Terry Foster: If Cam Newton Is A Thug Then So Is Johnny Manziel
By Terry Foster
@TerryFoster971
Today I am going to force white people to call Johnny Manziel a thug.
That's right, use what I believe is the new coded slang for the N-word.
There is an interesting play on prejudice and insensitivity playing out in America and many people don't even realize it. No matter what Manziel does, you refuse to call him a thug and no matter how many footballs Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton gives to young kids in the stands, he is a thug.
Newton is about to play in Super Bowl 50. Manziel is weeks away from being cut by the Cleveland Browns because his antics never stop.
We are in an era where you can lose your job and public standing for using the N-word. But you can get away with the term "thug." But there's a correlation: The word is only assigned to black players.
Name a white guy called a thug. I will be waiting.
An NHL player who beats the living snot out of people is called a goon.
A black athlete with a sleeve of tattoos is called a thug.
When George Zimmerman -- and yes, I know, he is partially Hispanic -- murders a 17-year-old black kid he is defended and sells racist paintings.
But Trayvon Martin is a thug because he smoked weed.
After murdering Martin, Zimmerman has gotten in more trouble than Lindsey Lohan. But he is not a thug?
And that brings us to Manziel and Newton.
Here are the heinous crimes Newton has committed in the NFL. He celebrates and is happy on the field. He does the "dab" after scoring a touchdown and he pretends to pull off his shirt to reveal his Superman suit. And yes, Newton celebrates to himself usually before giving a football to a child. Many in our country look at him and refer to him as a thug.
Newton wore a Panthers sweat shirt and wool hat and was called a thug. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady wore a sweat shirt and wool hat and is called Tom Brady.
Newton does the "dab" and is called a thug.
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers makes gestures like he is the heavyweight champion of the world and gets a discount double check commercial.
Here are some twitter examples from some of our brightest.
"Cam Newton is the definition of why some hate black people. He gives them a horrible rap. Thug."
"Cam Newton is still a thug even if he is in the Super Bowl or gives balls to kids."
"Cam Newton is a N-word. He should not be in the Super Bowl, he should be in prison."
Manziel was accused of hitting his girl friend recently in Texas, his second domestic abuse charge. Manziel has flipped off fans, made it rain, does the money sign, parties in Las Vegas way too often and has tattoos. He separates himself from teammates.
His girlfriend said he hit her several times and threatened to kill both of them. He denies the story and charges have been dropped. That's besides the point, He should be called a thug just like many black athletes who had charges dropped against them.
If a black athlete is accused of one or several of these incidents he is called a thug. Manziel is called Johnny Football.
The Browns can't wait to get rid of this guy, finally. He is not only a thug but a cancer.
Let me give you full disclosure on Newton. He bought a stolen computer and was arrested. That was eight years ago when he was a teenager in college.
His father Cecil Newton was accused of soliciting more than $100,00 from Mississippi State to lure Cam to play for the school. The NCAA ruled that Cam did not know of the alleged solicitation and said he could not find enough evidence to find Cecil guilty.
In 2013 Manziel was accused of signing autographs for money while at Texas A & M. It was determined that he did not receive any money but was suspended for the first half of the season opener that season. He celebrated touchdowns, often to himself. It was more about him than team.
But that was just Johnny Football having a good time.
If Newton is a thug then so is good old Johnny Football.
Go ahead and say it. I challenge you to do something different.
(Foster can be reached at Terry.Foster@cbsradio.com)