Why Auburn can’t allow Cam to play against UGA (Updated)
On Tuesday Gene Chizik defended Cam Newton against allegations the coach called “pure garbage” by saying the quarterback had done everything asked of him since arriving at Auburn. But now Auburn needs to ask — nay, to demand — that Newton do something difficult for all involved.
Auburn needs to tell Newton to sit out the Georgia game.
The dynamics have changed since Chizik offered his ringing defense. On Wednesday ESPN reported that two unnamed Mississippi State “recruiters” had heard both Newton and his father Cecil mention money in separate phone conversations. On Thursday Kenny Rogers told ESPN 103.3 in Dallas that the elder Newton was seeking between $100,000 and $180,000 for his son to enroll at Mississippi State.
In nine days we’d gone from two reports that referenced the former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond as a rather distant accuser to stronger allegations that Cecil Newton himself asked for money. And late Friday Mark Winne of Channel 2 Action News reported that Cecil Newton has admitted discussing the possibility of getting money from MSU. (Though the elder Newton claimed no money changed hands and that both Cam Newton and Auburn are clean.)
Rogers has offered names, dates, details and demands. Rogers, who has worked for an agent who is apparently being investigated by the NFL Players Association, might not be the perfect witness, but the murky depths of NCAA violations tend not to be the realm of saints.
As yet, nothing has surfaced to tie Auburn to any player payola, but that’s no longer the issue. It can be an NCAA violation for anyone to seek money or benefits on behalf of a prospect, and now Cecil Newton has apparently admitted as much. Which means Cam Newton could be ineligible. More to the point, it means Auburn has reason to suspect he could be ineligible.
Auburn faces Georgia tomorrow. The Tigers can clinch the SEC West if they win, but there’s more at stake that a berth in the SEC championship game and the clear possibility of playing for the BCS title: There’s the reputation of a university on the line, and it’s a reputation Auburn hasn’t always gone to the wall to protect.
In 1957 Auburn went undefeated and finished No. 1 in the Associated Press poll but couldn’t grace a bowl because it was on probation. In 1993 Auburn went undefeated but was barred from a bowl appearance — and even from appearing on live TV — because it was on probation. In 2003 Auburn’s president and athletic director flew to Sellersburg, Ind., on a private jet owned by the toxic booster Bobby Lowder to meet with Louisville coach Bobby Petrino even though Auburn still had a coach in Tommy Tuberville.
According to the NCAA’s database, Auburn football has been penalized five times for major violations. (This doesn’t count JetGate, which was merely an affront to human decency.) The most recent sanctions were levied in 1993, which suggests the school has become more scrupulous in recent years. Here’s the chance for Auburn University to prove it’s more than a football program with a few classrooms as window dressing. Here’s the chance for Auburn to prove it cares more about being an institution of higher learning than it does the outcome of a given game.
Auburn has cause to doubt that Cam Newton’s recruitment was pristine. It plays Georgia on Saturday but doesn’t play again until it meets Alabama the day after Thanksgiving. That’s nearly two weeks to conduct a thorough in-house investigation, as opposed to relying on the kneejerk “Cam Newton is eligible to play at Auburn” defense. That’s enough time to get some grasp on what’s really what.
The worst thing a school can do is to allow a player of questionable eligibility to represent it. For Auburn to let Newton play against Georgia simply on faith would be to ignore the revelations of the past nine days. It doesn’t much matter if Mississippi State or Florida or the CIA or the KGB was behind these allegations; what matters is that the burden of proof — and proving that something didn’t happen is a massive burden — has fallen on Auburn.
If Newton doesn’t play against Georgia and the Bulldogs win, Auburn will have lost a football game. If Newton plays and is later found to have been ineligible, Auburn will lose much more. For the sake of his latest school, Cam Newton cannot take the field tomorrow.
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1,576 comments Add your comment
AA
November 12th, 2010
10:44 am
“the burden of proof — and proving that something didn’t happen is a massive burden — has fallen on Auburn.”
When did the protocol on this change?
Lt Col
November 12th, 2010
10:44 am
Mark, Mark, your bias is showing! And since I am a Razorback fan (Wooo Hogs)…..not a fan of either UGA or AU, I contend that I am much more unbiased than are you.
First, the allegation by “two unnamed Miss State recruiters that they heard Cecil Newton himself asked for money” is nowhere near as strong as the evidence that Miss State quarterback John Bond heard such statements because of the very fact that they are “unnamed”.
Second, both the allegations by the Miss State quarterback and the “two unnamed recruiters” are impossible to verify. Let me hear the tape recordings of Bond and/or the recruiters , backed by voice recognition experts, which evidences their claims of legitimacy.
Third, if you believe that Cam Newton should sit out the game against Georgia, why not require that A.J. Green sit out the game as well. His transgression was proven and the “punishment” meted out (a 4-game suspension) was much too lenient, anyway. He is easily deserving of being suspended for an additional game, if not two. Cam Newton’s alleged transgression is just that…alleged. And until it is proven there is no basis to require Cam to be benched.
BMDPD
November 12th, 2010
10:44 am
Dang Auburn! I feel really bad for you, but you knew the kid had character issues when you were recruiting him. Hey, I hear that Zach Mettenberger is available.
Headley Lamar
November 12th, 2010
10:44 am
The whole innocent until proven guilty thing might hold water if Auburn hadnt done this time and time again in the past.
They have always been a dirty program do forgive us if we dont believe you when you say you didnt do it this time.
MOST-PENALIZED DIVISION I PROGRAMS:
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Auburn 7
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Texas A&M 7
Wichita State 7
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✭Nine programs have been penalized six times, including USC and UCLA.
AU FAN
November 12th, 2010
10:44 am
Randall- Liquid Concrete?
Don’t you have some ditches to dig today? Uneducated, backwoods hick. I love Bammers that never went to college ( ANYWHERE ) yet they cheer and poke the most. They never went to college, they just picked a team to follow and was “all in” from the point that their daddy’s told them to be.
Go back to school, its not to late to educate yourself. Wal-Mart will survive without you people.
Bulldog59
November 12th, 2010
10:45 am
Strange how people view this so differently. Auburn fans are screaming “witch hunt.”
Outsiders see a player (1) whose transfer request contains a college transcript complete with 2 findings of academic fraud and a third accusation not yet resolved. (2) The player’s records also include a felony receiving stolen property charge that was dismissed after the player completed pretrial intervention program. Finally, outsiders see (3) an athletic department and coaching staff at Auburn that knew all of this when they admitted him.
DOES CHIZIK NOT REALIZE THE REST OF THE WORLD KNOWS THAT HE HAD TO BE FULLY AWARE OF ALL THESE ISSUES AND RECRUITED/ACCEPTED NEWTON ANYWAY?
I don’t care if Newton plays or not on Saturday, but please find some what to tell Chizik to shut up! He is embarrassing himself, Auburn, and the SEC.
Jim Pierce
November 12th, 2010
10:45 am
Tracey: Alabama fan. **Class post
Richie
November 12th, 2010
10:45 am
College football in the state of Alabama……..Dont U just love it.
Power Of Dixieland
November 12th, 2010
10:46 am
Why the mention of “jet-gate”? This is a reach so that you’ve got something to associate Auburn and dirty within this century. And the dynamic hasn’t changed. If you’d get off your butt, rather than reading the other so-called information, you’d realize Auburn is way out in front of this. Why was Gene Chizik so giddy last night (and no it wasn’t the fact that Chic-Fil-A brought back the holiday mint milkshakes)? You’re pathetic Mark Bradley – and that dynamic hasn’t changed, either.
BMDPD
November 12th, 2010
10:46 am
BIG NEWS OUT OF THE SEC —– AU offers Zach Mettenberger. They also are trying to sign Marcus Vick (He still has some eligibility).
SEC Haters
November 12th, 2010
10:46 am
Hey Bradley would you have written the same article if Auburn was playing Troy St. Saturday. I am not an Auburn fan nor UGA fan. I am a college football fan. If these allegations were true they should at least have some small piece of evidence by now, you can’t hide 200 grand that easily. I don’t care what background you come from it’s kinda hard to sit on that much money & not purchase something. So until the investigation is over find some real football stuff to take up space in the AJC. “unnamed recruiters” SMH !
JB
November 12th, 2010
10:47 am
Tracey…….. The BIG BIG BIG risk for Auburn is IF it is true…..and they KNEW IT….and played him anyway……….Lotta AU fans will be looking for another team to support for 3 to 5 years, just say’n
Referee
November 12th, 2010
10:47 am
If Cam was above reproach, I would say PLAY him. But he lied about the computer he had at Florida. If he brought the Camputer, he had no reason to lie and toss it out the window. He lied once. How do you know he is telling the truth now. This does stink because of the timing, but I have seen where there is smoke, there is usually fire. The question is, “what does Auburn have to lose in footbaal compared to what does Auburn have to lose as a University. Look at USC, they did not know and their punishiment was severe. Auburn needs to decide. They are the only ones who can make a decision on facts that they should have dug up by now. Auburn got screwed by theNCAA when USC cheated, they will most likely get ccrewed again no matter what happens. Sorry War Eagles.
chris
November 12th, 2010
10:48 am
Seems like all D1 athletes are paid, but everyone denies it. Just like with MLB and Steriods, we need a Mitchell report. so, if congress cant fix the economy maybe they can work on College football.
Dang Dawg
November 12th, 2010
10:48 am
If his dad was asking for money to sign from MSU ,who really thinks that the dad told Cam to sign with Auburn for free????
I am telling you it will come out that an Auburn booster paid Newton $200K to come to Auburn.
Me thinks Auburn is in some deep SH1T!
SEC Sports Fan
November 12th, 2010
10:48 am
There is a website called The Top Ten Dirtiest Programs in College Football.
Auburn is listed as number 8. Google it.
And ask your Auburn football friends about the “Auburn Handshake.”
Gator Man
November 12th, 2010
10:48 am
I would expect something like these for the Dog lover losers Mark Bradley. He will say anything to try and give this pathatic program a edge. This incident was done over 2 years ago, I did not hear Mark call out Georgia players to sit.
wwjd
November 12th, 2010
10:48 am
You reap what you sow.
JB
November 12th, 2010
10:49 am
SEC HATERS….. It doesn’t matter who they are playing this week….or if they were 7-3….. IF IT’s TRUE……..It is what it is this week…….
CAM NEWTON/AUBURN THREAD---post all Cam discussions here - Page 13 - TigerFan.com
November 12th, 2010
10:50 am
[...] [...]
Jimmy
November 12th, 2010
10:50 am
Jimmy also wants AJC bloggers to know that the word ‘lose’ means something totally different than the word ‘loose’. Jimmy sees this same mistake every single day.
JB
November 12th, 2010
10:51 am
Gator Man……Georgia has no dog in this mess ( no pun intended), they just happen to be this weeks opponent.
Delbert D.
November 12th, 2010
10:51 am
“what matters is that the burden of proof — and proving that something didn’t happen is a massive burden — has fallen on Auburn.”
There has to be an actual charge by the NCAA that something *did* happen in the recruitment of Newton by Auburn. There is no such charge.
The FBI inquiry has to be about possible bank fraud.
Auburngirl
November 12th, 2010
10:51 am
All of this is BS and doesn’t matter because nothing has been proven. I can’t understand how all of the media can report this as if it is fact. None of it has been proven to be factual. Come on people! This is a kid with a promising future ahead of him, but not if you are going to destroy him with innuendo and rumors!!
Crumpy frisky this morning
November 12th, 2010
10:51 am
Let me guess AU FAN – your a big shot executive who works downtown and is a proud AU graduate.
Well maybe it’s true.. but your still a DOUCHE bag.
Carry on. War Scam Eagle.
BMDPD
November 12th, 2010
10:51 am
I do feel bad for Auburn, but they knew what they were getting. A thief and a liar! But…I am sure he turned things around…He is an honest man now…….riiiiight!
Old Dawg
November 12th, 2010
10:51 am
Woe Eagle!
MikeP
November 12th, 2010
10:51 am
I saw “Some Guy” pay A.J. Green $25 for his sneakers. UGA better sit him out!
aubie
November 12th, 2010
10:51 am
Why is the burden of proof on Auburn to prove that there was no wrongdoing? I thought people were innocent until proven guilty.Kenny Rodgers, who is a liar and a crook, and these “unnamed sources” could easily be getting paid to say these things. The fact that all this is coming out at the 11th hour of the season with a national championship and a heisman on the line seems very fishy. It would be unfair to the auburn players, coaches, and fans to sit Newton out at this critical point in the season without some proof of wrongdoing.The only fair thing to do is to let him finish the season while the investigation is ongoing. Do you really want to make it that easy to sabatage a team’s season? Just get a couple of people to tell some lies about a team’s best player and get him benched. Does that sound fair to you?
Are you serious?
November 12th, 2010
10:52 am
Mark Bradley…..Thanks for letting us all know how much of a UGA fan you are….and on top of that, how retarted you are
NCAAFAN
November 12th, 2010
10:52 am
The word allegations is the key here. Another fact.. Auburn has not been allowed any defense during this story. And how much are the statements we hear taken out of context. Finally if we read into the NCAA rule regarding solicitation of a player, what does this do to all who would hate to be set up by their rivals? Just a few thoughts from a NCAA fan..
D Smirl
November 12th, 2010
10:52 am
What an asinine point of view. Let’s run this kid out of town on innuendo and blog BS. This guy needs to cover Brittney and Paris Hilton if he wants to hype a story. This is SEC football not some staged reality show!
Anonymous
November 12th, 2010
10:52 am
Yeah, that’s just what UGA wants: for Newton to sit out, so they have a better chance of upsetting the #2 school in the country and saving one of their last two chances of making a bowl game this season. The reporting on this scandal is atrocious. Love it when reporters turn to their blogs to pass an opinion off as news, especially when the content of the piece is no where near sound enough for proper publication. Apparently “here-say” is the new the new “fact”.
@ BMPDP
November 12th, 2010
10:52 am
Classic! Mettenburger is available for the cost of his fine in Valdosta.
Southerngirl
November 12th, 2010
10:52 am
Let’s get some facts straight. In December of 2009 Cam visited Miss. State, Oklahoma and Auburn in that order. He chose AUBURN. In January of this year Miss. State turned over these allegations to the SEC and the SEC found these allegations to be non-credible. Once AUBURN started winning then Miss. state turned in these same allegations to the NCAA. Why is it that only Miss. State personnel/former players are the only people coming forth with these allegations? Wouldn’t the same have been asked of Oklahoma as well? I’ll tell you why it is only Miss. State and that is because it is SOUR GRAPES on Miss. State’s part. Why is it that the Miss. State personnel/former players keep coming up with a different range of figures (100K to 180K or 100K to 200K)? It’s because they keep making it up as they go!!!! Sour grapes is sour grapes and even UF had to get into the fray with his school records. This is BS and the NCAA should have but this to rest months ago! Cam is eligible and should play for AUBURN! AUBURN is doing the right thing by letting him play for them! Kepp up the great work AUBURN!!
MRTTMT
November 12th, 2010
10:53 am
FBI is talking to people today,we will see if they tell the same story to the FBI as they have told in the media?
Alabama | MrSEC.com
November 12th, 2010
10:53 am
[...] will be a priority for Billy Donovan’s team tonight.4. Mark Bradley of The AJC writes that Auburn University’s reputation is on the line if it allows Cam Newton to play tomorrow.5. If he does play, Georgia’s defense will have to [...]
SEC Football Fan
November 12th, 2010
10:53 am
Brad,
Poor almost dumb article. You assume just because you haven’t heard about it until ESPN and NYT broke the story nobody else has. You haven’t eve bothered to look at the time line. Auburn has known about this for a long time. They did conduct a thorough investigation including looking at Cecil Newtons financial records, phone and email records BEFORE he was offered. All of this was forwarded to the SEC and NCAA months ago. That is why Chizik keeps stating “Cam is eligible AT AUBURN” . Didin’t catch that did you?
@Anonymous
November 12th, 2010
10:54 am
Come on Cam, get off the computer. It is your computer right? You are typing this for your self right?
tom
November 12th, 2010
10:54 am
You are full of it. Sit him for what. So UGA can win. Allegations that are designed to bring down a young superstar and the Auburn Team. When the facts are proven, I agree. Sit him, suspend him, whatever. Until, quit being the judge. Many of the allegations have come from unnamed sources. That is real proof of wrongdoings. Not!
Sam
November 12th, 2010
10:55 am
You are an idiot. Now that I have said it, it makes it so. You need to now resign from whatever position you hold that allowed you to write this blog post because idiots should not be influencing the remainder of the world.
Bis
November 12th, 2010
10:55 am
This whole commentary is a spectacle. Whatever happened to “innocent till proven guilty”? Would the writer of this column go ahead and forfeit his liberties if someone were to accuse him of a horrific crime? Would you go ahead and say, “Send me to prison because there’s speculation to whether I am guilty or not.”
No, you wouldn’t and neither would any other sane human being. All of the allegations at worst, even if proven, do not lead to Newton’s ineligibilty. The fact is nobody has accused Cam of soliciting payment. What his father does or does not do is consequential only to him, not Cam.
All of the allegations: Cheating, Pay for play (by cecil newton) and whatever else the jealous allegers can come up with, never accuse Cameron Newton himself of being guilty.
The FBI can access all financial records of all involved. Obviously they have not found any payments made to the Newtons, or else they would have released this information. This is an instant information world. If wrong doing had been found, it would have been publicized by now.
To suggest Cam should forfeit his playing would be so succumb to rumors and gossip. Does anyone have a brain left?
Jimmy
November 12th, 2010
10:55 am
Jimmy thinks the biggest lie so far was when Cecil said “Its not gonna be free this time!”
Jimmy thinks Florida paid first and felt jilted when he left.
And if Florida fans weren’t so horrible to be around…Jimmy would feel sorry for them.
An open letter to Cam Newton – al.com | SportsZrr
November 12th, 2010
10:55 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Bulldog59
November 12th, 2010
10:55 am
Gator Man, what do you mean by “I did not hear Mark call out Georgia players to sit.”? When AJ Green was under investigation, Richt benched him.
Delbert, actually I think it would also include tax-evasion, that’s usually one of the first charges filed when any type of under-the-table payoffs are made.
chris
November 12th, 2010
10:56 am
AuburnFans, All these reports and AU fans, say there is no PROOF. Heads up. NCAA investigations and trials are not part of the US judicial system and evidence and proof is not required. NCAA is much like a kangaroo court, they are judge and jury, just ask USC. Proof is what they believe or want to believe.
Cam will be okay with a large NFL contract, and AU will get the death penalty.
david
November 12th, 2010
10:56 am
this is stupid. why not play him? if he is guilty, they forfeit every game he played in and lose it all any way. Play him, play for a title, hope not, but possibly win it, and who cares if they take it away. I would rather have it taken away then being saying what coulda happened.
Sad State of Affairs
November 12th, 2010
10:57 am
What comes around goes around….you really think Florida would have let him go if he wasn’t so guilty
uga2002
November 12th, 2010
10:57 am
Mark, this is an absolutely reckless worthless article on your part.
sir, let me ask you a question, next time uga has a star player and you are carrying the water for us, how would you like it if boosters under NCAA and FBI investigation come out and say said player wanted money and then people demand UGA sit the player with absolutely no evidence other than the comments of boosters whose stories keep changing.
I hope the ajc didn’t pay you $1000 for this dribble. This os a really really bad precedent to trust in low life boosters words over the NCAA and the institution that has the most to lose but is sticking to their player.
Tucker
November 12th, 2010
10:57 am
If only the sports journalism profession was as regulated as college athletics….