I am an Auburn alum. I am an Auburn fan.
Before I let out my thoughts, here are the FACTS.
- Auburn knew about this back in the summer.
- Auburn has a very tight compliance department. Strict or not, compliance departments cannot turn the other way to NCAA allegations like this.
- As great as Cam is, no school would risk forfeiting an entire season by playing a guy once they knew the NCAA was investigating, if they weren't sure TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE that he was clean.
- The man that supposedly was soliciting Newton, Kenny Rogers, is currently under investigation for misrepresentation by the NFLPA. Misrepresentation! Lying!
Now here's what I think. I am sick over this. If the assumptions are true, I will be both angry at my school and the Newton clan. If they are false, I am sick over the fact that Cam and his team are being found guilty without the truth being known yet. We have a crooked agent who contacted someone at State, and now an Auburn player's reputation and Heisman hopes are likely gone. How does that make sense?
I'll say this again. Auburn has known about this since before the season began. They didn't know he would be the most dominant man in college football when they deemed him eligible. Just like UNC and UGA did, they could've taken preemptive action to maintain the integrity of their season while the NCAA completed their investigations. Auburn's non-action tells me they're very confident that to the best of their knowledge, Cam and his family are not guilty of any of these assumptions.
Could there be sins committed that Auburn don't know about? Absolutely. The assumption that someone connected to Auburn paid the Newton's $200,000 could be true. The facts, though, do not merit the black cloud now hanging over Cam at this time.
Many, including one particular childish moron, are now saying that Newton should not win the Heisman, that another Reggie Bush-like saga should not ensue over the overrated shrine that once succumbed to media peer pressure by awarding it to a defensive player over the greatest quarterback of our time. Explain to me how you maintain the "integrity" of the award by not giving it to the greatest player simply based off of assumptions and allegations?
I dread this dragging on for years. I dread that this not only drags down Newton, but also the rest of the players of an outstanding 2010 team. I dread that, if true, I will be ashamed of my school. Most of all, I dread that false assumptions are being taken as a guilty verdict by the national media.
What I don't understand is why Mississippi State chose to handle it this way. The SEC and NCAA are already involved. What does State gain by dragging Newton through the mud? Don't tell me this was just a former State QB and not the school making this story public. State, let the full truth come out, not just your side of the story (which centers around a crooked agent/runner). I'm guessing that Mullen is a little more willing to leave for another school now, because an already-lopsided "rivalry" is about to become a cage match, and I don't think State is up for a battle like that.
There's a lot of crooked activity that goes on in college sports that we are all blind to. This could certainly be part of it. Albert Means is not the only player of the past two decades that a school paid for. He's just the only one that got caught. Cam and/or his reps could be crooked. I just hope everyone let's the full truth come out before morally penalizing the young man.
Bottomline, I don't know the truth...and neither do you.
I BELIEVE IN AUBURN AND LOVE IT...don't make this alum into a fool, Auburn.
Matt
