BCS Championship Aftermath: the Mockery Auburn Has Made of College Football

I am not trying to take away anything that Auburn did this season. They went out and went 14-0 and they were the best team in the country—I am not going to argue against that.

But they are making a mockery of college football and the integrity of this great game.

What I am about to say here has nothing to do with Cam Newton or Cecil Newton soliciting money from Mississippi State. This has to do Cecil Newton's access to the National Championship Game.

After the NCAA ruled Cam Newton eligible, Auburn University said that Cecil Newton would have "limited access" to the program—whatever that means.

On January 10th, read this excerpt in regards to Cecil Newton not attending the BCS National Championship Game.

Jacobs told the Associated Press, "was mutually agreed upon. Out of the highest respect that Cecil has for Cameron, he won't be here today."

Okay, so Jay Jacobs and Cecil Newton "mutually agreed" for Cecil Newton not to be in attendance for this game.

ESPN reported that Cecil Newton was not in attendance, and for the most part everyone believed that. Until this photograph surfaced, taken by OPELIKA-AUBURN NEWS photographer Vanda Hunt.

In this photograph to the right you see Cecil Newton hugging his son Cam Newton after the game. Now let's look back at the statement made by Jacobs.

Jacobs told the Associated Press, "was mutually agreed upon. Out of the highest respect that Cecil has for Cameron, he won't be here today."

To start with, I have no problem with Cecil Newton attending his son's National Championship game. But what I do have a problem with is when there is an "agreement" for him not to be there, but he ends up at the stadium.

This means one of two things. Jacobs lied, he knew Cecil was going to be at the game and he wanted to shift the spotlight off of this; or Cecil lied, and went in spite of his agreement.

Auburn University has confirmed that they did not give Cecil Newton a ticket to the game, so how did he afford such a ticket?

But this is not the end of this. Enter, the Newton family attorney into this story. This is an excerpt from a USA-Today article written by Christine Brennan.

His [Cecil Newton's] lawyer told USA TODAY Wednesday afternoon that he wasn't even there—at least not until the game ended, when he was photographed hugging his son, Cam, after Auburn's 22-19 victory against Oregon.

"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," attorney George Lawson said in a phone interview. "He was probably at some sports bar or something like that. I don't know."

Asked when Cecil left the off-site location and how long it took him to get to the stadium, Lawson replied, "I can't answer that for you. I don't know."

How about if Cecil had a ticket, or how he got in through stadium security? "I have no idea," the attorney said.

See, this is the problem with lying. When you lie once, you have to cover it up with even more lies. If Jacobs would have said at the beginning that Cecil Newton would be attendance at the game—nobody would have cared.

But this previous statement raises even more questions.

1) The lawyer says that he wasn't in the stadium during the game, but cannot specify where he was. Why not? It's not like Cecil is Barack Obama or a president. It's not like it really matters where he was. Why not end the confusion and tell us where he was. No one would have cared if he was in a sports bar or something. But we are supposed to take your word that he wasn't there, but you can't tell us where he watched the game

2) How was Cecil Newton able to gain access into the stadium as soon as the game ended? How was he able to get past the enormous amounts of security? It's not like anyone could have just walked into the stadium once it was over. In order for him to have gained access, he would have had to have gone through Auburn University. Which means that Auburn University would have known that he would be at the stadium,

3) Why am I supposed to believe someone when they repeatedly make comments such as "I don't know," "I can't answer that for you," "I don't know," and "I have no idea?" I am not saying that they are lying, but just explain to me why I should believe them. That's all.

Ultimately, and below is the point that I am going to try to make, and this deals with something a lot bigger than Cecil Newton attending or not attending the game.

Let's take a step back to the solicitation that occurred at Mississippi State earlier. At first Cecil denied it, but then the NCAA found out that he did solicit money.

The only reason that Cam Newton was reinstated was for three reasons:

1) The Newton's didn't receive any money from Mississippi State.

2) Cam Newton didn't know what his father was doing.

3) Auburn knew about none of this.

If either of those three statements are correct, then Cam Newton is ineligible—plain and simple.

Before you read what I say, stay reminded that this isn't fact, I am not reporting this, just offering up my opinion. But beneath my opinion lie facts.

Right now, the only "facts" that they have in regards to those last two statements being correct are Cam Newton, Cecil Newton, and Jay Jacobs.

Right now, the NCAA is relying on the statements made by these individuals to determine the eligibility of Cam Newton. I don't think I have to get into why these people cannot be trusted.

These people have lied before, so why should I believe them when they collectively have said that Auburn didn't know about this and that Cam Newton didn't know what his father was doing.

Why should I believe them? That's all I am asking.

This latest twist in the Cam Newton case has made me sick to my stomach and it really does bother me. This isn't just about Auburn, I would have said the same thing about any other school in the country—even Georgia.

And the truth of the matter is that this is far from over. There will still be statements made in regards to this that will only cover up more lies.

Auburn has made a mockery of college football and they believe in the statement "Winning is Everything." Well guess what, good luck putting that on your resume and using that to help you in life.

I put honor, integrity, character, honesty, and credibility all far above winning. Auburn University and the NCAA put winning first. I put things first that truly matter.

Not winning a mythical National Championship in a collegiate sport.

So, Auburn University, enjoy a Championship Trophy that is as tainted as Barry Bonds' home run record. Take lots of pictures when it's at Walmart, because you won't have it for much longer.

But you have already lost the things that matter; honesty, integrity, credibility, character, and honor.