Super Bowl L begins shortly and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton’s recent comments about being an African-American quarterback “might scare some people because my skill set isn’t like anybody else.”

Needless to say it’s rubbish. Last I checked Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson is African-American and doesn’t scare anyone. What turns people off about Newton isn’t his color, it’s his character. It isn’t his blackness, it’s his brashness. Chicago Bears legend Richard Dent wants to knock Newton’s ass out of the game. And in case you didn’t know Dent is black.

If there’s a baseball equivalent to Newton, it would be Bryce Harper. Both men have gone from teenaged phenoms to MVPs in their respective sports. I would argue that Harper has as many detractors as Newton. And in case you didn’t know Harper is white.

As for the game, I’m picking the Broncos to win 45-38. While I don’t Newton to win this year, I suspect he’ll win a Super Bowl ring sooner rather than later.

UPDATE: As Larry points out, Newton’s character (or lack thereof) was on full display for the world to see after walking out of the Super Bowl post-game conference. Cam Newton has a problem and it isn’t his race.