Cam Newton Opens Up To The National Media

For the first time since becoming a Carolina Panther, Cam Newton has granted an exclusive interview with the national media. ESPN's Stevland Wilson, sits down with Cam for a brief, but engaging interview that touches on everything from being dissected by the national media to teammates that accept less than perfection. After the jump, check out the video and a few brief impressions I came away with.

Let's see what Cam had to say...

This is an interview that will make most Panthers fans smile and nod while detractors will wince and shake their heads at the young man's bravado. Hopefully, even Cam's staunches critics will begin to see that he isn't the two dimensional, flat, caricature that many in the media portray him to be.

His answers are enthusiastic, plain spoken, heart-felt, and at times playful display. This interview typifies the young QB who has injected both energy and swagger into a franchise that was flagging a few short months ago.

Hopefully this interview will begin to reintroduce NFL fans to Cam and show to those who have an open mind that Cam isn't the fake, me-first, bad apple that some have made him out to be.

For me, one of the more illuminating portions of the interview was near the close where Cam reflected, "I play Football, and it's not a job to me -- It's my life. I'm a quarterback in the National Football League and I'm getting paid to do it... Whaat?!"

Having a passion for what you do and becoming completely engrossed, is largely what separates the Peyton Mannings from the Ryan Leafs of the world. Will Cam become great? Time will tell, but the Magic 8 Ball looks to be giving Panthers fan the high sign for now.

So what do you guys think? Considering this interview, will most NFL fans eventually warm up to Cam, or will he forever be the spoiled athlete with a "fake smile"?

Finally, what was your favorite part of the interview?