Interesting. The normally, somewhat placid SEC athletics meetings last month in North Augusta, South Carolina apparently had a little excitement in them.
No, Mike Price wasn't there, but the NCAA's VP of enforcement, Julie Roe Lach was.
And she had some interesting words with Auburn coach Gene Chizik. Now, in the interest of our Auburn contingent who reads us regularly, this probably is meaningless...but.
According to the New York Times, there was a bit of a testy exchange between Lach and Chizik when Chizik pressed her about the NCAA investigation into Cam Newton and Auburn recruiting. The quote was "You'll know when we're finished and we're not finished".
The Times confirmed this after talking to several people in the room at the time.
Read the full story RIGHT HERE (Might be subscription--just warning you)
Yes, we'll grant, this is news in large part due to the lack of news at the present time. We..and everyone else have gone into great detail of the why and what about the NCAA investigation into Auburn football and Cam Newton in particular.
This, we hope, means the NCAA is serious and not going to rush things just for the sake of it. They need to be sure that things were done right. This is an issue, they already haven't handled particularly well and they need to get it right. With the other outstanding investigations out there, they need for the schools to know they take this type of issue seriously and if you do something wrong, there will be repercussions.
Well, we can't say this years version of the NFL Draft (according to the Jolly Roger--possibly the last draft ever), was too dull. It was more a problem with the broadcast I was forced to watch due to having Time Warner Cable (no NFL Network).
There were certainly some surprises (Atlanta Falcons) and some head scratchers (Minnesota Vikings) and despite their being an alleged moratorium on transactions, quite a few trades.
With that in mind let's look and see how things went and offer our opinion (for what its worth--we don't claim to be experts):
First--The Broadcast: As we mentioned earlier, due to our cable company, we were forced to watch our friends at the 4-letter (ESPN). It wasn't good. From the blowhard inaneness of Chris Berman to the happy gushings of Jon Gruden and Mel Kiper's hair, it wasn't fun. Sure, technically it was great, there productions always are.
But we have a hard time digesting Berman at pretty much anything. His act and hipness went away in the early '90's, yet he gets carted out for all the high profile events. Time to change. There are plenty of guys (see: Tirico, Mike) who are much better suited to carry/shepherd this type of coverage.
As for Gruden, we love him on games and enjoy the pre-draft stuff with the QB's, but was there a player he didn't gush and rave about last night? Did anyone make a bad pick in his eyes? Well, at least when he remembered which team was picking anyway. We won't get into Kiper, we've never understood the fascination with him and probably never will.
THE DRAFT:
1. Carolina: Cam Newton QB. We get this and don't dispute it. It's a total "All-in" scenario. Newton could be a star with the right people around him, we just wonder if the Panthers are that team. He's going to have to learn awfully fast. Grade: A-
2. Denver: Von Miller LB. A no-brainer. At least he should be. If he plays half as well as he tested in workouts, he'll be a beast. And right now there is no "D" in Denver. Grade: A
3. Buffalo: Marcel Darius DT. The supposed best D-line guy out there. At times dominated while at Alabama. Again, a need pick by the Bills who many thought might draft a QB. Can you say "Smokescreen?". Grade: B+
4. Cincinnati: A.J Green WR. We are pretty sure this is another no-brainer. We covered Green, we've spoken to him. We know him. He should be a star...if the Bengals can find someone to get the ball to him. All the hype about him being a freak...is true. Grade: A
5. Arizona: Patrick Peterson CB. Another freak. Some questioned this pick based on need, but if Peterson is as good as he was at LSU, he'll make a great pro. Grade: B
6. Atlanta: Via Trade w/Cleveland. Julio Jones WR. Possibly the best athlete in the draft. Not so sure about football player though. The Falcons gave up a lot to get him as a compliment to Roddy White. He better be good...and healthy. Grade: B-
7. San Francisco: Aldon Smith DE. There were a lot of better players out there for a team with a lot of holes. Smith underachieved in College, though the 'Niners do need defensive help. Grade: C
8. Tennessee: Jake Locker QB. Good, not great QB. Offensive Coordinator Chris Palmer apparently swore by Locker which is why he went here. Not convinced he's a franchise QB, but I don't think any of this years QB's with the possible exception of Newton are. Grade: C-
9. Dallas: Tyron Smith OT. We guess they felt they needed line help. They project Smith as a LT, even though he wasn't an LT at USC. Lots of needs for Cowboys, particularly on D. Not a horrible pick, but a question mark. Grade: C
10. Jacksonville: Blaine Gabbert QB. Another question mark. We don't think Gabbert will be nearly as good as most everyone else does. He wasn't at Missouri. David Garrard isn't great, but Gabbert isn't an upgrade. The Jags need "D" help...badly and Gabbert doesn't play "D". Grade: D
11. Houston: J.J Watt DE. There were better defensive guys out there, but we guess the Texans liked the work ethic. Yeah, they need defensive help, badly. This is a "Jury still out" pick. Grade: C+
12. Minnesota: Christian Ponder QB. Huh? We say that, but we also think he's a better prospect than Gabbert, if he stays healthy. We know the Vikes need a QB after selling their soul for Brett Favre the past 2 years. Maybe they know something nobody else does. Grade: C
13. Detroit: Nick Fairley DT. Yikes! How'd he fall this far? Fairley and Ndamukong Suh on the same front. Scary. Really scary. We like this pick. A lot. Grade: A
14. St.Louis: Robert Quinn DE. Not a bad choice here. The Rams D was pretty good, they should be better with Quinn, a guy who had to sit out last year because of contact with an agent. Grade: B
15. Miami: Michael Pouncey G/C. Not sure about this one either. Was less impressed by the "Other" Pouncey twin. He really struggled replacing his brother at Center last year at UF. Though we do realize the 'Fins need "O" line help. Grade: B-
16. Washington: Ryan Kerrigan DE. They traded down to get this pick. And yes, they need help just about everywhere so a DE makes some sense. Kerrigan was really productive in college. And they got an extra pick by trading down too. Not bad. Grade: B+
17. New England: Nate Solder OT. A need pick in some respects because we think Belichick wants to rebuild the "O" line despite them being really good last year. They needed some defense help though, which makes this a bit of a question. Grade: C+
18. San Diego: Cory Liuget DE. Hmmmm. The Chargers had a pretty good "D" line last year. There were some better players available. We don't get this, but we don't have to. Grade: C-
19. NY Giants: Prince Amukamara CB. Wonder how shocked they were to see the Prince sitting here at this pick? You can never have enough "D" and the Giants didn't have a huge, glaring need. Grade: B
20. Tampa Bay: Adrian Clayborn DE. They are going to be really good, really soon. They needed a stout "D" lineman and got one with Clayborn. Grade: A-
21. Cleveland: Phil Taylor DT. They traded down with Atlanta and got this and 4 other picks for it. Taylor will help on D, but that isn't where the Browns need help. We'll see what else they have in store, jury is out on this one. Grade: B-
22. Indianapolis: Anthony Castonzo OT. A need pick. The aging "O" line showed some cracks last season and for the Colts its all about protecting Peyton. They need "D" as well, but you can't argue with this pick. Grade: B
23. Philadelphia: Danny Watkins OL. Interesting. Not so sure about this one. The Eagles had some other needs they could have addressed here. Grade: C+
24. New Orleans: Cameron Jordan DE. A need because they had pass rush issues last year. In light of what they did 4 picks later, not a bad move. Grade: B
25. Seattle: James Carpenter T: Hmmm. Don't get this one. Seahawks do need help on this side of the ball, but there were better picks here for a team with holes. Grade: C
26. Kansas City: Jonathan Baldwin WR. Good pick. They need a playmaker to compliment Dwayne Bowe and Jamaal Charles. This is another up and coming team. Grade: B
27. Baltimore: Jimmy Smith CB. OK. We don't know how he climbed the draft boards, but he did. This is a need area for the Ravens. There were some other needs they could have filled here though. Grade: B-
28. New Orleans: Mark Ingram RB. Lucky bastards. Thought he would've been gone by this pick. Emmitt Smith clone who should solve the Saints RB issue for years to come. Grade: A+
29. Chicago: Gabe Carimi OT. A good need pick...maybe. Wisconsin players don't seem to excel in the pros. But the Bears need help at this position. Grade: B+
30. New York Jets: Muhammed Wilkierson DT. Good pick for this team. The Jets are going to be real, real physical and this guy will help that. Grade: B
31. Pittsburgh: Cameron Heyward DE. Again a good pick for this system. Great athlete who should fit in really well in Dick LeBeau's defense. Yikes. Grade: A-
32. Green Bay: Derrick Sherrod OT. A need pick because the Pack struggled running the ball. Not much to say, but the Pack did what they needed to in this slot. Grade: B+
Everything is set for conjecture these days... As is a lot of opinion when it comes to who you want to draft, why you should, and how they'll turn out...
Nawrocki laid out some opinions from NFL people as to some of the bigger names for the NFL Draft when it comes to pass... and a lot of it isn't flattering...
Some examples:
Marvin Austin, apparently, likes to throw his school under the bus and not take any responsibility for what happened at UNC...
Nick Fairley, while his talent isn't questioned, may have a motor that doesn't run when it should.
Ryan Mallett and Cam Newton may have a lot of talent, but Mallett's character is in question. Newton may not be a long-term solution for whatever team picks him.
People really like Miami DE Allen Bailey ((as does the HQ))- we've known him since high school. Andy Dalton is also on the list of good guys... his intangibles are a big plus.
But as we all know the draft always has surprises... ((HT: NFL/ESPN/youtube))
Maybe we are the only "Sports" fans in the free civilized world that don't get the mass hysteria known as the NFL Scouting Combine. Is it ignorance on our part? No. Is it cynicism on our part? Probably.
Here's a prime example as what qualifies as "Combine Breaking News". Former Alabama Quarterback Greg McElroy got a 48 out of 50 on the NFL Wonderlic test. Oh my GOD! Sign him up! He should be a first round pick now!
Read the story from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram RIGHT HERE
Here's another example: Cam Newton threw the football at the combine in Indianapolis, he didn't "WOW" anyone. Oh my GOD! His stock is FALLING! He's not a 1st Round Pick! Oh my GOD! Yeah, right. Don't forget peeps, he still has a "Pro Day" to throw the ball.
Read more from our friends at ProFootballTalk RIGHT HERE
Really, we don't get why this is SUCH a huge deal. You've got a building full of NFL Scouts and GM's and Coaches who talk to these players, and measure them and do creepy things to them you'd never normally be able to. What is even creepier? The amount of people who sit in front of their TV's spending the day staring at the coverage on the NFL Network.
More importantly, it's almost like a "Spring Break" to writers. Every outlet imaginable, every blog that could get a credential, every TV guy that could convince their bosses to fund a trip, is there. And they report on even the smallest of minutiae and wonder what it all means. Oh my GOD! Julio Jones ran a 4.39, 40-yard dash, AJ Green only did it in 4.4 something, Jones will pass Green to be the top Wide Receiver! Oh my GOD!
Settle down people. Is there that marked a difference between running a 4.39 and 4.45? Is life going to end for someone because they only lifted 225 lbs 25 times instead on 20?
Now. While we understand that this event is a chance for scouts to see players and work them out, we still think it's over-emphasized. Remember, almost every person in Indianapolis will be working out during a "Pro-Day" at their's or another nearby school. They and the hundreds of players not attending the event will work out privately and in person for every scout, GM and coach in attendance. The only group that may not be there....all the writers.
We thought for the longest time that College Football's signing day was one of the most "Over-Hyped" thing in Sports today. And we still feel that way, but the NFL Combine, is closing in on it, fast.
Here is some video from a guy with a HandyCam shooting the Cam Newton presser on Saturday. It's really kind of scary just how many "Media" guys were actually there to document this dramatic speech.
And Pro Football Weekly speculates that Blaine Gabbert trumps Cam Newton....and we laugh:
Surprising no one, we have the first high-profile one-and-done in Division I college football...
Cam Newton is declaring his intention to be eligible for the upcoming NFL Draft. Friday is the deadline for anyone who wishes to declare for 2011...
Mel Kiper has Newton as the second quarterback being selected as the 14th overall pick. Nick Fairley may be the next Auburn player to declare in his home town of Mobile Friday.
The HQ wonders if Brother J-Dub is listening for the Redskins selection...
From Goldberg:
"This decision was difficult for me and my family," Newton said. "After talking to Coach Chizik and Coach Malzahn, I think it is best that I make that next step in my career and forgo my senior season and enter the NFL Draft. It was a very hard decision for me, especially after coming off the great season we had at Auburn. I'm blessed to have been around an excellent environment and have great teammates, coaches and support from the Auburn family.
"It's been a blessing for me to be a part of something so great," Newton said. "Any time you win games it's a big deal, but for this school to win a BCS National Championship, what a way to make people happy. Auburn is a special place that I can call home."
The Barrett Trotter Era now begins... All he has to do is try and come close to this... ((HT: SEC on CBS/Youtube))
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...???
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...
Let's be honest, for Auburn people this was the athletic equivalent of Woodstock or Mecca- there is no substitute for having 50,000 people inside and countless others outside in the desert southwest watching their team go all in one last time.
And Auburn faithful wanted to make sure they were around for every aspect of this alphabetical title game. The parking lots weren't supposed to open until four hours before kickoff. People arrived early enough to where the folks in Glendale opened the parking lots early.
Security was nothing short of a papal visit- and the city was still overwhelmed. People hit the gate entrances with such force that the scanners were in no condition to let everyone in with a scanned ticket. If seven people hit the door, maybe two got their tickets approved as legal.
For the second day in a row, the number one venue ran out of beer- and souvenir cups. I had to make a deal with my concessions guy to get two cups- one of the being the floor model.
And for everyone that thought the game was going to be one of those PS3-Arena Football games, the HQ thought differently. Darron Thomas and Cameron Newton were both shaky- evidence the short-armed TD pass attempt on 4th down that really would have out the game out of reach for Auburn and the two early picks for Thomas. Gameplans for Gus Malzahn were dialed back considerably.
There was clock manipulation and maximization- something that, I don't think Oregon may even have in its play book. And in a game of this magnitude, if you don't have that to fall back on in a tight game where you need to be something other than a gambler, it might come back on you.
There were too many instances of Auburn receivers on Oregon linebackers, and on the Emory Blake TD pass, it came back on Chip Kelly. The game plan for the Tigers/War Eagles/Plainsmen was simple- somewhat. Stop LaMichael James ((88 total yards on two dozen or so plays)) and force the rest of the roster to beat you. Jeff Maehl almost did that single-handedly with 9 catches and 133 yards.
And the simplicity of the Oregon offense is its brilliance that moves them from one side of the field to the red zone of the other quickly. The only evidence of that you need are the Maehl and Tuinei catches that kept drives going when they were pinned deep in their own territory. But the idea of a zone read and react-find the gap passing game slows down inside the 20. There isn't a whole lot of real estate to play with, and you noticed that the running plays were very rarely between the tackles. If Auburn was able to string the play out to the boundary, it was over.
And it was over, a lot... Oregon could get there, as Thomas' 363 yards through the air will attest, but they couldn't close the deal. There was one of those classic goal-line stands that you remember over time, and the long thought of notion that the larger, more experienced offensive line would create holes- and it did for Michael Dyer when the team really needed it on the last drive.
And for the coaching staff to have the presence of mind to remind the freshman that no whistle had blown and that they play wasn't over says volumes as to their in-game awareness in a tight ballgame- very late in a very tight ballgame.
Leave it to an unsung hero- something OSG has made a point to remind people of this entire time, and that there would be no marquee name with the finishing blow- and a kicker of all things to wrap up the first title since 1957 for this school. And, while it's true the win was for the teams in the '80s and '90s and 2000's that were close, leapfrogged, and/or probated, the win crosses more generations than that.
There was an elderly gentleman who was two rows in front of me and TBH in the endzone ((and, yes, we'll get to her in a minute)). He was turned around looking at the jumbotron behind us for the entire game. It was found out that he is legally blind and can, kind of, make out images on a screen. He just asked that we tell him what's going on every once in a while.
The win is for people like that who have long-suffered and can now see an end result. It's for TBH's parents, long-suffering alums of the school who catch it from the Crimson-clad obnoxious ones 13 months out of the year in their home state.
It's for everyone who made the pilgrimage and swore that they weren't going to cry if Auburn won- and did anyway like it was the end of one of those Lifetime movies.
Like TBH... and for her, it was...
Merry Christmas every one... and here's to hoping your pilgrimage home doesn't take as long as it did for you to get there...
You couldn't have pried the tickets for this game out of her hands. While you could place a value on the rectangles that gave her the chance to sit in the endzone, there is no way in hell that you could place a value on the experience tied to the entire weekend...
**ED NOTE** For those who didn't see the game, here is a really good capsule of the game from our friends at the 4-letter (ESPN):
Once again chants of S.E.C!, S.E.C! are happening around the south, especially in Auburn, Alabama. The Tigers won their first national championship since 1957 defeating Oregon in the BCS National Championship Game 22-19.
"Well, obviously, you know, it is really hard for me to describe the feeling that I have for the Auburn family." Auburn head coach Gene Chizik said in the post game press conference. "I'm not sure if 15 weeks ago anyone believed that we could do this except us."
Auburn was no where near the national championship radar screen when the season kicked off in August. Cam Newton was just another SEC quarterback. 14 games and an intense NCAA investigation later Newton is the Heisman Trophy winner and Auburn wins the national championship.
"I don't want nobody to feel sorry for me because throughout this year didn't nobody feel sorry for Auburn." Auburn quarterback Cam Newton said in the post game press conference. "We got the last laugh."
Newton completed one of the best seasons by a college quarterback and accomplished the tri-fecta. SEC Championship, Heisman Trophy winner and now leading his Tiger team to a National Championship. Is the NFL next for Newton?
"I'm not going to make no decision right now." Newton said. "It is something I have to sit down with Coach Chizik and my family and just get the vibe of so many different people. We will go from there."
"He is a great football player, and he is a great human being." Chizik said of his starting quarterback. "We love him at Auburn and we got his back in everything that he does and everything that he stands for."
"He (Newton) is a great football player." Oregon head coach Chip Kelly said in the post game press conference. "I'm not into ranking guys. I wasn't there to see Sammy Baugh play, but in my career as a head coach, he's the best player I've seen."
While Newton and the explosive Auburn defense has received most of the attention this year, the Tiger defense was the difference in the game. Mike McNeil led Auburn with 14 tackles and Nick Fairley was all over the field. Oregon had a hell of a time accounting for Fairley throughout the game.
"Nick Fairley proved he was the best defensive lineman in the country." Kelly said.
Fairley ended up with five tackles, one sack and three tackles for loss.
"Man, our defense, we showed America everything we done each and every Saturday out there on the field." Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley said in the post game press conference. "Man, we have been doing this, like I said, for 14 weeks. We just went unnoticed throughout the year. Now that we got noticed out here on the big stand, we just showed what we can do."
Chip Kelly added, "I had a lot of respect for them defensively. I was really, really impressed with their front. We knew it was going to be a test for us."
Here's sound with Auburn QB Cam Newton after the game. (Thanks WVTM-TV)
Auburn's kicker Wes Byrum on the field after the game. (Thanks CBS Sports.com)
Wes Byrum nailed a chip shot field goal with 2 seconds left in regulation to give Auburn its first national title since 1957 with a 22-19 win over Oregon in Glendale, Arizona.
Auburn drove 73 yards in seven plays for Byrum’s game-winning 19-yarder...
The Tigers had a losing season in 2008, and by 2010 it’s the fifth straight year that an SEC team has won the national title- five titles by four different SEC schools
Looks like it'll be Oregon and Auburn in Glendale on January 10th...
Cam Newton passed for a career-best 335 yards and 4 TD's, running for 2 more, as top-alphabet ranked Auburn smoked South Carolina 56-17 for the SEC title at the Georgia Dome.
Newton will likely be picking up the Heisman Trophy next Saturday in New York City.
Here's some early highlights... ((HT: SEC on CBS/Youtube))
Oregon, on the other hand, has their spot for the first time in school history, beating Oregon State 37-20 in the Civil War game.
LaMichael James ran for 134 yards and 2 TDs and Kenjon Barner had 133 yards with 2 TDs for the Ducks- now 12-0/9-0 in the Pac-10/11/12.
Here's the end of that game... ((HT: ESPN/ABC/Youtube))
The HQ admits that we liked that even the sports drink was green...
Tuesday Auburn declared quarterback Cam Newton ineligible for violating the NCAA amateurism rules. Wednesday after an investigation the NCAA declared Newton immediately eligible to compete.
"Based on the information available to the reinstatement staff at this time, we do not have sufficient evidence that Cam Newton or anyone from Auburn was aware of this activity, which led to his reinstatement." Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president for academic and membership affairs said in a statement released by the NCAA. "From a student-athlete reinstatement perspective, Auburn University met its obligation under NCAA bylaw 14.11.1. Under this threshold, the student-athlete has not participated while ineligible.”
Auburn has limited the access Newton's father, Cecil Newton, has to the Tiger athletic program and Mississippi State has disassociated itself with former player Kenny Rogers, who along with Newton's father tried to actively market Cam Newton to Mississippi State.
“The conduct of Cam Newton’s father and the involved individual is unacceptable and has no place in the SEC or in intercollegiate athletics,” SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said in a statement. “The actions taken by Auburn University and Mississippi State University make it clear this behavior will not be tolerated in the SEC.”
With Cam Newton cleared Auburn's tremendous season will not be vacated and Newton can play in the SEC Championship Game and not fear the heavy hand of the NCAA.
The University of Alabama has fired the employee who played songs aimed at Cam Newton before the Iron Bowl.
University spokeswoman Debbie Lane said Monday that the part-time staffer was fired for the "unauthorized songs."
Like this one...
And this one...
...were played while Newton and the Tigers warmed up.
Lane said in a statement that all music and videos played in the stadium have to be approved by a senior athletic administrator. She said the staffer didn't get those songs cleared.
Walking towards Bryant-Denny Stadium on the Tuscaloosa campus, it seemed neither side wanted to acknowledge there was a game going on.
Alabama fans had a sense of dread as if they were getting their ass haded to them and staring at a three-loss (gasp) season at the end of Friday afternoon. Auburn fans were going into the game feeling that, since they were the underdog, they must be the underdog after all.
There wasn't any smack talk on the boulevard. There were just merchants trying to sell "Scam Newton" and "Got Laptops? Cam Does" t-shirts.
By the way, the HQ now has a few of those for Festivus gifts. They were on special after the game...
But when you see Mark Ingram run for nine without being touched, when Julio Jones is left to run free in a two-deep zone as corners think safeties are there for support and vice versa, and when Darius Hanks catches a 15-yard fade that everyone could see was going to work, it a 21-0 lead that took all of 17 minutes to put on the board.
Full disclosure... I went as a civilian this year. TBH got tickets in the endzone and I went since I had never gone in that capacity. It was wet. It was cold. And I couldn't get a cell signal out to save my life.
And when the lead was that big for Alabama, TBH wondered if the beating was going to be worse than the one in Tommy Tuberville's last year- 36-zip.
But it wasn't...
I reminded her that her team had been a second-half team all year- all 32 games they've played in, they've trailed. There were a half-dozen games where the Tigers/Plainsmen/War Eagles had trailed in the fourth quarter and had escaped. They were also getting two defensive starters back after they had thrown punches in the UGA game and had to sit out the first half. All the depth you would have had in the first half would be there in the second half.
But the two marquee defensive plays in the first 30 minutes, the Nelson punchout and the Nick Fairley bench press/fumble recovery, kept the team hanging around. Emory Blake caught the TD pass in the first half with all the confidence his father had on some Sundays as a quarterback ((Remember "throw up a moon ball and hope someone in the same colored jersey runs under it?")).
They got the ball at the start of the second half, and made the most of it. Terrell Zachery was the lucky recipient of an overplay in the Bama secondary to make it 24-14, and all the yards that Greg McElroy threw for in the first-half (something short of eleventy-billion), didn't mean a thing.
He threw for thirty-something yards in the second half before he was suplexed by Tasharvin Bell in a way that would have made Chris Benoit proud. From that moment on, McElroy thought he was Scott Hunter and wanted his mommy.
McElroy didn't get to finish- that was left to AJ McCarron. And we found out why he was a redshirt freshman who signalled in plays instead of ran them. Especially after getting his ass slapped and his ears chewed in the Miss State game by Nick Saban.
But the defensive adjustments made by Ted Roof and the staff were top notch in a season where there have been two ways Auburn had to win- come from behind and make Vegas mad, or outscore everyone and make Vegas money. As all the Crimson people were leaving, it turned into a blue-and-orange celebration. All of the Bama fans were left with was a bunch of expletive-laden retorts on their way to a weekend's worth of sulk. For every win that the Tide thinks is "bought and paid for," all the Auburn fans had to do was point to a scoreboard. But it wouldn't be that simple, would it...???
It's a game where families are divided. It's a game where middle school principals wander over to former students on their way to concession stands and make fun of their allegiances. And, on the next play when things go south, the father of the student makes a point to race to the stairwell and offer an answer to the question previously posed.
None of it clean... for the next 365 days...
It's where Auburn fans sit next to Alabama fans and send their index fingers as close to their seatmates and second-guess their neighbor. It's a game where your color choice is looked at as nothing short of Goodwill-bought and there is never any Goodwill sold.
And the land where there is nothing short of a Paul Bryant Drive will make a point to reinforce that every coach on the staff should be drawn and quartered, after being shot and killed and not a moment before.
Monday will be a fun day... for half a state, anyway... because some coaches, probably, will...
Kirby Smart and Joe McElwain are looking for work... And so is Nick Saban, but we aren't supposed to know that yet...
The HQ will have it's individual recollections of the game in a bit, but when you hold Alabama to 67 total yards and thre first downs in the second half of the Iron Bowl game, there's a good chance you'll win.
Auburn did, but they had to come from 24-0 down to do it in the first place.
If you are asking who Thayer Evans is, you aren't alone. Mr. Evans is a reporter for FoxSports.com and is the one who "Broke" the story about Cam Newton's grade and honor code "Issues" at the University of Florida.
Apparently, Mr. Evans has been "Diligently" working the phones, trying to dig up more "Scoop" on Newton.
According to a story on the TV Sports/News website "Sportsnewser", while making the rounds, attempting to call professors at Auburn...he ticked one of them off enough, that he posted Mr. Evans's cell phone number on a message board.
While we certainly don't condone the passing out of someones phone number like this, it is kinda funny. Honestly, we don't really know if Evans is reporting with an agenda or if he, like so many others is trying to be the one who gets the "Scoop" and breaks what is the biggest story of the College Football season.
For their part, the Auburn folks seem to be convinced they and the Newton's are being persecuted. We don't see it that way. Sure, there are plenty of over-aggressive writers with agendas out there, but really there is almost always fire where there is smoke.
No, we won't convict the Newton's. Yet. We still are trying to figure out why nobody is ready to eviscerate Mississippi State yet. Every indication is that they broke multiple rules in all of this and yet it gets no play. And no, we won't give any credence to the TMZ.com report about the possible booster connection from Auburn to the Newton's. Pure speculation that since he (the booster) is a bad guy, he must have done it.
Attorney Joe Espy issued a statement that said a TMZ.com story that suggested that McGregor could possibly be involved in the recruitment of Newton to Auburn was not true.
"Contrary to postings on celebrity and sports blogs, Milton McGregor has never had any contact direct or indirect with Cam Newton, Cecil Newton -- Cam's father -- Kenny Rogers or anyone purporting to represent Cam Newton," the statement said. "Mr. McGregor has never been asked to provide money for any recruitment or compensation of any current or perspective student athlete including Cam Newton at Auburn or any other school, and has never provided any type of compensation in that regard period no exceptions. As a proud supporter of Auburn University Mr. McGregor wants it known that he does cheer loudly for Cam Newton and thinks he is the best athlete in college football."
The TMZ report lacked details, saying that "according to sources ... FBI agents looking into the Newton recruiting controversy are also asking about Milton McGregor."
The story said "agents asked someone" connected to the Newton case if they were familiar with McGregor. The TMZ report did not identify what role "someone" may have in the story.
The story also said it was "unclear what, if any, direct connection McGregor has to Newton."
To be truthful, OSG Sources confirm McGregor has given money to Alabama, Auburn, and Troy University. His investigation from the FBI centers around his alleged bribing of elected officials to keep his "sporting" interests up and running in Macon County, Alabama.
Heck, if McGregor wanted to sponsor OSG programming, we wouldn't complain.
While they did, initially, announce they were getting TARP funds, they didn't get them... and, thusly, were absorbed by BB&T.
We don't think any of this will be resolved before the season ends. It isn't in any one's best interest for that to happen. However, the NCAA, Auburn, the Newton's and Mississippi State need to be worried, very worried, that a reporter will find the proverbial "Smoking Gun"... before the end result of the investigation...is "Released."
Embattled MSU alum/agent Kenny Rogers admits that he made "a stupid decision" when he sent Bill Bell a text of Cecil Newton's alleged payment plan to make sure Cameron Newton would attend Miss State.
Doug Zeit says Rogers sent the text after Cecil Newton told him to do it. Zeit says Rogers sent the text to Bill Bell requesting the 80/50/50 plan we talked about yesterday.
Zeit, however, also says no money ever changed hands.
Thus, the rub... or one of them... What's that old question our mothers used to ask us about jumping off a building...???
The Newtons' family attorney, George Lawson, told Atlanta's WSB-TV that he is "one million percent" certain Cam Newton - who signed with Auburn - did not take any money. Lawson says if Cecil Newton discussed money, his son "knew nothing" about it.
The HQ admits that while that may be all fine and good, Cameron Newton's eligibility may still be in question by the letter of the law if Cecil Newton can be found to have solicited the moneys in question from MSU.
According to the three-headed monster at the four-letter, Miss State mega-booster Bill Bell received a text from someone claiming to represent the interests of Cameron Newton that laid out a payment plan to securing Newton's services for the Bulldogs.
Bell, apparently, told this to the FBI when interviewed by them.
The man in question is believed to be Kenny Rogers...
During an alleged three-way telephone conversation, Rogers laid out the terms to Bell with Cecil Newton on the line as well. Newton, however, to Bell's recollection made no inferences or demands.
From the article:
"[Cecil Newton] didn't come out and say, 'I want $180,000,'" Bell said. "He inferred it and talked about it, but not directly. Kenny would talk about it in front of him, and [Cecil Newton] never corrected him or said, 'No, that's not what we're doing.'"
The text message claimed that Cecil Newton was requesting $80,000 the day after Cam Newton signed, $50,000 30 days later, and another $50,000 30 days after that. Bell admits the text messaged was saved on a cell phone that was damaged by water. He's trying to have it retrieved by the cell phone provider.
Bell had other conversations with Cecil Newton where Newton intimated that it would take more than the perceived Newton-Mullen kumbaya to get the QB to play in Starkville. Bell says he's coming forward to reiterate the idea that MSU did nothing wrong in the recruitment of Newton...
The HQ would like to add that while that may not necessarily be the case, Bell isn't talking about how any of this information came to light in the last few weeks, either.
That whole "breaking federal laws" thing...
Both Rogers and Bell are admitting that this is strictly having to do with the relationship Cecil Newton had with MSU. Auburn is not in play, and neither knows ((or seemingly cares)) whether or not Auburn has done anything wrong in bringing Cameron Newton to campus.
Jody Wright with Dan Mullen/Courtesy: Scout.com-via al.com
Because this has now become the "Neverending Story", there are a few people talking Cam Newton today. Because what would a college football day be without it?
However, the story is the biggest story of the moment...and it continues today.
There are a couple of nuggets from today: According to published reports, the FBI spent at least part of the day talking with Mississippi State booster and person who this all started with, Bond, John Bond.
Here is a wrapup of the day's events in this story from the Jackson Clarion-Ledger RIGHT HERE
The other interesting nugget: According to Al.com, the NCAA also spent part of the day speaking with Alabama graduate assistant Jody Wright. Why Wright you ask? Because he was Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen's administrative coaching assistant last season.
This is all very interesting and if I'm Mississippi State, I'd be a bit worried. Whether the Newton's get in trouble or not, it appears...at least on the surface that Mississippi State will. There were some things said that raised more than a few eyebrows and will probably come back to haunt them.
Blame it on impatience or whatever, but they should have waited to bring this up. Remember, the NCAA is a monolith and they don't do anything quickly. Unless it is in their best financial interest to do so.
This story will not wrap up until sometime in the spring. Mark our words. But it will wrap up. And there will be more than one person in trouble. It's just a matter of whom those people will be.
