As if there hasn't been enough shoddy "journalism" (emphasis on the quotation marks here) I thought I would throw my own hat into the ring. Rest easy though dear reader, I am not not here to make allegations of supposed mattress tag tearing or removal of bars of soap at hotels during road games. I just want to make a few observations and ask some questions (to which you are free to post responses in the comments). 

Questions of Context

One of the latest things to break in the allegations against Cameron Newton and his father are that some recruiters from Mississippi State University say that Cam and his dad both said that money was the factor in the decision of where he would attend school. I've learned over the years that you can take most anything out of context and make it mean it most anything you want to. The two quotes that are being passed around (as well as my thoughts on them) are:

1) Cam's dad said "it will take more than a scholarship to get his commitment". Of course everyone thinks that means "more" = $. I like to consider the idea that maybe it means that Cam ran into some trouble while attending the University of Florida and maybe the "more" that his dad was looking for was a nurturing environment where his son could be mentored and watched over as he attempts to be a better person than he was before. Maybe Cecil Newton needed "more" of an assurance that Cam would be taken care of by someone other than Dan Mullen (MSU head coach) who just happened to be his coach at the University of Florida. 

2) Cam is reported to have said his dad decided he was going to Auburn because "the money is just too much". Now of course the sharks smelling the chum in the water take this to mean that the reported $180,000 offer to go to MSU paled in comparison to what Auburn offered (allegedly). But what about the idea that Cam, knowing he's been in trouble before and is looking for a clean start, is saying "you know that's just over the line, taking that money would be too much and not a good idea". Perhaps Cam learned his lessons at UF and realized that "too much" = bad idea. 

All the News That Fits (And I Mean ALL the News)

Another tremendous problem in this whole fiasco is the age that we live in of the 24 hour news cycle, the instant gratification/instant access nature of media. Between tweeting and blogging there's not the ability to actually research and write a thought out article anymore for a newspaper or magazine. In the span of 20 minutes this morning stories and rumors circulated saying that the "NCAA was going to announce that it will suspend Cam Newton" to the reported source of that line saying that he didn't say that. Journalism (if you can even call it that anymore) has gone from the days of Woodward and Bernstein to shoot now and ask questions later. 

Unnamed Sources

Abigail Bartlett once said "don't ever come to me again with unnamed sources...you don't get to have cider". That's pretty much how I feel about it. I am sick to death of unnamed sources. Why can't we have a name. If they are willing to throw around allegations that directly affect the reputation of a 21 year old young man can't they have the balls to say "yeah I said it"?

Who is In Charge Here?

We've heard from Cam and his dad (to the degree that their attorney advised them), we've heard from Coach Chizik and the Athletic Director at Auburn, we've even heard a little bit from other coaches implicated (UF and MSU). The bigger question is where is Mike Slive (SEC Commisioner) or the Chairman of the NCAA? Where is someone that can step up and say "Hey we've known about this since January and we are looking into it, in the meantime we have not advised the Auburn Tigers that Cam Newton is ineligible to play and if people don't stop just randomly throwing out accusations we are going to start dropping the hammer.

Showing Some Class

I talk ALL THE TIME about the nature of rivalry and how teams that have a true rival don't ever want their opponent to win a game. I am never hateful in these feelings but I can honestly say as an Auburn Tigers fan I always ALWAYS want Alabama to lose every game they play. Its just the nature of the beast (I didn't pull for UA against Texas in the National Championship game last year) and I understand those that feel that way about my team...its a two way street. What I don't abide or understand is the venomous hatred and celebrating the misfortune of a 21 year old college student. I can honestly say as much as I will ALWAYS want Alabama to lose every game it plays I would never NEVER "pull for" or be happy that something of the nature that is happening to Cam Newton would happen to one of its players. It shows a real lack of class (and some of these people are the crazies that you hear on the radio that should be trusted with a drivers license or sharp weapons, but some of the people I've heard these comments from are people that I know in real life and that is what is most disappointing). 

Honestly this whole thing is a mess and I hope with all my heart that the allegations are not true and that Cameron Newton has the chance to continue to be what he has demonstrated to be in his time at Auburn, a remarkably talented young man who is polite, respectful, and cares about his community by volunteering his time with young men who need guidance. I hope that Auburn wins out (and lays the wood to Alabama on Black Friday) and has a chance to play Oregon for the National Championship in a game that will have a final score reminiscent of an NBA game. And most of all I hope that people will realize that at the heart of all of this are people's lives. Young men with dreams, preachers with congregations to serve, coaches with careers and others to mentor and lead all are going to be affected by every allegation and accusation.