Auburn cleared in Cam Newton pay for play
Link? Link
Edit: Over 80 interviews!
Or only over 50: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/aub/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/NCAAInvestigationletter.pdf
October 12th, 2011 at 5:31 PM ^
Riiiiiight.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:32 PM ^
What a relief. I can now go back to not caring.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:35 PM ^
That is so whack.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:37 PM ^
What do you guys think this says about OSU's possible punishment though? Because that's why I'm excited about it interested in it.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:40 PM ^
It's a good reminder that what we* think we know and what can be proven to any reasonable degree of certainty are often two different things...This and the rest of my Introduction to Karl Popper can be purchased at your local bookstore for only $23.99.
*Feel free to include whomever you like in "we."
October 13th, 2011 at 12:30 AM ^
I wonder if this book was written before the advent of the Internet message board...you know the place where rumors are repeated so often that they eventually become facts to some people.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:44 PM ^
It means nothing for OSU. This says Newton was found not guilty. OSU was found guilty of violations. It's like asking what OJ's aquital for murder means for random other dude who was found guilty of murder and is awaiting sentancing.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:48 PM ^
Well, true, as to some of the allegations that have been lobbed our way. And found guilty or admitted guilt would maybe be better. Anyway, some of the Pryor's cars and autograph signing for $40k has not been proven, but still gets lumped into discussions on the MSM and in public (on blogs for example). What some perceive OSU to have done and what they have been proven to have done are two separate things.
October 12th, 2011 at 8:08 PM ^
he's trying to say is that this may speak to the NCAA's willingness to bring the hammer.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:47 PM ^
It says that the allegations against Newton were "not substantiated." The reality is that Newton and his dad may be the only ones who know the truth. The makes the "not substantiated" finding pretty understandable.
EDIT: Having re-read the letter, violations other than the pay-for-play violation were what were "not substantiated." The letter flat-out says that Newton and Auburn were not aware of Dad Newton's violations. That just doesn't make sense. How could the NCAA know that?
October 12th, 2011 at 5:56 PM ^
And I believe, IIRC, the NCAA rule on this is different than the SEC rule, which states that the player, the school, or agents/representatives/etc. know or have reason to know or something more all encompassing that should have made Newton ineligible. Not that the SEC is big on rules/laws, or enforcing them to the detriment of their football teams.
EDIT: Also, I maybe should re-title the post. Because it's more like Auburn is cleared, not Cam.
October 12th, 2011 at 7:19 PM ^
The guy that paid the Newtons also knows the truth.
The part about Cam absolutely not knowing is a crock. It's just his word, which I really trust after he cheated at Florida and stole stuff.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:38 PM ^
Seriously it needs to get a clue.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:47 PM ^
NCAA = very gullible.
October 12th, 2011 at 10:28 PM ^
I don't think it's a matter of being gullible, but instead deliberate - even defiant - ignorance for purposes of profit and self-proliferation.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:47 PM ^
But....Pault Finebaum swore they had the bagman?
October 12th, 2011 at 5:54 PM ^
LAME JOKE ALERT:
PAWWWWL was confused. He thought they wanted a wind-bag man.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:49 PM ^
Fuck the SEC. Fuck all these cheaters. I can't wait until schools start to leave the NCAA, once the schools realize the NCAA is just a fancy title and worth nothing more than that.
October 12th, 2011 at 7:09 PM ^
an extension of the schools themselves and is not independant in any way shape or form. The schools themselves pretty much set up the rules.
An independant governing body is the furthest thing any school wants because then they would have to be accountable.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:50 PM ^
Should I start exploiting them now in my quest for riches?
5 yr old - Reads/writes in two languages. I'll take $10,000 in a 5% annuity for future patent rights.
3 yr old - One of the twins. Built like a fullback/linebacker. Has Red hair. Will take bids on naming rights - Andre 'Red Bull' etc.
3 yr old - Other twin. Can swing a mean bat and has David Eckstein stature potential. Agents call now.
October 12th, 2011 at 6:16 PM ^
People have way way too high of expectations for the NCAA to actually investigate violations and enforce the rules. What incentive do the few decision-makers for the NCAA have to drop the hammer on a program like Auburn or OSU? None. They are systematically disincentivized to do so, in fact, as those schools cough up significant portions of the money that finances NCAA jobs. You could argue that overlooking obvious transgressions damages the reputation of the NCAA in the long term, but give me a break: in this economy, if you have a good job, you do what you have to do to keep it. That's why the NCAA doesn't do a goddam thing about major rule violations unless it absolutely has to in the face of incontrovertible evidence.
October 12th, 2011 at 6:24 PM ^
I do agree that the NCAA is never going to do anything of substance, but the NCAA's money comes from selling the rights to their MBB tourney, not member institutions.
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/6d3874004e51aadc96e0d622cf56f2f3/20…
October 12th, 2011 at 8:02 PM ^
I am impressed how many times you have patiently re-iterated this exact point on this board... and saddened that you keep having to say it again and again. Keep fighting the good fight. Some day, people will learn.
October 12th, 2011 at 9:09 PM ^
I also end up posting steps to embedding video or blockquoting all the time, but I get to end them with "?" "Profit", so it's pretty enjoyable.
October 12th, 2011 at 6:17 PM ^
but how long before Dohrmann, Silver and the rest of that crew just pay for the story and publish it in SI.
October 12th, 2011 at 6:29 PM ^
So basically, full cooperation and transparency = three years probation for minor violations; blatant admission by former players/no cooperation and circling the wagons by the university = off the hook. K, thx, got it...
October 12th, 2011 at 6:34 PM ^
Where is Bunk Moreland when you need him? Even Jimmy with a wicked hangover could crack this case. NCAA snapping...well...CASHING CHEX!
October 12th, 2011 at 6:48 PM ^
Did they rule on the 4 former players that claimed they received weekly/monthly payments?
October 12th, 2011 at 8:31 PM ^
Claimed to have found nothing there either. It's a joke!
October 12th, 2011 at 6:54 PM ^
never cooperate....keep the truth buried...but act like you are being helpful...
OSU should join the SEC, they have it down pat...
October 12th, 2011 at 7:03 PM ^
The NCAA has zero credibility. None. This is intellectual and ethical penury. It makes me want to /ragequit the NCAA.
October 12th, 2011 at 7:08 PM ^
smoking crack since the SMU death penalty.....
October 12th, 2011 at 7:18 PM ^
...not surprise...don't know why anyone else is. Cheating is inbreded within southin football...and that's the way it is.
October 12th, 2011 at 7:27 PM ^
to players and/or their families and just deny, deny, deny. The only way such actions get punished is if incontrovertable proof is unconvered via subpoena or deposition (ala Ed Marin and Reggie Bush). Otherwise the NCAA simply won't act.
October 12th, 2011 at 7:28 PM ^
The truth will eventually come out someday. The money man will have a messy divorce or fall out with a business partner and the other party will call Yahoo! Sports. Maybe the guy will get drunk in the company of a Bama fan.
It's just a matter of time.
October 12th, 2011 at 7:40 PM ^
Amongst MANY auburn fans and alums... Even they know it's true.
October 12th, 2011 at 10:37 PM ^
My gf is an Auburn alumnus and we're not speaking tonight. She knows how I feel about this. Good thing we took care of business before the news hit.
October 12th, 2011 at 7:39 PM ^
So, I'm guessing they won't have the courage or integrity to punish ohio, either? I guess they'll be cleared, Urban Meyer or Jesus Fucking Christ will descend from the clouds to coach them, their recruiting will instantly crank up again...they'll be back to beating us with players on a payroll within months. What a bunch of cowards the ncaa is.
October 12th, 2011 at 7:54 PM ^
Pay for play is amoral once you take out the fact that it gives you a competitive advantage. If the NCAA isn't going to enforce the rules, I don't want Michigan to follow the rules anymore. What we call "cheating" is no longer really cheating.
October 12th, 2011 at 8:02 PM ^
Players should have the right to take money from wherever they want. It is a totally separate issue.
However, the rules are in place and everybody has to follow them until the rules are changed. Hopefully, in Ohio's case, with so much infighting and bad publicity happening there anyway, Mark Emmert will ignore the fact that his BFF works at THE Ohio State University and the NCAA will show the sporting world that they are "serious" about enforcement.
If it wasn't for the mentor/protege relationship between Gordon Gee and Mark Emmert, slamming the fuck out of THE Ohio State University would be a no-brainer. The work is already done, the publicity is already there, and everyone outside of Columbus would tell them how great they are for doing it.
October 12th, 2011 at 8:09 PM ^
There's no value to following the rules anymore. You either win the "wrong" way or you lose the "right" way. When you combine pay-for-play with oversigning, the SEC is like the former USSR hockey team and the Big Ten (other than OSU) is the USA. I don't get any enjoyment at all out of watching cheating programs who oversign drub teams that honor the 85 scholarship limit and don't have boosters paying players. The playing field is not level and the problem is getting worse. I want our players getting paid from now on.
October 12th, 2011 at 8:26 PM ^
I say we just embrace it and make a press release stating that ticket prices will be raised in order to pay for new 5 star recruits. We'll hire about 50 Willie Lyles street agents and put their pictures and profiles in the damn media guide. The Go Blue banner can be replaced by a giant 100-dollar bill. When players make good plays, they get helmet stickers that look like a dollar-sign. We'll sign Tom Brady away from the Patriots for twice his salary. Then we just publicly dare the NCAA to do a single fucking thing about it. I'm sure there's some kind of incredible legal loophole that would allow us to do all of this and get away with it scot free(MGoLawyers, got anything?). Then when that happens, people will finally understand what a shit ass joke this whole system is and some real change might come about as a result.
October 13th, 2011 at 12:18 AM ^
Strange how Michigan has signed more players than Ohio State over the past decade. OSU averages 20 recruits a year. Michigan's at 22 a year. No Big Ten team oversigns.
October 12th, 2011 at 9:30 PM ^
How in the HELL did USC manage to get hammered by the impotent NCAA? That's seeming like a big outlier at this point. I mean, how bad do you have to handle things for the NCAA to actually do something...
October 13th, 2011 at 1:18 AM ^
By being extremely arrogant and not even attempting to appear like you're cooperating. The violations in multiple sports helped as well.
October 12th, 2011 at 9:52 PM ^
Newton is clean and OJ is innocent...
October 12th, 2011 at 9:54 PM ^
Auburn is innocent the same way OJ is innocent.
October 12th, 2011 at 11:34 PM ^
Fuck you NCAA, fuck you SEC, and FUCK YOU AUBURN.
October 13th, 2011 at 7:55 AM ^
FUCK YOU NEWTONS!!!