According to a report by ESPN’s Joe Schad, two Mississippi St. Bulldogs recruiters were told by Cam Newton’s father Cecil Newton that it would take “more than a scholarship” to get the quarterback to Starkville. Schad also reports the school relayed that information along to the SEC, and that Cam Newton called Mississippi St. to express regret about his father choosing Auburn because “the money was too much.”
This would put us back at square one, since Cecil Newton was rumored to be pulling off this exact stunt well before any news broke via major media. If this is true, let’s walk through this. Again, if this is true. How dumb would you have to be to sell your son’s football career to the Auburn Tigers and then let Sports Illustrated publish a cover story in which you’re quoted as deciding on Auburn over Mississippi St.?
Even the most tinfoil-free sports fan’s BS detector whirred to life when reading that part of the story, and this was days before any allegations went public. That quote from Schad’s article about the money being too much is the very first information that’s been released that specifically fingers Auburn.
Or these Mississippi St. sources could be making everything up. Let's leave that door open just for fun.
Either way, this is it. If Newton's eligibility winds up revoked in time for the BCS Championship Game, not to mention SEC title game or Iron Bowl or HEY how about by this Friday afternoon, we won't have any reason to be surprised.