Yet another Auburn allegation might again amount to little
Those waiting for someone to take the crystal from Nick Fairley shouldn't hold thy breath. (AP photo)
The SEC breaks down thusly: There’s Auburn, which is feeling good about itself, and there are fans of the 11 other schools who are convinced the Tigers’ BCS title was ill-gotten. For Auburn folks, shrugging off the latest report of wrongdoing has become standard operating procedure. For fans of those 11 other schools, any new nugget offers yet another reason to shout, “See? Told you!”
Fans of the other 11, here’s your latest cue.
SportsByBrooks reported Tuesday that former player Stanley McClover has told “HBO Real Sports” that he received money while enrolled at Auburn from a Tiger assistant coach. (SBB doesn’t name the assistant coach but says McClover will. SBB also notes the assistant coach no longer works at Auburn.)
This wouldn’t seem to endanger the 2010 BCS title, given that McClover left Auburn in January 2006. Cam Newton was in high school, and coach Gene Chizik had just helped Texas win the 2005 BCS title as defensive coordinator. And there’s ordinarily a four-year NCAA statute of limitations. But SBB believes a pay-for-play charge “may leave the door open for the NCAA to pursue an allegation made after the standard four-year period has expired.”
Then again, we were just given cause to see that the NCAA’s punitive power can be rather puny. Jim Calhoun, the winner of two national championships, was slapped by the NCAA for “failing to create an atmosphere of compliance.” Put more simply, the UConn Huskies broke various recruiting rules (regarding phone calls, text messages and inducements) and the Hall of Fame coach stood benignly by. This would seem a huge deal, would it not?
UConn’s penalty: Some lost scholarships, some recruiting restrictions, a three-game suspension for Calhoun in Big East play next season … but no ban on postseason play.
And get this: Calhoun was upset by the severity of the penalty.
Sometimes we regard the NCAA investigative crew as the Scotland Yard of sports, but something has to drop in its lap — the UConn investigation was spawned by a Yahoo! Sports report — for the hounds to be loosed. And even then the NCAA is often unable to find concrete evidence. (That’s because wrongdoers are pretty good at concealing their tracks, and the NCAA lacks subpoena power over private citizens.)
Bruce Pearl lied to NCAA investigators and is still coaching Tennessee basketball. Yes, he was suspended eight league games by the SEC — the conference-wide joke was that Mike Slive had to make somebody pay for Cecil Newton’s sins — but he’s still employed. Calhoun has to sit out three games, but he gets to keep coaching his program and taking it to NCAA tournaments.
For all the smoke in collegiate sports – has there ever been more smoke than there was surrounding Auburn in November? — the NCAA doesn’t often find a three-alarm fire. (Remember, Georgia received no postseason ban from the NCAA after its investigation into the Harricks and Tony Cole.) Even as they look forward to the day when something is made to stick against Auburn, fans of those 11 other schools need to know this:
There’s a chance nothing ever will stick. (There’s also the chance Auburn did nothing wrong.) There’s a chance — a pretty good one — that 2015 will arrive and the Tigers will still be 2010 national champs.
By Mark Bradley
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409 comments Add your comment
1eyedJack
February 23rd, 2011
11:51 am
The NCAA enforcement division is beginning to have about as much cachet as the United Nations….NONE.
Uncle Lewis & Aunt Bethany
February 23rd, 2011
11:56 am
It was an ugly tree anyway.
A little Auburn History
February 23rd, 2011
11:58 am
Probation” is not an unfamiliar word on the Plains. Auburn’s N.C.A.A. infractions history includes seven major infractions cases in the last 50 years, not including the present unpleasantness in the so-called Loveliest Village.
Auburn’s history of major violations includes getting slapped with three years’ probation in 1957, three years’ probation in 1958, and a two-year ban on postseason and television appearances in 1979.
Shug Jordan . . . winningest football coach in Auburn history . . . namesake of Jordan-Hare Stadium . . . Auburn alumnus . . . during his tenure, Auburn was put on probation by the N.C.A.A.
Auburn was held responsible for unethical conduct in November 1991 and sanctioned for unethical conduct and a lack of institutional control in August 1993.
In the latter instance, the N.C.A.A. imposed punishments upon the Auburn athletic department just as Terry Bowden was about to begin his first season as the Tigers’ head coach. Following his subsequent resignation under fire, Coach Bowden said on tape that A.U. boosters were funneling large amounts of cash to recruits.
Terry Bowden . . . led Auburn to an undefeated season in 1993 . . . guided the Tigers to a 20-game winning streak . . . was taped making incriminating statements about Auburn’s recruiting practices.
The most recent instance of wrongdoing on the Plains occurred when Auburn was placed on two years’ probation on April 27, 2004. The N.C.A.A. news release announcing the latest penalties against the Plainsmen stated that, during the probationary period from April 2004 to April 2006, “the university shall continue to develop and implement a comprehensive educational program on NCAA legislation and submit periodic reports to the NCAA,” including “a preliminary report that sets forth a schedule for establishing this compliance and educational program.”
“At the end of the probationary period,” concluded the N.C.A.A. (with emphasis added, by me), “the university’s president will provide a letter to the committee affirming that the university’s current athletics policies and practices conform to all requirements of NCAA regulations.” Finally, the Division I Committee on Infractions noted:
As required by NCAA legislation for any institution involved in a major infractions case, Auburn University is subject to the provisions of NCAA Bylaw 19.5.2.3, concerning repeat violators for a five-year period beginning on the effective date of the penalties in this case, April 27, 2004.
Pat Dye . . . won four conference championships in the 1980s . . . namesake of the playing field at Jordan-Hare Stadium . . . named S.E.C. Coach of the Year three times . . . during his tenure, Auburn was put on probation by the N.C.A.A.
Neither I nor anyone else learning of these latest accusations through the mainstream news media knows for certain whether there has been any wrongdoing here. However, it is clear that, if there was wrongdoing, Auburn University officials had no excuse for not knowing about it and putting a stop to it.
The institution’s president and athletic director received clear direction from the N.C.A.A. to clean up what is historically the most shameful morass in intercollegiate athletics. Extra vigilance was warranted, in light of Auburn’s frequent instances of recidivism.
If you, like C.F.R., found yourself “underwhelmed,” you should consider yourself underinformed. The Tigers went undefeated while on probation in 1957. They did it again in 1993. What in the history of War Eagle athletics gives us any reason to doubt allegations that improprieties occurred while the Plainsmen were going undefeated in 2004?
Furthermore, what aspect of the present situation suggests that these allegations concern events which were either isolated or legitimate? This so-called “rogue professor” was, in fact, the interim director of Auburn University’s sociology department, who took on numerous “directed reading” students.
One of the department head’s colleagues, Paul Starr, was quoted in a news report as saying that a “professor normally doesn’t take on many of these,” yet, in this case, 15 such courses appear to have been offered. Another sociology professor, James Gundlach, is cited by The New York Times as the person who compiled the relevant records.
Professor Gundlach’s statistics evidently indicated that Auburn football players with an average G.P.A. of 2.14 in their other classes had an average G.P.A. of 3.31 in the “directed reading” course. Unsurprisingly, this supposed athletic department “oversight” ostensibly involved Auburn’s director of student athlete support services playing “an important role in funneling students to the sociology program.”
However, this purportedly Oxford don-like method of individualized instruction was endorsed by a former A.U. football player. Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, a product of this one-on-one tutelage involving rigorous reading and critical analysis, eloquently expressed his articulate defense thusly: “I didn’t do nothing illegal or anything like that.”Pat Dye . . . won four conference championships in the 1980s . . . namesake of the playing field at Jordan-Hare Stadium . . . named S.E.C. Coach of the Year three times . . . during his tenure, Auburn was put on probation by the N.C.A.A.
Neither I nor anyone else learning of these latest accusations through the mainstream news media knows for certain whether there has been any wrongdoing here. However, it is clear that, if there was wrongdoing, Auburn University officials had no excuse for not knowing about it and putting a stop to it.
The institution’s president and athletic director received clear direction from the N.C.A.A. to clean up what is historically the most shameful morass in intercollegiate athletics. Extra vigilance was warranted, in light of Auburn’s frequent instances of recidivism.
If you, like C.F.R., found yourself “underwhelmed,” you should consider yourself underinformed. The Tigers went undefeated while on probation in 1957. They did it again in 1993. What in the history of War Eagle athletics gives us any reason to doubt allegations that improprieties occurred while the Plainsmen were going undefeated in 2004?
Furthermore, what aspect of the present situation suggests that these allegations concern events which were either isolated or legitimate? This so-called “rogue professor” was, in fact, the interim director of Auburn University’s sociology department, who took on numerous “directed reading” students.
One of the department head’s colleagues, Paul Starr, was quoted in a news report as saying that a “professor normally doesn’t take on many of these,” yet, in this case, 15 such courses appear to have been offered. Another sociology professor, James Gundlach, is cited by The New York Times as the person who compiled the relevant records.
Professor Gundlach’s statistics evidently indicated that Auburn football players with an average G.P.A. of 2.14 in their other classes had an average G.P.A. of 3.31 in the “directed reading” course. Unsurprisingly, this supposed athletic department “oversight” ostensibly involved Auburn’s director of student athlete support services playing “an important role in funneling students to the sociology program.”
However, this purportedly Oxford don-like method of individualized instruction was endorsed by a former A.U. football player. Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, a product of this one-on-one tutelage involving rigorous reading and critical analysis, eloquently expressed his articulate defense thusly: “I didn’t do nothing illegal or anything like that.”
Dirty Dawg
February 23rd, 2011
11:59 am
A little while ago I posted a, way too, long bit in response to AU@ATL’s comment that the ‘FBI’s investigation is complete, charges and indictments made and the trial date set’…and that nothing had ‘come out’ about Cam. So far my post hasn’t appeared anywhere, so I thought I’d, at least, put this part of it up for consideration.
What AU@ATL didn’t say was the the Federal Judge in the main bribery case – that includes ‘Uncle Milty’ McGregor – will be hearing arguments starting next Monday about whether or not ‘wiretap’ evidence will be admitted at the trial (set for June 6 – ironic ain’t it?). The stuff about Cam/Cecil/et. al. is, supposedly, in those wiretaps, and unless the defendants manage to get ‘em excluded, this thing will hit the fan sometime between next week and when the trial is over. I mean, if they don’t allow the ‘tapped’ evidence in then it’ll be up to a ‘whistle-blower’ – say like an FBI informant – to turn it over to Wikileaks, or somebody.
Just thought you’d like to know AU@ATL.
Buckeye
February 23rd, 2011
12:10 pm
A Little Auburn History,
At least credit Wikipedia.
Dirty Dawg
February 23rd, 2011
12:15 pm
I stand corrected, they did post the original…but I will be looking to hear if the Judge allows the wiretap evidence in…Hell, some cable networks need to petition to allow cameras into the court room – maybe even ESPN.
Mike
February 23rd, 2011
12:16 pm
Where do we sign up for the tin foil hats?
Pete Rose
February 23rd, 2011
12:22 pm
FBI wants to know what Scam and his daddy spent so much time at Victoryland and why they never lost a bet. In the low life world of dog racing, thugs can easily be found. FBI would like to know how the Newtons ended up living like Wayne Newton, there in College Park.
Jimmyc
February 23rd, 2011
12:33 pm
Uncle L and Aunt Bee, you need to be edumacated on the story…they are trees, not one tree….know something about it before chiming in ! As far as A little Auburn History, that is why we move forward and don’t dwell on the past !
IRISH DAWG
February 23rd, 2011
12:36 pm
AUBURN HAS BEEN PAYING PLAYERS SINCE 1957 AND STILL PAYING PLAYERS UP TO THE 2011 RECURITING CLASS . HAY!!! I NEED A i PHONE AND COME CASH ,CAN I ASK TROOPER?
Cobb Dawg
February 23rd, 2011
12:39 pm
These next few weeks should be interesting, huh MikeP!
Jimmyc
February 23rd, 2011
12:41 pm
Irish, can probably find 100 other schools that have done that, so what is your point ?…and why are you yelling it (CAPS)?
Cobb Dawg
February 23rd, 2011
12:43 pm
Jimmyc, courts use history to help prove the present. I know you’d like to sweep *AU’s history under the rug, but it’s not history if it’s happening now.
Cobb Dawg
February 23rd, 2011
12:47 pm
MikeP = Jimmyc
Root4AU
February 23rd, 2011
12:50 pm
AUBURN…….2010 National Champs…Rest of you guys are just losers..
Bull
February 23rd, 2011
12:51 pm
@dirty dawg the wire taps will be used as admissable evidence according to the legal proceedings now. I’m just gonna sit back and let this atomic bomb for auburn go off this summer. Its writing on the wall now. Auburn will replace conference alignment as the hot topic this summer
Dawg Gone
February 23rd, 2011
1:06 pm
Jimmyc IF you can find 100 other schools that have paid players…then there are 101 crooks and they should all be punished it no less of an infraction of the rules no matter how many have done it.
Tide Bama
February 23rd, 2011
1:34 pm
Auburn needs to do the right thing and give back this bcs title they got by cheating and paying players. It’s joke that they won the title with illegally recruited talent.
Jimmyc
February 23rd, 2011
1:40 pm
Cobb, we paid the price in the past so I don’t see any sweeping going on…as far as the stuff this year…here say, specualtion and rumors…are we on probation ? NO ! Why? No proof ! We were on probation when it was proved so AU took their medicine then. Yeah, what Root4AU says ! WAR EAGLE ! We are NATIONAL CHAMPS…I have the tee shirts to prove it..LOL !!!
Jimmyc
February 23rd, 2011
1:53 pm
Hey, UT got THE LETTER from the NCAA today, so lets fry the ones that have been officially notified !
RxDawg
February 23rd, 2011
1:54 pm
Well then Jimmyc, there’s also no proof that Auburn is the national champion and best team in the league. Yep, just all speculation. TCU is probably a better team =P
DC
February 23rd, 2011
1:55 pm
come on uga fans..you guys outnumber us AU fans by leaps and bounds on the blog..why troll..we can have a decent debate at least…
Cobb Dawg
February 23rd, 2011
2:00 pm
We’ll see about Auburn’s NC when the dust settles. I, for one, can’t presonally acknowledge the championship. I feel that it’s extremely tainted and is not deserved. But that’s my opinion. If AU wins one cleanly, then I’ll congratulate them. Until then…….not. The 2010 NC will always be vacated to me.
Jimmyc
February 23rd, 2011
2:10 pm
WOW Cobb, did we fry Ted Bundy before he was convicted? No is the answer. So in your opinion they are guilty before the proof is found ? I think they do that stuff across the pond don’t they ? Yeah, RX Dawg, we have proof…the crystal ball trophy sits in the Auburn Ath dept…I saw pics of it the other day ! Don’t you guys hate Tenn too ? I see nothing on that part !
1eyedJack
February 23rd, 2011
2:19 pm
Awbun cheating? Imagine that.
DC
February 23rd, 2011
2:20 pm
Cobb thats dumb thinking…you act like you know stuff that the NCAA and SEC don’t know..if thats the case..please go to every media outlet there is and show the proof necessary..
but lets get back to reality..AU is the NC for 2010. accept it. UNLESS proven otherwise..they will always be the national champ..and I don’t have to say in my opinion..b/c it is fact. something many people don’t use much these days…facts..
Jimmyc
February 23rd, 2011
2:31 pm
Thank you DC for some reason and sense ! Hey, when they find proof Auburn takes it on the chin again and goes on Probation, but until then the FBI should move out of the Golden Cherry motel in Opelika and take up residence in the downtown Knoxville Embassy Suites !
Jimmyc
February 23rd, 2011
2:53 pm
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2011/02/23/harvey-updyke-auburn-tree-poisoner-now-living-in-his-car/
Hey, at least most of us Auburn people don’t live in our cars…wow, has really got weird with this guy !
1eyedJack
February 23rd, 2011
3:04 pm
“UNLESS proven otherwise..they will always be the national champ..and I don’t have to say in my opinion..b/c it is fact.”
Au contrare. In FACT, the BCS championship is a mythological beast, and entirely up to the opinion of the press and a few computers and coaches. Until there is a playoff there is no such thing as a national champion. In FACT, the NCAA does not recognize a champion.
DC
February 23rd, 2011
3:07 pm
1eyedJack…would you say the same if UGA or whomever you support won it?…get real. actually stand behind a point you believe in. Everyone..everyone..media colleges etc have stated that AU is the national champs…but now its mythical..and they received a mythical crystal ball too..
good times..
Jimmyc
February 23rd, 2011
3:12 pm
Maybe 1eyed is the guy in the Geico commercial that is living under a rock ????
Cobb Dawg
February 23rd, 2011
3:14 pm
Jimbo, I said that, in my opinion, AU doesn’t deserve the NC. Sure, you have it. But I don’t think it’s deserved. What do I base my opinion on? Terry Bowden: “You wouldn’t believe what goes on at Auburn”. Cam Newton: “The money’s too much at Auburn”. Eric Ramsey, Bobby Lowder, Milt McGreggor, Paul Starr, etc., etc., etc., (see the other infractions in the Auburn History post). Can you see why most fans in-the-know are somewhat skeptical?!?! Nothing will change our opinion because we’ve been indundated with sleeze about AU. And the typical AU defense is “you can’t prove anything”. This is not a court of law. This is a court of public opinion. And my opinion is “guilty……..very guilty”. You Aubies can try and shovel dirt on the crap, but it still smells. The 2010 NC, in my opinion, is vacated. And I think the NCAA will follow up and prove me correct.
Fearless Fife
February 23rd, 2011
3:18 pm
When me and Andy get the moonshine problem in Mayberry licked, we will be looking into this Newton and Awburn mess. Ole J. Edgar has already called us in to tackle the problem.
1eyedJack
February 23rd, 2011
3:19 pm
Makes you feel kinda silly when you realize what you’re defending so hard is not even real don’t it?
1eyedJack
February 23rd, 2011
3:21 pm
And I would be ecstatic if UGA won it…..honestly.
MikeP
February 23rd, 2011
4:09 pm
I see the 12 and under set is on here posting under others names. It must be lunch break at middle school.
Responding to Dawg Gone’s question of 10:36 am:
‘MikeP I have a legit question for you, and I think most of the fans of other schools have this same feeling. While I’m over the Cam issue and hats off for the NC by the way…what eats at me and I think most others is that I can’t get past the feeling that Cecil did not just wake up one morning out of the clear blue and say to himself “Hey I think I’ll shop by son to MSU today” if he did it with MSU I can’t get past the idea he was doing it before and after. If he is a big enough tool to do it once I can’t help but think he was doing it all along. And that coupled with the fact that the SEC vacated its own rules in this case is just hard to swallow. I agree that there is little to no hard evidence and its time to let it go…but this is a lot deeper problem to me than did Auburn do anything wrong I’m thinking if they had we would have seen more on it.”
Good question. I’m always open for reasonable discourse. Here’s the answer: Cecil did not “shop” Cam’s signature to anybody. On November 27, 2009 Cecil Newton was sitting in the lobby of his hotel in Starkeville while he and Cam were on their official visit to Mississippi State Former MSU player and current street agent and general sleeze Kenny Rogers approached Cecil about getting some money for Cam’s signature with Mississippi State. Rogers was running from $11,000 in bad checks at the time and needed some fast cash.
Cecil made the mistake of listening and discussing, however brief the discussion was. The deal was to get $200,000 from some wealthy MSU booster of which Kenny Rogers was to get $20, 000 for brokering the deal and Cecil the other 180,000.
Apparently, whoever Mr. Money Bags is knew better than to trust Kenny Rogers with $20, let alone a couple hundred thousand so the deal never materialized. Would Cecil have accepted the money if it had been made available? Would he have come to his senses first? Who knows?
The point is, Kenny Rogers had no contacts at Auburn, Oklahoma or Tennessee. MSU was Roger’s only source to obtain money and Rogers was the only person Cecil has been determined to have talked money with. That’s why there was no mention of money at those other three schools that Cam and Cecil Newton took recruiting visits to. The only money talk centered around Kenny Rogers, and the only school Rogers had any contacts with was MSU. Hope that explains it.
About the church: The NCAA investigators visited with the Newtons in their home at least twice. Cecil voluntarily turned over all family, church and business records for their review. I was not there, I am not an investigator. That’s what was reported in print. Does anyone know how hard it would be for a family of modest means to hide $180,000 from skilled investigators for over a year? I’d say impossible.
Dawgfan
February 23rd, 2011
4:13 pm
Heck…I am a UGA fan, and I like Auburn. I think, to an extent, they are being picked on. If my dawgs cant win it, I would prefer someone else from the SEC….and someone other than Florida. Even Tennesse…but not Florida. I really think we should worry about getting whatever is wrong, right again with UGA, and let Auburn worry about Auburn.
rcb
February 23rd, 2011
4:20 pm
To Mike P
If the records were turned over to the NCAA, why is the church administrator refusing to answer the questions when the NY Times asks? And why do you think it has to be $180,000? That is yesterday’s news. Having not received the 180 k to play at Miss. St., maybe Mr. Newton decided to drop the majic number. And finally, this is not about money the family received- at least not before the final college football game. My whole point was the “middle man” can do the dirty work. Are you saying it is ok if the church got the money?
Nick Fairley hurt me
February 23rd, 2011
4:36 pm
Update on McClover claim….
looks like this one might never actually see the light of day…
http://sportsbybrooks.com/sour…tes-claim-29521
Sources: HBO Paid McClover; Coach Refutes Claim
Posted by Brooks on Feb. 23, 2011, 2:45pm
Yesterday I reported that former Auburn football player Stanley McClover recently told HBO Real Sports that when he was a current player at Auburn, he received extra benefits from a former Auburn assistant coach that would be considered in violation of NCAA rules.
i’ve since learned more specifics about the situation from multiple sources familiar with the hbo production.
i’ve been told that during a recent interview in south florida, mcclover told hbo that he was paid by the aforementioned former auburn assistant coach to sign with the school out of high school. additionally, multiple sources told me today that mcclover himself was paid by hbo for the interview.
after interviewing mcclover, hbo approached mcclover’s former dillard high school football coach ken scott about mcclover’s allegation regarding his recruitment by auburn.
after serving as dillard head football coach in 1991-94 and 1996-98, scott returned to take over the football program in 2002, which was mcclover’s senior year at the high school. (scott replaced rodney gray.)
here’s what mcclover said about his relationship with scott to the south florida sun-sentinel on august 29, 2002:
“we love coach scott. no disrespect to coach gray, but that was coach gray’s first year, and coach scott has been in the game a long time. so we feel very comfortable with him because when he tells us something, he knows exactly what he’s talking about.”
I’ve been told that during his visit with HBO, Scott refuted McClover’s claim that the high school player had received money to attend Auburn. HBO then approached two more Dillard High School officials who similarly refuted McClover’s story.
One source, who is an assistant coach at a major college football program in the South, indicated that in the wake of Scott and current Dillard High School officials failing to confirm McClover’s claim about his Auburn recruitment, McClover is now wavering on the veracity of his claim and that HBO is pondering whether it should include the former Auburn player’s allegation in the March 30 Real Sports episode.
Last edited Today 2:06 PM by ATLtiger07
Dawg Gone
February 23rd, 2011
4:46 pm
MikeP nice response thanks. Hope to soon have spring ball to talk about and all this is just sewage under the bridge.
bowman
February 23rd, 2011
5:22 pm
Bradley, you need to actually research before you write.
Loser dogs and loser tide are the only cry babies.
As a Vol, I’m very glad AU won it…. bammer cheats more than any 5 SEC teams combined.
Brian
February 23rd, 2011
5:26 pm
Whoa Cobb Dawg, stop right there. I usually just read here so as not to be pulled into the p!ssing matches that are the AJC comments sections, but show me ONE PLACE where it’s quoted that Cam Newton used the EXACT words “The money was too much AT AUBURN.” I’ve heard the whole “The money was too much” quote, which nobody can seem to source properly now, but methinks you might be projecting a bit there. Almost seems like you want this to be true so bad that you’re starting to remember quotes that fit your pre-conceived notion of exactly what has happened during the last 15 months…
God forbid St. Mark the Richt ever gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar, especially since many of the same things you guys spew about Trooper Taylor have been said many times about your very own Rodney Garner (spare me the Auburn connection garbage, that ship is sailed). Glass houses and all of that. The bottom line is, NONE of us know EXACTLY any of the details on what has or hasn’t happened (other than Cam was deemed eligible and Auburn is 2010 NCs), and to pretend otherwise is intellectual dishonesty. The facts will come out…eventually. With the attitudes that I see here everyday regarding any college football subject that doesn’t praise the mighty Dogs, I sure as hell hope none of you ever end up in front of a jury when all of the facts point to you being guilty when in fact you were not. Just like I hope I never end up in front of you on a jury in the same situation. Let the facts actually come out somewhere other than Sports by Brooks or Thayer Evans, and if we’re guilty, we’ll deal with it. But unfortunately, I suspect that several on here may end up with a large helping of STFU.
Santa Claus
February 23rd, 2011
5:48 pm
MikeP, I loved your story about St. Newton sitting in the hotel lobby and the evil Kenny Rogers, $11,000 in debt, trying to steal Cam away for money. It was a good ending when St. Newton refused the wicked ways of bad ole’ Rogers and whisked Cam away to the safety of Auburn. And I was on pins and needles when the investigators came to the church and St. Newton turned over all of the records, thus saving the day.
My only question is, is this fact or fiction? If it’s fact, do you care to share your sources for each case? Because I’ve not heard any of this before. Maybe you have a future in fiction!
Santa
Easter Bunny
February 23rd, 2011
5:50 pm
MikeP, I love how you created several screen names and agree with yourself. Or do you really have that many personalities?!?!
Cobb Dawg
February 23rd, 2011
5:53 pm
Brian, so who was Cam referring to when he said “the money’s too much”? If he didn’t actually say it, and I believe the quote is correct that he said “at Auburn”, then he was certainly referring to Auburn. Or is this a Bill Clinton thing where we need to define what “is” is?
Brian
February 23rd, 2011
6:27 pm
No, the quote did not say “at Auburn.” Read here http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5786315. Any insinuation that I am playing the Bill Clinton semantics BS is a cheap shot on your part when I’m actually trying to have a civil discussion.
Without context of the conversation, honestly that quote could mean many things. Perhaps he did mean the money was too much at Auburn. ORRRRRR…he could have meant “I can’t come to Mississippi St. because the offer of the money is too much and it was a mistake.” Now, I’m not naive enough to stand on a soapbox and proclaim that my or statement is the absolute truth. I’m just making a point by saying that there is absolutely no context presented of what was said either before or after the quote and what prompted the money part. You are assuming that he means that Auburn is giving him more than MissSt. Another great quote that I have heard is “assumption is the mother of all f*** ups.” And yet another is “innocent until proven guilty.” You seem to want to point to his past when talking about his character (i.e. laptop at UF). Were you as up in arms over someone’s past when a former QB of yours from the mid to late ’90s was walking on the sidelines as someone convicted of manslaughter? Believe it or not, people do change over time and actually become quality productive citizens.
Did Cecil discuss money WITH MISS ST? Yep, and he’s been dealt with by the NCAA. Do you know for fact that Cam meant that Auburn paid him. No. Like I said, if he did, we will be punished. If he is innocent, your contention that the 2010 NC is null and void means, well, nothing. I won’t try to change your mind anymore, but in the future make sure you make up your mind at least using correct facts.
Au Grad 1993
February 23rd, 2011
7:05 pm
to ‘Roll Tide’ 27-28
Mother Goose
February 23rd, 2011
8:18 pm
Once upon a time, there was a lovely village on the plains called Auburn. (Well, as they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I digress). The village of Auburn was nesteled in amongst many other villages which the Aubies wanted to slay. One such village was the Bammers, which the Aubies feared greatly and thus, wanted to emulate by winning many battles and trophies like Bammers had done. (Many, many battles and trophies actually). But, alas, the Aubies could not attract enough quality knights and soldiers in order to win lots of battles against their foes.
The Aubies had accrued great wealth which was brought to the kingdom by Sir Lowder of Banking and Sir McGreggor of Gambling. And with this wealth, many quality knights and soldiers could be paid to come to the village and help slay the Bammers and other foes. However, as the great power over all, the NCAA, had proclaimeth, knights and soldiers could not be paid in gold as this was against the rules of chivalry. However the Aubies greatly coveted the Crystal Pigskin, which was the grandest prize of all. And in order to get the Crystal Pigskin, the Aubies would do almost anything.
In a nearby village, Sir Scamelot was conversing with the Starkvillagers about helping them to win the Crystal Pigskin. (We’ll, who are we kidding. The Starkvillagers couldn’t win the Crystal Pigskin with ten Sir Scamelots) Alas, while Sir Scamelot was about to converse with the Starkvillagers, the evil Black Knight Rogers offered to help garner much gold for the good Knight, if he agreed to help the Starkvillagers. But Sir Scamelot and his father, ……………….Sr. Sir Scamelot, could see through the wicked ways of The Black Knight Rogers and thus cast him aside. However, the thought of helping the Aubies for free was just too much of a temptation and so they made their way to the village of the Aubies.
Now in the past, the Aubies had been found to have trangressed by the great NCAA, and had been punished mightely. But their yearning for the Crystal Pigskin had been too great, and the Aubies could not resist but to offer the great Sir Scamelot much gold for one year (actually one semester but who’s counting) for his services. Now, to the Aubies, this offering was just a dream by the surrounding villagers and, thus, never happened. There were explanations for how Sir Scamelot and other knights and soldiers, came to be Aubies, so other villagers and the great NCAA was not to query the Aubies, for this indeed angered them greatly. They needed to slay the Bammers and other villages……………..case closed.
It came to pass that Sir Scamelot and others performed the duties for they were paid (er “scholarshipped”) and the Aubies slew the Bammers and various and sundry other villages of note. They even slew the Ducks of Eugene from far away in the mightiest of all battles which, as it turned out, was not much of a battle at all. For the surrounding villages were much more powerful than the villages of far away. And thus the Aubies won their coveted Crystal Pigskin.
And the Aubies celebrated in their normal fashion by tossing striking paper in the Great Oaks at the Square of Toomer. Why the Aubies celebrated in such fashion was alien to most of the surrounding villages and, actually, seemed quite queer. For the Aubies were throwing their own striking paper upon their own magical trees (which turned out later to not be so magical after all when an evil Bammer cast a spell on the trees by applying a magic potion to the tree roots, thus cursing them to ruin).
So life on the plains was quite happy and the Aubies just knew that it would be forever. For all of the villages in the land had been conquered and the coveted Crystal Pigskin was in it’s rightful place.
*Stay tuned for the sequal, “The Great NCAA Giant Awakens!”
Mike Price
February 23rd, 2011
8:33 pm
RCB,
Why do you think it is required that the church administrator answer any question by the NYT? This is the same paper that has produced several articles to tarnish Auburn over the last few years. At one point, there were several of their reporters that were from bammer and that is a fact. As far as the reading correspondence course, I believe 9 schools in the SEC offered the same class, but it was only Auburn that was thrown under the bus. Cadillac took the course during the winter, but Brodie Coyle actually took a very similar course during the football season. Of the 200 plus students that took the course at Auburn, only 30 or so were athletes and only 10 were football players. It is mighty funny that the Cam case was reported in January and July, but didn’t get into the media until it looked like Auburn may go undefeated(3 weeks before the end of the season and a lot of unidentifyed sources). I am an Auburn fan and if we have broken the rules, then we should be penalized! But being butt hurt fans spouting rumors does not make them true. Why isn’t their any national articles about grade changes at Hoover for bammer players and new cars in Gadsden for bammer players? Mark if you want to be a real reporter, why don’t you check into some of bammers dealings? Who was the person that disappeared with Brent Calloway before signing day? Where were they? How come all of the bammers that have gotten into trouble only had to pay the money back and didn’t get hit like A J Green?
Cobb Dawg
February 23rd, 2011
8:47 pm
Brian, when you go to a job interview, they ask for a resume. And the interviewers make assumptions as to your future performance by evaluating your past performance. Especially your immediate past. There’s no mystery here. Cam Newton’s immediate past performance (theft of laptop, obstruction of justice, scholastic cheating, vehicular transgressions, etc.), gives us some indication of how he might perform in the future. UF asked him to leave even though they could certainly have used his talents, even if not at QB.
Auburn has a “recorded” history of paying players. They stopped with Newton?!?! In my lifetime there has been one saying that has proven to be as accurate as any. “If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and quacks like a duck. More than likely you’ve got yourself a duck”
I know that Auburn and Cam COULD be innocent. But I sincerely, sincerely doubt it. If I were a betting man, I’d bet my house on guilty. And that’s what I base my decision on as to not believing that AU deserves to be honored as NC for 2010. That and Cam’s own words which you lawyerly tried to defend.
I appreciate your candor and your civility, and I’m sure that you’re a great guy just defending his university. I’ve congratulated all of the fans of UF, LSU, and Alabama when they won their NC’s. But I will never congratulate or acknowledge the 2010 championship. Not because of Auburn alum and fans personally, but because of the institution’s reputation and actions as a whole.