Patriots: Cam Newton rattling off nicknames for teammates is so Massachusetts
By Adam Weinrib
Cam Newton’s nicknames for his Patriots teammates are excellent.
Patriots QB Cam Newton is fitting in so well in New England that there’s already buzz about him receiving a contract extension, just a few weeks after he was pegged to be an injury-prone shot in the dark.
But is there an additional reason that Newton’s seemed like such a natural here? Did he maybe go to high school in Boston and forget to tell us?
Newton ran through the nicknames he’s already got assembled for his Patriots teammates this week, and every kid who grew up in Massachusetts can absolutely relate to this stream-of-consciousness shorthand.
Smokin’ Joe and Dirty Dave for Joe Thuney and David Andrews really takes the cake for us. Hard to top that, in terms of overall Massachusetts vibes. Who among us hasn’t accidentally shoplifted a carton of Hood with Dirty Dave in Swampscott?
Of course, it doesn’t stop there. Julian Edelman isn’t Jules, but rather “Highway 11” (ooh, little shot at Brady, abandoning the old moniker?). Isaiah Wynn? Winnie the Pooh. That one tracks.
N’Keal Harry? Why, he’s “Doughboy”! Why? Why not? You’ve got high school buddies with nicknames you couldn’t explain 20 years ago, and have even less chance of explaining now.
Of course, Newton’s leadership has been evident everywhere, and not just in terms of fraternizing. He’s been renowned as one of the more studious playbook readers out there, and Bill Belichick raves about his work ethic.
Matthew Slater on Cam Newton: "I'm sitting on the plane, and this guy's studying his playbook the entire six-hour flight out here. ... We're really fortunate to have him as our quarterback and one of the leaders on our team." pic.twitter.com/2gWVKiaEuS
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) September 21, 2020
So, in Boston terms, Cam’s the guy who everyone’s bros with, but who sneakily stayed in to study most nights and got into Harvard without anyone noticing. “You kiddin’ me? Bookie got into Harvard? We got a Harvard boy over here! Weems, Sureshot, Dickie, you hear this?!”
The more opportunities we have to get to know our new QB like this, the better.
