Cam Newton (QB New England Patriots)

[SloopyHangOn]

The question that bares is: Is this just the tip of the iceburg? Once Auburn gets screwed do they let the cat out of the bag? JWins, you always seem to imply that everyone's cheating and everyone knows about it. Is it better to take the whole system down or take your turn taking the medicine?

What I don't understand is why lie about it?

Once the tiniest bit of something suspect is brought to light they HAVE to know there's going to be a thorough investigation. Unless they're 100% sure they've completely covered their tracks, lying about it can ONLY come back to bite them in the ass in the end. I'd venture to say that it's going to take a Canseco like tell-all for something to actually be done about "the system" and we all know that person/program is going to be vilified forever. I can't imagine that's something anyone wants to do for the "greater good".

 

[jwinslow]

What I don't understand is why lie about it?

Once the tiniest bit of something suspect is brought to light they HAVE to know there's going to be a thorough investigation.

They can't admit to it now. This surfaced a long time ago. Not only is their rare NC run over (as well as any heisman, walter camp, etc awards for Cam), but they would be admitting officially that not only do they cheat, but they cheat and then keep on benefiting from that mercenary after the scandal surfaces.

Really though, it is because most of the time they get away with it.

Adrian Peterson was implicated in a car scandal from the Big Red auto dealership. Nothing came of that. Not too long after that, the starting QB & center were expelled from Oklahoma for getting paid for a no-show summer job, a place that employed a huge chunk of the school. At the same dealership.

They hardly got in trouble for that (and may have been 'in compliance' after the case was reviewed), meanwhile the basketball team was punished big time for sending text messages.

Unless they're 100% sure they've completely covered their tracks, lying about it can ONLY come back to bite them in the ass in the end. I'd venture to say that it's going to take a Canseco like tell-all for something to actually be done about "the system" and we all know that person/program is going to be vilified forever. I can't imagine that's something anyone wants to do for the "greater good

People have talked before. Those in the system know how things work.

Violations are treated like isolated incidents or a booster problem that one school has to solve. When USC goes down for rampant cheating, it doesn't implicate the rest of the conference.

This has the potential to get a lot bigger than most of these illegal benefit scandals because of the bidding implication, especially since this was the second set of "pitches".

 

[jwinslow]

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/11/09/fbi-sniffing-around-cam-newton-situation/

FBI sniffing around Cam Newton situation

Posted by John Taylor on November 9, 2010, 6:59 PM EST
The bizarre case of Cam Newton‘s post-Florida recruitment has taken yet another odd turn as it’s being reported that a federal agency has taken an interest in the situation.
According to TMZ.com, the FBI has requested a meeting with John Bond, the former Mississippi State quarterback who was allegedly solicited by a middleman claiming to represent the Newton family and seeking upwards of $200,000 for Newton’s signature on a letter of intent. Bond took the solicitation to the higher-ups at MSU, who then turned the information over to the NCAA, which subsequently launched an investigation a little less than a year ago.


Bond’s attorney confirmed to TMZ that the FBI has requested a sit-down meeting with his client. According to the attorney, the FBI agent said “we are interested in whether young men are being shopped to colleges.”


If the FBI is interested in speaking to Bond, it would then stand to reason they would also want to speak to his former MSU teammate Kenny Rogers. Rogers is reportedly the middleman who allegedly made it known to Bond — maybe not directly, however — that Newton’s talents were available for a low six-figure sum of money.


...cont'd

Ruh roh.

 

[SloopyHangOn]

This has the potential to get a lot bigger than most of these illegal benefit scandals because of the bidding implication, especially since this was the second set of "pitches".

As true as it may be (and it probably is) this is still a major assumption. I can only imagine what the worst case scenario is on this.

At the very least there are 3 programs in on the mix. Crazy stuff.

 

[SloopyHangOn]

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/11/09/fbi-sniffing-around-cam-newton-situation/Ruh roh.

Yea, I read that on Reddit earlier today. I'm holding back my "anticipation" for what can come of this until something huge actually takes hold.

 

[t_BuckeyeScott]

I think the hardest thing for me in this situation is how do I even trust my own favorite institution? If everyone is doing it and the Newton's take everyone down with them (assuming everyone is the SEC here) then does everyone start taking down everything else. Because of the bidding war and multiple institutions already being involved in the investigation this seems like it could blow up quickly.

 

[jwinslow]

This is a doozy

The accusations of Newton’s football skills being for sale was the first of two “scandals” to hit the Auburn quarterback and Heisman frontrunner in less than a week. Earlier today, FOX Sports.com, citing a single unnamed source, reported three instances of academic cheating were committed by Newton while he was at Florida in 2008, and that he was facing expulsion before deciding to transfer from the Gainesville school to a Texas junior college in early 2009.

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefoo...ys-Newton-left-Florida-after-cheating-scandal

Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton had three different instances of academic cheating while attending the University of Florida and faced potential expulsion from the university, according to a source.


Newton, considered the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, attended Florida in 2007 and 2008 before transferring to Blinn College, a junior college in Texas. 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.


Steve McClain, Florida's Associate Athletics Director for Communications, declined comment in a statement Tuesday morning. "We can't comment on federally protected records," McClain said.


Auburn officials continued to not return telephone messages, text messages or e-mails as of early Tuesday. Newton's father, Cecil Newton Sr., declined to comment on his son’s academic past.


“I wasn’t there,” the elder Newton said. “I cannot confirm or deny. At a time like this, I’m taking a defensive posture."

 

[SloopyHangOn]

I think the hardest thing for me in this situation is how do I even trust my own favorite institution? If everyone is doing it and the Newton's take everyone down with them (assuming everyone is the SEC here) then does everyone start taking down everything else. Because of the bidding war and multiple institutions already being involved in the investigation this seems like it could blow up quickly.

That's the "worst case scenario" I'm talking about.

I honestly don't think it's that big, but there's a possibility it might be and if it is there could be a LOT of shit hitting the fan here over the next year.

 

[jwinslow]

I think the hardest thing for me in this situation is how do I even trust my own favorite institution? If everyone is doing it and the Newton's take everyone down with them (assuming everyone is the SEC here) then does everyone start taking down everything else. Because of the bidding war and multiple institutions already being involved in the investigation this seems like it could blow up quickly.

They would need evidence of those other instances though (not just 2 schools), like the half dozen favorites for his signature out of HS, or the other schools could dismiss it as baseless attacks from a cheater.

It would certainly be explosive stuff in the meantime.

 

[jwinslow]

The FBI is what sunk Michigan, which got two clean bills of health from the NCAA before that.

That's the "worst case scenario" I'm talking about.

I honestly don't think it's that big, but there's a possibility it might be and if it is there could be a LOT of shit hitting the fan here over the next year.

And unlike the last number of decades, the NCAA is actually acting responsibly and ethically in targeting these problems (to save their role as governing body when CFB restructures itself soon).

They have targeted the agent thing pretty hard. They can't afford to look soft here.

The question is whether there will be enough evidence and action in time to change things, especially since Auburn is not distancing themselves from Cam. There is little over a month left before the season concludes itself. What do you do with an undefeated Auburn team if Cam becomes ineligible in mid December?

 

[t_BuckeyeScott]

They would need evidence of those other instances though (not just 2 schools), like the half dozen favorites for his signature out of HS, or the other schools could dismiss it as baseless attacks from a cheater.

It would certainly be explosive stuff in the meantime.

I see what you're saying, but like in Baseball it's still really hard to separate Ken Griffey Jr, Frank Thomas, and Derek Jeter from the likes of Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriquez, and Mark McGuire. It is a huge stain. I'm already questioning my fandom; what happens when it really hits the fan?

 

[SloopyHangOn]

What do you do with an undefeated Auburn team if Cam becomes ineligible in mid December?

Do you think they'll reach a conclusion that soon? I'm unsure it will progress that fast.

 

[LightningRod]

All signs continue to point to Florida. OZone thread.

 

[jwinslow]

Do you think they'll reach a conclusion that soon? I'm unsure it will progress that fast.

With the NCAA? No. With the FBI getting involved? To quote Lloyd: I'd say it's possible, maybe not probable. They have subpoena power and are a lot more aggressive.

 

[SloopyHangOn]

I see what you're saying, but like in Baseball it's still really hard to separate Ken Griffey Jr, Frank Thomas, and Derek Jeter from the likes of Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriquez, and Mark McGuire. It is a huge stain. I'm already questioning my fandom what happens when it really hits the fan?

In the end you have to be willing to separate the entertainer from the entertainment. I would never trust a guy like A-Rod to handle my money or babysit my kids but I'm not going to question how much I enjoy watching him play baseball because of his on-the-field talent.

It's the truly rare cases where the best players on the field are often the best people off the field. Unfortunately they are the furthest from the norm, so a bit of pessimism and realism are required to be a fan these days.