Another Cam Newton allegation? Sorry, I’m still not swayed
Cam Newton while at Westlake High. He was good then, too. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Another Cam Newton allegation has arisen, this one involving the quarterback himself. Citing an unnamed source, Thayer Evans of FoxSports.com reports that Newton was accused of cheating while enrolled at Florida.
The same Thayer Evans, it must be noted, had already passed judgment on Newton before his latest round of reporting. Wrote Evans last week: “Listen closely, Heisman voters: Do not vote for Newton.”
I no longer vote for the Heisman Trophy. (The AJC now precludes its writers from so doing.) But if I did, I’d have no problem casting a ballot for the Westlake grad.
Because even if he did cheat at Florida — he was also arrested there on three felony counts involving a stolen laptop — he’s not at Florida anymore. (The charges were dropped after Newton completed a pretrial diversion program.) Even if former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond was approached by someone saying it would cost $180,000 to land Cam, as reported last week by ESPN.com, Newton didn’t go to Mississippi State.
He enrolled at Auburn. He plays for Auburn. Neither the school nor the NCAA has ruled him ineligible. This isn’t to say that both parties shouldn’t go back and investigate his recruitment; it’s simply to say that anyone who seriously believes a player should be forced to sit because a charge of recruiting impropriety surfaces that doesn’t involve either the player directly or his chosen school is, shall we say, naive.
(Think of it this way: Auburn plays Alabama the day after Thanksgiving. Auburn and Alabama are — stop the presses — serious rivals. What would prevent an Alabama fan from saying to some news outlet: “Know what? I offered Newton 10 zillion dollars to play for the Tide — somebody suspend that guy now!”)
Yes, naivete cuts both ways. We can be skeptical of Newton. Heck, we can be skeptical of college football writ large. (Ask Clemson fans if they ever wondered about the recruitment of the 1982 Heisman winner, a tailback from Wrightsville, Ga.) But Newton getting arrested at Florida and being accused of cheating there in no way proves there’s anything untoward about his presence at Auburn.
If something implicating Auburn does come to light, that’s a different matter. But we cannot make the Reggie Bush leap — Bush had to return his Heisman, so no future Heisman should go to someone who might have to hand it back — because, at last check, Cam Newton is not Reggie Bush. I mean, come on.
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405 comments Add your comment
Slim Mady
November 9th, 2010
10:44 am
The Cash Newtons new fight song should begin…
Once, Twice, Three Times, and counting, a cheater, doesn’t really matter to us barners.
WarEagle
November 9th, 2010
10:45 am
This totally stinks. The timing of this witch hunt is obvious. Those Heisman Trophy voters who have already expressed they will not vote for Cam should be kicked off the roll since nothing has been proven. Cam has a gift and no one this year is better. He deserves this trophy no matter what happens the rest of the season with his stats right now. If he doesn’t receive the Heisman, then it will become a joke just like the BCS rankings instead of playoffs.
brad
November 9th, 2010
10:45 am
smoke—-fire
if it waddles…if it quacks…its probly a duck
Suspicious
November 9th, 2010
10:47 am
The fact that the allegation is that UF was going to get rid of him makes me suspicious…Urban doesn’t get rid of anyone regardless of the charges against him.
RambleOn84
November 9th, 2010
10:47 am
The Heisman is already a joke, as it does not go to the best player every year.
Don’t make it worse by giving it to this guy…or do…who cares? The Heisman is a beauty contest, just like the BCS.
if ands & buts
November 9th, 2010
10:50 am
99% of talking heads …REAL MEN OF GENIUS
Brock
November 9th, 2010
10:50 am
Auburn Rocs!
November 9th, 2010
10:26 am
Everyone that hates Auburn is a LOOSER!
Auburn Rocs!
November 9th, 2010
10:29 am
Cam doesnt have to cheat at Auburn! You bunch of LOOSERS!
The second and third funniest things I’ve EVER read on a blog. If you can’t spell loser then you are indeed THE loser..got it looser?
Better yet he did it twice so you know he thinks this is how it’s spelled.
You can’t make this stuff up?
Back to point, Cam will start and will win this saturday. Bring up the past all you want but this will be a non story after this week.
gomdawg
November 9th, 2010
10:51 am
DALLAS COWBOYS IS LOOKING FOR A COACH UMMMMMMMM LOOK OUT BAMA
kimmer
November 9th, 2010
10:52 am
Truth seeker, John Bond is a 50 year old man now. I kinda doubt his high school days define him now. In any case, what possible motivation does John Bond have to lie about this? He came forward with this information BEFORE newton was ever recruited by AU and never implicated any school or anybody other than this rogers character and what his conversation was with him.
Kinda dirty pool to drag Bond through the mud over this.
JB
November 9th, 2010
10:52 am
Hum, Ealey and AJ were tared and feathered on here with “what If’s” before all the facts were in. Not many hits with 20 or so AU folks on here………Geez.
Tweets that mention Another Cam Newton allegation? Sorry, I'm still not swayed | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
November 9th, 2010
10:53 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Gail Sideman, Mark Bradley, ajc sports editor, ReidAdair, AUtitude and others. AUtitude said: Thanks Mark, at least there are a few sane journalist still out there. RT @MarkBradleyAJC: #Auburn http://bit.ly/c2CHi8 [...]
Chris
November 9th, 2010
10:53 am
Slim Mady
November 9th, 2010
10:44 am
The Cash Newtons new fight song should begin…
Once, Twice, Three Times, and counting, a cheater, doesn’t really matter to us barners.
Slim your an idiot, he hasn’t cheated at Auburn, we don’t even know if he cheated at Florida. If he had cheated at Auburn and not made the grades he would not be eligable.
NORRIS
November 9th, 2010
10:53 am
Auburn has only been able to score big against bad teams this year. all of the quality opponents held there own with them.
Geez Mississippi state almost beat them.
Gene Chizik's intimidating turtleneck jacket
November 9th, 2010
10:55 am
Cam i$ a $pecial player and love$ to play the $port. He and hi$ father are awe$ome.
Bo Jackson can't read a lick
November 9th, 2010
10:57 am
He is worth every penny right war eagle nation ?
Andrew
November 9th, 2010
10:57 am
Thayer Evans is a joke. I am a Longhorn fan and do not have a vested interest in this matter. Mr. Evans, however, is from Oklahoma and wrote for the New York Times and would write many b.s. stories derogatory about Texas. Check out his articles about the recruitment of McFarland (went to OU) and Darrell Scott (a Colorado running back).
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/sports/ncaafootball/26recruit.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=thayer%20evans&st=cse
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/sports/ncaafootball/07preps.html?ref=sports
He has no credibility.
NO, UGA did not recruit Newton
November 9th, 2010
10:58 am
No way that we went after Newton. He is too tall, he can run, he can throw and he apparently can build a student following, as well as getting his team to rally around him. Whay would UAG recruit him?
We have A Murray who over throws his receivers, resulting in early season losses and the FLORIDA LOSS and he is too short.
Other than that, UGA will be fine at QB with one that is 5′8″.
Newton will leave for the NFL after this year however and Murray never will. Wonder why??
Go Dogs.
kimmer
November 9th, 2010
11:00 am
Geez Norris. That was a Mississippi State team that DID beat UGA, UF and 5 other opponents this season.
JD
November 9th, 2010
11:00 am
So it’s a NEW allegation about something that was known in 2008 by the school where he was enrolled? Ok, who is behind the effort to distract him before he plays Georgia and Alabama?
If they fully investigate the recruitment of any star player, you would probably be disgusted at what coaches, boosters, and “friends of the school” do.
From Where I Sit
November 9th, 2010
11:02 am
Bottom line this is all about winning plain and simple.
These thugs are not in college for the education but they are there so that it can be a stepping stone for the NFL. What makes me sick is that these guys bump my kid from getting a scholarship and who is wanting to go to college to obtain an education and give back to the university, not just glide through and leave to go to the NFL.
There needs to be a line in the sand for all, and that is if you do not qualify acedmically, your ASS doesn’t get in. I do not care how great of a football player you are!
Enough Said!
SWGADAWG
November 9th, 2010
11:03 am
You guys take the Bradley bait EVERYDAY !!!
lewis
November 9th, 2010
11:04 am
Auburn fans can count to 4, right? Thats the number of consecutive years that UGA has taken them out to the woodshed in football. Thats the only number that really matters.
Auburn DVM
November 9th, 2010
11:04 am
Wow,
The ThUGA fans sure have a lot of snaggle tooth opinions today. Perhaps being 5-5 has something to do with it. Hmmmm…..I wonder if the pups will “crank that soulja boy” this weekend???? NOT!!!!!! Just live with it ok. Auburn has a good team this year and you idiots can’t stand it!!!!
GAGirl..but seriosuly????
November 9th, 2010
11:05 am
Let the kid play! I went to UGA and I am a die hard DAWGS fan..however this has nothing to do with UGA right now. Yeah, it was messed up for NCAA to susepend Green for those games, but that over now…it won;t be any redemition if they suspend Cam…I also work in Fulton County, at the feeder middle school to Westlake…I would like to see him be successful! All yall OLD HEADS need to get a life!
bjohndawg
November 9th, 2010
11:06 am
Tim,,,IF CAM WAS AT UGA, I CANNOT IMAGINE THE INSANITY THE AJC WOULD BE RIGHT NOW. THEY WOULD HAVE A SEPERATE WEBSITE DEDICATED TO THE ISSUE, THE ATL NEWS STATIONS WOULD HAVE NEWS CREWS IN ATHENS 24/7.
You head the nail, right on the head. If this was Georgia, Bradley’s article would have said ” Richt has lost institutional control at Georgia”.
There is a double standard at the AJC and with the main sports writers. If its UGA, pounce at the mere sniff of an problem. Guy does not give his first name to police. An arrest. Richt cannot control his players. et al. Most of Georgia’s problem are traffic tickets or not showing up in court for traffic tickets. Hell, they are too lazy to even look at florida’s county records departments to even mention it. Old news they say. yet we continue to here about Georgia’s old news dont we. Like mentioning one Herschel Walker for effect. Right Mark? When did he last play 1982?
But some other school…oh shucks, he is just needin a second chance.
SECWasteManagement
November 9th, 2010
11:09 am
Hearing the “clever” nicknames of “thUGA” and “UGAG” never gets old.
MAJOR PAYNE
November 9th, 2010
11:10 am
UGA fans here saying that UGA has never had arrest problems. DUI’s like so many recent DUI’s, Are you telling me that DUI’s are no big deal. I guess we best MAD and let them know.
This is a smear campaign. Cam will be rich when he sues Florida for violation of releasing of his private academic records.
bjohndawg
November 9th, 2010
11:13 am
IF…and I mean IF( because it has not been proven) that Newton cheated on test at Florida, on has to wonder why so many people that jumped on the QB at Ole Miss ( who graduated from Oregon) but transferred in, are willing to give Newton a ride. I guess a year playing at JC makes the difference. But if you already graduated how do you do that?
No they would rather bash Georgia’s bad driving habits then look under the covers of their own programs. Wonder how many “arrests” for traffic violations at other schools. We wont know, unless a blogger tells us, because the AJC is too worried Richt lost instituitional control because a walkon was doing 46 in a 35.With a busted tail line.
As for AJ…he got what he deserved, he screwed up and was punished.
From Where I Sit
November 9th, 2010
11:13 am
Hey Major Payne, you are a joke sir as FL has not released anything.
How can you support a thief and now a cheater?
Enough Said!
Wreckem
November 9th, 2010
11:15 am
You puppies need to quit crying. Mr. Bradley is correct about this. All of this recruiting stuff to date has not been directly linked to Cam or Auburn. The pups are saying it isn’t fair citing AJ Green and all the others that were caught in the act or hard direct evidence against them. The other 11 teams in the SEC need to stop Cam on the field, not stir up off the field issues. I hope Cam runs over every LB, Safety, and Cornerback in the backfield this Saturday. THWG!
G-Money
November 9th, 2010
11:19 am
Enter your comments here
Chris
November 9th, 2010
11:20 am
So he cheated three times in his short stay at uf but we’re expected to believe he just all of a sudden got smart? I mean, come on! He got busted for putting his name on another student’s paper and when busted he simply went to the internet for a replacement. he may be “eligible” but he’s far from a student athlete. I respectfully ask that the media stops sucking him off as though he’s a great kid with no past.
dawg
November 9th, 2010
11:20 am
MARK: Facts are he did pretrial diversion for laptop BUT he also STOLE someone else’s paper and put his name on it AND when caught then bought another term paper on internet and turned it in under his name. He left Florida and enrolled in Jr. college before he was to appear before a hearig at Florida which would have kicked him out. Auburn swears this is best kid in the world and the hell with what he did before he got there. If the kid went to UGA you’d be screaming for Mark Richt’s neck.
john
November 9th, 2010
11:21 am
LMAO, leave early for the NFL? Ummmm ok sure
Newton is a day 2 pick with no shot at starting in the NFL
Funny to see all the excuses being made for this liar/thief.
If he was not playing football and was just some kid going to school, with all the trouble following him 99% of you would be ready to throw him in the trash.
But since he can play football…LMAO look at yas running to protect him.
Cam Newton = Omar Jacobs
Won’t be a NFL player worth talking about
Cam's Dad
November 9th, 2010
11:21 am
Funny how this isn’t happening to Terrell Prior, Kellen Moore, Denard Robinson, Ryan Mallett…… not one, but three (3) things haunting Cam….I don’t know, Mark. I guess that Mr. Newton is just a victim of incredible circumstance, huh?
Clayton
November 9th, 2010
11:22 am
In this day and age, character takes a back seat to talent…. unfortunately.
Delbert D.
November 9th, 2010
11:22 am
Did Cam Newton cheat while he was at Westlake? Surely someone local can answer that. If he did or did not cheat in high school, the same may be likely in college.
Sanford Drive
November 9th, 2010
11:23 am
bjohndog….
Here is a list, and i do mean LIST of Cameron Newton’s traffic violations while at Florida.
Interesting, notice the 13th one at the bottom is still in continuance for “driving with a suspended license”, a violation punishable by ARREST, EVERYWHERE. But we heard nothing about it……
https://www.alachuaclerk.org/court_records/gis/index.cfm?section=results
Chris
November 9th, 2010
11:23 am
Major Payne,
Really? Cam’s going to sue them? HAHAHA If he could spell lawyer I’d be quite surprised.
Flatcreek
November 9th, 2010
11:24 am
http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20101108/ARTICLES/101109444/1153?Title=Meyer-refutes-playing-role-in-Newton-probe-It-s-ridiculous-
G-Money
November 9th, 2010
11:24 am
Really, I mean who cares. The entire landscape of college athletics, and to a certain degree college itself is a sham. Kids lie, cheat, and steal a great majority of the time. They also fornicate, get drunk- in most cases illegally, smoke pot and use other illegal exotic drugs. So let’s make an example out of one of the top candidates for the Heisman Trophy, to show how morally upright this system is.
SD in Auburn
November 9th, 2010
11:26 am
So he’s dense and he cheats. Most college football players are and do. Why should he be any different? This isn’t an Auburn issue. It’s a college football player issue. Have any of you seen OJ’s attempts at writing? One would think he has a diagnosis of MR. Perhaps he does. Yet Southern California legally let him play, and who can blame them?
The solution to this (for all of college football – hardly just for Auburn) is to make football players have the same academic qualifications as all other undergrads (these qualifications are appallingly low at every university in the SEC except for Vanderbilt, and appallingly low at nearly every BCS institution nationally). What is undergrad school, really, other than playschool?
We could still have college football. The only difference is that it would be authentic college football. Or we can continue with this industry (it works for me). But if we do, we can’t hold Cam or other players accountable for not being able to manage academically with honesty.
john
November 9th, 2010
11:26 am
And oh ya
NEWTON IS DONE in Heisman Voting, they don’t wanna have another Bush so soon after….you know Reggie Bush.
Is ANY of you think he has a shot at the Heisman, well thats just funny funny stuff, and will be much more funny when reality comes and slaps yas in the face.
Take way Football….
Now….
Anyone here hope their child grows up to be the type of man Cam Newton is….
Thought so
Wanna comment and Lie to us about that Mark, wanna tell us you could only hope yours turn out to be like Cam?
Uh huh
npgator
November 9th, 2010
11:27 am
Cam looks good in a Lions uniform. Stafford is good for half the games so maybe the Lions should consider Newton next year.
AU Rules
November 9th, 2010
11:27 am
All this stuff was started by alabama fans, disgusted at their failed season and trying to get Auburn derailed. It will not work. AU blows out Ga this week, bama next week then florida. AU-Oregon for the BCS title, Cam for the Heisman—book it!!!!!
Sanford Drive
November 9th, 2010
11:28 am
Newton still has an open case in Florida for driving with a suspended license.
Bradley would have suggested expulsion if this were a UGA player.
https://www.alachuaclerk.org/court_records/gis/index.cfm?section=results
Nope
November 9th, 2010
11:28 am
So much for decency, integrity and honor. By voting for this criminal… you are telling every kid in this country that it is OK to break the law if you are a star player… you will be allowed to get away with it and even rewarded. What a pathetic article…
D
November 9th, 2010
11:30 am
Bradley, I agree with your position on Newton, but I believe if this happened at UGA you’d be throwing Newton under the bus and demand the coaching staff be fired. I can’t help but see a double standard at the AJC when comes to other schools and UGA
B-Mac
November 9th, 2010
11:32 am
UGA did recruit Cam, but that is while Stafford was there so Cam figured he wouldn’t get any playing time!!
Mad Hatter
November 9th, 2010
11:32 am
So basically, Cam Newton is going to be playing with a chip on shoulder this Saturday because of all the allegations… the news just keeps getting better and better for UGA. The question is, will he cry after he beats Georgia like the Gators did?