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
aualum87
December 2nd, 2010
2:23 am
still@the bar, did it go in the “W” column or the “L” column?….That’s what I thought….Schultz needs to put a rule in here that no one can blog that doesn’t have a winning season….it would eliminate all of the peripheral trash from UGA and Tech…..
UgaDave
December 2nd, 2010
2:24 am
aualum gotta give ya credit….u guys doing great with all the Georgia High School players! Makes sense though….Alabama gets all your InState talent!
aualum87
December 2nd, 2010
2:25 am
stll@thebar, and in 1941, we beat Tech blah, blah, blah…..Again, how does 6-6 taste? (I’m talking about this year)
UgaDave
December 2nd, 2010
2:25 am
Lol…Still! Only a dumbazzzz Auburn fan would look stupid trying to trash talk a Tech fan! GT owns Auburn….from wayyyy back to just recently!
aualum87
December 2nd, 2010
2:26 am
UgaDave, didn’t help Bama too much last Friday did it….and thanks for all of the Georgia studs, we appreciate ‘em……
still@the bar
December 2nd, 2010
2:26 am
UGADAVE there you go UGA Ben JONES pulled the turff up from Tech last year and was eating it. I guess he need a snack before he fed it to UGA coeds. Play fair Karma is a bitch.
aualum87
December 2nd, 2010
2:29 am
You guys crack me up…..y’all enjoy your little 6-6 seasons and enjoy Shreveport (the LaQuinta Inn down there is NICE!!)and wherever Tech ends up (maybe Birmingham, keep your fingers crossed)….peace out…
UgaDave
December 2nd, 2010
2:31 am
Of course you do!!!! U can’t win with Alabama players…..have to come to Georgia to recruit talent….excuse me…sorry…BUY talent!
UgaDave
December 2nd, 2010
2:33 am
Still….don’t get me going! I was defending Tech against that Auburn idiot. U can talk smack with Auburn but lol…Georgia kinda owns you guys right now. Chill
UgaDave
December 2nd, 2010
2:34 am
Well Still….guess everyone else realized the futility of their argument and bailed!!!!!! Hang in there and have a pleasant evening!!!!
UGA = Thugs
December 2nd, 2010
2:35 am
FULMER CUP ! FULMER CUP !!
still@the bar
December 2nd, 2010
2:35 am
auAlum87 7-5 last year and the OUTBACK BOWL to end 8-5.
Tech 10-2 and the Orange Bowl to finish 10-3
UGA 7-5 and Independence Bowl to finish 8-5
Now AUalum87 you are having a great year but you don’t need to talk too much crap to UGA they beat you 4 in a row. we have you 2 in a row and we won 10 last year. not too bad.
aualum87
December 2nd, 2010
2:39 am
good points guys, time to get to bed out here on the west coast…seriously, good luck to you guys in the post season bowls…
Christos
December 2nd, 2010
2:44 am
I’m sorry, but I can’t help but disagree more. Think about the Pandora’s box this will open. Now any brother, father, uncle, or mother can solicit from folks so long as the player doesn’t know – without fear of putting the players eligibility in jeopardy. You’re living in a dream world if you think a 17 year old is making a decision outside of the input of his family.
Is is to imagine this situation – “Dad what do you think about all this.” ” Well son, they all seem great, but this new coach at Auburn (insert any place and any positive) really seems like he is going to run a program that will help you achieve your goals. If I were you that’s where I would go.”
Supes
December 2nd, 2010
2:45 am
Jeff Shultz,
3 years from now I expect to read the “I WAS WRONG ABOUT AUBURN/SHAM NETWON” article when they get someone to rat Sham out and come out with a smoking gun to prove that Auburn did PAY FOR PLAY and then lied/covered up real good…except things like this have a way of coming out.
So Jeff…you and Kincade (who couldn’t be more wrong on this as well)…go ahead and sound like you care about “justice and this “innocent kid”…when everything points to a massive cover up, from Auburn to the SEC…and of course the NCAA (which has very little investigative power) hasn’t been able to find the smoking gun yet.
Anyone with common sense knows that Auburn did the pay for play (and they aren’t alone other schools do it except they don’t get caught) with SHAM…and when the truth is revealed years later you and Kincade will be the ones eating crow (with the rest of the Auburn lunatic fringe)
Supes
December 2nd, 2010
2:47 am
You guys crack me up…..y’all enjoy your little 6-6 seasons and enjoy Shreveport (the LaQuinta Inn down there is NICE!!)and wherever Tech ends up (maybe Birmingham, keep your fingers crossed)….peace out…
**********************************************
How did u enjoy the last 4 years of beatings that UGA dished out on your paper cheating tigers? peace out u little sh*t…You realize that next year its’ back to the middle of the pack where you belong right?
Amazing…don’t know what’s worst….Tech fans that wanna talk sh*t after 1 recent win against UGA or Auburn fans forgetting the 4 in a row they took up their a&&
WAR CAM NEWTON
December 2nd, 2010
3:03 am
IS IT ME OR DOES GEORGIA HAVE THE FREAKIN WHINIEST FANS IN THE COUNTRY?
guy
December 2nd, 2010
4:13 am
Jeff has to be best friends with Cynthia Tucker and must have voted for obama to believe what he wrote in this article.
Jeff Schultz Fan
December 2nd, 2010
5:11 am
Jeff: Some bloggers make comments without knowing even
half of the facts. For example, I read two responses
that stated Newton chose Auburn over MSU. I believe
he chose Florida and was kicked out before going to Auburn.
gomdawg
December 2nd, 2010
5:25 am
DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT HE DIDN’T ASK AUBURN FOR MONEY ,BUT HE DID MISS. STATE .IF YOU BELIEVE THAT I HAVE SOME OCEAN FRONT PROPERTY IN KENTUCKY FOR SALES. IT WILL COME OUT ,BUT TO LATE TO SET EVERYTHING RIGHT. MONEY POWER
Larry
December 2nd, 2010
5:56 am
Jeff.
I agree on every point except that it wasn’t a violation because he only solicited but did not receive. I think there should be some sort of penalty for the solicitation whether the son knew or not, which anyone that is both honest and has more than a double-digit IQ believes he must have had some knowledge.
Why, to penalize the solicitation will set a precedent that if an immediate family (mother, father, sister or brother) member does this there will be consequences. This will help to create a prevention of such acts. Further, from a legal perspective, albeit a criminal law perspective, attempt of murder, attempt of theft, attempt of bribery, etc is a punishable act even though the attempt isn’t consummated–thankfully!
Flip-Flop Mark
December 2nd, 2010
6:00 am
I forgot I wrote several weeks ago that Can Newton should not play in the UGA game–just in case he was found guilty. Now that UGA is bowl eligible I have changed my mind. You see I am a dmeneted sports writer and I am also stupid. I guess that is what qualifies me to write for the AJC—Authentic Justified Crap.
Dean
December 2nd, 2010
6:04 am
I think what gets people so annoyed at all this is the way the Auburn people act. There response is always, “prove it” instead of stating that they hope they didn’t do aything wrong. It’s like the whole school and fan base are in support of trying to cheat as long as they can get away with it. It’s definitely a black eye on the school but don’t try convincing that to them. “We may have cheated, but prove it”. The question then comes, what kind of academic institution is this?
bitter larry munson
December 2nd, 2010
6:04 am
6and 6 not bad compared to being 12-0 on the plains, what a bunch of low life’s taken a player after he turned down miss st because they would not pay the bill!!!!, it does not take much thought to no that this was always going to blow up, alburn is now going to be watched from every angle, like usc there coach will jump ship along with the rest of the coaching staff. leaving alburn to pay for years maybe the death penalty, the sec needs to allow for change like moving alburn to a different conf., be happy to have MARK NOW FOLKS., DONT LIE DOWN WITH THE DEVIL YAAW!!!!!, JAN kemp set ga. football back 20 years so reggie bush will set usc back 20, now its alburns time for 20 years of average football, just had to keep up with alabamma!!! enjoy your fun now cause it will end soon, no recruit with any common since would sign with alburn after what transpired at usc, theres still time to step up and do the right thing allburn and that would be to suspend “scam” and move forward and at list not face the death penalty dumas—!!, MEMO to the sec this kind of action is only hurting the league, leadership starts at the top. not the top of a stack of 10 dollar bills, im larry munson with a thought, good day.
Dean
December 2nd, 2010
6:08 am
Georgia people are lame but that’s another issue. They didn’t whine when Bama won the title last year and generally they cry and cry about Florida but accept that they are a step above their program. There wasn’t the implication that those schools were cheating. It seems every time Auburn is good there is a cloud of scandal at the school (minus 2004 when Auburn was robbbed).
My Dawgs still own Your Auburn Tigers
December 2nd, 2010
6:13 am
Jeff,
Everyone outside the Auburn fanbase and yourself, know this ruling is wrong, secondly it demostrates the brazen attitude of the SEC Officials and leadership.
tim
December 2nd, 2010
6:20 am
All this proves at least 1 thing…..That Newtons father is a lying loser…just like a lot of other “ministers”
former Auburn player
December 2nd, 2010
6:21 am
My tiggers ar tha gratest teem to evr play futbal. We allss knoe that it taks mony to mak mony.
We outbid everybody and it is tim for tha rest of yall to shut ur mouth and let us shin in alls our glori.
We pade good mony for Cam, and he dids hiz job and now we ar even bettr than we wer with Bo.
So alls yall can whin and cri alls yall wants becase we will win anothr SEC tytle and play for the Cristal Bal trofy.
Sincrly
Formr Auburn Footbal player and Auburn graduat.
K. Conway
December 2nd, 2010
6:25 am
There is no honor in Auburn!
3andout
December 2nd, 2010
6:35 am
You are absolutely, totally correct Jeff. But facts don’t stop the delusional into believing what they want to believe. The consensus crowd has a lynch mob mentality that is not going to stop at facts. Scary to think that jury pools are drawn from the same lot of people.
Bo Jackson
December 2nd, 2010
6:37 am
Go Gamecocks!! Beat the cheaters!
MR
December 2nd, 2010
6:38 am
Sore losers…you idiots can read but you don’t understand what you read. The NCAA rule based on the current rules. No evidence of money being received. MSU stopped the process once money was mentioned. Several schools that recruited Cam said there was no mention or request for money. Lay this completely on the lap of one Kenny Rodgers, a low life scum who should be banned from any contact with young players. You UGA fans should just shut up and enjoy your 6-6 season. You own Tech, whoop-tee-do. What does that get you, certainly not the dome on the 1st Saturday in December.
NCAA Vultures
December 2nd, 2010
6:38 am
I like the article Schultz-zzzz, “I know nothing, I see nothing”! And as you know Schultz-zzz, Col. Klink is running our own inept gestapo like investigation over here at NCAA Headquarters, so my “QUESTION” to Cam Newton would be:
Question: “Did you say the money at Auburn was too good to turn down?”
Answer: See Sgt. Schultz or Gene Chizak for: “No Comment”
StatesBurr
December 2nd, 2010
6:39 am
AUBURN FANS: You ought to take a minute and read other sports blogs across the Eastern U.S. I have and can assure you it isn’t UGA Fans that realize this sure does stink… Talk about selling out for wins.
former Auburn player
December 2nd, 2010
6:39 am
3andout…
Aubie huh!
Another loser you are…
former Auburn player
December 2nd, 2010
6:40 am
and i guess 90% of america is wrong
NCAA Vultures
December 2nd, 2010
6:44 am
3andout: Scary to think that jury pools are drawn from the same lot of people.
Yeah, and MAYBE O.J. WAS guilty, but all of white America overlooked the FACT that Mark Furhman had previously planted evidence in 44 seperate cases, many of which have since been overturned and aquited, but you never read about that. In the immortal lyrics of the late Dewey Cox, “guilty, guilty as charged”….
Herschel Talker
December 2nd, 2010
6:46 am
A man with a brain: Gene Wojo of ESPN http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=5872192
A man without a brain: Jeff Schultz
NCAA Vultures
December 2nd, 2010
6:48 am
Don’t worry sports fans, it may take five years as we “vultures” circle slowly before digging our talons into a carcass, but whatever Auburn wins, it will be stripped of it when ALL THE FACTS ARE IN. Innocent until proven guilty, or forgotten about, see “weapons of mass destruction”, “mission accomplished”, etc, ad nausea,….
SOS
December 2nd, 2010
6:50 am
Everybody within 1000 miles of this situation has lawyered up and the Feds are snooping around. That don’t pass the smell test. It’s only a matter of time.
NCAA Vultures
December 2nd, 2010
6:56 am
Too bad most of you weren’t born when George Hafner and Mike Cavan took turns watching who came and went to Herschel Walker’s house in Wrightsville his senior year of high school from the house across the street that a UGA alum rented for them, not too mention HW telling Clempson they were a million short of what he got at UGA. He got a brand new Trans AM legit, uh, sic, totaled it the first day, the dealer said no problem and he got another the next day. Then he posed with Coach Dooley who was all smiles as HW annouced he’d be back for his senior season, oops, he’d already signed with an agent and was soon off to the USFL, sticking a hobnail boot in Dooley’s butt on the way out! Whether its $1, $180,000 for Cam Newton or whatever it was A.J. “counting his” Green got for his jersey, it’s cheating. UGA made a deal with the Devil at the Crossroads of a dirt/clay road in Wrightsville a long time ago, the Devil never forgets, and that cloud of optimism is in reality the doom and gloom that fogs the red and black sunglasses of the masses. Now the same deal is going down in T,t,t toomer’s corner, and the Devil is collecting soon! By the way, does anyone here know what color the panties of the former AD’s mistress was? Red? Black? Or a combination of both? Georgia calling out Auburn fans, you gotta love college football!
Parts of the above ranted text was inspired from a seance with Bear Bryant, who to the chagrin of many Auburn fans, should be dug up and put in prison, comprende?
StatesBurr
December 2nd, 2010
7:03 am
NCAA Vultures: I think you have “HW’s” personalities confused.
Ignorance is no defense
December 2nd, 2010
7:04 am
That’s what I have always heard. Apparently, “Officer I didn’t know I was speeding” is now a viable defense
Burp
December 2nd, 2010
7:11 am
Ignorance is no defense – so I can tell a hooker than you want sex with her for $1,000 –> and the cops can arrest you for solicitation?
Even though you knew nothing and didn’t do anything?
Get a grip idiot.
StatesBurr
December 2nd, 2010
7:12 am
MR: We own you too..you squeaked out a win this year, but with SCAM gone next year its back to getting that butt whipped.
SuperB
December 2nd, 2010
7:22 am
Legally, at this time, the NCAA had no other choice but to let him play. But only the most naive believe if Cecil Newton tried to sell his son to MIssissippi State– then he tried the same thing with other schools. And did Cam Newton apologize to his recruiter from MSU on the phone? Apologize for not being able to attend his first choice becasue the money was too goo at Auburn.
Buzz Killer
December 2nd, 2010
7:25 am
here is a SEC by-law which I think sums up actions that need to be taken.
“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.”
greg
December 2nd, 2010
7:39 am
Shultz… I completely blown away by your maturity. Did you right that “dude” and that you wanted to call someone a “moron” because they call you out? I think your new name is “Derek Anderson”
Jason
December 2nd, 2010
7:41 am
Jeff, the comment about the loophole is shortsighted. Allowing parents to shop kids without their knowledge (even if they are not actually paid) creates a situation where either a) the parent gets paid, or b) the kid retains eligibility. This is a win-win as they can get a favorable outcome either way. By making the simple act of soliciting (with or without the kid’s knowledge) an offense that warrants ineligibility, the risk is far higher (as in the parent doesn’t get money AND the player loses eligibility) and is a far greater deterrent.
Buckeye
December 2nd, 2010
7:44 am
Spurrier and Cam in December in Atlanta!
thUGA and loser Boise in August in Atlanta!