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| Cecil and CamNewton/Courtesy: Vasha Hunt-Opelika-Auburn News |
No. We aren't making eligibility questions or saying that there was a payment involved. And no, we aren't saying that a father should be able to take in his son's great achievement.
But. Considering what's gone down with the NCAA. Considering that Auburn essentially "Promised" that Cecil Newton would have limited access to Cam Newton comes some interesting questions.
They come courtesy of the photo you see here. It appears Cecil Newton, despite being "Asked" not to come to the BCS Championship game, was actually there. Not only was he there, he was on the field. And miraculously, Cam found Cecil for a celebratory hug. That was caught on film.
For their part. Auburn is claiming they didn't provide Cecil with a ticket. Which would be believable if Cecil wasn't spotted....on the field. Most ticket-holders don't get to come out...on the field.
Again, we aren't making accusations here. But for some reason, Cecil's attorney, George Lawson opened his mouth to Christine Brennan of USA Today and is now making it worse. Said Lawson "Mr. Newton viewed the game from an off-site location and came to the stadium after the game when everyone was leaving to personally congratulate his son" He made it worse by adding..."He probably was at some sports bar or something like that. I don't know". George, if you are going to make a declarative statement like this, you need to have some facts...or "A" fact to back it up.
Read Brennan's full column in today's USA Today RIGHT HERE
Like we said, this under normal circumstances would be a touching, emotional moment. However, the circumstances make it a bit odd. We consider it newsworthy because of the big hullabaloo made over Cecil Newton being found guilty of trying of shopping Cam Newton to Mississippi State for $180,000.
It's also an issue because as a result of that, Auburn has gone on record, repeatedly, saying that Cecil Newton will not be allowed around their program. And while there are no "Specifics" as to what that means, the fact that the school went out of their way to say Cecil wouldn't be at the game makes someone look stupid. We aren't going to speculate as to who looks stupid, but do the math. Someone or some group isn't being real honest here and though we don't want to spoil the glory that the Auburn folks are basking in right now, we question how sincere that someone or group is in upholding their words.
Here is a video of your BCS Champs, courtesy of ESPN:
From the other side:
Okay... who turned you in to Thayer Evans or Pete Thamel...???
Admittedly, TBH is pretty hot over the above assertions... even though, yes, it does make the school look bad...
But let's go with the facts as we know them...
Cecil Newton, the SEC, and Auburn agreed to disassociate. What that has to do with an independently-produced football game is beyond me. The game is, technically in the eyes of the NCAA, an exhibition put on by a third-party.
The Fiesta Bowl Committee has as much stroke in stopping anyone from dropping by their game as I do. And remember the report from Glendale as to how well the ticket-stripers were handling crowd control...???
It's here if you forgot...
Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan wanted the "Tattoo 5" to play for Ohio State in his game against Arkansas. The Razorbacks had as much say in that as the SEC did. Notice how much commenting Commissioner Mike Slive had in that issue...???
Answer: None...
Anyone can grab a ticket by any number of different means and pass through the frisk line as anyone else- reputable or otherwise... The only way we could stop getting in the door is if my picture is up with a red circle with a line through it at the gate.
If Auburn didn't want me to go, they couldn't stop me, either...
And, if we take Cecil Newton's attorney at his word, Newton found his way to his son after the game itself was over. Once again, if you're looking at someone to point fingers at- go after the yellow jackets who, probably, took the man at his word in his 15-minute window... and if Cecil Newton was in the ballpark, you don't think the four-letter network wouldn't be all over that fact ALL GAME LONG???!!!
If facts in evidence eventually point at the university and AD Jay Jacobs, who would be downright stupid to thumb his nose at the NCAA in light of everything going on right now, then I'll be the first to say I was wrong...
You want things to change...??? Have the relationship between bowl games and the NCAA altered so CEO's can't dictate rules of engagement to the building in Indianapolis- instead of the other way around...
Next thing I know, Phil, you're going to lump Bobby Lowder and Milton McGregor into all of this stuff...
Since, after all, they paid for the Newton's trip to Phoenix in the first place...
Rebuttal to Jon's rebuttal:
Dude, it's a legitimate question. You could be spot-on right and it all could have been an odd run of coincidences and yes, you were there and the security was lax...at best.
I would maintain he could've easily been in a luxury suite or made to wait in the tunnel. It's not always "that" easy to pick someone out of a 70,000-plus crowd. Either way, I don't buy...for a minute that "Nobody" knew he'd be there. If you are standing behind Cecil's "Attorney" statement, you ain't got much to stand on. Even he doesn't seem to believe what he's saying.
As for the "Third Party" exhibition. Again, not germane. The point is Auburn said Cecil would be kept away from the program. Period. Him being on the field is not being "Kept" away. You and I both have been on the field at the end of a bowl game. While the crowd does get on the surface. They are...always able to sort out the people with passes from the fans. And if Cecil was "Just a fan" with a ticket, he wouldn't have been able to get where he was.
Don't go Bobby Lowder or Milton McGregor on this. That is a lame-ass excuse that an alum would use to get away from the actual debate. This is the Newton's rubbing everyone's face in all that happened. No, there won't be any sanctions for this. Nor should there be. Heck, they aren't the first one's to pull one over on the NCAA and won't be the last. I don't hate them or Auburn. They did what they felt they needed to do. It's only an issue if you get caught. They were the best team in College Football this year. Hands down. No argument. And Cam was head and shoulders better than anyone else.
Just don't be accusing me...or anyone else of being naive and thinking that everyone is on a crusade against Auburn and the Newton's. We aren't. They played the rules and used them to their advantage. To that I say "Bravo"...
Rebuttal to the Rebuttal Squared:
Actually, a lot of folks are on a crusade against Auburn- our prime examples being Messrs. Thamel and Evans... and we jam on their lack of journalism all the time here at the HQ...
As we should... and should never stop...
We really should be focusing a lot of our attention back on Miss State and Florida- either or both of whom committed a felony in releasing the academic record of Newton in the beginning. The story should have been an un-story about his Gainesville activities and he has acknowledged he screwed up.
Where's the hue and cry over guys like Kenny Rogers and John Bond...? And where does the investigation from that standpoint where money WAS ACTUALLY DISCUSSED stand- a point currently unproven from an Auburn view as we know the facts in evidence today...
And, dude, other people not named Newton got onto the field after the game that were civilians... Hell, TBH and I sat behind the Auburn band and could have just as easily been there with Cecil. We'd have been easier bench presses for Cam then...
I'm just going with facts in evidence until it's told otherwise. The Duke Lacrosse case taught ((or, really, re-taught)) me something... present the facts as we know them and proceed accordingly. If facts change, then the story can change as well...
If Jay Jacobs, Gene Chizik, and the rest of the Loveliest Village are guilty of being accomplices in this as we go, then throw the book at them...
I don't have a problem doing that at all- and neither, for the record, does TBH: a died-in-the-wool alumna...
Let Auburn enjoy their title- everyone pissing on it is doing the sport a disservice until we have reason to do so...
Oh, and the Lowder-McGregor reference was done exactly for the reason you said... it doesn't have a damn thing to do with anything...
1 comment:
More arrogance and evidence C. Newton is just out of control. The son should have been jerked out of the lineup two months ago. I guess Cam didn't know that was his father.
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