CHARLOTTE, N.C. --?Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton called speculation over why he was benched for the first series of Sundays loss at Seattle falsified stories.The reigning NFL MVP said Thursday that the truth was just as he and coach Ron Rivera had said after the game.I violated the wardrobe [policy], and thats it, said Newton, who was punished for not wearing the required tie on the flight to Seattle. You dont have to dig into certain stories that I violated curfew, was out at a club, somebody was calling the room. I still stand by Coach Riveras decision, and thats just a warning for everybody.At no point in time -- or even still -- do I think Im above the law. I never thought that. Im not that type of player.Newton said the whole situation could have been prevented had he had the proper attire for the trip.He said those who dont believe him dont really know him.When you start hearing falsified stories from the people that really know you, thats when it really affects you, he said. And I havent.It is what it is.Asked whether hes been treated fairly this season, Newton said, If I was trying to impress every single person that thought I was an a--h---, then I would be drained. Im me.There also has been speculation that Newtons numbers are down this season because he had too much going on during the offseason with his Nickelodeon television series and other outside interests and that he didnt properly prepare.Newton threw a career-high 35 touchdown passes to go along with 10 rushing touchdowns en route to the MVP award a year ago, when Carolina went 15-1 during the regular season and reached the Super Bowl.During this 4-8 season, he has only 14 touchdown passes and five rushing touchdowns, and his 54.7 completion percentage has him on target for a career low.Newton said that preparation has nothing to do with his drop in statistics or the team record.Distractions come every single day, from family, from media, from workload, he said. Its my job to put myself in the best situation to succeed. I understand were not having the season we wanted to have, but theres no need for people to just maliciously go out and say, Well, he was doing too much. He was doing this. Hes worried about this.Thats the easy route.Rivera said he was very comfortable with his quarterbacks preparation, adding that people dont see the amount of time Newton puts in during the offseason or season.Thats unfortunate and disappointing that people draw conclusions based off other things, Rivera said. The young man is dedicated, and when he comes here, its phenomenal.Newton couldnt say whether he would do the Nickelodeon show again during the offseason.Life is bigger than football, he said. So if youre questioning certain things that Im doing, I have a whole other list of requirements and duties that I need to take care of.Outside of football I do have a life. Football takes up a lot of my life, and I appreciate it. This is the life I chose. Im not complaining. All Im telling you and just everybody is Im human. Thats the moral of the story.Newton doesnt know why his numbers are down, although catastrophic injuries to the offensive line havent helped.I can tell you its not because of preparation, he said. We get ridiculed off our production on the field, so it doesnt how much I prepare, if it doesnt transfer onto the field people will just say, Ah, hes just garbage.For me, its trying to get it to carry over from practice to games. In this situation and this season, it just hasnt turned over. And I dont have nobody to blame but myself. Dodgers Jerseys China . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Cheap Dodgers Jerseys . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. http://www.customdodgersjersey.com/custom-babe-herman-jersey-large-79w.html . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. Custom Dodgers T-shirts . Team physician Dr. Steve Traina performed the surgery Friday. Robinson was injured in a spill underneath the Nuggets basket during the first quarter of Wednesday nights loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Custom Dodgers Jersey China . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. MONZA, Italy -- Lewis Hamilton paid tribute to the extraordinary Jenson Button after hearing his former McLaren teammate will step back from Formula One in 2017.Button is being replaced by Stoffel Vandoorne at McLaren next year, though he is on a deal which could include a return to a race drive in 2018 if the team wants him back. The announcement was made on Saturday, just days after Felipe Massa confirmed his retirement at the end of the year in the Monza paddock.Joking about the weekend of announcements Hamilton, whose media session started just as Buttons news was filtering through social media from further up the paddock, kicked off his session with a smile.Ok guys, well I want to start this session with an announcment of my own.... Im also retiring, he said, laughing.Button became Hamiltons teammate the year after winning the 2009 world championship for Brawn. The pair stayed at McLaren together until 2012, when Hamilton departed for Mercedes.Hamilton says he remembers waatching Button, whose career began at the 2000 Australian Grand Prix, when he was a child.ddddddddddddJensons been an extraordinary British champion. I remember watching him when he first got to Formula One on a weekend with my dad, eating bacon sarnies, watching Jenson doing what I was dreaming to do.Hes done 17 years now, a long, long stint in this sport, but what he has given to it is fantastic.We were joking in the drivers briefing the other day. Max (Verstappen) was sitting next to me, along with Jenson and Felipe, and Jenson told Max You were just one-year-old when I first got to Formula One. That was kind of crazy.But Jenson is still young, still healthy, still fit, so I wish him all the best for the future.Button is the only man other than Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel to have won an F1 world championship since Kimi Raikkonen did so in 2007. ' ' '