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
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
526 comments Add your comment
mexdawg
November 18th, 2010
1:19 pm
Worm is right you MUST read Hambone’s tigerdroppings.com link.This is better than a Tom Clancy novel.I know one thing if I were Bobby Lowder,Milton McGregor,Pat Dye or Auburn University I would be very worried right now.This is incredible.If this is true the NCAA will have to give Auburn the same type of punishment they gave to SMU.Auburn might even be kicked out of the SEC.This goes way beyond Cam Newton.I wonder if Auburn is gonna play Cam against Bama now?
Matt
November 18th, 2010
1:21 pm
Umm why are people acting like TMZ isn’t credible? Please someone show big stories they broke that were wrong? Perfect example is the Parker/Langoria divorce. They reported on it a couple of days ago and then yesterday morning they filed for divorce. Fact is TMZ is annoying and likes sensational stories but they definitley know their stuff. I wouldn’t say they were wrong on when they broke the Tiger Woods story, would you?
DC
November 18th, 2010
1:22 pm
mexdawg…tigerdroppings and NY Times are in the same category…go find a credible source
wheelz007
November 18th, 2010
1:22 pm
This whole thing is quite entertaining. I’ve read that piece on Tigerdroppings several times. Great Stuff.
Burn Barn Burn!!!
Aubie-won-knobi
November 18th, 2010
1:23 pm
DC, we would lose the wins only on PAPER. Everyone would KNOW AND REMEMBER – we DID win on the field. I would hate it for us, but guess what? My life does not depend on whether or not AU is SEC and BCS Champ year after year like some of the obvious programs, and you know who you are. Fortunately for most of us who enjoy our school’s football programs, whoever you support, we DO have families and other interests to fulfill our lives.
DC
November 18th, 2010
1:23 pm
Matt, TMZ is perfect for those things like that ie people bring up Tiger woods..look at the women tiger was with…thats up TMZ’s alley..seriously we are going to compare serious legal implications to the longoria/parker divorce…nawwwwwwwwwww
Comment
November 18th, 2010
1:23 pm
Cam needs a new lap top.
Concrete Pete
November 18th, 2010
1:23 pm
Speaking as a UGA alum, I really hope Richt and Co. vet out C. LeMay and Rev. Stacy LeMay before allowing him to enroll. These pastors are all filthy. Watching the Marcus Dupree “30 for 30″, I couldn’t stop from thinking this is the same thing going on with Scam Newton. A pastor hiding behind the Bible for personal gain at the cost of exploiting a young athlete.
Aubie-won-knobi
November 18th, 2010
1:25 pm
I’m simply amazed at how many hours and the depths some of you are going to research the “scoop”. TMZ. Real journalism.
Bigboy
November 18th, 2010
1:26 pm
where is BamaStan?
Hankie Aron
November 18th, 2010
1:29 pm
I am thinking in the very near future Auburn is probably gonna be feeling a little “buyers” remorse. Like maybe they got sCAMmed
Comment
November 18th, 2010
1:29 pm
Unfortunately for you Au fans, TMZ is more credible than Chizack or the Au President. I am not even going to bring up Cam as that poor bastard cheats on term papers.
Jabo
November 18th, 2010
1:29 pm
The SEC has been dirty for many years. I wander which one will be next.
Hankie Aron
November 18th, 2010
1:32 pm
But hey that’s just my thinking
Gator Mike
November 18th, 2010
1:32 pm
Aubie-won-knobi: I uderstand your frustration, and it saddens me that AU or any SEC school would get crucified because of the selfish deed of some booster or parent. It is not fair to the school or student who is the pawn in the issue. All of us SEC die hard fans and alumni must uderstand that sportswriters and self righteous clowns throughout the country are foaming at the mouth to the SEC and one of its schools go down. Good luck to AU because you have a superb team, and AU does not deserve this problem.
LCDawg
November 18th, 2010
1:33 pm
Everyone needs to read this link:
http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/MessageTopic.asp?p=22778676&Pg=1
This is death penalty stuff folks….mark it down. AU can thank Bobby Lowder and his loser cohorts for ruining their own University.
Gumby
November 18th, 2010
1:34 pm
I don’t see that the NCAA will do anything until after the season and BCS championship is done. If they make a move now it becomes an even bigger mess with the #2 team having to vacate wins, no Heisman chance, the SEC championship game changed to LSU vs USC because Auburn is now ineligible, etc. They can’t make a move yet but the NCCA wheels grind slowly. Auburn is “all in” because they having nothing to lose now and are rolling the dice that maybe it will go away. If they win it all even stripped of it they can still say we’re #1, or were.
AU FAN
November 18th, 2010
1:35 pm
Not gone, reading other blogs, post and news on Cam Newton
Ed
November 18th, 2010
1:36 pm
I cant wait for all this to come crashing down on that punk. If any other SEC team was unbeaten and had a shot at the national title, I would be cheering for them all the way, but f*ck Auburn and Cam Newton. I dont like Alabama one bit, but I hope that they crush the filthy Tigers.
Cut the Bull . . . . . Dogs!
November 18th, 2010
1:36 pm
Let’s get a few things straight. Cam Newton will not be getting into any trouble. There is NO evidence of Auburn doing anything wrong, or the Newton’s for that matter. What we have are stories. Combined, they make a slightly interesting, highly circumstantial case for impropriety on behalf of Cecil Newton.
The culprit here is Kenny Rogers. This scum tried to sink his own school’s program here.
Worse case scenario, Auburn precautiously sits Cam. His season is over, he loses the Heisman, and he is drafted in the summer. Alabama gets another suspect victory and the Gamecocks win the SEC Championship. All will be right in the world, won’t it? NO.
The burden of proof lies with the accusers and all of their statement will be tarnished by the corroboration of a document liar. (Kenny Rogers)
Milton Bradley
November 18th, 2010
1:36 pm
Cam Newton’s Father Cecil Newton “never asked for the money” according to Bill Bell “but was part of a 3-way conversation in which Rogers did”. Kenny Rogers requested the money from Bill Bell on Cecil Newton’s behalf via phone and text messages from Kenny Rogers to Bill Bell. You have to wonder if Cecil Newton never asked for the money in person how do we know the other person on this 3-way call is Cecil Newton? BTW the text messages Kenny Rogers sent to Bill Bell outlining the ‘payment plan’ are on a phone ‘damaged by water’…but who cares it’s just more crap from Kenny Rogers so why is this news and why should we believe any of it?
Robert L
November 18th, 2010
1:37 pm
Auburn will LOSE 2 AL & SC.With or Without Cam.I Guarantee It.Just Like Joe Willie!
GT
November 18th, 2010
1:38 pm
I still wonder where all the Mississippi State representative fall with the NCAA. I am an alumni of a college that sends me a list of don’t dos and everything these people did entertaining this money offer is a contact illegally (NCAA rule violation) by Mississippi State. But why ruin a good story.
The FBI does not get involved in college recruiting, if they did a much larger number of players would be in jail now than even the ones at Georgia. I can assure you they do not appreciate their good name being thrown around for sport by this paper or the “deliverance” type in Alabama. They have a full blown investigation in Alabama for bribing the legislature for gambling permits. Not surprising one of Glenn Richardson’s ex staffers, then from Georgia now from Alabama was one of the 10 arrested. I am really surprise how little was written in the paper about that real happening and how much is written about this questionable rumor. At least Auburn is not playing Georgia this weekend, it makes the writers look a little less bias in their purpose.
AU FAN
November 18th, 2010
1:41 pm
AUBURN will not lose, it will be embarrasing for Alabama.
The Tigerdroppings article is no source… and it won’t be. Give me a break, really? Bammers will believe anything.
Auburnski
November 18th, 2010
1:42 pm
funny to hear all the georgia fans calling Auburn the team with “dirty players”:
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/11/what_teams_commit_the_most_per.html
David Granger
November 18th, 2010
1:43 pm
I thought that Auburn was smart to go ahead and play Cam. If he turns out to be ineligible, they’ll have to forfeit the season anyway. I still don’t understand what role the FBI could possibly have in this matter. The only federal violation I know of is that Cam’s academic records are not supposed to be revealed to anyone, and apparently somebody DID put that information out there. (You would think that’d have to be either someone in the athletic department at Florida, or else on the UF academic side…maybe the registrar’s office.) But that hardly seems like the kind of thing the feds would be investigating. If Cam Newton’s father got a big chunk of money and didn’t pay taxes on it, then I guess the IRS might get involved.
It’s going to be interesting to see how the FBI fit in here.
Dirty Dawg
November 18th, 2010
1:44 pm
AUfan…am I bitter? I suppose so given that the SEC knew….they let AU know…and AU decided to go ‘all in’. Wish we had beaten you guys out right, but my bitterness is mitigated by the knowledge that you and yours will be shaking your heads – and hanging them in shame…assuming that you’re actually capable of shame at this point. I you haven’t read the ‘as the plains burns’ post, I suggest you do so before you skin your ignorance any further here. If you have read it and still don’t get it, then you are indeed what we think you are.
It’s really too bad, cause there are plenty of Auburn folks that I care for deeply, but I’m satisfied that they’re gonna be humbled by this and saddened to a degree that I suspect you – AUfan poster – are not capable of at all. Your program has allowed a few well-healed, slimeballs, ruin it…and the saddest part is that you seem proud of it.
Usual Suspects
November 18th, 2010
1:45 pm
Dawgturds are simply showing their envy and bitterness over another wretched season.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7mGTZ_k838
fr"AU"d in denial
November 18th, 2010
1:46 pm
Cam would post here but his laptop broke when his wide open reciever dropped it!
Seriously?
November 18th, 2010
1:47 pm
I suppose Cam and/or Cecil have some ties to the, “is it a jet… or is it a missle over Los Angeles” debated a week or two ago. Yeah, sounds like Cecil may have been involved with that too. LOL Seriously folks, get a grip. So, AU is up in the BCS polls based on talent and numbers. It amazes me how much this kills the other SEC camps, like the 2009 national bammer champs, or the struggling Dawgs… too funny. One thing is certain, Cam Newton is a hellaofa player. I hope that his dad has tainted the season. But two things I’m certain of, Cam will be a top NFL draft and AU WILL CRUISE PAST Bammer, November 26th. WAR EAGLE!
Racer X
November 18th, 2010
1:47 pm
Don’t go changin’ Auburn..you just stay as classy as you’ve always been..
fr"AU"d in denial
November 18th, 2010
1:49 pm
Cecil Newton didn’t “orally” ask for money, he wrote down the figures with crayons on paper and Kenny Rogers just relayed the amount via text. Problem is, if Cecil did get paid, it didn’t look like he used it to repair the church, con’prende?
fr"AU"d in denial
November 18th, 2010
1:51 pm
Poor War Eagle’s, getting ripped apart by Vultures > Cecil, Louwder, McGregor, Eric Ramsey, Tiny Tim Terry Bowden, the past…
TechEagle
November 18th, 2010
1:52 pm
Go Jackets! Beat chop block U!! Watch out for thuga ’s center. He is a dirty player. Had to sit out half of Colorado game due to an illegal block against Miss St.. Dirty player!
chainz
November 18th, 2010
1:52 pm
DC go find a credible SCHOOL……lmao fool…..
Honey Bees
November 18th, 2010
1:56 pm
CPJ is the originator of the chop block but it doesn’t really matter. GT’s O-line can’t even do that correctly. They are horrible as is the GT defense along with the special teams. I just heard a whistle. Tech must be offsides, again.
chainz
November 18th, 2010
1:56 pm
how can you be so blind….If it walks like a duck..its a duck..if it looks like a duck, its a duck, if it quacks like a duck..its a WAR EAGLE….lmao
Chi Town
November 18th, 2010
1:56 pm
AU FAN = Douche Bag
Milton Bradley
November 18th, 2010
1:56 pm
“I still don’t understand what role the FBI could possibly have in this matter.”
The Federal investigation could result in criminal proceedings for conspiracy, fraud, bribery and other offenses.
chainz
November 18th, 2010
1:57 pm
Even Chi Town knows the real deal…….
robodawg
November 18th, 2010
1:57 pm
FBI’s concern could be two-fold:
1) Who leaked Newton’s academic troubles at Florida, in violation of federal law? This has nothing to do with his eligibility at Auburn.
2) If Cecil Newton did receive that kind of money from an Auburn booster, what are the chances he paid taxes on it? Did he shelter it as a nonprofit donation to his church? Abuse of nonprofit status to evade taxes on personal profits is a huge federal no-no. The FBI would have no direct interest in Cam’s eligibility, but their investigation could bring alarming facts to light for the NCAA.
Comment
November 18th, 2010
1:58 pm
Is Chizack speaking or what? I haven’t heard from him since Saturday….hmmmmmm..
DC
November 18th, 2010
1:59 pm
chainz..i hope you aren’t in the legal system..save us all if you are…
It's Not A Toomer
November 18th, 2010
1:59 pm
Hello SMU, this is Auburn calling. What do we do now?
Columdawg
November 18th, 2010
1:59 pm
Mark,
I’d like to see an article referencing the all time major infractions in the SEC or even the NCAA. A facts only type of article that can be looked up on the NCAA website and is free of opinions. There are 7 SEC schools that have committed major infractions that lead to loss of TV appearances or a bowl ban since the NCAA began. They are Florida, Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi, Miss State and South Carolina. I don’t think Vandy ever had a football offense. LSU and Tennessee have 2, Arkansas has 4 and UGA has 5 but none of these 5 schools have ever had bans on TV or postseason just probation.
Auburn is by far the worse offender and Alabama is a run away second place for most major infractions in football, bowl bans, loss of TV appearances etc… It would be interesting to see it all summarized in a well written article so fans could stop accusing each other and just accept the facts of the history of these violations. It would also shed light on why Alabama and Auburn are under such a tighter leash than any other SEC school.
AU fan get back to your cube
November 18th, 2010
2:00 pm
You definitely don’t have a job with any meaning. Very possible that you are waiting for the night shift to start. Anyway you need to grow up and realize that you are pulling for a lost cause and you will be embarrassed severely once all this comes out.
Chi Town
November 18th, 2010
2:00 pm
ATTN: AU FAN
Get back to work, Barner.
No wonder my turkey wrap took so long today in our building’s cafeteria.
You’ve been on this blog since 10 am.
Don’t make me embarrass you today.
Crybabies
November 18th, 2010
2:01 pm
Wow … five days later, and thUGA’s are still whining.
Poor things.
Realistic Bama Fan
November 18th, 2010
2:02 pm
This couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch. It looks like the barn is burning. hee hee.
scottbravesfan
November 18th, 2010
2:04 pm
The FBI is seriously wasting tax payers money on this?