More Cam Analysis

When I find a positive story I'll do my best to get it posted since all we see our the negative posts of doom and gloom.

From the Miami Herald...


Broken promise costly to Newton
.

Cam Newton might have broken rules. He might not have broken rules. One thing is certain: He broke a promise.

The best quarterback in college football is playing at Auburn this season. That wasn't the plan in 2008. In early December of that year, a promise was made between Newton and Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen. Mullen was going to Mississippi State and he was taking Newton with him. It was a perfect plan. A pact was made.

A pact was broken.

Mullen couldn't live with that and now Newton will have to live with this scandal for the rest of the season. Did Newton's father sell his son to the highest bidder? Did Newton leave Florida because he cheated academically? It's doubtful any of this will ever be proved. It's clear from where the murky source of Newton's national scrutiny began to flow.

In a sense, it was a package deal. Mississippi State was going to make Mullen the Southeastern Conference's youngest coach and Mullen was going to make Newton the Bulldogs' version of Tim Tebow.

Newton is, after all, a better version of Tebow. He's a better runner and a better passer than Florida's former All-Everything.

Through 10 games, Newton is ranked 10th nationally in rushing with an average of 114.6 yards a game. He has accounted for 35 touchdowns (19 passing, 15 rushing, one receiving) -- tops in the nation.

Newton never owed Mullen or Mississippi State anything. So what if Mullen recruited Newton to Florida? He needed to recruit him again to Mississippi State, and he lost. But that's not how Mullen sees it.

Here's a timeline of how Mullen's plan to get Newton was foiled by Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn:

• Newton was charged with stealing a laptop computer at the University of Florida in November 2008.

• Around the same time, Mississippi State approached Mullen about bringing the Gators' spread-option offense to Starkville.

• Mullen accepted Mississippi State's offer after the SEC championship game.

• Newton completed his final semester at Florida a few weeks later and packed his bags for Texas.

• Newton played one season at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, leading his team to a junior college national championship. Everything was moving along according to plan. Then, suddenly, Auburn ruined everything for Mississippi State.

• Newton signed with the Tigers on Dec. 31, 2009.

Now, Mississippi State is trying to ruin everything for Newton.

According to the initial report in The New York Times, a de facto agent representing Newton approached a Mississippi State booster and indicated an exchange of cash would be needed to acquire the services of the coveted quarterback prospect.

Sounds like Newton is bad news, right? Well, on Thursday afternoon it became clear that the would-be agent that allegedly was working for Newton's family -- former Mississippi State player Kenny Rogers -- actually was only a go-between working exclusively for Mississippi State. Rogers admitted this while being interviewed by a Dallas radio station.

The source for the story in The New York Times was John Bond, a former player and current booster for Mississippi State. In other words, he's one of Mullen's cronies. In other words, two former Bulldogs representing the interests of Mississippi State leaked this entire story out of spite and Mullen is at the center of the scandal.

And then there's a report by Foxsports.com, which claimed Newton cheated academically while at Florida and possibly was facing expulsion when he transferred.

It's all rather disgusting.

Using the media like pawns, Mullen and Mississippi State have succeeded in tarnishing a dream season for a once-in-a-generation player. Don't be naive and think this about cleaning up the SEC. That's laughable. A broken promise cost Mullen and Mississippi State a shot at the SEC title this season. A broken promise has cost Newton his image.



Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/11/12/1921888/broken-promise-costly-to-newton.html#ixzz155j26SXi