RF23 – IF There’s Smoke

I've been keeping my opinion to myself on this Cam Newton story, in hopes it's just smoke and not fire, but apparently, there may be fire.

Something else we can thank Reggie Bush for...

It appears that Newton's father, Cecil Newton, like Reggie's got greedy before it was time to be greedy and apparently attempted to or sold his son's talent to play football in the media proclaimed "greatest college football conference, the SEC." According to reports a man identified as Kenny Rogers went to Mississippi State and said that in order to get Cam Newton's talent, the price would be $180,000 and that amount was the discount price, meaning that Newton's bid was higher than $180,000.

At least Reggie's family got a crib, some cars and some pocket change...

After denials by the Newton family and being unable to contact Rogers, until today on ESPN 103.3 (Dallas), the story should have died down after Auburn officials claimed that Newton is eligible to play and no wrongdoing is attached to their school. However, after a shakey media conferences by both Newton and Auburn coaching staff, the story has a pulse and it looks like Cam Newton may have been done in by his old man. Also, according to reports, Cam's father may have wanted the money to improve his church, since he's a deacon. I like the quote by Deion Sanders on the Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday, where he dismissed that notion..

"I don't believe that one bit, because that money wouldn't be used for that, if so that's not glorification to God, but exalting yourself"

Show you right, Deion

Now we have stories, in the form of leaks from other schools saying that Newton's father did in fact start the Cam Newton auction and oh by the way, Cam is not a good guy. We know this, he admitted so in an interview with Jim Rome on his radio show on October 26, 2010, where Newton seemed to take responsibility for his misgivings at Florida University, where he was found to have bought a stolen laptop. And now there are reports that Cam cheated in school by taking one students paper and turning in one paper from off the internet.

Dang Cam!

Look this story is going to get worse, and then there's going to be casualties. My estimation, it's going to be Cam Newton and Cam Newton only. It's going to cost him a probable Heisman Trophy and maybe a chance to play in a national title game. But like all casualties, Cam has a choice, he can either succumb to his injuries or overcome them and be a NFL great.

I hope he chooses the latter.