As the Cam Turns
If you catch more than an hour’s nap sometime between now and the end of the college football season, you probably missed another allegation against Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.
First a recap for those of you that are returning from a mission trip in Belize:
– First nine weeks of the season: Newton becomes college football’s terminator, leading Auburn to an 9-0 start and becoming a dunk for the Heisman – if not Sainthood.
– Last Thursday: Reports surface that someone approached Mississippi State during Newton’s recruitment claiming that for $180,000, Newton would go to Starkville.
– Last Friday: Auburn and Newton denied the claims.
– Last Saturday: Newton accounts for five touchdowns in less than 17 minutes in a 62-24 romp over UTC.
– Monday: Reports surface that Newton was caught cheating and was on track to be disciplined for his academic improprieties during his time at Florida.
– Tuesday: Hold on now. It starts with Newton and Auburn coach Gene Chizik emphatically denying the claims and allegations. But there is a growing number of stories that emerge throughout the day.
There are reports of the number of parking tickets Newton had at Florida; there are reports that the FBI is wanting to talk to the people involved with the people involved with original allegations from Mississippi State. Then late Tuesday night, ESPN’s Joe Schad reports that “recruiters” from Mississippi State claim the Newton family made comments such as it would take “more than a scholarship,” and “the money was too much,” during the recruiting process that ended with Newton picking Auburn last December.
Whew. Now then, two things quickly: If Auburn officials, who have repeatedly and forcefully claimed that Newton is eligible, did not properly investigate and clear these doubts – most of which had been made known to the NCAA and the SEC no later than last July – and played Newton anyway, well, heads will roll. If this proves to be a smear campaign, well, then some folks across the South are going to need to lawyer-up and get ready for some court time.
My thoughts? There’s an awful lot of smoke here for nothing to be burning. But forget that, I got to check the Interwebs – allegations may have surfaced that Newton is to blame for everything Atlanta traffic to ragweed.
AP: ‘Pay-for-play’ charges dog Heisman hopeful Newton
Gene’s a man, and he’s 40-plus irked
Tuesday, a passionate Gene Chizik defended his quarterback Cam Newton with an almost five-minute tirade to start his weekly news conference. It was filled with strong looks (You can tell this guy can grab the attention of his players when he needs it, by the way.) and phrases such as “”I’m standing up here on a very important week trying to defend something that’s garbage.”
It’s right of course and this is starting to be such a massive distraction that Georgia, which visits the Plains on Saturday, is going to be a trios trendy upset pick.
But the image of Chizik standing up there defending his players reminded me of the great Mike Gundy, the Oklahoma State coach that blew a gasket a couple of years ago.
Chizik: Newton allegations ‘pure garbage’
SEC teleconference fireworks
With all of the Newton accusations flying, there have been a couple questions left unanswered.
Since it’s the SEC, we know that no one has brought up the claims for altruistic reasons. Kidding, kidding.
Anyhoo, who’s behind letting the allegations/information leak out and what’s the motivation?
As for the first, that’s going to be tough to know. Guess have centered on Florida’s coach Urban Meyer and Mississippi State’s coach Dan Mullen. Meyer denied involvement Tuesday.
As for motivation, well, the first thought is that if even somehow all of this gets cleared up in the next few months – which seems doubtful considering the NCAA’s normal pace – Cam Newton seems all but certain to leave it behind, skip his senior season and head to the NFL.
Either way, today’s SEC teleconference has a chance to have Fourth of July-level fireworks.
Mark Wiedmer: Unstoppable on field, Newton assailed off it
Hit guidelines
OK enough about football conspiracy theories, let’s move on to the NFL (Thanks, I’ll be here all week and the 10 a.m. show’s different than the 2 p.m. show).
Here’s the report on the NFL’s new controversial guidelines about enforcing illegal hits.
Some of the highlights (See which one I made up):
– “Discipline may be imposed for a first offense and without prior warning”
– Punishment isn’t limited to plays where penalties are called during games, and this sentence is in bold type: “If a postgame review establishes an egregious violation, particularly involving safety-related issues such as hits on the quarterback, the offender may be subject to suspension.”
– Game officials unsure of whether to throw a flag on a particular play, the guide reads, “should lean toward player safety and call the foul.”
– Players that tickle opponents to the point of stopping forward progress will be rewarded and can use that as an official “Get out jail free card” at a later point during the same season.
Lady Mocs third? Really?
UTC’s women’s basketball team has been a death-and-taxes-level certainty during the Southern Conference regular season, but the Lady Mocs were picked to finish third by the league’s coaches and media members.
Under coach Wes Moore the Lady Mocs have won 11 consecutive regular-season SoCon titles. Sure they lost a bunch of experience – the only player to play two full season for UTC on the roster is guard Tenisha Townsend – return just two starters.
Still, third? Really?
Here’s my thought: Until someone beats the Lady Mocs, it’s their conference – predictions be darned.