THE BALLAD OF CAM NEWTON
And the Cam Newton investigation winds its way to ... Tuscaloosa?
Yes, an Alabama graduate assistant is being interviewed by the NCAA in connection with Cam Newton's recruitment, according to the Tuscaloosa News.
Wright was previously an assistant athletics director overseeing football operations at Mississippi State under coach Dan Mullen and would have been part of the MSU staff at the time of Newton's recruitment, which has come under scrutiny in recent weeks.
The nature of information the NCAA sought from Wright remains unclear.
And as long as that's the case, it's going to be difficult to get an exact sense of what this could mean for the case. One thing it could indicate -- and this is just speculation -- is that Mississippi State isn't in the clear on this yet. Then again, it could just be fact-checking other interviews.
In any case, it's interesting to see that a grad assistant in Tuscaloosa could be a key witness in a case with so many ramifications for Auburn. The intrigue grows.
Meanwhile in Starkville
Kenny Rogers is saying that Mississippi State did nothing wrong, for whatever you want to make of anything he says. That was part of a rather busy day for former Mississippi State players.
Former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond met with the FBI and a state regulator, according to his attorney Phil Abernethy.
And Kenny Rogers, another former MSU player, met with NCAA investigators for several hours at the Chicago office of his attorney, where he said if anyone violated NCAA recruiting rules it was Cecil Newton, the father of the star QB and Heisman Trophy front-runner. ...
"Nobody's pointing a finger at Mississippi State for doing anything wrong," Rogers' attorney, Doug Zeit, told USA TODAY on Tuesday.
At least not Kenny Rogers. This thing could still get uglier before it ends, and Auburn might be willing to burn down the house if the NCAA is about to lower the boom on the Tigers. In other words, this could be fun for those of us watching from the sidelines.
He said it, and he's a man of his word
Well, no one is arguing with this part of Gene Chizik's statement.
"I will say this: I got hired for this job not for my head coaching record," Chizik told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Even though there's little doubt that the statement is true, it's still a pretty stunning thing for someone to say about themselves. Ah, but Chizik didn't sit down just to talk with the AP about the past; he had a message for those who doubt him in the Cam Newton investigation.
"I got hired for this job because of a reputation that I've built over 20-something years, wherever I've been. My word is what it is. Integrity is a huge part of what I believe in and who I am. I'm very confident in that."
Auburn fans best hope the NCAA shares that confidence in Chizik's word. Even then, it might be too late for Cam Newton.
OTHER NEWS
Greg McElroy will be lucky to be standing when the Iron Bowl is over
Nick Fairley will play in the Iron Bowl, according to the SEC office.
"We're handling the matter internally with the institution," Bloom told The Birmingham News.
Because that's always a sure-fire way to change someone's behavior. (HT: Dr. Saturday)
At least it's not Shreveport
The Liberty Bowl is interested in a team that is not yet bowl-eligible.
"We’ve had some very serious discussions about Georgia," said Ehrhart, the executive director of the Memphis-based bowl game.
"Not yet bowl-eligible" working in two senses, of course; a win against Georgia Tech would get the Dawgs to .500, but even a loss might not kill their chances if there aren't enough even teams, at which point 5-7 programs could enter the picture.
Veazey delivers on Powe and the Taser
And it's even more wonderful than we ever could have imagined.
I don’t believe in the Taser. I don’t like the Taser. I’m against that. When I was a jailer, they told me to tote one you have to get Tasered. I said I don’t need that in the first place. I am against Tasering, so that won’t be going on for me.
He doesn't believe in the Taser. There's at least one baseball fan that would have appreciated Powe sharing his view with security.
At least the souvenir cups should be stylish
I have no idea what Belk is doing sponsoring a bowl game, but there you have it.