Cam Newton Opens A New Can Of Worms Over His Comments On Robert Griffin III
Cam Newton has been one of the biggest football stories of the 2011 year. First he was involved or not involved as some believe with his his father attempting to solicit money for him to play at Mississippi State and he of course chose to play at Auburn. The solicitation of money would be a major NCAA violation and was investigated. Newton was ruled ineligible and was re-instated by the NCAA very quickly. Also, during the investigation another story was reported and it was on the reason why Newton left the University of Florida and enrolled at a junior college. Newton reportedly was going to be expelled by Florida for cheating and left the school before he could receive any punishment.
During the investigation Newton picked up a number of detractors and that was because of his previous behavior at Florida. Besides the reported cheating, Newton was suspended for receiving stolen property. Newton had allegedly taken a laptop from another student and when the university’s police department went to investigate he threw the laptop out his dorm window. Read more about the story here.
What also didn’t help Newton was the way his father, Cecil had portrayed the investigation. He called it a “witch hunt” and also would not comment on whether or not he was involved in the soliciting of money. Cecil later came out and admitted to being involved and yet the only consistent was that Cam did not know of his involvement of attempting to get Cam paid to play at Mississippi State.
Even with all the distraction of an investigation, the reported cheating and ineligibility Newton was able to take care of business. He won the Heisman Award, helped Auburn win the National Championship over the University of Oregon, he was taken no.1 in the NFL draft and now he has set NFL rookie passing records.
So, when Newton in an interview was asked recently about Robert Griffin III and said “If you have the opportunity to make that kind of money doing something you love to do, why would you screw it up? I’m trying to be a trailblazer.”
The reality is the quote by Newton is hard to take seriously based on his actions at Florida and his continued denial of not being involved in the pay for play scheme with his father. In order for Newton to be taken seriously and also show credibility he would need to come clean and admit that he did cheat while at Florida and that he was also involved in the pay for scheme and that doesn’t seem like it will ever happen and that means that Newton still has very little credibility.
17 Rants to “Cam Newton Opens A New Can Of Worms Over His Comme...”
Check out what others are saying about this post...
-
[...] they are racist. Weeks ago, when asked if he thinks the mainstream media is racist against him, Newton said “I blameJaMarcus Russell and to some degree Vince Young. If you have the opportunity to [...]
Leave a Rant
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
FEATURED PARTNERS
- Luckiest Cameraman In The History Of Time
- James Lipton Asks A Lot Of Weird Questions
- Presenting: The Cutest DJ In The World
- John Cena Body Slams Tax Lien
- NY Knicks Star Jeremy Lin -- I Wanna be Just Like Tim Tebow!
- Angelina from 'Jersey Shore' -- I'm Not DATING Ahmad Bradshaw ... But We're REALLY Close
- Kate Upton is On the Cover of Esquire Magazine
- Cameraman Gets Run Over and Lives
- Deadmau5 Shows Up to the Grammy’s Wearing Skrillex’s Phone Number
The issues at Florida were three years ago.
The NCAA cleared Cam at Auburn.
Grow up, shut up, and give it up, Steve, before you embarrass yourself further.
I appreciate the comment. Just because the issues were three years ago doesn’t mean they’re relevant today. Also, just because the NCAA cleared Auburn and Cam doesn’t mean Cam wasn’t truthful.
Pete Rose denied betting on baseball for how many years? He even made a huge deal about it when Jim Gray asked him if he ever did. Then a few years later what does Rose admit to? Betting on baseball.
Newton may have proved his doubters wrong with the play on the field in his rookie year as mentioned in the article it still doesn’t mean he’s credible.
Wow, of all the ridiculously slanted and arrogant garbage-articles written about Cam Newton, this one may take the cake. YOU lose ALL credibility for failing to even consider that you could be wrong about some or all of your Newton allegations. You state everything in your article as if it were FACT, when in fact, it is your OPINION, one which the NCAA disagrees with, I might add.
1. “First he was involved with his his father attempting to solicit money…” FALSE — What a pathetic excuse for integrity/journalism. You can say he was accused of being involved, or he was allegedly involved, but there was zero evidence of his involvement after an extremely thorough investigation, and there is even some reason to believe that the money solicitation was presented to Cam’s father rather than the other way around.
2. “Newton reportedly was going to be expelled by Florida for cheating and left the school before he could receive any punishment.” Again, this lacks journalistic integrity because over half the sentence is pure speculation. The only true part of your sentence is that Newton reportedly was caught cheating; no source “reported” that he was going to be expelled, or that he left to avoid it. This line comes from reporters trying to fill in the blanks who said, “Hmmm, if he was guilty, shouldn’t he have been expelled according to university rules?”
3. “Newton had taken a laptop from another student and…” Another blatant example of your opinion masquerading as FACT. Or maybe you conveniently used a poor choice of words. Newton reportedly only “took a laptop from another student” in the sense that they gave it or sold it to him, but in your context, “Newton had taken a laptop from another student” sounds as if you are claiming he stole if from another student. Reportedly, someone else stole the laptop and gave or sold it to Newton, who admittedly was suspicious that it might have been a “hot item” and therefore should have known better, but there is a distinction. The police believed this version of events and the charges were dropped. Regardless, your statement of assuming the worst possible guilty scenario and presenting it as a FACT is void of journalistic integrity.
Your concluding paragraph reiterates your aforementioned gross deceptions, and then stakes your entire integrity on their “absolute undeniable” truthfulness. YOU, sir, are the one who has very little credibility and even less integrity.
1. It is extremely difficult to believe Cecil Newton who lied from day one and secondly it’s even more than ridiculous that Cam did not know what his father was doing.
2. Just type in on Google and you’ll find the very first story is from ESPN http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5783051
3. I read story and attached the link that clearly states that “Newton took the laptop from another student.”
1. So neither of your parents ever did anything behind your back that had something to do with you? Please. Moreover, NO ONE’S parents have ever done anything behind their back, either for their kids gain or their own gain? PLEASE. It is totally possible, EASILY possible, but it just doesn’t make as great of a story. Your credibility is a farce until you admit that it IS possible (and not NEARLY as hard to believe as you and some others like to pretend) and that you were greatly exaggerating in your rant.
2. “Just type in on Google and you’ll find the very first story is from ESPN” The story says he reportedly was to face a comittee for possible expulsion. (It is therefore possible that he may have been given another chance.) You conveniently left out a few of those qualifiers. Also, TEBOW had just announced he was returning for his senior year, and John Brantley had gotten most of the snaps as backup qb, so it is likely that those factors also played at least a contributing factor in Newton’s decision to transfer.
3. “I read story and attached the link that clearly states that ‘Newton took the laptop from another student.’” WRONG. Try again. Okay, first of all, your source is a BLOG, not to mention an early “preliminary” one reporting on the event. Secondly, the word “took” is not found in the article; try searching for it. Thirdly, anything similar that the blog DOES say, only says so with the word ALLEGEDLY in front of it. Hence, you (again) leaving out the all-important qualifiers makes your pronouncent of “facts” misleading and basically a fabrication.
1. What kind of argument is that? Parents will do something behind your back to get their own gain. Actually would have to say most good parents would be in communication with their children. They wouldn’t feel the need to go down to a college and believe that they should have their kid regardless of sport be paid to do so. Also, most good parents would already know that attempting to solicit money from the school is a major violation that not only result in a harsh punishment for their child, the punishment would also be harsh for the school.
2. “Just type in on Google and you’ll find the very first story is from ESPN” Have to disagree on your point those could have been the reasons, yet not likely. Again what does the world reportedly mean? Was Newton not going to be facing punishment if he had stayed at Florida? Did he not leave Florida and enroll in a junior college before his punishment?
3. One it’s the blog of a reputable news source. “Newton allegedly stole a Dell laptop from a UF student’s dorm room.” Far different then supposedly receiving stolen property. Yet, you made a great point about allegedly which will be fixed.
Yet, it wasn’t exactly like Newton was very truthful either especially since he did this “The officers stepped away from Newton’s room to call and ask the
student if the serial numbers matched, but the computer was gone when
they returned to Newton’s room.”
Walker do you believe Barry Bonds when he said “he never knowingly took steroids?”
Newton has the added benefit that the NCAA ruled in favor of Auburn. He can tell the truth without getting his school in trouble as the investigation was completed.
Also, don’t know many who even believe that Newton didn’t know.
Wow, pointless article. Yes he did all those mistakes and he learned from them and worked hard to get back. He didnt just go to another school and play. He went to a junior college and worked his way back up, so he does have credibility.
Roger. I appreciate the comment. The only reason he went to a community college is again because he left Florida before he could be punished for cheating and even if he decided to transfer instead he would have still had to wait a year before he could play at another school. Everything Newton has done has been to avoid and he still hasn’t come out clean about what happened, so still he doesn’t have credibility he just has nice stats for the Panthers.
GET OVER IT! Cam Newton is soon to emerge into one of the best quarterbacks. Watch.
Don’t think so Jonathan there’s a number of quarterbacks who are young who have more potential to be better than Newton. I also have a feeling that he’ll be a one year wonder and that teams will make the necessary adjustments. Also, his high interception number is a concern as well.
I’m sorry, this article is WAYYYYYY too funny. First of all, the title is completely misleading as the quote is completely incorrect. I’m sorry, I thought you’re supposed to be a professional journalist. Not only are you writing about a player’s past that no one really cares anymore, but the quote that you were referencing is NOT what Cam said about RGIII, but it is about Jarmarcus Russell and Vince Young. Per ESPN, this is what Newton actually said:
“‘But I can’t sit up here and look at it like, oh man, my critics are racist,’ Newton says. ‘I blame JaMarcus Russell and to some degree Vince Young. If you have the opportunity to make that kind of money doing something you love to do, why would you screw it up? I’m trying to be a trailblazer.’”
And this is what he said in referencing to RGIII, “If Baylor’s Robert Griffin decides to come out, I want people to say ‘He can be the next Cam Newton’ instead of ‘He’s gonna be the next JaMarcus Russell.’”
Link to the article:
http://espn.go.com/espn/next2012/story/_/id/7390540/nfl-carolina-panthers-qb-cam-newton-next-espn-magazine
Hows it incorrect? I mean I could have posted the entire quote and then just concentrated on the one main part of it, yet why waste time? Also, hen I saw the quote I couldn’t help and start laughing hysterically about it.
Also, Newton’s quote goes right along with his past, which is definitely a huge part of him. If the past didn’t matter he wouldn’t have anywhere as near as many doubters.
Thanks for the comment though even if you disagree.
1. It was incorrect because the title of your article was misleading in compare to the original content of your quote.
2. You keep bringing up his past. Ok, fair enough, let’s say he did stole a laptop. Why does it all even matter now? Clearly, that’s no longer an issue with Carolina (if they even consider it at all). Regards to Newton, the only credibility that matters to the Panthers organization is the one that has him won over the locker room, being a hard worker, bringing excitement back to the Panthers organization, and becoming a QB that his critics say he wouldn’t become. You’re writing about something that is no longer relevant to Newton or the Panthers.
1. The title of my article is fine.
2. Newton opened himself up by the quote when he talked about not screwing up a chance making that kind of money. His actions in college proved otherwise. Also, even if we add Robert Griffin III to the mix the two are nothing alike. Griffin III is much more of the athlete he’s quicker while Newton is stronger. Griffin III has not had any problems while at Baylor while Newton had a history of issues while at Florida and Auburn.
It is also relevant that he comes clean because it actually shows he’s taking steps to become a leader. Taking accountability for mistakes is one of the characteristics of a good leader.
2. I didn’t compare him to RG3, so I’m not sure what your point is. And if I have to choose one, I’ll take RG3 over Newton. As far as taking responsibility of what he did in the past, the laptop incident happened over 2 years ago or so. There’s a lot of growing maturity between then and now for Newton. There’s no way he could have won over the locker room if he was the same kid he was 2 years ago. also, that incident is nothing more than a foot note for him now. Would the public perception of him change if he said “yes, I made a mistake”? The people who don’t like him won’t change their opinion regardless. It’s a very small issue that it is pretty irrelevant now.