How serious was Auburn about keeping Newton's apart? Plus: A Rebuttal...

Cecil and CamNewton/Courtesy: Vasha Hunt-Opelika-Auburn News

Brother Jon's better half isn't going to like this story, but we have to ask the question. Everyone else is.

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...

The Dominos Are About To Fall In College Football

College football fans get ready for a change. The Big 10 is going to expand and the SEC has it's rabbit ears pointed north monitoring the "10" while planning their strategy.

Big 10 commissioner Jim Delaney says expansion in the Big 10 in the preliminary stage. It doesn't matter, the "10" is shopping for universities to join their money making venture.

Is it me or are we seeing the beginning of college football's biggest money makers, the Big 10 and the SEC, annexing colleges and universities to form "Super" conferences? It appears with the Big 10 domino beginning to fall we are seeing the idea of "mega-super" conferences come to fruition.

Of course the SEC will be proactive in response to the Big 10 expansion, whatever it is. Right now the SEC is not overly concerned with the conference being showered by billions from CBS and ESPN and since those checks are clearing why worry. Even with the windfall of profits from the media the SEC won't stand pat should the Big 10 make a bold move.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive said in a meeting with the Southeast Region of the Associated Press, "Given the success we've experienced over the past decade, we are comfortable in the position in which we find ourselves," Slive said. "Having said that, if there's going to be a significant shift in the conference paradigm, the SEC will be strategic and thoughtful in order to maintain its position as one of the nation's premiere conferences."

The thing is Slive can't define what the "significant shift in the conference paradigm" is. If the Big 10 gobbles up the Big East conference schools within large media markets (Pittsburgh, Rutgers,), the Big 12 conference in reach of large media markets (Missouri [St. Louis/Kansas City markets]) and schools with big time college football tradition and a large fan base (Nebraska) will that trigger the SEC in game changing mode?

Mr. College Football, FSOG Tony Barnhart shared his scenario recently on his blog in the AJC.com. Here’s the link to Barnhart’s brainstorming. http://blogs.ajc.com/barnhart-college-football/2010/04/23/would-the-sec-look-to-the-acc-in-expansion/ Remember, it was all tongue and cheek.

It doesn't take a crystal ball to see that the Big 10 is making it's move, The SEC is ready to react and the Big East Conference is about to go out of business, at least in football.

Play any scenario with schools moving around and the one thing I see in nearly every case is the Big 10 and SEC become Goliaths, the ACC and Big 12 are weakened (If Texas leaves damaged beyond repair) and the Pac-10, well that's a wild card. Take Utah and BYU and that conference owns the West and ends any BCS dreams the Mountain West Conference has.

College football has always been a great topic of debate even into the off-season. Instead of bragging about new recruits coming in or what coach is on the hot seat, the debate now is which conference can take over the other.

The winds of change are beginning to blow.

Ooops...Lane Kiffin did it again...

Once again, Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin angered the fine folks at the SEC Head Office. This time it was for his criticism of the referee's at the end of last week's Alabama/Tennessee Game. Specifically, the last play of the game where Terrance Cody blocked a potential game-winning field goal and proceeded to take off his helmet, before the play had been whistled dead. Kiffin was reprimanded today by commissioner Mike Slive.

The story from AL.com/The Huntsville Times IS HERE.
For the Tennessee Perspective, here is WVLT-TV's story HERE

((Lane Kiffin and The Saban//Courtesy: VolsXtra.com))

It will be interesting to see if anything else happens here since it is now the 2nd time that Kiffin has been reprimanded. Several of the Alabama newspapers say that "He should be suspended", but they would. We aren't justifying Kiffin complaining publicly because well, he shouldn't. But, he does have a legitimate question if you look at wrapup that Brother Jon posted over the weekend, you clearly can see that Cody did what he was accused of. On the flip-side, if the refs never saw it...did it happen? You'll have to make that judgement on your own.

This link will take you to Kiffin's comments on Sunday...ITS RIGHT HERE.

SEC Refs Suspended

The Southeastern Conference took action yesterday against one of its refereeing crews for making some highly questionable calls in 2 very close football games. Commissioner Mike Slive suspended the crew headed by Referee Mark Curles and 6 others for the next 3 games and have placed there potential for bowl work in serious doubt.

The reasons for the suspension, for those who don't follow college football, they called the University of Georgia's AJ Green for an excessive celebration penalty after he caught a go-ahead touchdown pass late in Georgia's game vs. LSU. The subsequent 15-yard penalty, short kickoff and return enabled LSU to drive down the field and score at the end of the game and get the win.

The Georgia play in question, from raw video on YouTube:



The crew more recently had a couple of "Very" questionable calls in the Florida/Arkansas game. A pass interference penalty in the end zone that looked an awful lot like a good play. They called a phantom personal foul on Arkansas DT Malcom Shepard for running into a Florida player in the middle of the field. Nothing dirty. They collided trying to get from point A to point B. All in all, too much controversy.



Now the required reading from the pundits:

The Orlando Sentinel HERE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is HERE
NWAOnline (Arkansas) is RIGHT HERE
The Huntsville Times/Al.com report is RIGHT HERE

We will refrain from getting deep into this topic. It's hard to "Take Sides" since most SEC Football fans are conspiracy theorists and think that either the league or CBS has arranged things so the biggest "Marquee" teams win each week. They all think that one or both of them are out to make their team lose. We all know that it isn't true, but trust me, up until recently, I lived my entire life down there, they do believe it...and they aren't afraid to say so.

SEC Title Game Stays In ATL Through 2015

From the SEC their own selves...

The Southeastern Conference championship game will remain at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta at least through 2015.

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said Monday the league has agreed on a five-year extension to keep the game at the Dome.

The game has sold out every year except for 1995, the year after its move to the dome.

Last year's matchup between Alabama and Florida drew nearly 76,000 fans, the most to attend a sporting event in the Georgia Dome.

The 2009 championship game will be Dec. 5.

The Commisioner Speaks

Our final interview of the day, SEC Commisioner Mike Slive. The ever jovial Slive had a lot to be happy about. The league's new Sugar Daddy (ESPN) was prominent, banners everywhere, the league is flush with money...even in the current economy and the "Pre-season kickoff" is overflowing with coverage. Did I leave anything out?

Slive says that "This week is a great opportunity to get the millions of fans who follow SEC Football excited and ready as the upcoming season approaches". Yes, he speaks like that. Here is another 2 minutes or so of what he had to say:

More Slive, I Say...

So, one of the planet's biggest power brokers continues power brokering for another couple of years...

No real surprise considering all he's been able to do for the folks he works with...

Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive ((pictured, thanks SEC)) has agreed to a three-year contract extension. Slive, 68, will have presided over the powerhouse league for 10 years when the deal ends on July 31, 2012.

The SEC, which announced the extension on Thursday, has recently signed lucrative 15-year deals with CBS and ESPN to broadcast games in various sports.

Slive has implemented policies to assist league schools in rules compliance and enforcement, and SEC teams have won 21 men's and 23 women's national championships during his reign.

Slive has also served as coordinator of the Bowl Championship Series and is currently the chair of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee. He served on the Commission of Athletic Opportunity from 2002-03.

From the SEC:

"Commissioner Slive has been an absolutely great addition to our conference," said University of Kentucky and Southeastern Conference President Dr. Lee T. Todd. "He is providing great vision and directing the SEC to a new prominence in college athletics. I am thrilled we have locked him in to lead our conference for years to come."

"I am gratified that the Presidents and Chancellors have extended my contract and I am honored to serve as the Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference," said Slive. "We have accomplished many of our goals since my arrival in 2002 and there will be new challenges and goals to meet in the future. I look forward to these challenges as we continue to make the SEC one of the nation's top intercollegiate athletic conferences."

The rest of Slive's accomplishments can be found in black...

Now, all they need is their own network...

Oh, that's right. We forgot...

Kiffin's Boss Has His Back

Called it blind loyalty or making the best of a touchy situation but Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton feels his hire, Lane Kiffin, now has a sense of the enormity of his job which happens to be the head football coach of the UT Vols.

After wrongfully accusing a conference rival of cheating and then getting his wrist slapped by SEC commissioner Mike Slive and then having to turn his university in for 2 recruiting violations, it's safe to say Kiffin has had his "oh s*$^" week.

"I think it's an indication that he understands fully that in any environment, the comments of the head football coach at the University of Tennessee are going to be listened to and often quoted," UT athletic director Mike Hamilton told The Tennessean. "You have to be sensitive to that, especially at a place like the University of Tennessee."

Where Joe Billy Vol Fan hangs on every word from the leader of the Vol nation.

After being sent to his room by conference commissioner Slive, Kiffin got a letter of admonishment as did recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron from the university after UT reported to the NCAA and SEC 2 minor recruiting violations.

Those violations were" 1) using a fog machine as a recruit ran onto the field at Neyland Stadium [not enough students willing to help form the "T" on the field] and 2) The second violation came when recruits took part in a mock press conference at the football stadium. Simulating game situations to recruits doesn't sit well with the NCAA.

Click here for the Tennessean story.

SEC To Kiffin: Assume The Position

Lane Kiffin has been the head football coach at the University of Tennessee for 3 months and he's already ticked off Urban Meyer and sent to time out by the SEC.

Thursday SEC commissioner Mike Slive issued a public reprimanded to Kiffin for comments he made earlier in the day.

Kiffin accused Meyer of violating recruiting rules in hot pursuit of Nu'Keese Richardson a wide receiver prospect from Pahokee, Florida. Richardson signed with the Vols.

WVLT-TV reported that Kiffin told fans at a signing day breakfast Thursday that Meyer phoned Richardson while the recruit was making his official visit to Tennessee recently.

"I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn't get him," Kiffin said.

Kiffin's comments didn't sit well with commissioner Slive.

"Coach Kiffin has violated the Southeastern Conference Code of Ethics," Slive said. "SEC Bylaw 10.5.1 clearly states that coaches and administrators shall refrain from directed public criticism of other member institutions, their staffs or
players.”

“The phone call to which Coach Kiffin referred to in his public comments is not a violation of SEC or NCAA rules. We expect our coaches to have an understanding and knowledge of conference and NCAA rules.”

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley has called for an apology from Kiffin.

Mark September 19th on your calender when the Vols and Gators play at the Swamp. The post game handshake might be entertaining.

Photo Courtesy: AP