Cam Newton Update: Is Cecil Newton Screwed With New Evidence?
Cam Newton Update: Cecil Newton, Cam's father, sure is under fire at this point in time.
More and more evidence has come forward, and more of the principles have gone on the record with the NCAA and the FBI regarding the apparent "pay for play" allegations against the Newton family.
And none of the evidence looks favorable for Cecil Newton.
Inside we'll bring you up to date on all the news that is out there regarding Cam-Gate and who the key figures are.
John Bond: The Whistle Blower
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Former Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback from 1980-83, John Bond, got the rock rolling on the Cam Newton scandal.
Earlier the month, Bond told the university that Kenny Rogers, a former teammate of Bond's who currently works as a recruiter for an NFL agent, floated around dollar figures necessary to bring Newton to Mississippi State.
That led another former Bulldog, and Mississippi State booster, Bill Bell, to come forward, with probably the most damning accusation yet.
Bill Bell: The Middle Man
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Bill Bell is also a former University of Mississippi State football alum. He told ESPN, the NCAA and the FBI all he knew about the Cam Newton scandal.
According to published reports, Kenny Rogers, acting on behalf of Newton's father, Cecil, left voicemails for Bell and sent him text messages indicating a very specific payment plan that would be needed to ensure Cam Newton's transfer to Mississippi State.
Bell told the NCAA that Rogers sent text messages asking for $80,000 up front, and two subsequent $50,000 payment over the next two months in exchange for Newton's transfer.
Kenny Rogers: The Go Between
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Kenny Rogers, yet another former Mississippi State football player, is the man whom Bill Bell and John Bond have stated was the "representative" from the Newton who asked for money in exchange for Cam's football services.
Bond said that Rogers approached him with the six-figure asking price and Bell says that Rogers contacted him several times either inquiring about for an update about the deal or laying out the specifics about the deal.
Last week, Rogers went on the Dallas radio station 103.3 FM and essentially declared his innocence, saying that it was Newton's father, Cecil, who asked coaches at Mississippi State about a dollar figure to get his son to play football in Starkville.
The text messages Rogers allegedly sent to Bill Bell have not surfaced, but ESPN is reporting that Bell turned over to the NCAA voicemails left by Rogers for Bell that mention the "pay for play" arrangement.
Cam Newton: The Innocent?
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At the core of this story is the 21-year-old college student. Newton was a quarterback at Florida until 2008, when he was (essentially) kicked out of school for stealing a laptop then throwing it out the window. There were also reports earlier this month, that Newton cheated in several classes while at Gainesville.
He seemed to have served his penance: Newton transferred to Blinn College, a junior college in Texas where he played for one season and led the team to a Junior College National Championship.
That is where the scandal would seem to begin. Eligible to rejoin the NCAA for the 2010 season, Newton visited many big-time college football programs, including Mississippi State.
Somewhere along the line, Kenny Rogers and/or Cam's father, Cecil, approached several Bulldog alums and/or football coaches about being financially compensated if Cam transferred to Mississippi State.
Newton eventually transferred to Auburn where he has led the Tigers to a perfect season and is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. But if this "pay for play" story is true, Newton will probably be declared ineligible.
The NCAA's rules dictate that anyone, whether it is the player, his family, or a representative on his behalf, asks for money from, they are ineligible. So even if Cam didn't ask, or even if his father didn't ask, there is a possibility he can be ruled ineligible.
Cecil Newton: The Mastermind?
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Kenny Rogers certainly hasn't fallen on the sword for Cecil Newton.
According to Rogers, Cecil Newton was the one who inquired to coaches about financial compensation in return for Cam's transfer, and also prompted Rogers to contact Mississippi State alum Bill Bell.
According to ESPN.com, Bell says that Rogers "told me this kid’s dad is going to want money and the next day he sent me a text message. He didn’t say anything other than ‘This is what I want and I want it in three installments.’”
Last week, an Atlanta television station, reported that a source said Cecil Newton admitted he asked for money up front, but that neither his wife nor Cam new about it.
Media Reaction: Mixed Reviews
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The media has offered (not surprisingly) a whole slew of different comments on Newton. Most are content to wait and see regarding the actual ineligibility of Newton: It's too early and no one wants to be tagged delivering a premature guilty verdict that might prove grossly unfair down the road.
Still, for many the eligibility/ineligibility issue doesn't necessarily come into consideration regarding Newton's Heisman Trophy candidacy.
To some, Newton already has two strikes against him: His departure from Florida in 2008 and the recent reports that he was caught cheating while at Gainesville.
Coupled with the POSSIBILITY that Newton or his family were involved in this "pay for play" situation, Newton doesn't seem to be the best candidate to restore honor and integrity to the Heisman Trophy award, three months after Reggie Bush returned his 2005 trophy for apparently accepting money.
As Columbus Dispatch reporter Bob Hunter wrote yesterday, "Newton always has been a better candidate for the Heisman than for Citizen of the Month."
That is the type of sentiment that probably will cost Newton votes. Or at least cause voters to consider another candidate.
What Does All This Mean?
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There will certainly be much more that unfolds in the coming weeks. News stations and websites will probably break more stories citing "sources" or "reports." And since the FBI and the NCAA are investigating the situation, something will have to come from that.
For Cam Newton, his future is remarkably unclear. In the midst of all the news coverage, Auburn was reluctant to guarantee that he would play last Saturday's game against Georgia. News broke Saturday that he would and he had a fantastic game, accounting for five touchdowns.
But with a monumental showdown at Alabama in two weeks, the famous Iron Bowl, the story is only going to get more intriguing. Most likely, the Tigers must win that November 25 game in order to assure a spot in the BCS Championship: Auburn has not won a National Title since 1957.
Even if they do win against Alabama, the Tigers will have to defeat South Carolina in the SEC Championship game played a week later. Newton's eligibility will remain in question pending the investigation. The same goes for his candidacy in the race for the Heisman Trophy, an award he is a favorite to win.
Cecil Newton's future remains even more unclear. All the fingers have been pointed at him. And the reports that he did all of this on his own probably may clear Cam of any wrongdoing, but they won't keep his eligibility in tact.
But it's too early to judge definitively, so lets see what other facts turn up.
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