Cam Newton scandal; Could Auburn's season be forfeited?

[cyberdude558]

Like Brett Favre’s retirement or the dispersal of Tiger Woods’ semen, the Cam Newton coverage has become ubiquitous. Unlike those frivolous stories, this is vital news. To this point we only have clawed at the surface of it. This is not the end of the Cam Newton saga. It is not even the beginning of the end, but, with the investigation shifting toward Auburn, it may be the end of the beginning.

“It was like Bam!” Mississippi State booster Bill Bell confirmed that Cecil Newton, through Kenny Rogers, asked for $180,000 to have Cam attend Mississippi State. Rogers outlined a plan over a text message to pay an initial $80,000, followed by two payments of $50,000 each. Newton did not incriminate himself specifically, but made no attempt to dissuade Rogers.

“He said it was going to take more than just a relationship with [Mississippi State coach] Dan Mullen and that Cam’s relationship with Mullen wasn’t what Mullen thought it was,” Bell said. “That’s when he said, ‘Dan Mullen is going to have to put a smile on my face if he thinks he’s going to get my son.’”

Unless this story is poised for a bawdy turn, it’s clear what would “put a smile on (Cecil Newton’s) face.” At some point the NCAA will have enough evidence to make Auburn’s lawyering up irrelevant. Cam Newton will be ineligible. Auburn will vacate wins. The NCAA will send complimentary henchmen to each one of our homes to wipe his dream season from our cerebral cortices. It’s when, not if.

This is only the beginning. Consider the Mississippi State portion “phase one” of the investigation. The NCAA, federal authorities and scurrying journalists are corroborating sources and collecting evidence that will implicate the juicier target, Auburn.

Mississippi State refused Cecil Newton’s offer. Cam Newton broke off his pact with Dan Mullen at Mississippi State in mid-December, made a quickie visit to Auburn and committed, at Cecil Newton’s behest, on Dec. 31, 2009. Allegedly, he apologized to a Mississippi State recruiter, stating he chose Auburn because the money was “too much.”

Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate. Unless Cam was simply was gobsmacked by Gene Chizik’s charisma, the simplest explanation for that series of events is someone at Auburn was willing to put a smile on Cecil Newton’s face. A recent TMZ report suggests that’s where the authorities are moving.

Milton McGregor owns the VictoryLand Casino. He’s an Auburn booster, having donated $1 million to help construct Auburn Arena in 2008. He was arrested in October and faces charges for buying votes from local politicians for pro-gambling legislation. According to TMZ’s “sources connected to the probe,” the Feds were asking about him in connection with the Newton case. McGregor denied involvement with Cam Newton or any player.

It is feasible that someone who doesn’t respect our fair democracy might show a similar disregard for NCAA bylaws. At the absolute least, it’s smokier than a barbecue pit to have shady fellows involved in gambling and (allegedly) political corruption hanging around any football program, especially one already busted for nefarious activity.

McGregor’s case may have no relation to Newton, but, if it was, that would explain (a) why the FBI is involved with this (b) why it took so long for the information to come out (after McGregor’s arrest) and (c) why TMZ’s source, if valid, threw his name out there like chum.

Where do we go from here? We will learn more than most of us ever wanted to know about this Auburn season. It will be vacated, left naked and exposed. We will learn all about how recruiting specialist Trooper Taylor landed a Top 5 recruiting class in 2010, a year after Auburn barely cracked the recruiting Top 25 and went 7-5, losing five of their last six in the SEC in 2009.

Dots may be connected back to the original scandal, illuminating why certain Auburn background figures had such an acrimonious relationship with successive and successful coaches, Terry Bowden and Tommy Tuberville.

Auburn took the risk. They played Cam Newton against Georgia. If allowed, they will play him against Alabama, in the SEC title game and, potentially, in the national title game regardless of whether it is vacated. If it results in stiffer sanctions down the road, who cares? The coaches and players live in the moment. The university and the fans will be saddled with the neutered and desiccated program, for the next decade or longer. Auburn may not get the official death penalty, but the sanctions could make it a de facto one.

It’s wise to warn against aggrandizing instant history, but it’s also foolish to ignore history when it’s happening in front of you. The Cam Newton saga may not be “the biggest story in the history of college football” at this point, but we are still in the salad course.

The happiest person outside Tuscaloosa to have these allegations emerge? Butch Davis.

http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2010/11/18/cam-newton-investigation-shifting-toward-its-inevitable-target-auburn/

[John Galt?]

Don't think Auburn will have to vacate any wins prior to this hitting the fan unless it can be proven, not alleged but proven, that someone connected to Auburn paid money out.

now games played from this point forward might be a different story. no matter what, it is gonna get real ugly in East Alabama.

[bradentonian]

Hope it happens before the NC game so another team can get a shot.

[SnookAU]

Most likely, Auburn's season will be voided.

Its only a matter of time before they find the money.

On another note, it'll be interesting to see what comes of Newton's cheating while he was at UF.  Afterall, we all know what the NCAA does to teams who play guys who've cheated in school.

[John Galt?]

Most likely, Auburn's season will be voided.

Its only a matter of time before they find the money.

On another note, it'll be interesting to see what comes of Newton's cheating while he was at UF.  Afterall, we all know what the NCAA does to teams who play guys who've cheated in school.

I don't recall any cheating while at UF. He stole a laptop then flung it out a window when caught, but don't remember any cheating. Also, he NEVER played for UF, never made it past 3rd string.

[Biggs3535]

On another note, it'll be interesting to see what comes of Newton's cheating while he was at UF.  Afterall, we all know what the NCAA does to teams who play guys who've cheated in school.

I'm guessing it's going to largely depend on if a member of the Athletic Department helped him cheat.

Also, he NEVER played for UF, never made it past 3rd string.

Yes, he did.  He played for UF in 2007 and 2008, going 6/12 for 54 yards as a passer and running for 113 yards on 21 carries and 4 TD's.

[SnookAU]

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Source-says-Newton-left-Florida-after-cheating-scandal


Cam Newton is an incredible player on the field.  But he appears to be a turd off of it.

[Feel Real Good]

Programs don't get in trouble for kids cheating on their own. Only when it's a systematic program with tutors writing papers and athletic department people steering them to certain classes, teachers, and programs for favorable treatment.

[SnookAU]

Programs don't get in trouble for kids cheating on their own. Only when it's a systematic program with tutors writing papers and athletic department people steering them to certain classes, teachers, and programs for favorable treatment.

Well we'll never know what exactly happened...  We have no idea who or if anyone else was involved.

Cam left before any of it could or would come to light.

[Feel Real Good]

Programs don't get in trouble for kids cheating on their own. Only when it's a systematic program with tutors writing papers and athletic department people steering them to certain classes, teachers, and programs for favorable treatment.

Well we'll never know what exactly happened...  We have no idea who or if anyone else was involved.

Cam left before any of it could or would come to light.

The reports were that he bought a term paper online. Not indicative of a systematic problem. Additionally, whoever leaked this more than likely came from UF so I doubt they'd be doing it if something could come back on them. You're reaching with this.

[Fitz66]

Programs don't get in trouble for kids cheating on their own. Only when it's a systematic program with tutors writing papers and athletic department people steering them to certain classes, teachers, and programs for favorable treatment.

Well we'll never know what exactly happened...  We have no idea who or if anyone else was involved.

Cam left before any of it could or would come to light.

I thought this (although certainly not anything near concrete/credible) was interesting
http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/messagetopic.asp?p=22778676

[SnookAU]

Programs don't get in trouble for kids cheating on their own. Only when it's a systematic program with tutors writing papers and athletic department people steering them to certain classes, teachers, and programs for favorable treatment.

Well we'll never know what exactly happened...  We have no idea who or if anyone else was involved.

Cam left before any of it could or would come to light.

The reports were that he bought a term paper online. Not indicative of a systematic problem. Additionally, whoever leaked this more than likely came from UF so I doubt they'd be doing it if something could come back on them. You're reaching with this.

You can't really tell me that I'm "reaching" on a story that hasn't even materialized.  We don't know ANY details.  You're the one that's "reaching" in making any conclusions.

All I said originally was "it'll be interesting to see what comes of Newton's cheating while he was at UF"...

[Biggs3535]

You can't really tell me that I'm "reaching" on a story that hasn't even materialized.  We don't know ANY details.  You're the one that's "reaching" in making any conclusions.

All I said originally was "it'll be interesting to see what comes of Newton's cheating while he was at UF"...

You also said "we all know what the NCAA does to teams who play guys who've cheated in school."  Everybody know what you're implying.

And you are reaching based on the details that have been reported:

He first violated Florida’s student honor code by cheating in a class during his freshman year, according to the source.

Newton was arrested for the theft of a laptop from a Florida student’s dorm room in November 2008. He again violated the university’s honor code by putting his name on another student’s paper and turning it in, according to the source. Newton was caught after the instructor asked the real author of the paper why he had not turned in his work, the source said.

According to the source, after the student said he had turned in a paper, he and the instructor went through all the submissions and discovered that Newton had put his name on the paper in question.

Newton subsequently turned in a second paper to the instructor, but it was later found to have been purchased off the Internet, according to the source. The source said Newton was to appear for a hearing in front of Florida’s Student Conduct Committee during the spring semester of 2009 but instead transferred to Blinn College.

The committee could have levied sanctions against Newton that included suspension and expulsion from the university.

“He knew that he was facing a bad outcome,” the source said.

This is nothing like FSU's cheating scandal that involved the Athletic Department.

[Col. Klink]

You can't really tell me that I'm "reaching" on a story that hasn't even materialized.  We don't know ANY details.  You're the one that's "reaching" in making any conclusions.

All I said originally was "it'll be interesting to see what comes of Newton's cheating while he was at UF"...

You also said "we all know what the NCAA does to teams who play guys who've cheated in school."  Everybody know what you're implying.

And you are reaching based on the details that have been reported:

He first violated Florida’s student honor code by cheating in a class during his freshman year, according to the source.

Newton was arrested for the theft of a laptop from a Florida student’s dorm room in November 2008. He again violated the university’s honor code by putting his name on another student’s paper and turning it in, according to the source. Newton was caught after the instructor asked the real author of the paper why he had not turned in his work, the source said.

According to the source, after the student said he had turned in a paper, he and the instructor went through all the submissions and discovered that Newton had put his name on the paper in question.

Newton subsequently turned in a second paper to the instructor, but it was later found to have been purchased off the Internet, according to the source. The source said Newton was to appear for a hearing in front of Florida’s Student Conduct Committee during the spring semester of 2009 but instead transferred to Blinn College.

The committee could have levied sanctions against Newton that included suspension and expulsion from the university.

“He knew that he was facing a bad outcome,” the source said.

This is nothing like FSU's cheating scandal that involved the Athletic Department.

This part isn't but the Pay for Play part is a lot worse ... Has that gone away?

[Feel Real Good]

Clearly trying to deflect from the possible pay-for-play issue which if true is as systemic as it gets.