Stop whining: NCAA got it right on Cam Newton, Auburn
Cam Newton can go ahead of celebrate. The NCAA ruled that he and Auburn are in the clear.
Let me start this by declaring that I’m as cynical as the next person — OK, perhaps a little more — and I’m absolutely convinced there was a second gunman in the grassy knoll and there’s something about Area 51 that the government is not telling us.
But listen up: The NCAA got it right.
It could not suspend Cam Newton based on he whispered/he whispered.
It could not place Auburn on probation based on the fact the father of its star player admitted that he solicited money from ANOTHER school.
It could not significantly punish any athlete or institution based on what we all THINK must have happened simply because that’s what our suspicious mind tells us.
This whole saga has been one of the strangest NCAA investigations I can remember, in part because the athlete’s current school (Auburn) never was even connected to the allegations.
I know. Our head tells us: It’s Auburn. It’s the SEC. It’s big-time college football with big-time shenanigans. We’ve been exposed to so much of it in the past that we’ve come to believe that every player, coach, administrator and booster have been have been tainted. This story is even better than most because it involved a father allegedly pimping his kid . . . and he’s a minister!
At some point, you expected a Kardashian to show up on Toomers Corner.
But take a breath and, just for a moment, follow me through the levels of this thing. Then I’ll address why I don’t believe this can be compared to other recent cases, including the one at USC and A.J. Green’s suspension:
♦ Question: Did Cecil Newton, Cam’s father, solicit money from Mississippi State for his son’s services? Answer: Yes. INFRACTION.
♦ Question: Did Cam Newton know his father solicited an offer? Answer: Based on a lack of evidence, no. (If you want to assume otherwise, fine. But let’s just say I’m aware of situations where children did not know of things their parents did. Whether you consider that a longshot or not, the bottom line is that it can’t be proven.)
♦ Question: Did Cecil Newton receive money? Answer: Based on a lack of evidence, no.
♦ Question: Did Cam Newton receive money? Answer: Based on a lack of evidence, no.
♦ Question: Did Cam or Cecil Newton solicit an offer from Auburn? Answer: Based on a lack of evidence, no.
♦ Question: Did Cam or Cecil Newton receive money from Auburn. Answer: Based on a lack of evidence, no.
That’s it. There’s nothing else.
Now, should the NCAA continue to investigate this thing and discover that somebody in the Auburn athletic department or a big-bucks booster slipped a fat envelope under Cam’s door or paid for new floors and sheetrock in Cecil’s new church, then all bets are off.
But that’s not where we are right now.
Now, as for comparing Newton to other cases, I’ve been hearing from USC and Georgia fans all day and night and reading comments on line from various stunned officials, including USC athletic director Pat Haden. But this case is so not those cases. Consider:
♦ Newton vs. USC: Really? Fact: Reggie Bush’s parents received thousands of dollars in benefits from an agent. They lived in a home rent-free for one year. A USC assistant coach, Todd McNair, was tied directly to the case when the NCAA ruled he had knowledge of Bush’s dealings with agents. For whiny Trojan fans to be comparing their case to the Cam Newton case is completely nonsensical.
♦ Newton vs. A.J. Green: Really? Fact: Green sold his Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000. That’s a violation, even if he sold it to you. The fact that he sold to a person that the NCAA classified as an agent increased the suspension to four games. (Best estimate: It would’ve been two games otherwise.) It has not been found that Cam and Cecil Newton received anything (or sold his Blinn Community College jersey).
♦ Newton vs. Damon Stoudamire: This is a very similar case, as laid out by SportsByBrooks, in which the father of the former Arizona basketball star was accused by the NCAA of accepting a plane ticket from an agent in 1995. Stoudamire denied knowing about his father’s alleged transaction. The father denied taking the ticket. The NCAA suspended the player for a game, then reinstated him just before the NCAA tournament. But here’s where the cases go in different directions. The agent in question, Steve Feldman, ultimately admitted he gave airplane tickets to Stoudamire’s father. The father had to reiumburse him. The NCAA believed to other penalty was warranted. Coversely, there is no paper trail or evidence of any kind in the Newton case.
Some believe the NCAA has opened a giant loophole with this ruling — the thinking being that now every dad can go out and pimp his kid to universities, then just claim the kid knew nothing about it. The only problem with that theory is — again — Cecil Newton was not found to have taken anything.
If a father puts his son up for bidding and actually accepts a payment, effectively closing the deal, it really doesn’t matter whether the son knew or not. The athlete is ineligible. It’s like saying you want to rob a bank without ever doing it.
So enough with the NCAA bashing. They got it right. You can’t convict on conjecture.
♦
Recent episodes . . .
♦ Gruden to Miami would be manna for starving ACC
♦ Falcons are winning because they’re following Mike Smith
♦ Surprise! Spurrier proves South Carolina can be a player in SEC
♦ Alabama staffer fired for mocking Cam Newton with songs
♦
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1,356 comments Add your comment
tha' Pride of little weenies
December 1st, 2010
11:02 pm
umm… nice future dealth penalty….
woodford
December 1st, 2010
11:02 pm
Wow-
I could not agree anymore. I’ve lived in Savannah my entire life and I’ve never seen it like this. Saying UGA fans are an embarrassment right now would be a major understatement.
5150 P.O.A.D.
December 1st, 2010
11:02 pm
Don’t jump on the NCAA or SEC for not following the rules they set. The SEC bends the rules all the time depending on how they feel that day. The SEC is a joke and that is why Bobby Dodd said FU we will leave you bunch of cheating loosers. It is too funny all the SEC teams are at each others juggulars for the little scraps the SEC is spreading around. The member schools need to fight the SEC to make the playing field level instead of arguing with each other. The SEC has convinced the teams and fans that the SEC is the best and teams should just be proud to be a member. Don’t worry that you get screwed every now and then, but it is OK because you can act like you are a member of the greatest collection of colleges. AHHAHHA I think that honor would go to the AAU members of which Florida and Vandy are the only SEC members.
Tammy
December 1st, 2010
11:03 pm
clearly, whis writer is a closet BARNER….these auburn bandwagon lovers make me sick…..
flagboy?
December 1st, 2010
11:03 pm
Does it have to be a Dawg fan who has a problem with this? I would expect anyone who likes college football would have an opinion on it. IT wouldn’t seem unlikely that a Dawg fan, tech fan, or any fan could see the implications.
I an understand why Auburn fans would want to back their guy and the findings.
Wow
December 1st, 2010
11:04 pm
Akitadawg…why does it matter to you so much?
Oh how the mighty have fallen
December 1st, 2010
11:04 pm
From winners on the field to whiners on the blogs. From junk yard dogs to sore loser ankle biters.
Taylor hearts Cam / Cam
December 1st, 2010
11:04 pm
love him all my man love can muster
BUSTED
December 1st, 2010
11:05 pm
The SEC has its own bylaws, one of which reads, “(If) a student-athlete or any member of his/her family receives or agrees to receive, directly or indirectly, any aid or assistance such student-athlete shall be ineligible for competition in any intercollegiate sport within the Conference for the remainder of his/her college career.”
Can it be more clear than that?
PHIL
December 1st, 2010
11:05 pm
As an ardent Bulldog, this will probably be boththe first and last time I agree with Jeff Shultz. However, basically, the NCAA had to get this investigation done in a hurry due to the upcoming championship. Why they could go through something as complicated as this and then drag their feet while taking so long to investigate the selling of a shirt is beyond me, but it makes no difference. With no evidence available, there is nothing the NCAA can do.
But a couple things about the article, Jeff. One, I Must have missed the part about AJ selling his shirt to me was against the rules? I get selling it to an agent but selling it to a regular guy breaks a rule, too?
Then there was a guy there named Bull who wrote that you always like to write about conjecture and now you want to write about facts. Then there was a guy, G, that said you don’t like the way all the UGA players keep getting arrested for these various felonies like riding a scooter the wrong way, drinking a beer, or not having the money to pay a speeding ticket and the punishment doled out by CMR isn’t up to your standards, why these kids should be kicked out of school! No that’s not enough, OFF WITH THERE HEADS! Anyway.
Your answer to him is “what ever, dude.” So I take it you didn’t deny the allegation. It would seem to me the term “Fair and Balanced” as it applies to reporting isn’t in your vocabulary.
Then I would like to offer you an idea for your next article. Find out what the FBI has on the Auburn board of Trustees members like the bank guy and the dog track guy and the yellow fellow guy. Tell us about how they laundered the money given to the AU players through Casino winnings and anonymous bank cards. TEll us how since the AUburn board of Trustees is on on it the school is going to lose it SACS accred and therefore not be eligible to be in the SEC. Tell us how much fun it’s going to yell WAR CAM EAGLE at a D 2 (or maybe even 3) game.
Do a little digging on the dealings in the past of Auburn recruiting coordinator Trooper Taylor and see how his shady rep at every school he has been, especially Tulane, was earned. Give us a plausible reason why that Auburn, who’s coach prior to coming to the school had a 5-19 lifetime record, was 7-5 in his first year, squeeked out a win over mighty NWestern in it’s bowl game, can suddenly get the top players in the state of AL, MS, AR and LA PLUS the number 1 JUCO player in the country. Tell us how they pulled that off, Jeff.
Lets see a little “Fair and Balanced.”
woodford
December 1st, 2010
11:05 pm
rod, did you just quote wojohwoensjkdhjsbsdjfski from espn? Thanks for the post.
Nurse Rachet
December 1st, 2010
11:06 pm
And Cam crying to the MSU coach that he could not come to MSU- and emotionally stating that the money was too much- that was all just a dream??? Either the MSU coach or Cam is lying!
woodford
December 1st, 2010
11:06 pm
PHIL, you lost me at “ardent Bulldog.” I’m sure it was great, though.
NatCoruptAcceptAssoc
December 1st, 2010
11:07 pm
Auburn should not be held responsible for discussions at MSU. It should be held responsible for playing an ineligible player–a player even Auburn has acknowledge was ineligible. That is why you ask for reinstatement. Auburn, as with the rest of the world, knew the dirt swirling around this recruit. You play ineligible players you take the hit. I would feel sorry for Auburn if they had sat him at the first hint of a problem and then asked for reinstatement. Instead, they waited until no other option was available. They chose not to take the high road. So, these victories should go in the dust bin along with those of FSU, Bama, USC, etc. Could not be simpler.
flagboy?
December 1st, 2010
11:08 pm
Wow
December 1st, 2010
11:04 pm
Akitadawg…why does it matter to you so much?
________________________________________________
Maybe he or she hates Auburn. . .Maybe he or she loves college football and sees a potential huge problem. . .
either way, why does it matter why he/she cares so much?
Rod
December 1st, 2010
11:08 pm
Yes Woodford. Good point of view wojo on espn.com.
KJ
December 1st, 2010
11:09 pm
Sorry, but this article is a load of crap. See SEC bylaw Section 14.01.3.2
“If at any time before or after matriculation in a member institution a student-athlete or any member of his/her family receives or agrees to receive, directly or indirectly, any aid or assistance beyond or in addition to that permitted by the Bylaws of this Conference (except such aid or assistance as such student-athlete may receive from those persons on whom the student is naturally or legally dependent for support), such student- athlete shall be ineligible for competition in any intercollegiate sport within the Conference for the remainder of his/her college career.”
The moment his dad asked MSU for money he was ineligible. MSU reported this and the NCAA even admitted that this was not in dispute it in its ruling today. How anyone can think he should still be eligible after reading the above bylaw is drinking some serious orange and blue kool-aid.
If the NCAA is not going to follow their rules then then Slive should enforce his conference’s rules. However, he will not because it is my opinion he is only interested in the $ another SEC BCS team will bring to him and the conference.
Wow
December 1st, 2010
11:09 pm
Flagboy….It could be either. That’s why I asked. Thanks for summing it up in a way that was 4 times as long as the original question.
Shove it up your pie hole AU
December 1st, 2010
11:10 pm
FBI has it sights on your little podunk junior college / cow town
Akitadawg
December 1st, 2010
11:10 pm
I’m for equity in sports. Either laws and rules apply to everyone or they apply to no one. I don’t have a dawg in this hunt. I just want fairness, Arbitrarily ruling one player ineligible, while giving another player a pass hurts the integrity of not only the game, but society itself. Maybe I believe in the fantasy world, but there is right way and their is wrong way. The handling of the Cam Newton saga is the wrong way.
woodford
December 1st, 2010
11:11 pm
haha KJ. This story that backs up the entire NCAA that has investigated this since January…is a load of crap! Thanks for playing.
War Cash Eagle!
December 1st, 2010
11:11 pm
Pimp your son, get the bling, then claim he “knew nothing about it!” I’m glad coach saban doesn’t run a dirty program like auburn, with bobby lowder and pat dye paying to get players to the highest bidder.
We rent players Inc
December 1st, 2010
11:11 pm
BUSTED Ahhhh sooo but Slive and his SEC cohorts have another more important by law that reads in part- “we at the SEC shall do nothing to denigrate the member institutions in any circumstance; to be more specific; we shall at all times pump up, protect, and pimp for those member institutions and the SEC in general in order to maximize and maintain the revenue stream that we have become so accustomed to receiving. So help me Mike Slive.
MikeP
December 1st, 2010
11:12 pm
This does not “open a can of worms”. It follows established NCAA precedent. This is exactly the same situation as the Albert Means case at Alabama a few years ago. The only difference being that in the Means case, money actually changed hands.
When the dust had settled, Means was eligible at Memphis but not eligible at Alabama. Cam Newton is eligible at Auburn, probably wouldn’t be at Mississippi State.
Remember, at no time in this whole smear campaign has there been the slightest indication that Auburn offered inducements, only MSU boosters were involved.
The NCAA has been working on this since January, it’s about time that they set things straight.
Rod
December 1st, 2010
11:12 pm
Must read article. No spin like we find on the AJC. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=5872192&sportCat=ncf
flagboy?
December 1st, 2010
11:13 pm
glad I could help there Wow.
Didn’t answer my question though.
Wow
December 1st, 2010
11:13 pm
Akitadawg…the problem is this….
It doesn’t matter what you, or anyone else, “knows” about the Cam story. The only thing that matters is what can be “proven.”
I’m all for fairness as well. However, Auburn and the NCAA knows better than you or I or anyone on this blog what has actually happened. I’m for fairness…I’m also for due process.
Akitadawg
December 1st, 2010
11:13 pm
Enter your comments here
MikeP
December 1st, 2010
11:13 pm
please change my diaper
Wow
December 1st, 2010
11:15 pm
Flagboy…you are asking me why I asked a question of someone else on this blog? My question was directed at Akitadawg…not you.
I have heard
December 1st, 2010
11:15 pm
of Monday morning quarterbacks, but I did not know that Ga had produced so many Wednesday night lawyers.
Wow
December 1st, 2010
11:16 pm
shut your wimpy pie-hole…you are making yourself look like a total jack-ass
Bodda Getta
December 1st, 2010
11:17 pm
Phil,
Auburn is undefeated because we outworked our competition in recruiting and hired qualified assistants.
The same can not be said for your school.
The SACS issue has long ago been resolved.
Yesterday’s news. It’s over.
Enjoy the football game.
p3sub
December 1st, 2010
11:17 pm
Jeff referred to section 12.3.3, this section does not make sense. However, he may have meant section 12.3.1 which deals with the use of agents references an “individual” agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent. Cam would be the individual, his dad would not qualify. http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/D111.pdf
dawg4life sited a SEC rule which reads “If at any time before or after matriculation in a member institution a student-athlete or any member of his/her family receives or agrees to receive…”. This is not an NCAA rule but a SEC rule. Hence, the SEC commissioner ruled on it. According to the NCAA there is NO evidence showing anybody received money or that there was ever any money agreement agreement with Mississippi State. Hence, this rule could not be used against Cam Newton. I’m glad none of these guys are lawyers. Slive (the SEC commissioner) is a lawyer and former judge and he said just that. Don’t take my word read his. http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/12/01/sec-commissioner-mike-slive-speaks-on-cam-newton-eligibility/
It appears that nothing in the Division I Manual could be used to make Cam Newton ineligible if he or his family never received money. Section 10.1 dealing with unethical conduct only applies the “student-athlete” not his dad; this is probably why the SEC criticized Cecil and told Auburn to limit his access. In short, his dad unethical actions can not be used against Cam Newton. Section 12.3.1 with the use of agents references an “individual” agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent. Cam would be the individual, his dad would not qualify. Section 12.3.1.2 which deals with benefits from prospective agents; is there any mention anywhere that Rogers give Cam anything. Section 13.01.1 Eligibility Effects due to a Recruiting Violation; since the violation occued with MSU booster(s) Cam could be deemed ineligible at MSU not Auburn. And section13.1.3.5.1 Representatives of Athletics Interests. Again this would apply to MSU boosters.
Data sited is from 2010/2011 Division I Manualhttp://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/D111.pdf
woodford
December 1st, 2010
11:17 pm
Rod, are you wojoahsgfhdgffbasdnfbasdjfbajsdsbdjski himself? I don’t anyone that push that article. No spin? That “article” is full of spin. You’re too blind to see it. Why? Because you know the facts, I’m sure.
flagboy?
December 1st, 2010
11:18 pm
From SI.com and Andy Staples:
How big is the loophole? Ask Sonny Vaccaro, the basketball power-broker. “The NCAA just gave cover to every middle man in the country,” Vaccaro told Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports. ‘The kids never know. In all my years, I’ve never heard of a kid being involved in the negotiation. You think they ask? Of course not. Their mom asks. Their coach asks. Their cousin asks. This is crazy.’ ”
I’ll take that guy’s take on it being a “can of worms”.
Akitadawg
December 1st, 2010
11:18 pm
If your for due process than you understand the argument for criminal intent. No money has to exchange hands for criminal intent. My argument is Cam’s father (so far) is receiving much more than due process. The NCAA already has a legitimate case against the dad. If any of these news reports are accurate that the old man offered up his son for 200 large, due process is indeed warranted. So far the family is getting a pass. My opinions are based on news reports I’m reading. I’m not indicting Cam on a whim.
5150 P.O.A.D.
December 1st, 2010
11:19 pm
I have heard
Now that was funny. Now here is the scary. UGA will be producing Friday Night Drunk Civil, Archetectural, and Electrical Engineers in the future. Can’t wait to see the first law suit on a UGA engineered building project.
Bodda Getta Gotta Get A GF
December 1st, 2010
11:19 pm
sweet dreams http://www.wastelandchic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/1160957_Ugliest-Woman-in-the-world_620.jpg
Wow
December 1st, 2010
11:19 pm
I’m glad to know that my comments have stirred up so much interest that someone stole my username. The last “pie-hole” blog was not from me.
flagboy?
December 1st, 2010
11:20 pm
and mine was directed at you. So you get to ask people their reasons behind posts such as “why does it matter to you?” but I can’t ask you the same thing.
Fair enough.
kevdawg
December 1st, 2010
11:20 pm
Dumb Dawg, The violation of his father made him is what made him ineligible for they day. He was reinstated because he did not know his father solicited MS ST. This IS the loop hole you idiot. Isn’t it past your bedtime. The loop hole is that the father can solicit and if the son doesn’t know there have a precendent that there is no infraction. Even Mike Slive at the SEC has said he is concerned that it is a bad precedent that the SEC will try to address with the NCAA. It sounds like he was surprised himself, but can’t go against the NCAA.
5150 P.O.A.D.
December 1st, 2010
11:20 pm
I wish UGA could hurry up and get an Aerospace Engineer in NASA and to outerspace. That would be one trashed shuttle if the dawgs play a game during a Dawgs flight. I hope the Dawg can sneek liqour on the shuttle like into Sanford Stadium.
We rent players Inc
December 1st, 2010
11:20 pm
MikeP I’m pretty sure I read in several places including a Barnhart article that the NCAA was not notified until June or July by the SEC. MSU notified the SEC in Jan of this year and the SEC pretty much poo pooed the story until MSU gave them more info in the summer and THEN the SEC sent the info to the NCAA.
Wow's secret man-boy crush
December 1st, 2010
11:22 pm
AU guys can only dream right???? http://en.ce.cn/World/Americas/200802/17/W020080217359109414148.jpg
We rent players Inc
December 1st, 2010
11:22 pm
kevdawg Mike Slive go against the NCAA???? Give me a break- the pimpster of the SEC??? That’s rich!
flagboy?
December 1st, 2010
11:22 pm
5150 P.O.A.D.
December 1st, 2010
11:20 pm
I wish UGA could hurry up and get an Aerospace Engineer in NASA and to outerspace. That would be one trashed shuttle if the dawgs play a game during a Dawgs flight. I hope the Dawg can sneek liqour on the shuttle like into Sanford Stadium.
___________________________________________________
Thanks for adding to the discussion.
I have heard
December 1st, 2010
11:22 pm
I liked from “winners on the field to whiners on the blogs”. Seems to be an apt description of Ga fans this year all the way from AJ to Newton.
Bob
December 1st, 2010
11:23 pm
flagboy, it is the size of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Wow
December 1st, 2010
11:23 pm
Akita…again, I will defer to the NCAA on their own bylaws. I’ve had listened to judges speak to the issue, arguing the very same thing that the NCAA upheld today…that is, that you cannot fault a player for not knowing that somebody else was shopping him for money. If you could, what kind of can or worms would that open up? How many schools would hire someone to “shop” a rival player and then turn them in?
Bottom line is this…you cannot convict someone until you have the facts. Cecil Newton isn’t playing for Auburn, his son is.