Cam Do

Later today Auburn's boy wonder Cam Newton will deservedly win the Heisman Trophy.  A few years from now, he may have it stripped.  If he does, it will be undeservedly.

Most people don't realize that is not John Heisman but Ed Smith.

Newton, or more specifically, his dad, is under investigation for attempting to solicit money in exchange for his son's commitment to play.  So far as you no doubt know by now, the only allegation is that Cecil Newton approached former Miss St. player Kenny Rodgers and said it would take $180,000 to get Cam to sign for the Bulldogs.  And that that price was a 10% discount over what was shopped to other schools.  No other school has been named, and there has been no connection to Auburn.  Yet.  And maybe there won't be.  But everyone and their mother has every reason to believe (Cam's mother though, one way or another she knows) that in the near future the truth will come out and Cam Newton will be found to have been ineligible.  Meaning that Auburn's 2010 dream season will be thrown out, and that he'll be asked to return the Heisman like Reggie Bush did.  Bush's violations highlights how much the NCAA turns a blind eye to star college players at major programs running amok and breaking the rules.  Reggie Bush was essentially paid to play, wow, quite the revelation there.  It's only been going on for decades. Player payments were a huge reason for the disbanding of the Southwest Conference in the 80s, most notably highlighted by SMU's "death penalty."  Earlier this year Sports Illustrated ran a great piece on agents paying players.  So color me shocked that a high profile recruit, or at least his dad, shopped his wares.  We half expect it.  We expect the high profile players to drive cars they shouldn't own and buy things they shouldn't be able to buy.  Except for the gifts that the bowls they participate in give them.  But no, that's not paying players.

Anyways, Newton won't deserve to lose the Heisman. The NCAA and SEC have confirmed that Cecil Newton tried to get money, which on its own should have made Newton ineligible.  But instead they decided that Cam Newton is eligible for the time being, changing the enforcement of their rules.  So if the NCAA isn't going to care that Newton wins the Heisman today, then it shouldn't care that he should have to give it back years later.

So accept that trophy with pride Cam.  You deserved it for what you did on the field, and the powers that be don't deserve to have the right to tell you to give it back down the road.  Also, make sure to thank your dad in your acceptance speech.