Cam Newton: How Not to be a Good Sport

Everyone experiences ups and downs in their lives, but some people know how to cope with disappointment better than others. It doesn't matter if you’re playing professionally or on your home basketball court; the way you handle defeat says a lot about your character. When the Carolina Panthers lost the 2016 Super Bowl, quarterback Cam Newton gave the world an excellent example of how not to behave. 

Sore Loser

Millions of people saw Newton's tantrum on the sidelines, but his post-game behavior was also disappointing. When Newton attended the press conference following his team's loss, he was slouched and gave single word answers and avoided eye contact. He even refused to acknowledge the skill of the other team, which is a bad idea, even on a home basketball court — let alone on the biggest sports stage in the world. It was obviously a difficult loss to handle, but that is no excuse for being rude. 

Lose in Style

Instead of following the path of Newton, it is a better idea to be polite and acknowledge the skills of others. It doesn't matter if you're in front of the media after a professional game or a group of friends on your home basketball court — if they ask you about what contributed to your loss, don't blame the team. Instead find something you can honestly praise about your opponents. This not only helps you appear gracious, but it will help you improve your game for next time. 

Even Losing is an Opportunity

There is no question that people are quick to become fans of those athletes who are good at their sport, but even the best players lose, and that's when character matters. Newton missed an opportunity to show fans that even though the loss was rough, he and his team would take lessons from it and return better for the next season. Instead, he left even his own fans with an embarrassing display that warrants an apology of its own.

Ryan Muir is an athletics writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Sport Court. Follow on Twitter.