Mondays With Matthew: Cam Newton, Dak Prescott, and Remembering Jose Fernandez

Introducing "Mondays With Matthew", a new "series" you could call it that will occur every Monday, obviously, and deal with whatever topic I feel like talking about that day!

Why Monday? Well, I figured that the day after most NFL games get played would be a good one, and there will be plenty to talk about. Monday is the start of the week also, so if there is something I think you guys should watch, keep an eye on, or I think could turn into something big time in the news, then we can discuss it before it happens!

Now that we are on the same page, lets dive right into Mondays With Matthew...

Cam Newton's Equality Gesture

This is the shirt that Carolina Panthers' quarterback, Cam Newton, wore during pregame warmups Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. The shirt reads, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere", and that is a quote from Martin Luther King JR. 

I love this from Cam. He is deciding to make a statement on the racial issues that our country is facing, and he isn't letting it distract himself or his team from the game he is about to play in. The shirt will surely receive controversy, but nowhere near the amount that Colin Kaepernick and others are receiving for not standing during the playing of the national anthem. I think the biggest difference is that this act doesn't take a stand against something that the country views as "patriotic". 

Hopefully this shirt will pick up some steam around the league, and other leagues, and other players will join the fight against racial inequality in the United States. I applaud Cam for this move.

Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz Make Statements

Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz, two rookie quarterbacks, made me a fan of both of their games this weekend. They have both been doing really well so far this season, but after this weekends' games I believe that both of them have really bright futures.

Prescott played in the Sunday Night spotlight against an awful Chicago Bears' defense, but his display of his game was impressive despite that. He was 19-24 with 248 passing yards, threw for one touchdown and ran for another, and didn't throw an interception. Stellar. That is how I would describe how he played last night, and I am appreciating the way he plays the game even more than his numbers. He already commands the huddle, shows great leadership skills, and carries himself with respect on the field. Obviously, when you're playing really well it is a lot easier to have a good attitude, but I still believe that even when he faces problems this season that he will power through them with an upbeat attitude, something that is rare for a rookie.

Carson Wentz is tearing the league apart right now, and to everyone's surprise he is the talk of the NFL. Coming from North Dakota State he wasn't really a hot topic item around the league, and even doubted. But, after a 3-0 start to the season, it is harder and harder to find a Carson Wentz hater with each week that he plays. His line against the Pittsburgh Steelers looked like this: 23-31, 301 yards, 2 passing touchdowns, and no interceptions. Just like Prescott, he has command of his offense's huddle, which amazes me. He can make any throw, has the best attitude in the entire NFL, and is a fan of the game of football. Now, just like Prescott, he is also having a great season so far, so we will see how he handles himself if he starts to throw more interceptions, but I have faith in both of these young QBs to take care of business.

Remembering Jose Fernandez


Sunday was a tough day. Jose Fernandez, star Marlins pitcher passed away. Fernandez was only 24 and passed away in such a tragic style. He was involved in a boating accident early Sunday morning and that ultimately took his life. Teams around the MLB were shocked/saddened by this news and decided that paying tribute to this young star was a must.

These are just some of the many examples of the love and support that was shown for the young Cuban pitcher. What hit me the hardest about yesterday's news was how much people around the league spoke of his character. Yes, he was a great pitcher, one of the best in the entire MLB, but they said that he was one of the best human beings to be around.

This video helps show how much of a caring man that Fernandez was.