Alabama staffer fired for mocking Cam Newton with songs (UPDATED with video evidence)
Here's Cam Newton, not leading the Auburn crowd in "Son of a Preacher Man."
(Check for video at end)
It turns out that there’s a limit to what’s acceptable when it comes to making fun of Cam Newton — in Tuscaloosa, of all places.
Alabama has fired an employee who mocked the Auburn quarterback with songs he played over the public address system before their game Friday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, according to TideSports.com.
The songs of choice?
“Take the Money and Run” by the Steve Miller Band and “Son of a Preacher Man.” (Reports don’t make clear if it was the Aretha Franklin or Dusty Springfield version of
“Preacher Man.” But I’m guessing it doesn’t matter, even if Aretha is the queen of soul.)
As you no doubt have heard, Newton and his father, the Rev. Cecil Newton, are under NCAA investigation for possibly soliciting payment from one or more potential universities for Newton’s services prior to the player transferring from a Texas community college. Hence, the background music during the pre-game.
Alabama’s part time DJ presumably passed on the Beatles’ “Money,” Pink Floyd’s “Money,” AC/DC’s “Money Talks,” the O’Jays’ “For The Love of Money” and of course Donna Summer’s “[He] Works Hard For The Money.” (Sorry. Just had to go there.)
Seriously though, this from Alabama public relations director Debbie Lane: “Our processes require that all music and videos played in the stadium prior to and during every game be carefully scripted and approved by a senior administrator in the Athletics Department. The former staff member deviated from the script that had been approved for the game with Auburn, and the University took steps to immediately terminate his contract.”
Alas, there is civility in perhaps college football’s most vicious rivalry.
Is the firing just or is it overreaction?
♦
(Here’s pre-game video, via YouTube. Fast forward to about the 9:35 mark to hear the two songs over the PA. Thanks for tip from Tweeter @JaxStateFan)
♦
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517 comments Add your comment
GaBlue
November 29th, 2010
10:30 pm
Tide Rising,
When your father betrays YOU, just how do you carry yourself? I’m so sorry that young man Newton does not carry himself the way YOU think he should. Again, it’s not his fault his daddy is a slimy preacher. He’s trying to make something of himself (and doing a FINE job!), all the while — as is often the case — people are trying to tear him down. I suppose you think he should give up the thing in which he truly excels, hang his head, and shuffle off to a job he hates.
Would you feel better about your own failures then?
Tom
November 29th, 2010
10:32 pm
To Ben….don’t let the tradition / mascot argument get you down. Auburn has been fighting that fight for years. It always comes up when our teams kicks the piss out of the other team and that’s the best they can come up with. It’s pretty sad. It’s like a 4 year old. Well, my team can’t beat you, so I will make fun of their mascot. I think the Auburn mascot deal is pretty cool, considering it is unique. Not many schools have such a conflict…kind of cool.
WinderDogg
November 29th, 2010
10:32 pm
The PA assistant should get season Bama tickets for life…That was awesome!
I can’t wait until time tells all on SCAMie and hope all these Barners are still around…God I hate Auburn!
Cocks and the Cheaters….Jerry Springer will be proud Saturday nights..
AU Engineer
November 29th, 2010
10:33 pm
Hind Tit: Auburn knew a great deal about this mess in July, and so did the SEC. Auburn’s compliance man (a former NCAA attorney) cleared Cam with the SEC before he ever played a down. As far as this story goes for Cam, it is over. He has been cleared by the NCAA, as they do not have proof (and apparently do not believe) Cam knew about his dad’s money discussions with the MSU boosters.
MSU is in trouble with the NCAA for reasons related to the three boosters. Although MSU is to be commended for referring the story to the SEC, they have inadvertently disclosed a network of boosters doing things that are going to result in some sort of NCAA sanctions. This is probably why MSU was very late in providing the updated information to the SEC – -they realized (too late), that they are in trouble for this network of boosters that are talking with recruits and dealing with agents.
Auburn’s biggest trouble is not Cam’s dad – - it is finding a way to beat USC again, an excellent football team. We have to go 9-0 in the SEC and defeat Spurrier twice to win the SEC. All USC has to do is go 6-3 and split with us to win the SEC. Not fair, but that is life.
WinderDogg
November 29th, 2010
10:36 pm
Cocks and Cheaters Saturday night…Welcome to town Jerry Springer…
Dan
November 29th, 2010
10:36 pm
Piss on the War Eagles of the Planes.
Dawg A
November 29th, 2010
10:38 pm
I thought Gator fans were stupid but Auburn……. you got them beat!!!! It is obvious you are not use to winning and when you do you have to cheat!!! Cam Newton=Reggie Bush and I guess EVERYBODY was at the Water Hose game just like everybody saw Hank Aaron hit 715. These Auburn losers are not worth my time… I am outta here!
WinderDogg
November 29th, 2010
10:40 pm
Cocks and Cheaters Saturday Night….welcome Jerry Springer to the ATL
Followed by Cecil Newton’s “Pimp My Son” hosted by Gary and Vern…
Tide Rising
November 29th, 2010
10:40 pm
GaBlue,
Sorry but I think you are misunderstanding what I’m saying. What I am saying is that if Cecil was indeed trying to profit off selling Cam’s services then it would be very hard to imaine that his son had no idea what was going on. If you don’t understand basic human psychology then I can’t help you. Its just human nature that most young men would feel pretty let down if they found their father was trying to sell them behind their back. What is it about that which you find so hard to understand?
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 29th, 2010
10:44 pm
“Institutionalized” by Black Flag for the UGA players heading off to JAIL after they GRADUATE(haha) from UGA.
Fleetwood Mac’s “Secondhand News” for Shcultz and Bradley’s Stories. HAHAHAH
Alabama Communist
November 29th, 2010
10:45 pm
Just when you think that Alabama has move ahead of South Carolina in the IQ level. Some dang Alabama fool who still thinks College Football is the center of his Paradise in his life besides the Alabama Tea Republican Party when 1/2 Governor becomes a Alabama cheerleader…….
Lilah
November 29th, 2010
10:46 pm
No worse than the crappy filth you see and hear in Sanford & Son stadium.
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 29th, 2010
10:47 pm
When I was in college I didn’t know about all my father’s business dealings. What makes you people think Cam knew what his dad was doing? Do your children know what you do with your money and exactally how you get your money?
GaBlue
November 29th, 2010
10:47 pm
Dawg A,
Actually, I WAS at Fulton County Statium when Hank Aaron hit 715!! (April ‘74 I believe…) HAHAHA! Too funny. I was just a little kid, though, and didn’t truly understand what all the jumping up and down was about.
Tide Rising,
I’m sorry I misread you. You are clearly a caring, compassionate individual who would rather help a young man out of a bad situation than jab another nail in him on a public blog, right? Thank you for stepping in to counsel him so unselfishly about how to shake his questionable parental influence (one of life’s hardest challenges) and make a life for himself. Bless you!
Jeff in Calhoun
November 29th, 2010
10:50 pm
There’s a cloud! A big dark cloud looming over the Tiger program. The AU fans try to ignore it. But the cloud won’t go away! There are ????????????????????? to be answered! So Aubies enjoy your fun time while you can.
sandy
November 29th, 2010
10:50 pm
Maybe all this civility is what’s wrong with BAMA this year- Auburn deserves it and is the garbage dump of college football. They will roll around in their feces for a while longer cause it’s all coming to an end soon!
Dave
November 29th, 2010
10:50 pm
Alabama Communist – can’t beleive you didn’t get something about it being Bush’s (not Reggie) fault in your post.
Tide Rising
November 29th, 2010
10:51 pm
AU Engineer,
Cam was not “cleared” by the NCAA as you state. The NCAA has not had time to thoroughly investigate the whole matter. If you take a look at past investigations they usually take a year minimally and often a few years- sheesh the Reggie Bush thing dragged on for several years. As for the FBI getting involved I’ve never seen an investigation involving the FBI that didn’t result in serious penalties. Do you really think the FBI gets involved if its something very minor? They’ve got better things to do and if they’re going to get involved you better believe there’s a possiblility of something very, very wrong going on.
Legend of Len Barker
November 29th, 2010
10:54 pm
Just thought of another one for Auburn games – “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
Tide Rising
November 29th, 2010
10:54 pm
GaBlue,
Good lord dude. You’re talking some jibberish about Cam Newton just trying to better himself and be the best, finest young man he can be. Is this the same dude who knowingly received a stolen laptop? Is this the same dude who from the leaked reports from Florida was about to be expelled for not one, not two, but 3 instances of academic fraud in just his first year in school? Is this the fine young man you speak of? Learn a thing or two son. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
DAMON
November 29th, 2010
10:56 pm
This time next year, Cam will be a multi-millionaire…….what will YALL be?? Chew on that while sitting in your deer stand.
GaBlue
November 29th, 2010
10:57 pm
Tide Rising,
Just curious…. what exactly do these multi-year NCAA investigations accomplish? I mean, just generally? Who benefits from the all the effort and expense reports these guys go through — for years as you claim (gosh, they must write slowly…) — to investigate all the underprivileged kids who choose sports instead of drugs to make a better life for themselves, and the overprivileged alums who break the rules to spread a little comfort and joy? I mean, should I sleep better at night knowing the football nazis are on the case? Do you?
Fleischman in Chi Towns Bed
November 29th, 2010
10:58 pm
They could of played “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood.
Enjoy your championship with an *asterik* barners, I predict 6-6 in 2011.
Also, bama choked.
Eric
November 29th, 2010
10:58 pm
Didnt Georgia go to Shreveport last year? Shut your mouth Georgia fans and play the game. Im not a Tech fan, nor Georgia fan. I am tired of hearing all the Georgia people talk trash. Georgia is suppose to have a top notch program and get all these good recruits. Worry about your own program and dont bash others. I think Georgia has a long way to go to be a top program in the Southeast. Until you can beat the big dogs (Florida/Alabama/LSU), worry about your own program. Urban, Saban and Les Miles will eat Mark Richt for lunch.
Daniel Carver
November 29th, 2010
11:00 pm
I rather have my team lose than win with a no good, cheating, lying POS like cam newton.
WAR CAM DEATH PENALTY
Me
November 29th, 2010
11:01 pm
Just when I think people couldn’t possibly be any dumber, they go and write comments like this…and totally redeem themselves!
“I bet Cam Newton even cheats on his boyfriend! And I bet Auburn is probably not even a school for learning but a school for teaching people to cheat! HAR HAR HAR!” – You
Lindsey
November 29th, 2010
11:03 pm
That is awesome!!! GO DAWGS!!
Tide Rising
November 29th, 2010
11:04 pm
GaBlue,
I’m not here to defend the NCAA which is a corrupt organization in and of itself. As for these investigations that I “claim” that take several years are you just stupid? Look up how long the Reggie Bush investigation took before punishment was handed down. Look at the Bama situation. The NCAA looked into the Albert Means deal in 2000 and Bama went on probation a couple years later. This isn’t something happens overnight and if you had a clue as to what you were talking about you would know that. But alas you do not.
Crumpy in da house
November 29th, 2010
11:05 pm
Awwbarn may beat USC and Oregon but they will lose to the NCAA.
alatiger
November 29th, 2010
11:05 pm
Saw a picture of The “Bear” in the corner of the stadium that a friend of mine took during the pregame warm ups that said “Class” across the picture. Part of a tradition at Alabama I’m assuming . I don’t think the “Bear” would have approved of the choice to play the songs and probably would have apologized for those songs being played in his post game interviewing and probably followed that with, Alabama has more class than that. .
sooooooooo nachos
November 29th, 2010
11:06 pm
cheaters deserved it
Fleischman in Chi Towns Bed
November 29th, 2010
11:07 pm
@ alatiger…. we all know Pat Dye approved of the “pay for play” QB plan
Tide Rising
November 29th, 2010
11:08 pm
“to investigate all the underprivileged kids who choose sports instead of drugs to make a better life for themselves:
GaBlue,
For Pete’s sake dude give the bedwetting liberal crap a rest. These young men choose sports because they have the athletic ability first and foremost, they can make millions if they are truly elite level, who the hell wouldn’t want to play a sport for a living if they had the god given talent to do so? Good grief. You make it sound like these guys are just trying to be better human beings by playing a freaking stick or ball game. Are you kidding me?
Drexel Gal
November 29th, 2010
11:09 pm
If Scott Blair had made the extra point, Tech would have lost by only seven, instead of eight. Had Paul Johnson called for a field goal, instead of going for it on fourth-and-two at the beginning of the game, Tech would have lost by only five or four.
Tide Rising
November 29th, 2010
11:10 pm
alatiger,
If Cam and his family are innocent then what do you care about what song choice we play in our own stadium. Shouldn’t bother you in the least if we chose to play a Steve Miller band song.
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 29th, 2010
11:11 pm
The Editor-in-Chief of the red and black was just getting ready to edit the paper the same way all the students read it. Why should he have to get resign for getting drunk just like everybody else at the game. UGA people are two-faced hypocrates.
Dawg Fan
November 29th, 2010
11:13 pm
Auburn University, Newton and his family have mocked college football all season by refusing to tell the truth and allowing the media access to ask the questions that need to be answered. They have dug their own grave.
Bama is gutless for firing the staff member, it’s a shame that the people harmed by all this will be young men that played by the rules but never got the opportunity to become a champion. Auburn’s silence reaks of guilt.
GaBlue
November 29th, 2010
11:14 pm
Tide Rising,
Yes, I know how these things work, Sparky, but I’m sooooooooo impressed with the way you break it down. [sarc] If you agree that the NCAA is corrupt, then it’s not a stretch to imagine the agents, (detectives, or whatever they call themselves) stretch an investigation out to justify their pay. And you also know that they will go after whichever team wins. If Auburn were 5-7 right now, this would not be an issue and nobody would care where Cam came from or what he did. If somebody does well, then they MUST be guilty of something, right?
That you judge somebody you’ve never met and jump to all the worst conclusions says more about YOU than it does about Auburn, Cam Newton, or lil’ ol’ me sitting here without a clue. Have a lovely evening eating your cold, dark, crimson heart out. Thank goodness not all Bama fans are like you!
Tide Rising
November 29th, 2010
11:14 pm
Fleischman,
I do remember how dominant bama was in the 70s and early 80s and how good UGA was in the early 80s. Then from the moment Dye got to AU he was landing all the big recruiting classes- Bo, Brent Fullwood, Tracy Rocker out of Georgia’s backyard, I always used to wonder how a program that was so downtrodden all of a sudden was dominating the recruiting against its 2 huge rivals who were in the midst of national title contention every year. The pay for play scheme since the Dye days almost came to light several times over the years but got hushed up. The more and more you think about it the easier it is to believe that the pay for play has been going on since the Dye era as alleged.
BnB
November 29th, 2010
11:16 pm
I just read this whole sorry comment section and DAMON made me LOL! Thanks. As for the guy getting fired…meh. Typical over reaction. You cannot unring a bell. At least keep up the one millionth of an inch veneer of “amatuer sports” that is college football. I’m not even sure the NFL stadiums pounded Vick with “dog themed” songs. FWIW, most of these song choices and esp. the one of the tone deaf guy that was posted by Bradley a while back are pretty funny…to a drunken frat boy sophomore.
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 29th, 2010
11:16 pm
Dawg Fan I guess it will be OK if Tech plays Prison Chain Gang songs when the UGA players run on Grant Field next year right?
apologies to Reba's Fancy
November 29th, 2010
11:16 pm
he said here’s your one chance Cammy don’t let me down
Lord forgive me for what I do, but if you want out
it’s up to you
don’t let me down now your Papa’s gonna move you uptown
Fleischman in Chi Towns Bed
November 29th, 2010
11:17 pm
The barners have mocked the NCAA by playing $$$CAM this season and they will pay the price.
Tide Rising
November 29th, 2010
11:22 pm
GaBlue,
I’ve no disagreement with your first paragraph.
As for judging Cam that’s not my job but we all make little judgments left and right in everyday life about people. For example you’ve already judged him as being a righteous kid “just trying to make something of himself”. About what you base this I have no freaking idea. I guess being a great player makes him a good person also. That’s logical to you apparently.
I’m just telling you that I have a hard time respecting someone who knowingly receives stolen property. Call it morals I guess.
And I worked hard to get through college. Maybe you respect people that cheat their way through college. Sorry dude but I don’t. I didn’t buy pre written term papers off the internet. I actually did the work and wrote them myself. And Cam doesn’t even try to refute the various charges of academic fraud. Or perhaps you didn’t even notice that in your rush to judge him as such a good guy for the reason that he plays football really well. You go on thinking what you want to think about a guy being such a great character guy cause he’s a good football player. And I’ll just go on thinking that receving stolen property and being on the verge of 3 instances of academic fraud in one year means a person probably doesn’t have the highest of character.
PR
November 29th, 2010
11:23 pm
Way over reaction. Newton’s father is dirty and he needs to own up to it. Just waiting to see if the NCAA has the guts to nail him for it.
Dawg Fan
November 29th, 2010
11:30 pm
5150 P.O.A.D.
Tech can play whatever they want….they know “We Run This State”
And always will.
BhamBlonde
November 29th, 2010
11:30 pm
Cracks me up that to Bama fans, this is a “parody”, and “all in good fun”…but when we WON THE GAME, and the AU fans did the “revised” version of Rammer Jammer (that has been done for YEARS), it’s pure BLASPHEMY. Get over yourselves, Bama. BOTH were PRETTY DARN FUNNY.
And…just to let ya know…you didn’t “give us the game”, as many Bammers have been saying.
WE TOOK IT.
Don Carlo
November 29th, 2010
11:31 pm
Cam Newton is going to the NFL and get paid millions in a couple of months. Run tell dat!!!
Fleischman in Chi Towns Bed
November 29th, 2010
11:33 pm
Cam will be gone in 90 days and the barn will go back to being irrelevant again.
William C Smith
November 29th, 2010
11:35 pm
I see something here other than humor or for that matter insults. They will not tell the persons name who done this. That leads to three possibilities. Firstly, no actual action was taken. Secondly, they fear for his safety, Lastly, privacy. I think it couldn’t be no action that can proven easily. Privacy concerning SEC is an oxymoron. Mr. Newton’s
grades at Florida prove that. This being an issue of Federal Law which even trumps the NCAA. This leaves only safety. In Alabama after the Iron Bowl we have been known to have domestic killings concerning this game. So I for myself think humor concerning SEC football could be deadly. But like the old story goes. Southern schools are only football stadiums with universities attached.