The MVPs of the NFL and MLB's National League are remarkably similar.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and Washington Nationals right field Bryce Harper are both sponsored by Gatorade and up-and-coming Under Armour. They also have a bunch of fun when they play. But that part has ruffled plenty of feathers.
Before Newton elicited letters to the editor this past season, Harper upset old schoolers by celebrating home runs. Even though they play different sports, the criticism is the same. So is their explanation.
"I love the way Cam goes about it," Harper told ESPN's Tim Keown in an interview posted Thursday. "He smiles, he laughs. It's that flair. The dramatic."
It's odd when a smile becomes a problem, but that's what Newton dealt with while the Panthers rolled through the best season in franchise history. And while the 23-year-old Harper was bat-flipping his way to becoming the youngest unanimous MVP in baseball history, his emotion was met with frowns.
"Baseball's tired. It's a tired sport, because you can't express yourself," Harper said.
"You want kids to play the game, right? What are kids playing these days? Football, basketball. Look at those players — Steph Curry, LeBron James. It's exciting to see those players in those sports."
Baseball has more unwritten rules than football, but both are struggling to accept what's ahead. The next generation of stars won't naturally hand the ball back to the ref or slowly place the bat down.
That they won't doesn't necessarily mean they're showing up their opponents. They're just having a good time playing a game.
"If a guy pumps his fist at me on the mound, I'm going to go, 'Yeah, you got me. Good for you. Hopefully I get you next time,'" Harper said. "That's what makes the game fun."