Cam Newton’s Heisman is a victory for fact over suspicions
Auburn's Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy by a wide margin, but 105 voters chose to leave him off their ballot. (AP photo)
(Updated: 9 p.m. Saturday)
The problem isn’t just that some turned Cam Newton’s Heisman run into a morality play. The problem is how we’re judging morality.
His father tried to pimp him to Mississippi State for cash. So is this was supposed to be a vote for Cecil “Huggy Bear” Newton? Is a Heisman vote suddenly not for the student-athlete but for his father, mother and maybe third cousin? Because if that’s true, clear the trophy case. Start with last year’s winner, Mark Ingram, whose father has been in jail for most of the last 10 years for money laundering and bank fraud.
Cam Newton purchased a stolen laptop when he was at Florida, then panicked and threw it out the window when he heard police footsteps. Big mistake, for which he paid a price (public humiliation).
There have been stories of him being on academic probation at Florida. Sorry, but does this put him in some exclusive company in major college athletics that I’m not aware of?
As someone who makes his living in the world of opinion, it nonetheless astounds me how opinion so often trumps fact today.
Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy Saturday night. Maybe you don’t like it but it was the only choice that made sense.
Newton’s 2,263 points were far head of the next closest competitor, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck (1079). But 105 voters out of the 886 returned ballots left Newton off their ballots. For the holier-than-thou voters who want to point to the word “integrity” in the Heisman’s mission statement and yell, “Aha!” — fine. The laptop incident and academic issues at Florida two years ago at the age of 19 prove that Newton is flawed. Welcome to a very large club.
Warrick Dunn, here delivering a new home to Janice Cantrell, is a pretty fair judge of character. (AP photo)
Question: Do Heisman voters hold every candidate to that standard every year, or is this just a new policy of theirs?
But to those who chose not to vote for Newton for the Heisman based on what they think he knew or they think he did or they think he took during recruiting, I would suggest they try peddling that in a courtroom and see where it gets you.
“They’ve done their investigation and the NCAA says he’s in the clear right now,” Warrick Dunn said Friday. “If they say he’s eligible, he’s eligible. People need to just let it go. He deserves whatever he gets.”
Dunn, the former Falcons running back, didn’t win the Heisman when he was at Florida State (he finished fifth in 1996). But he’s in New York with Newton this weekend to accept the Heisman Humanitarian Award for his long-standing.
“Home for the Holidays” program and the work of his foundation.
Few athletes in history have commanded as much respect on and off the field. So his opinion carries some weight.
When asked about Newton as an Auburn quarterback, Dunn said: “He’s resilient. Mentally tough. To be able to focus and stay on course during all of this says something about his character. He’s been able to separate the nonsense off the field with what he has to do on the field. It shows he’s strong mentally.”
As for Newton’s Heisman candidacy, Dunn was bothered that it was even a question.
“They’re just not giving him his due,” he said. “You’re innocent until proven guilty. Most of this is about public opinion, not facts. People want the perfect student-athlete. There are no perfect student-athletes. When I went to college, most of us didn’t even know if we were breaking rules. What if somebody talked to us or gave us a ride or bought us a meal? We didn’t know. I think a lot of what’s happening to Cam Newton just goes back to the Reggie Bush thing [when he had the trophy taken away for NCAA violations].”
Newton overcame his early problems. He plays with pure joy. He lifted a college program like few ever have. He’s one bowl game away from completing arguably the greatest season ever by a college player. He has endured the darkest of clouds hanging over his head, beating Georgia just after the scandal broke, Alabama on the road after it mushroomed and then South Carolina in the SEC title game.
If evidence should come out that Newton knew something or took something, the argument changes. Take away the award. A lack of integrity will be confirmed.
It’s not an ideal situation, but it’s better than the alternative of disqualifying somebody on a hunch. We don’t convict people when we think they might be thinking of robbing a bank. That’s not enforcing morality. It’s a presumption of guilt.
– By Jeff Schultz
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681 comments Add your comment
ESPN
December 11th, 2010
9:48 pm
Does anyone else find it funny that ESPN is showing the documentary of SMU’s Death Penalty Pony Express right after Cam Newton’s Heisman trophy? Maybe they are trying to send us a message?
Rick
December 11th, 2010
10:14 pm
Cant wait next year when Aaron murray shreds auburns secondary and when we hit auburn’s next starting qb REAL HARD. GO DAWGS!!!!
Rick
December 11th, 2010
10:15 pm
let’s see how tough the putty cats are next year… Oh wait cam’s not there anymore haha!!!
JSS
December 11th, 2010
10:16 pm
The 30 for 30 movie ‘Pony Excess’ has been shown before today… The only thing it shows that there is nothing new… From Hershel and Buck having Trans Ams in 1980, to pay for play athletes of today, it is a matter of perception… You can find what you want to find!
This could as easily be like when the Saturday Evening Post made accusations against coaches in the SEC. It could be 1957 when the old Pacific Coast Athletic Association (the forerunner of the PAC-10) was disbanded and half the teams put on probation for 3 years… You guys take this stuff to seriously… Unless you’re going act like the Ivy League, stop with the grand indictments and indignation!
WHATASCAM!!!!!
December 11th, 2010
10:25 pm
Jeff,
You have got to be kidding ……I think you guys write this crap so you get big hits and big reviews… If this is what YOU really think, then you are not as good at this writing opinion thing as you think you are!!!! Yes, it is good that we have an SEC TEAM in the big dance. However, it would be one thing if this was his ONLY issue Cam had in his career….WOW!!!! You are going to be ashamed to have even wrote this article defending an idiot like this guy and his family. More power to you….
JSS
December 11th, 2010
10:26 pm
Y’all need to be worrying about all of this incest going on in the SEC! Dawgs sleeping with Gators, Volunteers sleeping Dawgs; and nobody having the sense to use a Trojan!
SA
December 11th, 2010
10:41 pm
I was willing to give Cam the benefit of the doubt until that interview the other night when he said, without even cracking a smile, that he hasn’t asked Cecil about the whole pay for play scenario with MSU. Never even mentioned it to his father. They haven’t even discussed it these last few months. Really. That kind of hard to swallow statement would cause him problems in a court.
Cam Newton wins a Heisman
December 11th, 2010
10:42 pm
[...] [...]
Ed
December 11th, 2010
10:42 pm
He’s a cheater, a liar, a thief, and a piece of trash. What a disgrace. The Heisman has become meaningless.
DAWG
December 11th, 2010
10:43 pm
Georgia=Sour Grapes, you just don’t get it. I should have said SCAM NEWTON. The nuts don’t fall far from the tree, so i guess you are pretty close.
witko
December 11th, 2010
10:46 pm
Amazing. Someone may have cheated before so we should have no problem with this one. And the innocent to proven guilty crowd must think they are in court of law. The NCAA can take action on far less–as is the case with most administrative agencies. Still, even in court much is accepted as proven by quality inference. You know one of those operations of logic. I could go on but many of you seem incapable of critical thinking. Also belief JS is in bad need of mouthwash. Some places were not meant for kissing.
Did notice Cam was not an All American. Also noted that the undefeated one did not win SEC coach of the year. Seems a little integrity is hanging around. Probably not for much longer with the likes of JS.
THE MUTTS LOST OUT ON MUSCHAMP,BUT KIRBY IS OUT THERE
December 11th, 2010
10:55 pm
THANK YOU CAM NEWTON FOR NOT GOING TO RACIST UGAY!
THANK YOU CALVIN JOHNSON
THANK YOU WILLIE GAULT
THANK YOU JIM BROWN
THANK YOU CHUCK SMITH AND JAMAL LEWIS
THANK YOU CHARLIE WARD
FOR YOU GUYS NOT GOING TO UGAY!
THE MUTTS LOST OUT ON MUSCHAMP,BUT KIRBY IS OUT THERE
December 11th, 2010
10:57 pm
TO BAD GEORGIA BOYS HAVE TO GO TO ALABAMA,AUBURN,LSU,FLORIDA AND TENN TO WIN NATIONAL TITLES!
Dawgfan
December 11th, 2010
11:25 pm
As Shults and Barnhart, and pretty much the rest of the media, gave this guy a pass on cheating three times, stealing a fellow student’s laptop, letting his father make pay for play deals, I had to explain to my son that somebody like Newton has no business winning the HT or even playing in college athletics. I fear that he’ll look up to these types of people. AU exemplifies everything that is wrong with this country, not just college football. The fans, media, apologists are just scum, plain and simple.
Pimp My Son
December 11th, 2010
11:28 pm
Cecil got $200,000 == cam got the trophy! It all worked out!
MikeP
December 11th, 2010
11:40 pm
You guys here are a HOOT! I’m thinkin’ that 49-31 beatdown knocked all the sense out of your heads.
Three reputable news sources have proved that the allegations about Cam Newton cheating at Florida are a lie, yet y’all keep posting as though if you repeat the lie enough times it will become true. That ain’t how the world works and in the meantime you look very poorly informed.
The other thing slapping you in the face is that Auburn is not facing sanctions. Auburn is not being investigated. Auburn has not even been suspected or accused of anything, yet you keep posting that Auburn is in trouble, as if your futile attempts to alter reality can have some effect. It can’t. “Eligible without condition” is what the NCAA ruled. Learn what that means, but not too soon. It’s fun to come here and observe the impotent squirming.
MikeP
December 11th, 2010
11:44 pm
You guys here are a HOOT! I’m thinkin’ that big beatdown knocked all the sense out of your heads.
Three reputable news sources have proved that the allegations about Cam Newton cheating at Florida are a lie, yet y’all keep posting as though if you repeat the lie enough times it will become true. That ain’t how the world works and in the meantime you look very poorly informed.
The other thing slapping you in the face is that Auburn is not facing sanctions. Auburn is not being investigated. Auburn has not even been suspected or accused of anything, yet you keep posting that Auburn is in trouble, as if your futile attempts to alter reality can have some effect. It can’t. “Eligible without condition” is what the NCAA ruled. Learn what that means, but not too soon. It’s fun to come here and observe the impotent squirming.
lluxomni
December 11th, 2010
11:50 pm
If only Cam were as perfect as RJ….
Congratulations Cam. It was well-earned.
Cam Newton Heisman
December 12th, 2010
12:14 am
[...] Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton is handed the 2010 Heisman Trophy tonight 11th December 2010,Cam Newton Heisman – Your best source for quality Auburn Tigers news, rumors, analysis, stats and scores from the fan [...]
Nick Fairley hurt me
December 12th, 2010
12:22 am
RJ, Get your facts straight ace. He was in good standing when he left Florida and went to Blinn. He was never in academic danger. Read the report issued by UF. But I’m guessing you are a bammer fan or uga and never attended either university. Oh, which bowl are you going to??? NCAA would have never cleared him dumb a@@ if a chance it would be taken away. War Eagle!
Nick Fairley hurt me
December 12th, 2010
12:27 am
Rick, Puppies better toughen up on the line because Fairley and our offensive line abused uga this year. 42-10 second half brother. That was just not Cam . You have talent but not the coach. How many national title games Richt taken you to in 10 years……..oh ,let me answer it for you, 00000000000.
Ed (The Original)
December 12th, 2010
12:28 am
Is it just me, or has the Heisman Trophy lost a lot of lustre in recent years? It seems to have gone the way of the Miss America pageant. A meaningless trophy.
Ed (The Original)
December 12th, 2010
12:32 am
I can still see Warrick Dunn catching that pass from Charlie Ward and taking it up the sideline to beat UF in Gainesville. ‘93 or thereabouts. Those were some fun FSU teams to watch. As a Georgia fan, we had to live vicariously through FSU, Auburn, Alabama, and other teams that weren’t scared of Florida (as Georgia apparently still is). 2010 feels like deja vu.
Boo hoo
December 12th, 2010
12:35 am
W A R D A M N E A G L E !!!
To all you nasty-rumor mongers who don’t care about facts.
S C R E W Y O U !!!
UGA fan
December 12th, 2010
12:39 am
waaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaa
All us UGA fans know how to do is cry like little babies.
waaaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaaa
ha
December 12th, 2010
12:40 am
Ed – you’re meaningless
Chillahill43
December 12th, 2010
12:48 am
These whining UGA leg humping Puppies just like mustard. Yellow and a little goes a long way
The tRuth is Winners write HISTORY and
losers ( like the UGA fans and team ) get to read what the winner say about thst history.
So butt sniffers here goes 2010 History-
auburn kicks puppies butts
arkansas kicks puppies butts
colorado kicks puppies butts
UGA FANS CRY FOR 3 months then proceed to continue falsehoods and get there chance to
see MR CAM Newton collect his heisman trophy to the victors go the spoils. No matter what you
punks and dawg “hos” think. ‘ auburn will be NAtional Champs and after 10 yrs well? Satisfaction
? Good guy yes winning football program? Not really. Lets see 1980 was only
3 decades ago. And since all the power houses are winning Sec Championships and NC titles
maybe one day ( but i doubt it) yall will be able to play for the capital one bowl.
GOD AWFUL CAN NOT BE SPELLED WITH OUT UGA!!!
for
v
P
December 12th, 2010
4:18 am
Good God Schultz! Need we bring up the minor…MINOR violations that have happened at Georgia that you have lambasted Richt for this year. Apparently the alligations of a stolen laptop and falsified term papers (i go to college. I hear the screams about plagiarism which can all but sink your college carrier) are worse than..getting a ticket. This paper has always had a love affair with the Techies, (hence why they lose to us and you and Bradley call them the second coming. By the way.. you’re the only ones saying that) but now the writers love them some Newton.To even call into question the character of Mark Richt who might be too nice to coach, is insane. I guess morality is a word you can throw around. Your double standard is obvious.
P
December 12th, 2010
4:23 am
BTW, can we get these Awwwburn, lowlifes off this blog? Don’t you have something better to do like combing your sisters backhair? Wo boy you beat us this year. After spanking you 4 years in a row. Savor your victory and the bowl game. You won’t have either next year.
War Damn Eagle
December 12th, 2010
4:28 am
I’m going to take a wild guess and say that all you Cam haters are Crimson Tide fans???
Hackjob
December 12th, 2010
7:49 am
“The NCAA can take action on far less–as is the case with most administrative agencies. ”
See, this is what I don’t understand…If the NCAA has much lower threshold for guilt (for instance, a preponderance of evidence rather than beyond reasonable doubt), and they STILL reinstated Cam Newton WITHOUT CONDITION, what does that say about your accusations?
What makes YOU think you’re smarter or more well informed than the people who actually have all the facts?
Hoyt Holden
December 12th, 2010
8:17 am
That Cam Newton is a regular Nile Kinnick!
Jake
December 12th, 2010
9:14 am
Sad that voters chose excellent performance over integrity.
Integrity is far more important.
What a shame.
Mark
December 12th, 2010
9:21 am
Jeff-
You’ve done a 180 on how you previously felt.
I remember the article you wrot on Georgia about arrests were more important than wins.
I guess you were saying THEN, that character was more important than on the field performance.
You’ve done a 180 now on your moral outlook.
Not sure what caused you to totally change your position.
But I find it interesting how you can say two totally opposite things, and believe both are true.
Remeber this?
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2010/10/11/georgias-embarrassment-is-about-arrests-11-not-wins-2/
Dawg Days
December 12th, 2010
9:23 am
Sorry Jeff – the overwhelming majority of your readers – GA fans and non-GA fans disagree with you. He is a criminal. And I believe the rules state he doesn’t have to know whether his dad, the minister tried to pimp his son. It is just a matter of time before this entire season is declared null and void – mark my words.
Mark
December 12th, 2010
9:26 am
Jeff-
Remember back in early September when you were so outraged over the $35 scooter thing?
You wrote THEN that mistakes deserve discipline.
Now you’ve done a 180 when it comes to Cam Newton.
2 totally contradictory viewpoints.
Here’s your view a few weeks ago, my how quickly your entire moral outlook has shifted:
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2010/09/03/no-excuses-georgias-arrests-fall-on-mark-richt/
Mark
December 12th, 2010
9:29 am
I am absolutely sure once the truth comes out, it will be just like the USC thing, only it’s much, much worse.
Oh for the day when TRUTH used to matter.
Mark
December 12th, 2010
9:34 am
There’s a cummulative effect to this Newton thing that reeks of a bad odor. Laptop stolon from room 303 when Cam lived in room 306 and laptop was found in Newton’s room–painted, cheat academically, cheat again, cheat again, Preacher man Dad tries and extort $180,000, Dad banned from school events with his son, Cam claiming he has never spoken to his dad about the charge????, etc.
Jeff worte about the cummaltive effect. If that’s the standard, no one shold have voted for Cam Newton.
Mark
December 12th, 2010
9:36 am
this is a victory for ends, over means, make no mistake.
It’s saying, no matter how you get there, as long as you get there, it’s ok.
TybeeDawg
December 12th, 2010
9:39 am
It’s amazing how Shults lost the UGA readers this year. Dawgfans have long memories poon-boy Shults. The verdict is in, and we don’t like you.
Darren
December 12th, 2010
9:48 am
Jeff-
If 98% of the voters, had come out before the vote AGAINST Newton, one wonders how you would have voted?
Mark
December 12th, 2010
9:50 am
Facts? Try this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/sports/ncaafootball/10auburn.html
Mark
December 12th, 2010
9:52 am
More facts:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/sports/ncaafootball/24newton.html
Mark
December 12th, 2010
9:54 am
More facts?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/sports/ncaafootball/18auburn.html
Mark
December 12th, 2010
10:02 am
Facts? The SEC Bylaw 14.01.3.2 is very clear that you do not have to RECIEVE benefits to be inelegible, just an AGREEMENT TO RECEIVE benefits by an agent or family member, makes the athlete inelegible.
The truth is, the facts are, Cecil agreed to received money for play.
When it all shakes out, Cam Newton will digrace Auburn.
Ricky
December 12th, 2010
10:06 am
The facts are, the Heisman Mission statement states there are 2 requirements for the Heisman Trophy winner, here’s the standard, regardless of how journalists feel, here are the facts.
1) Excellent performance
2) with integrity
The OPINIONS of writers don’t take precedent over the INTENTIONS of the Heisman fund.
Ricky
December 12th, 2010
10:22 am
Here’s the mission statement, if you want to read it yourself:
http://www.heisman.com/trust/mission_statement.php
TybeeDawg
December 12th, 2010
10:47 am
Nice church Cecil! Where’d you get that one, Kmart?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/sports/ncaafootball/24newton.html
Mare
December 12th, 2010
10:55 am
It is ridiculous for you to compare Newton to Mark Ingram’s situation. Ingram’s Dad did his crime when his son was 12 and it had nothing to do with football and its regulations.
LHardingDawg
December 12th, 2010
12:31 pm
The college football game we knew and loved took a major hit yesterday. Gone is the sportsmanship, the integrity, and the STUDENT athlete. The sportswriters had an opportunity to do what Mike Slive (SEC) and Mark Emmert (NCAA) did’nt have the balls to do. The sportswriters could have rightened the ship.