Cam Newton and Auburn in the clear? Not so fast, my friend
Just because Auburn chose to play Cam Newton against Georgia doesn’t mean Auburn or Newton is safe. The NCAA doesn’t work that way. The NCAA gears, such as they are, grind slowly. The NCAA has only begun to sniff around.
Phillip Marshall of Auburn Undercover reported Saturday that the Newtons and Auburn administrators met with NCAA representatives last Thursday. (Link requires registration.) That the school chose to play Newton has been taken by some as an indication that the NCAA has nothing on Auburn. That’s not necessarily true. The NCAA might have nothing on Auburn yet. But by now its investigators have, or should have, a growing indication that this player was put up for sale at least once.
ESPN.com reported yesterday that another Mississippi State former player, the Florida businessman Bob Bell, essentially confirmed the story Kenny Rogers told on ESPN 103.3 Dallas last week and even added a detail: There was a payment schedule for Newton – $80,000 on his commitment to State, $50,000 one month later and $50,000 more a month after that.
From ESPN’s latest report: “Bell said Cecil Newton [Cam's father] never specifically asked him for money, but that Newton was present during three-way calls in which Rogers discussed a pay-for-play scheme.”
Again, none of the former Mississippi State players — Bell, Rogers or John Bond, who was the first to go public — has implicated Auburn. But here again we ask the only logical question: If Cecil Newton wanted $180,000 from Mississippi State, did he really turn around and send his son to another SEC school for free?
And the NCAA isn’t the only investigative body at work. From a TMZ report yesterday:
According to sources connected to the probe … FBI agents looking into the Newton recruiting controversy are also asking about Milton McGregor — a dog track owner arrested last month for allegedly bribing Alabama politicians to vote pro gambling.
We’re told agents asked someone connected to the Newton case if he was familiar with McGregor or the bribery scandal.
McGregor is an Auburn booster and an associate of the infamous former banker Bobby Lowder. McGregor owns VictoryLand, a dog track located just down I-85 from Auburn. Message boards have been buzzing about a possible Newton/McGregor link for the past week, but this is the first real report of any possible connection.
It’s unclear why the FBI would care about Cam Newton, but anytime the Feds get involved, however tangentially, the pace of an investigation accelerates. (Reportedly the McGregor case involves a wiretap.) The FBI, unlike the NCAA, has subpoena power. The FBI, unlike the NCAA, has the means to put somebody in jail for something.
Last week was a wild week regarding Newton. This week has been quieter, which is understandable. Auburn doesn’t play again until the day after Thanksgiving. Then it faces Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and that is, as you might have heard, a fairly big game. Then it comes here to play South Carolina for the SEC title. We are, you can be assured, going to hear much, much more about this surpassingly strange saga.
(Oh, and speaking of Cam Newton … a talented artist named MoonPie has re-imagined “Son of a Preacher Man” to fit these latest happenings. Take a look/listen. You’ll be glad you did.)
– Mark Bradley
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526 comments Add your comment
Nachos aka the "Living Legend"
November 18th, 2010
3:18 pm
Chainz- just take my order and be done with it boy.
chainz
November 18th, 2010
3:18 pm
Thanks for the comment comment…..How original…… Like Tiger or war beagle…. Lotta thought into your screen name……
chainz
November 18th, 2010
3:19 pm
Clean the restroom again…..the barners crapped on the seat…….
AU FAN
November 18th, 2010
3:20 pm
Oh Chainz, it’s just you and I in here. I am “comment”, I am “Nachos” I am AU FAN – AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
AU FAN
November 18th, 2010
3:20 pm
OWNED! see ya bitch!
chainz
November 18th, 2010
3:21 pm
Nachos’ whose your daddy……….No Really do you even know…lol Really……
chainz
November 18th, 2010
3:22 pm
see ya on the chain gang……. more sweet tea Beotch……..
AU FAN
November 18th, 2010
3:23 pm
There is NO nachos… I made him up… fool.
patrick
November 18th, 2010
3:23 pm
“Innoce nt until proven guilty” is for a court of law. Not for the NCAA stop confusing the two
chainz
November 18th, 2010
3:24 pm
you are Nacho’s idiot…..more sweet tea beotch…
charliedawg
November 18th, 2010
3:25 pm
Seems to me MB knows how to move the dial. Lots of posts today on the “Cash for Cam” scandal. I just hope this doesn’t blow up CFB by having minor leagues for football. How boring would that be?????
chainz
November 18th, 2010
3:26 pm
you sure got a purdy mouth…….lmao
AU FAN
November 18th, 2010
3:28 pm
It really has been fun , thanks for letting me pull on your chainz.. I’m out like Cam Newton on a Sunday bible school class.
SeeChange
November 18th, 2010
3:29 pm
I’ll take my UGA Bulldogs with a decidedly down and disappointing season over this mess any day. Criticize Richt all you want but the man is trying to run a clean program. If he gets fired because he won’t pay for players or let arrested players play, that’s more of a commentary on fans and boosters. Same applies for any school.
george
November 18th, 2010
3:40 pm
The problems with Auburn go much deeper than Cam Newton. There are reports that Terry Bowden has admitted that some recruits were paid from $12,000 to $15,000 to sign with Auburn, and that he brought it to the attention of the AD. I know for a fact (first hand knowledge) practice rules were violated in the Pat Dye era, and that Bobby Lowder is a dirt bag.
NHS
November 18th, 2010
3:43 pm
Enjoy it while you can, Auburn. The clock is about to strike midnight and the Cinderella season will be gone. That means a 0-11 record so far.
SECfan
November 18th, 2010
3:51 pm
10.1 Unethical Conduct
Unethical conduct by a prospective or enrolled student-athlete or a current or former institutional staff member
(e.g., coach, professor, tutor, teaching assistant, student manager, student trainer) may include, but is not limited
to, the following:
(c) Knowing involvement in offering or providing a prospective or an enrolled student-athlete an improper inducement
or extra benefit or improper financial aid;
Violations of 10.1 are enforced as follows:
10.4 Disciplinary Action
Prospective or enrolled student-athletes found in violation of the provisions of this regulation shall be ineligible
for further intercollegiate competition, subject to appeal to the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement for
restoration of eligibility.
This rule you cite states that an ‘offer’ made or ‘provided’ by a school or its approved members is a violation. it does not say that if someone not affiliated with the school asks on behalf of the prospective student athlete. which means that the consequence stated above is NOT applicable to this situation.
If you go and look at the rules of the NCAA, there is one (forgive me for not finding it and quoting it here) that says only if there is an acutal transaction that takes place, will the player be ruled ineligible. and ONLY at that institution. meaning, Cam is ineligible to play at MSU, but not at Auburn. There is no proof of any soliciting, transaction, or even conversation between the Newtons, Rogers, or anyone affiliated with Auburn. So as of now, the only problem is what exactly took place at MSU regarding Newton, and is something that makes him ineligible only at MSU or is it something worthy of making him flat out ineligible to play, period?
NHS
November 18th, 2010
3:55 pm
Not so fast, SEC Fan. There are reports floating around of wire tapped conversations between Trooper Jones, Pat Dye, and MacGregor (casino owner) regarding a $250,000 payment to Cam’s uncle in Michigan. It would make sense to not send anything direct to Cam’s dad IF they were paying.
dawghuff
November 18th, 2010
3:58 pm
Learn to read SEC fan. The rule applies to the student not the school. Auburn may not be punished other than having the games vacated because the PLAYER is not elligble.
SeeChange. I agree, but the problem is, Mark Richt is a loser and a coach can win without cheating. We need a winning coach that doesn’t cheat.. CMR must go!
SID
November 18th, 2010
3:59 pm
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
They want T bo's records to stay
November 18th, 2010
4:05 pm
They don’t want Cam to destroy T Bo’s records in just one season. They want to get him off the field before the 20/20 rush and pass TD mark is broken. Cam is a much better player than T Bo, but they don’t want to have to print it. Especially the very next year.
Plainsman
November 18th, 2010
4:09 pm
The only thing Cam Newon stole was my heart!
LAMESMEN LIVE IN OPELIKA
November 18th, 2010
4:18 pm
Opelika Cow College is going down for the count. Is unFairley gonna do his pretty little dance on the field when the announcement is made? Can’t wait to see Scam’s face when he becomes the most hated man in frAUds history. Auburn the most sanctioned team in SEC history. Congrats cheaters. You deserve every bit of what is coming your way. Bunch of arrogant ag majors. 2nd best team in the 50th best state in the union. Be proud Opelika Cow College!!
russnrvr
November 18th, 2010
4:22 pm
[dap01] you are surprised at Cam’s predicament. Not a shady character. Go check the public records of the Fla county that has him at 12 Traffic Violations within a year and a half as well as the 3 counts on the burglary episode. You are not charged because of speculation. UF made sure that those charges did not stick. It wasn’t a Cam thing, it was protecting a UF thing. Get Real!!
LAMESMEN LIVE IN OPELIKA
November 18th, 2010
4:26 pm
Russ – These cheats at Opelika U are in great denial. Of course they take their cues from their wonderful coach Jizzlick who went on record saying what a fine ‘quality’ individual Sham Newton is even though it flies in the face of KNOWN facts regarding this POS. I guess theft, deception, and arrogance pass as integrity in the pastures of Opelika.
TechEagle
November 18th, 2010
4:38 pm
Love all the hate from the thuga losers! So happy I chose AU over uga and yes, I was accepted. Not that difficult. Auburn was ranked one of the top ten places to live. As to thugas clean program, lets see. The entire team runs on to the field after scoring against UF. Classy! Thuga AD is arrested for DUI while driving with a woman, not his wife mind you, with her panties between his legs. Leadership starts at the top. Way to go thuga! Thuga is near the top in one category this football season. Personal fouls. Thuga thugs stomped on the AU logo while grabbing their crotches. Thugas dirty center, aka mr chop block, was suspended earlier this season for an illegal block. Mr. chop block punched and chop blocked AU defenders and his Qb still got smoked. Lastly, in violation of SEC rules, thuga’s bench cleared when a fight broke out. AU’s exercised restraint and ramained on their sideline. Sample question on a final given at thuga U. How many piints is a 3 point shot in basketball worth? What a joke of a school. Keep it classy thuga!
ctucker
November 18th, 2010
4:42 pm
Cam ain’t the “shady character” is in this mess. It’s his daddy with the dollar signs in his eyes.
disGustedfAn
November 18th, 2010
4:44 pm
wow, tha majority of u posting are the reason college football is going down the drain.. it’s because of ppl like u makin comments like this on here, & during the game that will ruin the integrity from which college football was built. rather than just taking the opportunity to “attack” someone, why not try posting EDUCATED responses?? is that too much to ask? should all be sickened & ashamed of yourselves.. let the system work, everything will come to light, & none of your ignorant remarks to each other changes or means anything to ANYBODY!! no wonder other countries look at us & laugh, i’d be laughin too.. you all make us look like a bunch of ignorant animals barking at each other through the glass.. all be it funny at times, it’s more sad than anything..
thanks for ruining an honest sport that players worked so hard to build. & claiming your school only shames your school.. way to go..
Boca Baby
November 18th, 2010
4:46 pm
Mark, you have asked the most pertinent question: “If Cecil Newton wanted $180,000 from Mississippi State, did he really turn around and send his son to another SEC school for free?” In my opinion the status of being a player for Auburn for nothing cannot be a reasonable alternative to playing for Mississippi State for $180,000.00. There has to be money somewhere in the mix. Perhaps this time Auburn boosters have devised a way to hide the money, even from an FBI investigation. Good luck on that one. When the FBI starts squeezing folks tend to start squealing.
Ugadumb
November 18th, 2010
4:46 pm
Those of you criticizing Alabama academics are clueless. Just google state sat ranking. AL ranked 19. GA 47. GA schools are a joke. Was there not an entire county in the ATL that lost its accredidation? I had rather live in Auburn than anywhere in the pos state of GA! Enjoy your dinner at the big chicken…..
Boca Baby
November 18th, 2010
4:51 pm
ctucker: I did not know that you kept up on sports blogs. Nothing like versatility.
Boca Baby
November 18th, 2010
4:53 pm
Ugadumb: So you would rather have a law degree from Alabama than one from UGA? Right.
Boca Baby
November 18th, 2010
4:54 pm
Ugadumb: OK, let’s keep things separate. The problem is that over half of your team is from GA. Send ‘em back home brother! We’ll call it even.
SEC Football
November 18th, 2010
4:59 pm
We certainly have a tempest in a teapot going here, and one that is becoming very boring at that, but before you know it, Auburn and also South Carolina will return to their perennial positions of being the doormats to the football houses of Alabama and Florida, respectively, and SEC football sanity (if that isn’t an oxymoron) will once again reign.
dawghuff
November 18th, 2010
5:00 pm
“So happy I chose AU over uga and yes, I was accepted.”… this is by far the funniest statement I’ve heard on this blog. Auburn almost lost their accrediation just a few years ago because it was so poor academically.
You had no chance to get into UGA you Auburn thug. UGA is ranked #18 for top public universities, Auburn didn’t even make the freaking list.
Cam is perfect for your school.
Coach
November 18th, 2010
5:03 pm
What was Richts head coaching record before UGA? Curious.
uga2002
November 18th, 2010
5:04 pm
hey dawg, don’t type.
auburn was in trouble because of lowder and not because of the school. now, be careful, don’t throw stones when it comes to trustees.
uga2002
November 18th, 2010
5:07 pm
maybe I missed something, and fwiw I didn’t, when and where did Cecil Sr ask for money??
uga2002
November 18th, 2010
5:09 pm
I’m also very curious, when did Auburn University move to Opelika?
Headley Lamar
November 18th, 2010
5:12 pm
UGA was his first job.
Considering its his first job he has I think the 4th or 5th best winning pct in all of CFB.
James
November 18th, 2010
5:12 pm
Why would Cecil send his kid to another school for free? Because MSU said no when asked for money. It’s not that no one at MSU would pay, like most every school there is a booster somewhere who would pay, but finding them is a problem. After a couple of “No” answers, what was he going to do, tell Cam to never play football again? Cecil may have decided to just wait a couple of years for the NFL payday.
Thugadumb
November 18th, 2010
5:13 pm
Puppyhuff, ever hear of google? AU ranked 38 genius. US News. How is thugas mechanical engineering school? Thought so. Heck, UF ranked ahead of thuga in academics. Thuga cannot beat them in anything!
gcs
November 18th, 2010
5:16 pm
Why hasn’t anyone asked Cecil Newton the simplest of questions: Where did the money that paid to repair your church come from?
.
disGustedfAn
November 18th, 2010
5:17 pm
hatred is what the state of alabama is most well known for..
Ugadumb, ur comparing a state populated by 4,708,708, compared to 9,829,211… so yes, i’m sure your SAT scores are higher.. u have half the ppl, half the schools.. less ppl equals higher SAT rate.. simple math lol..
Headley Lamar
November 18th, 2010
5:17 pm
After a couple of “No” answers, what was he going to do, tell Cam to never play football again? Cecil may have decided to just wait a couple of years for the NFL payday.
I dont think Auburn has ever said No.
Thugadumb
November 18th, 2010
5:18 pm
Bocababy, neither. I hate attorneys. Truly believe they have and continue to do great harm to our republic. UA has an excellent law school however. Lets not forget, AU at one time had more CEOs than any other southern school. Google is your friend. GA schools ranked much lower than AL schools. Always near the bottom of sat scores. Ignorant state. This from a guy from ATL. Used to be a great place.
Headley Lamar
November 18th, 2010
5:20 pm
Auburn is basically one big cow pasture and trailer park with a football stadium in the middle.
You almost have to pay anyone to play there.
disGustedfAn
November 18th, 2010
5:20 pm
Coach, Richt was offensive coordinator for fsu under bobby bowden before head coach at uga.. no head coach record prior to uga.. but, he is on a small list for all time wins since starting at uga..
Headley Lamar
November 18th, 2010
5:23 pm
Always near the bottom of sat scores. Ignorant state.
Dude I went to public school in Alabama. Their schools are falling down. Public Education in Alabama is just plain awful.
disGustedfAn
November 18th, 2010
5:24 pm
hey Thugadumb.. uga just approved the engineering degree last week.. keep up.. lol.. before last week, it was GT who dominated the south for engineering.. ranked 6th in the country.. so much for dumb georgians eh.. ur prolly livin in a building someone from ga built lol..