Auburn Football: Ex-Tiger Cam Newton in First Big Interview with ESPN

Auburn's departed Heisman Trophy winner and national champion quarterback Cam Newton has finally come out and participated in a big interview with ESPN. The video can be viewed here.  

Though Newton has been a force to be reckoned with in the NFL, despite the Carolina Panther's going 4-8 so far, he has been quiet.

Newton is a strong candidate for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, with his primary competition being Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (he addresses Dalton as a motivator in the interview), and Bengals receiver A.J. Green.  

In 2011, he took the reigns of one of the worst teams in the league that has wasted draft picks on worthless quarterbacks.  

This year, he has completed 251-of-413 passes for 3,297 yards with a good completion percentage of 60.8.  He has tossed for 13 touchdowns, but 14 interceptions, something not uncommon of rookie quarterbacks, especially those on terrible teams; 2010's first overall pick, St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, had 15 interceptions for the season.  

Newton has a QB rating of 82.4.  

Newton took to the microphone with an attitude that some found arrogant.  As an unbiased viewer (and an Alabama fan), I saw it as the attitude of a winner.  He made it clear that no matter what the team was giving wasn't good enough and losing was unacceptable.  

When asked about a good individual performance during a team loss, he said this:

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"What happens when you take a lion out of the safari, and try to take him to your place of residence and make him a house pet?  ...That's the type of person that I am.  I'm that lion.  The house that I'm in is somewhat of a tarnished house where losing is accepted, but I'm trying to change that, I'm going to have to change that house into a safari."

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Does this sound arrogant, someone claiming to be a "lion" among losers?  My answer is this: Hell no! This is the voice of a leader trying to transform a two-win team into something better.  

I'm a huge Tim Tebow fan and I consider Newton to be just as much of a leader, albeit with a different style.

Newton, himself, has somewhat of a tarnished past, marred with controversy.  He may not be as humble or "clean" as Tebow, but Newton has the same intangibles to lead his team to victory, and the ability as well.  They just need to catch up with him.  

I always called the "Pay-for-Play" controversy foolishness with no proof (and despised Alabama's stadium songs in the 2010 Iron Bowl), as Newton simply sought the best team to host his abilities.  He chose right.  He chose the Auburn Tigers, and led them to the National Championship.  

Newton gave the Auburn fans a piece of historic glory, moved on and Tigers fans respect and honor him for it.  

He very well may be the next greatest quarterback in NFL history, and if his teammates can match his passion they will bring home the Lombardi.  If they won't step up to Cam's challenge, then they don't deserve him.