POSSIBLE CAM NEWTON SMEAR
I put this topic in last night's post title & then brain cramped it out of the text. So I will right that wrong now. Cam Newton, Auburn's Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback, has a possible smear hanging over his head & the timing is rather puzzling. Auburn is heading toward a November 26th Iron Bowl showdown with Alabama all the while Newton leads on almost every Heisman voter's ballot. Here's the scoop:
Former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond, from the early 80's in case he's not in your memory bank, told the university last winter about a conversation he had about Cam Newton. During the recruiting war, fought by numerous schools, for Newton's services coming out of junior college, another former Mississippi State player, Kenny Rogers(not the chicken guy), told Bond "anybody who really wants Cam, is going to have to get up around $200,000 to be in the running." Rogers is somewhat of a renegade recruiting runner, something of an unsavory go-between. Rogers hasn't responded to Bond's comments.
The third piece of the puzzle is Newton's father the Rev. Cecil Newton of Holy Zion Center of Deliverance in Newnan, Georgia. His church had fallen into dis-repair & was on the schedule to be demolished after repeated building code violations. Rev. Newton pleaded with the city council to give him six more months & the building would be free of violations. Cam newton signed a commitment to play at Auburn in December, the work on the church began in the spring. In four months the building passed all building inspections.
I'm not accusing Rev. Newton of anything unethical, I'm only laying out the time line. Cam's mother, Jackie, made it clear the money to rebuild the church came from their flock & not from a payoff. The NCAA has requested all the financial records from the church & so far Rev. Newton says he will comply. The only way I see this mess not going away is if the records are forthcoming. This Kenny Rogers guy could very well be the only person who was looking for a payoff & the Newton's had nothing to do with it. I would hate to think this ugliness could cost a perfectly innocent young man from receiving the Heisman Trophy, but after the Reggie Bush debacle, Heisman voters could be gun shy.
Former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond, from the early 80's in case he's not in your memory bank, told the university last winter about a conversation he had about Cam Newton. During the recruiting war, fought by numerous schools, for Newton's services coming out of junior college, another former Mississippi State player, Kenny Rogers(not the chicken guy), told Bond "anybody who really wants Cam, is going to have to get up around $200,000 to be in the running." Rogers is somewhat of a renegade recruiting runner, something of an unsavory go-between. Rogers hasn't responded to Bond's comments.
The third piece of the puzzle is Newton's father the Rev. Cecil Newton of Holy Zion Center of Deliverance in Newnan, Georgia. His church had fallen into dis-repair & was on the schedule to be demolished after repeated building code violations. Rev. Newton pleaded with the city council to give him six more months & the building would be free of violations. Cam newton signed a commitment to play at Auburn in December, the work on the church began in the spring. In four months the building passed all building inspections.
I'm not accusing Rev. Newton of anything unethical, I'm only laying out the time line. Cam's mother, Jackie, made it clear the money to rebuild the church came from their flock & not from a payoff. The NCAA has requested all the financial records from the church & so far Rev. Newton says he will comply. The only way I see this mess not going away is if the records are forthcoming. This Kenny Rogers guy could very well be the only person who was looking for a payoff & the Newton's had nothing to do with it. I would hate to think this ugliness could cost a perfectly innocent young man from receiving the Heisman Trophy, but after the Reggie Bush debacle, Heisman voters could be gun shy.
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