We'll see if he learns from this. If he doesn't, then that's a different matter altogether.