A guess: All the NCAA sniffing won’t cost Auburn its BCS title
Gene Chizik at Talladega: Is the NCAA OK with this? (Photo courtesy of the Birmingham News)
SEC commissioner Mike Slive told a meeting of sports editors Monday he has received no word from the NCAA that it has closed its investigation of Cam Newton. This news — or non-news, depending on your slant — comes only days after Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News reported that Auburn admits the NCAA is investigating the (since-discontinued) Tiger Prowl.
A bit of background: The Tiger Prowl was initiated when Gene Chizik arrived in 2009 and involved Auburn coaches touring Alabama — and showing up at some of its high schools — in white stretch limousines. The NCAA has since passed legislation limiting the number of coaches who could visit a high school on the same day.
Another bit of background: The Tiger Prowl isn’t to be confused with Big Cat Weekend, an event staged at Toomer’s Corner involving fans and recruits that, in its 2009 manifestation, wound up being the source of five secondary NCAA violations.
The point being: When it comes to the NCAA and Auburn, you can’t tell the investigations without a scorecard. Solomon of the Birmingham News also reported last week that former Auburn player Chaz Ramsey — not to be confused with former Auburn player Eric Ramsey, whose tape-recorded conversations led to the fall of Pat Dye and deep-dish NCAA probation back in the ’90s — will meet with the NCAA regarding his allegations, made on HBO’s Real Sports, that he received money to play for the Tigers.
Oh, and there’s one more: It was reported by Thayer Evans of FoxSports in February that the NCAA has looked into Auburn’s recruiting of two players from Thibodaux, La.
And now you’re thinking: With all these probes ongoing, the NCAA has to be able to find something with which to hammer Auburn. Doesn’t it?
I’m not so sure. The Tiger Prowl thing could be another of those secondary-violation-spawners, and the Louisiana thing could amount to nothing. Auburn’s defense against the HBO-aired allegations was that none of the four ex-players has offered any proof, which isn’t the world’s worst defense. Which brings us back to Cam Newton, and here’s what I think will happen to Auburn regarding his recruitment:
Nothing.
At last check, men with ties to Mississippi State have admitted taking part in discussions with Cecil Newton, Cam’s father, about money. But the only suggestion that Auburn paid Cam/Cecil has taken the form of leaping logic: If the dad wanted $180,000 to sign with Mississippi State, does it make sense that the son would enroll at another school for free? But a logical leap is not proof.
As I read it, the SEC school that should be worried isn’t the one that landed Cam but the one that didn’t. I say again: Men with ties to Mississippi State have admitted taking part in discussions regarding money and a recruit. This could well have been a case of boosters talking through their hats — meaning nobody actually intended to pay Cecil Newton a dime — but can the NCAA and the SEC let such an admission slide?
Many among us insist it’s only a matter of time before something is found that will stick to Auburn, but I’ve come to believe any such something will not — repeat, will not — involve Cam Newton. Unless/until someone offers evidence that he (or his dad) received improper benefits from Auburn, the Tigers will keep their BCS title. And I’m not sure such evidence exists.
By Mark Bradley
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206 comments Add your comment
Cam "The Icon" Newton
April 19th, 2011
12:09 pm
WHERE THE FREE LAPTOPS AT ???????
gdawginkalamazoo
April 19th, 2011
12:10 pm
Regarding that photo, those are the type of violations we can all agree are good.
ShawDiddi
April 19th, 2011
12:12 pm
If they havent found anything by now they arent going to find anything. Georgia fans are just mad bc they have a top 5 recruiting class EVERY year and cant even make it to the Peach Bowl. Terrible! WDE
George G.
April 19th, 2011
12:16 pm
Prime Time –
The reason you haven’t seen much press coverage on Cecil Newton’s church is because there’s no story there. Work was done to prevent it from being condemned, but it still hasn’t received a Certificate of Occupancy yet. The place is essentially an airplane hangar. Perhaps you should educate yourself on the story before jumping to conclusions. Just a thought.
We must get a minor league FB league
April 19th, 2011
12:20 pm
The darn NCAA football thing is corrupted. Any kid that desires a pro career should go into a NFL instructional program where the NFL eventually and contractually pays for COLLEGE and meals and dorm facilities and spending money while they learn pro ball. Period. These kids can play in some sort of minor league that specializes in player development and if/when the kids fails, he then enters some JC or whatever college he can get into all paid for by the NFL. His playing days will be over or by then, ineligible to play NCAA ball. THEN …………… if he wants it, he can get a degree.
This crap about signing kids for academics is a farse and a joke. If my UGA fields a slower team, fine. That is what we saw in the 60s anyway. Your pull for your school, fast or slow. It is still about tradition and fun.
This system allows the real big time players to advance past HS and enjoy some money. If they shine in the instructional league, then they can jump ship after two or three years, get drafted and play with the big boys on Sunday. The colleges would be freed up of the Scam Newton crap.
War Eagle
April 19th, 2011
12:23 pm
How many NCAA reps have been down to Auburn over the last 9 months? I don’t know the answer although I would have to imagine a number of them. They haven’t found anything that they could punish Auburn for doing. We get these type of articles that just keep the Cam story going, going, and going. Call me when/if they have any proof of 1 allegation against Auburn that isn’t a secondardy violation. Let’s not bother counting secondary violations because they don’t mean anything other than we all some of goof ups. The rules with NCAA are so difficult to manage.
GA fans. Have fun being 8-4 the rest of the time that you have God Richt as your coach. He should have fired all but 2 of his assistant coaches this past year. What is your record against Florida over the last 20 years? Auburn is 8-3 the last 11 games against our rival Bama.
moops
April 19th, 2011
12:24 pm
The only time AU has been above average is when they are on probation or are about to be (see 2010 season). It may take a few years, but the hammer will drop. All of their fans have their head stuck in the sand. Enjoy it while it lasts.
captguitarman
April 19th, 2011
12:24 pm
Your last paragraph was right on the money except for the “(or his dad)” part of it. If a player does not knowingly take money or whatever largesse, he is not responsible for what his Dad or other relatives might have done. The old, “well, he just had to know,” theory is not enough to establish guilt in the American legal system, and it should not be in the NCAA. Imagine the chaos that could erupt if family relatives, corrupt agents, corrupt boosters, sports groupies, potential entourages, moochers, hangers-on, or even reporters looking to help their careers could have “conversations” with other boosters from other schools about how they know exactly what it will take to get their guy to sign, or conversations about “here’s the deal” etc. etc. without the player’s knowledge or participation??? And under the looney thinking in the Newton case (motivated by national championship envy, obviously), they don’t even have to talk anyone from the school the kid actually attends. They can stir the pot with any school they choose and get the same result. Well, we’d better sit the kid down until we know if his dad, uncle, grandma, or second cousin once removed really did have conversation with Agent X about the 200 large being available from Faber Univerisity. Job done. The kid sits. No proof necessary. That is how the SEC looney toons wanted it to go with Newton. If credible evidence is found that Newton and Auburn were in on some kind of a deal (who knows what kind that might be since Mississippi State was the offending school), they should burn for it – and strip Auburn of the title. And the SEC should look for it as long as it feels it has good reason to do so. Outside of that, there’s nothing else to say. Good column – good common sense.
moops
April 19th, 2011
12:26 pm
War Eagle – What’s your all time record against Bama? How do the titles compare between the 2? Thanks, I’ll wait for your response.
Problem is, none of those many investigations are closed. Just because there isn’t info coming out, doesn’t mean they aren’t still looking.
terry
April 19th, 2011
12:26 pm
Mark,
I think you might be wise to keep your eyes on the La. thing.
It’s one thing to “do what you do” in your home state but when you start to do this in other states you are treading on thin ice.
SAL
April 19th, 2011
12:28 pm
No connemt!
Dawglasville
April 19th, 2011
12:28 pm
Mark, you sure have spent a lot of time debunking Auburn conspiracies and rumors. I’m really not being a smart-alec. Is there really this much interest in the Atlanta area about this story?
Mike
April 19th, 2011
12:29 pm
The way I look at it, it’s not a matter of the NCAA digging for stuff with the whole “it’s coming” notion that’s shared by many people.
For a 3 month stretch, Auburn was houded by every media outlet in the country…not just sports. Thayer Evans made it his personal goal in life to take down Auburn and he came up with nothing other than looking like a moron. If everyone from ESPN, to WSB, to al jazeera couldn’t come up with anything tangible…why are we supposed to think anything is going to happen?
Mark Bradley
April 19th, 2011
12:30 pm
There are more Auburn alums living in metro Atlanta than Georgia Tech alums, FYI.
Ned's Yost
April 19th, 2011
12:30 pm
FIRE FREDI GONZALEZ !!!!!!!!!!!
War Eagle
April 19th, 2011
12:31 pm
Moops-We have 2 titles and got hosed out of one in 2004. Bama has many more national championships then auburn. What happened in 50’s, 60’s and 70’s etc has no bearing on the program today. I don’t have access to the all time record for the Iron Bowl. My point is that bragging about championships won 50 years (great and they should be proud of it) has little or no bearing on the state of the program today. Don’t get me wrong, Bama is firing on all cylinders right now and Auburn is another 1 to 2 years away from being elite for a long time. My point is that GA has had some great players over the years and Richt can’t seem to put a full season together.
Agreed. NCAA needs to move faster and get these things closed either way.
War Eagle
April 19th, 2011
12:33 pm
Yo Mark-Is Auburn still your most hated SEC school? I think you wrote and article last year about it. Was your first wife an AU grad? Apologize if I have mistaken you for another writer.
Tom
April 19th, 2011
12:34 pm
One thing I find hilarious is nobody mentions that McClover said he received a book bag of cash with approximately 2,000 dollars in it. I was just wondering why you would need a bookbag to give someone twenty 100 dollar bills. Joke. Goes to show you how dumb some of these athletes are.
terrya
April 19th, 2011
12:36 pm
Never in the history of the NCAA has a football team seen the jealousy factor raised to the quotient of infinity among its rivals. Auburn won the NC. Cam Newton won the Heisman. 28-27. DEAL WITH IT!!!
WAR EAGLE!!!
Mark Bradley
April 19th, 2011
12:36 pm
Not most hated. Most obnoxious. Big difference.
Tom
April 19th, 2011
12:38 pm
Let’s get real here. Even if they were twenty dollar bills.
War Eagle
April 19th, 2011
12:41 pm
Mark-Come on man. I’ve been to almost every school for a game. You got hooked up with the wrong crowd. I’d have to put TN and BAMA at the top of it. I loved Gainesville . LSU probably was a close 3rd for being obnoxious. GA would be next on my list.
Guess you won’t take me up on an offer to join us for a game next year. I wouldn’t either considering you don’t know the idiot typing on this end. LOL.
Aunt Bee
April 19th, 2011
12:42 pm
The NCAA can’t close an investigation of the Cam Newton situation AT Auburn, when an investigation at Auburn has never been opened. Seems the “investigation” centers on Mississippi State.
Bobo Cop
April 19th, 2011
12:44 pm
Sweet, that means that All-barn is going down! Thanks, Bark Madley!
Tom
April 19th, 2011
12:45 pm
The NCAA can’t close an investigation of the Cam Newton situation AT Auburn, when an investigation at Auburn has never been opened. Seems the “investigation” centers on Mississippi State.
——————————————–
Correct. And if Cam Newton is eventually ruled ineligible for what happened at Miss State, Auburn will walk from it because of the situation we were put in. The NCAA cleared him to play. What were we supposed to do? Bench him? Please. We did everything that any school in that position would have done. Unless there is evidence Auburn paid Cam we would win on appeal.
UGA_2001
April 19th, 2011
12:49 pm
Auburn deserves the death penalty. Look at all of these SEPARATE issues they are being investigated for.
They are a disgrace to college football and should be made into an example.
KNOW YOUR ROLE, AUBURN.
Tom
April 19th, 2011
12:52 pm
Auburn deserves the death penalty. Look at all of these SEPARATE issues they are being investigated for.
They are a disgrace to college football and should be made into an example.
KNOW YOUR ROLE, AUBURN.
———————————————-
You are a disgrace you jealous homer. I can see why you would be jealous. Consdidring UGA is the last of the SEC power programs to not win a title in the BCS era. Auburn should have two. Congratulations, you are in last place.
Tom
April 19th, 2011
12:53 pm
TENN, LSU, FLORIDA, BAMA, AUBURN. who is left out? Congrats, you are the in the category with ARK.
Dam0n sang old skool ;)
April 19th, 2011
12:59 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGXC5cIIYys
Eddie
April 19th, 2011
1:00 pm
No, ARK is better than GA.
MSU is too.
Proved it on the field.
Randall "Pink" Floyd
April 19th, 2011
1:00 pm
Nothing needs to be made official. Auburn’s title is forever tainted. And their program as a whole will continue to be the butt of jokes and ridicule for a llllllooonnnnnng time. AU will get what it deserves the slow way via the avalanche of non-respect paid to it by media and the general football public for the foreseeable future.
Eddie
April 19th, 2011
1:04 pm
Jealous people try to joke and ridicule successful people all the time.
It comes with the territory.
It is not pretty.
Clarke County Jail Officer
April 19th, 2011
1:05 pm
Its nice to see Ole Saint Rick has his gang of future convicts under control!!
gdawginkalamazoo
April 19th, 2011
1:08 pm
Tom, regarding that bookbag full of cash it probably came from the “Strippers for Auburn” arm of the Tigers booster club, all $1 bills.
Buckeye
April 19th, 2011
1:10 pm
SEC! SEC!
Aunt Bee
April 19th, 2011
1:10 pm
Tom – I absolutely agree. I wish someone would explain to me why fans of all of these schools, that Auburn beat, continulously put Auburn down. It makes them look immature to say a school with less talent, cheat, etc., beat them.
War Eagle
April 19th, 2011
1:12 pm
Funny thing about the latest arrests from GA is that they were just recruits. Dam. These guys are stealing stuff before they even get on to the campus as a student.
Will
April 19th, 2011
1:14 pm
Mark,
Doesn’t the AJC have an investigative journalist on the payroll? All you have to do is some snooping around and discover that Auburn paid Cecil Newton a LARGE sum of money which was funneled into his church. Please tell me you people are smarted than that.
Old Dawg
April 19th, 2011
1:15 pm
If we review the history of NCAA investigations, we know that once it gets the scent of something going wrong it doesn’t back off until it uncovers violations, even if they’re minor.
I agree with many folks that the NCAA is a mess of an organization and needs to be reorganized. If and when that happens is another story.
However, if I’m the AD and president of Auburn I’d be very aggressive in my communications with alumni, boosters and recruiters, reminding them of the NCAA’s continuing investigations. Remember, one slip-up by any of the above can open the cases and create an eventual violation.
I don’t really care about Auburn, my points are based simply on the history of NCAA investigations.
UGA Insider
April 19th, 2011
1:17 pm
War Eagle:
Auburn was leading everyone for the services of the CB recruit as I am told.
DC
April 19th, 2011
1:17 pm
Don’t you all find it interesting that no one bailed ship from AU after the won the title..ie coaches..just something to think about.
gdawginkalamazoo
April 19th, 2011
1:21 pm
War Eagle, the recruits don’t get into armed robbery until they get to the plains.
o_krush
April 19th, 2011
1:26 pm
LMAO@ the trials over the gambling involving McGregor (they can try and spin him as big ties to AU all they want….he donated to the new arena was the first time I ever heard him related to AU and I grew up there) and Lowder but there is nothing there related to the AU football team so dream on.
Take a moment and consider the possibility that the reason there is no proof is that there is nothing to prove. It is funny that not a single person outside AU considers it.
As far as the church I trust nothing of what the NYT writes about AU considering their recent ast and the questionable ethics of their writers involved.
SHolmes
April 19th, 2011
1:28 pm
They don’t want to find anything and if they do, it’s too costly to admit it.
It’s all about the money.
phil
April 19th, 2011
1:30 pm
Coach Cheatzik, Scam Newton, poisoned trees…
what a mess…and what a stinkin, rotten program…much to be proud of.
And the title will be stripped…only a matter of time until that proof is found.
o_krush
April 19th, 2011
1:33 pm
Mark, Auburn are most obnoxious?
Take a trip to Baton ROuge or maybe spend some time in Tuscaloosa.
THey have two all american QB’s again…..apparently. Never mind they have hardly played in a college game and stunk up the field in their aday.
Moops: Head to head is 38-40-1….you guys are totally dominant ….[/sarcasm]
But it is 15-12 since Bear passed and 12-10 since we stopped playing at “neutral” Legion field (in case you need to be told those favor Auburn)
GTT
April 19th, 2011
1:34 pm
“Tho only surprise is believing any decent players would choose to go to school in South Alabama without being paid”
Geography lesson: Auburn is in the middle of the state, east side. Don’t believe it look at Georgia and Alabama side by side and see where Macon, the heart of Middle Georgia lies in relation to Auburn.
phil
April 19th, 2011
1:34 pm
Eddie – Ain’t no jealousy going on with me….it’s obvious your team is as crooked as a branch on those poisoned trees…
phil
April 19th, 2011
1:35 pm
Sad to think that middle Georgia is anywhere near Fraudburn…
DollarDawg43
April 19th, 2011
1:36 pm
The root of the problem lies with the NCAA itself.
Things like the Tiger Prowl and Big Cat Weekend should NOT be a problem but the NCAA legislates such minutae that events like these (one meant to create excitement, another to provide a fun and relaxed atmosphere for recruits and supporters, etc.) become secondary violations for the school.
If players got money to play for Auburn (or any school) then, yes, hammer them but events like the ones herein are part of what makes college football fun.