CamGate: Is the NCAA Setting a Backdoor Money Path Precedent?

First, Cam is hard to root against. His smile and charm add to his stellar athletic prowess, and they make you want to root for him. Especially if he is truly innocent and lacks any insight or knowledge as to what his father did unethically behind his back.

Now, let's talk about the big picture and get straight to the main point of the matter.

Should the NCAA exempt Cam Newton from his father's actions? If they do so, does this open the door for other unethical fathers to do the exact same thing, while never telling their son what they did? Wink Wink. Is this where the NCAA is headed, or allowing?

Most of us are lacking all the knowledge necessary to discern the whole story, and it is not our place to judge Cam's heart, nor to assert that we know what is ongoing behind the scenes. But for the sake of discussion, let's assume that the reports that Cecil Newton confessed to attempting a pay-for-play arrangement is fact. Furthermore, let's assume that Cam, and Cecil's wife, did not know.

Now, let's also work under the assumption that Cecil's actions are a clear and unambiguous violation of the rules, meaning that Cam is ineligible without special consideration by the NCAA.

What should happen now?

Should we all assume that the talented, charismatic young man had no knowledge whatsoever that his father was soliciting money for his playing services? The same young man who has a checkered ethical past, albeit technically unrelated to the eligibility issue?

Should Cam be taken completely on his word that he had zero knowledge of this occurrence, even though his father steered him to Auburn instead of his first preference of attending Mississippi State? That Cam just succumbed to his father's feeling and judgment? OK, let's assume this all to be the case.

So, can Cam now be let completely off the hook, with no culpability at all, of the NCAA violation?

If so, this may be a dangerous precedent that facilitates and enables dozens and potentially hundreds of unethical fathers to solicit money for their sons in a pay-for-play manner, hoping to get away with it. Of course, some of this is already ongoing without question, but in this specific case, there is admission of a violation.

The NCAA is without question pondering this exact question.

The cost of their current posture is as follows:

1. Risk of the NCAA allowing this backdoor money path to occur without enforcement of their own rules. They would be facilitaing an end-around, clear and simple.

2. Risk to the Heisman candidates who are unquestionably eligible for the Dec 11th award.

3. Risk to teams without ineligible players on their rosters, meaning they would lose out on BCS and conference bowl opportunities that will be lost forever. Special years don't just come around every year, and this cost is irreversable and unfair if the NCAA waits till after the damage is already done.

As a college football enthusiast, I hope the NCAA makes a much more definitive statement, and takes decisive action on this - before these soon-to-be lost opportunities are gone forever, before another Bush Heisman return is needed, and before a potential conference and national championship are at risk of being vacated without a restored opportunity for the teams in the mix for these championships in 2010.

The precedent alone is great cause for concern, because it is risking the rules AND the integrity of the game.

On the other hand, if they are firmly OK with the responses from the Newton and Auburn camps, and are confident Cam is innocent and totally eligible, then put forth a statement definitively saying so. Cam deserves this if that is the case!

Sure, there are parts to this story that are unknown, but surely what is known is sufficient to make a call on the precedent part of this investigation, and waiting until the end of the season is not acceptable.

Speak loud and clear NOW NCAA, or accept accountability for not doing YOUR job.