NCAA investigating Cam Newton for taking cash

[eazyb81]

Just hit ESPN. I guess that's one way that Bama can beat Auburn this year.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5765214

During the height of star quarterback Cam Newton's recruitment out of junior college last year, a man saying he represented Newton allegedly was soliciting a six-figure payment to secure his signature on a national letter-of-intent, ESPN.com has learned.


Former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond told ESPN.com a teammate of Bond's at Mississippi State in the early 1980s contacted him soon after Newton's official visit to Mississippi State during the Ole Miss game in December, and said he was representing Newton.


"He said it would take some cash to get Cam," Bond said. "I called our athletic director, Greg Byrne, and he took it from there. That was pretty much it." Multiple sources told ESPN.com that Mississippi State called the SEC office with Bond's information shortly after he brought it to the attention of the school.


Sources told ESPN.com the former teammate is Kenny Rogers, who played at Mississippi State from 1982-85. Rogers operates a Chicago-based company called Elite Football Preparation, which holds camps in Chicago, Alabama and Mississippi. A Lexis search for that business lists Kenneth Rogers as the contact and his title as "agent." A Birmingham News story from 2008 said Elite Football Preparation "matches high school athletes with college programs."


Bond said the former teammate told him other schools had already offered $200,000, but since Newton really liked Mississippi State and had a relationship with head coach Dan Mullen dating to when both were at Florida, Mississippi State could get him for $180,000.


"I have no agenda other than protecting Mississippi State," Bond said. "We've done what we were supposed to do from the very beginning. Mississippi State has done nothing wrong, and I've done nothing wrong. It's been handed off to the NCAA, and it's in their hands now. I don't know what happened at Auburn. I don't know why he went to Auburn. That's not my concern. My concern is Mississippi State and making sure this doesn't cause us any trouble."


Bond said an NCAA investigator came to Mississippi to meet with him in early September, as well as with Mississippi State officials.
When interviewed by ESPN.com Thursday at the family's home in Atlanta, Cecil Newton, Cam's father, denied any wrongdoing.
"If Rogers tried to solicit money from Mississippi State, he did it on his own, without our knowledge," Cecil Newton said.
Cecil Newton said he first met Rogers two years ago, when Cam Newton left Florida. He said he talked to Rogers on several occasions to find out more about Mississippi State, but never met Rogers until Cam Newton's official visit to Starkville.


Cecil Newton said the family received a letter from the NCAA "about a month ago" asking for financial statements. He said he submitted bank statements and records for the church where he is pastor, Holy Zion Center of Deliverance in Newnan, Ga., along with other records.


The church has been in the news in Coweta County, Ga., often in the past year. According to stories in The Times-Herald newspaper Cecil Newton's church was in danger of being demolished by order of the Newnan City Council in 2009 for failing to meet the city's building code. One story said Cecil Newton told the council last September the building would be brought to code "inside of six months." After numerous delays, extensions and compromises from the council, renovation work began last spring and The Times-Herald reported last week that the church is in compliance with Newnan's building requirements.


"If you've ever seen our church, you'd know we don't have any money," said Cam Newton's mother, Jackie. "We have nothing."
Holy Zion Center of Deliverance is not the only church Cecil Newton is involved in overseeing. Cam Newton told ESPN.com last month that his dad is a bishop to five churches in Georgia.


"I'm just trying to protect my son's interests, because he's fought very hard to get back where he is," Cecil Newton said. "It's a hell of a fight when people give up on you and think they'll never see you or hear from you again."


NCAA officials declined comment on the allegation involving Newton on Wednesday.


"We do not comment on current, pending or potential investigations," said Stacey Osburn, the NCAA's associate director for media

and public relations.


Julie Roe Lach, the NCAA's new director of enforcement, said it is the association's policy to neither confirm nor deny an investigation.


SEC associate commissioner Greg Sankey, who oversees conference compliance, said the league received "specific information" regarding the Newton allegation in late July of this year.


"When we get information, we share it with the institution when it is involved," Sankey said.


Without specifically addressing the initial call from Mississippi State, which came several months earlier, Sankey said what the SEC originally was told about the allegation was "limited information."


"We don't deal in rumor and innuendo," Sankey said. "We deal in facts."


He said the SEC is not an investigative body, adding that it can share information with NCAA enforcement as needed. He declined to say whether the Newton allegation was shared with the NCAA.


Sankey also would not directly comment on whether the league office considers this an ongoing issue or a closed case.


"We're attentive to a variety of issues at any given time," he said. "We pay attention to a lot."


"We are comfortable that representatives of Mississippi State University's interests conducted themselves appropriately and in compliance with all NCAA by-laws," Mississippi State said in a statement to ESPN.com. "Mississippi State is committed to operating our athletics programs within the rules of the NCAA and Southeastern Conference, and we expect those affiliated with our program to continue to do the same."


Sources said Mississippi State refused to get involved with Rogers, whose association with Chicago-based agent Ian Greengross has come under scrutiny from the NFL Players Association and the NCAA.


NFLPA spokesman Carl Francis told ESPN.com on Thursday the organization is "in the process of investigating [Greengross and Rogers] as we speak for violations of our rules and regulations."


A voice message left with Greengross by ESPN.com was not immediately returned. Attempts to reach Rogers, who also played for the Miami Dolphins during the 1987 strike, were unsuccessful. The voice mailbox at Elite Football Preparation was full Thursday.
At the time of Rogers' alleged solicitation, Mississippi State was perceived to have the inside track because of Newton's relationship with Mullen, who was the offensive coordinator at Florida when Newton was a backup to Tim Tebow. He later left Florida and went to Blinn College, a two-year school in Brenham, Texas.


After his official visit to Starkville, Newton took visits to Oklahoma on Dec. 11 and Auburn Dec. 18.


On Dec. 31, 2009, Newton publicly committed to Auburn, where this season he has led the Tigers to a 9-0 record and No. 2 ranking in the BCS standings. Along the way, Newton's dazzling running and passing have elevated him to Heisman Trophy favorite status.
"We have been made aware of the allegation. Unfortunately, we cannot comment at this time," Auburn assistant athletic director, media relations Kirk Sampson said. "However, Cam Newton is eligible to play football at Auburn."

[GloryDayz]

The NCAA can't stand somebody else making a buck. Sure, it's OK if they offer a usless degree to students who, in most cases, can't read by the time they graduate, but make a buck - he11 no!!! The NCAA can KMA, I think the players need to say they don't give a rats a55 about the GD classes, and the coin their providing is a worth a LOT more than the $10K (total) education they're getting in return... The NCAA is run by cowards...

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by BigChiefTablet

They won't ever be able to stop this behavior.

They won't ever stop false starts, either. They should just do away with all rules.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Then give them 50k a year and forget the school part. You want a kid to stay all 4 years? Just pay him. That's why he's there.

The rest of the argument doesn't hold water.

You realize a very very very small percentage of them go pro?

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

The NCAA can't stand somebody else making a buck. Sure, it's OK if they offer a usless degree to students who, in most cases, can't read by the time they graduate, but make a buck - he11 no!!! The NCAA can KMA, I think the players need to say they don't give a rats a55 about the GD classes, and the coin their providing is a worth a LOT more than the $10K (total) education they're getting in return... The NCAA is run by cowards...

This post is full of fail. Most players can't read? Talk about generalizing the mass based upon a few. $10k in total education? Please. I know plenty of former D-1 players who never went (or planned to go) pro. They all graduated and have jobs because of their degrees.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

This post is full of fail. Most players can't read? Talk about generalizing the mass based upon a few. $10k in total education? Please. I know plenty of former D-1 players who never went (or planned to go) pro. They all graduated and have jobs because of their degrees.

Sure, then you wake up! Do they move to China and make baskets?

[Bewbies]

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

because it goes without saying

That could be, but folks are quick to crucify Newton while staying mute on Auburn.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Bewbies

That could be, but folks are quick to crucify Newton while staying mute on Auburn.

If it's true then Auburn will suffer in the long term. The damage to Newton will mostly be through the media like it is now.

[GloryDayz]

I hope he and his family make LOTS of money while he's in college and has a wonderful NFL career after that. Good for him and his family...

[blaise]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Then give them 50k a year and forget the school part. You want a kid to stay all 4 years? Just pay him. That's why he's there.

The rest of the argument doesn't hold water.

They compensate him the way they want to. If he doesn't like it he can go get a job.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Then give them 50k a year and forget the school part. You want a kid to stay all 4 years? Just pay him. That's why he's there.

The rest of the argument doesn't hold water.

This is untrue and there's no ****ing way in the world it would EVER work.

Can you imagine giving a kid in the projects $50k to play football BUT requiring him to pay for books, tuition, meals and housing? There's no way that $50k would go for schooling because the pressure from his family and friends to "share" that money would be enormous.

I could see D-I schools paying their players $100 per game in addition to their scholarships but there's no way they're going to pay them $4k per game.

Furthermore, 99% of these kids play football as a way to pay for education and that should not be changed.

[Bewbies]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

If it's true then Auburn will suffer in the long term. The damage to Newton will mostly be through the media like it is now.

Yeah, Auburn, Chizek etc are gonna burn for this one if it's true.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

'Bama is going to beat Auburn regardless.

I'm hoping for this. TCU needs either Oregon or Auburn to lose. I would prefer to play Auburn but I don't see Oregon losing and Bama has a good chance to beat Auburn/

[sportsman1]

Hoping this gets out soon for TCU's sake. They deserve it. That program has been fun to watch build. I find it ridiculous how some on here actually think that it is ok for college players to get payed. I mean really? I wish I could get a full scholy and play football.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

This is untrue and there's no ****ing way in the world it would EVER work.

Can you imagine giving a kid in the projects $50k to play football BUT requiring him to pay for books, tuition, meals and housing? There's no way that $50k would go for schooling because the pressure from his family and friends to "share" that money would be enormous.

I could see D-I schools paying their players $100 per game in addition to their scholarships but there's no way they're going to pay them $4k per game.

Furthermore, 99% of these kids play football as a way to pay for education and that should not be changed.

Why include school at all? The real players go on to make real money. Then 86% end up bankrupt. Disguising it as an education doesn't make it an education.

Run it like what it is: A NFL minor league. Pay them. Let them wear the colors. Give them real compensation. Handing out degrees in Communications doesn't mean shit.

[Mojo Jojo]

Paying the players will not stop this behavior. If each kid was to get X-dollars...some will still be looking to get X-dollars plus, and alumni/supporters will be willing to pay. Recruiting is a business, and benefactors want to win.