BCS Championship Game 2011: Why I'm Glad Cecil Newton Was There for His Son

Looking at the bare bones of it all, this should be all about the 2011 BCS National Championship game. A game that had everything—the best teams in the country, the nation’s best player, two high-profile offenses, controversial calls and a last-second victory—should continue to be talked about for as long as possible.

We should be sitting here talking about Cam Newton and his performance throughout the year, and how he will perform at the next level. Or about Oregon and how the small, speedy Ducks were almost fast enough to defeat the brute strength of Auburn’s massive front lines.

Auburn freshman running back Michael Dyer made quite a name for himself in the fourth quarter. How good can he really be or will either team be able to rally next season and be as good as they were in 2010?

All these things should be the focus of our attention today.

We, however, are focusing and talking about a picture that captured a single specific spectator at the game’s conclusion: Cam Newton’s father.

Cecil Newton was reportedly not going to be in attendance on Monday night. Cecil, who was not present at the SEC Championship game or the Heisman Trophy presentation, was supposed to be given “limited access” to the Auburn program for shopping Cam’s playing ability to Mississippi State in a pay-for-play scheme worth about $180,000 when the quarterback was deciding where to play collegiate football for the second time.

The father was not given the ticket from the Auburn program, he was not on their list and the university denied giving him admission. In fact, Auburn athletic director, Jay Jacobs, was quoted earlier in the day as saying, it was a "mutually agreed upon” decision that Cecil would not be present. Cam’s remaining family was seen multiple times in the crowd during the game; Cecil was noticeably absent.

From Auburn’s side of things, this is another headache caused by a man who is not even part of their active program. Unfortunately for the university and its officials, they were misled and had to do some damage control after winning their first title in more than half a century.

For Cecil, it was just another act of selfishness that many can look upon and be disgusted by, and that is fine; the man essentially tried to sell his son’s athletic ability for a payday he never deserved.

Cecil certainly acted in a way that warranted his banning from any Auburn related functions; there is no denying this. Amidst all the controversy, though, is the most important and relevant factor of all: Cam Newton. If we are going to continue to talk about all the things that surround No. 2, we cannot unjustly gloss over him as if he does not exist.

No stranger to controversy, the quarterback, who left the University of Florida following a computer “theft” situation, is the lone forgotten factor in all of this. Because we watched Cam Newton every Saturday for the last three months destroy any and all things in his path as if he was wearing a cape, tights and a huge “S” strewn across his chest, does not make him any less human than you or I.

The young man is only 21 years old; he is a student-athlete with responsibilities to his education, football team and family, and he carries out the expectations of a superhero as if nothing can ever wipe the smile off of his face.

The NCAA, BCS National Championship, Auburn University and Cecil Newton are not the most important factors here; Cam Newton is.

Sure, there are different rules and expectations placed upon student-athletes playing at the NCAA level; they are held to a higher standard. Yes, essentially they are getting paid to play football if they have a full scholarship. Yet we should not be so quick to judge, blame and point fingers around the room without thoughts of Cam and what he deserves.

The young man was the recipient of the most sought after trophy in all of college football; his father was not at the presentation. Newton led his team to an SEC championship, the toughest conference in college football; his father was not at the game.

Nothing is guaranteed for college football players; in fact, nothing is guaranteed to anyone in this life. There is nothing to say that Cam Newton will be drafted into the NFL this season, nothing to say he succeeds and nothing to say he will play another down of football the rest of his life. With that in mind, is it really just to be upset with a father for wanting to watch his son succeed, or more importantly, for a son to want his father there?

Cecil’s wrongdoing aside, Cam already completed two incredible accomplishments without his father there to celebrate with him this season. With no guarantee of success in the future, Newton was guaranteed to be under center for Auburn in the championship game. As his teammates and friends celebrated around him on the field, Newton’s eyes sought only one man, his father.

It may not have been fair to the NCAA, to Auburn University, or to any who felt slighted or cheated by what Cecil did, but I’d be disgusted with myself if I was not to say that Cecil Newton needed to be in the crowd for the game; not for himself, but for his son.

Cam did everything and more that could be asked of him as a football player and person this season. He deserved to have his father on hand to see him play, because while everyone else was concerned with the surroundings, nobody looked back to realize Cam, the 21-year-old kid that is simply playing football.

Cam’s teammate and center, Ryan Pugh said it best, "Who knows what went on or what happened…but at the end of the day, that's Cam's father." Yea, its Cam’s father, and he deserved to have him there.

Wes O'Donnell covers the NFL, NCAA, and NFL Draft on a year-round basis. He is also a contributor to NFL Draft Bible. He can be followed on Twitter.