Sunday, July 24, 2011

The snubbing of Cam Newton

Say what you want about the man, Cam Newton was the reason that Auburn won the national title. He bought Auburn back in each of those games. He was the one factor that willed Auburn to numerous comeback wins. None more epic than the win against Alabama, being down 24-0 to a good team to decide the fate of the national title and to win that game 28-27 in the closing moments against the most bitter of rivals is something out of a story book. But yet... this year... Cam Newton was snubbed from awards because of speculation, not because of facts.

Cam Newton did get kicked out of Florida for receiving stolen property. He was also found guilty of cheating on a test. These are what we call facts. He also went to a junior college, turned his life around and led Blinn College in Texas to the 2009 National Championship. These aren't the stories that get published in the media. Not that he was 5 star recruit coming out of JUCO, or that the kid was heavily recruited by almost every team in the country to come to their school. Yet Ben Rothles-whatever gets an all exclusive sit down to explain himself and everyone quickly forgives him. And that happened before the season started. Yet when this kid starts winning and making name for himself, that is when the reports start to come out about why he was kicked from Florida. Give me a break.

Auburn is being talked about for a national title, then even more controversy comes out about Cam Newton that Auburn paid him, and that his dad was extorting Mississippi State to get money for him coming there. Now they knew about this prior to the season, but yet it comes out when they started winning. Now who knows, they may have lost the bidding war, but don't be salty because you didn't get him. But that opened up a can of worms that ran the kid's name through the mud.

We all know what was being said. There is no need to rehash the numerous allegations. The NCAA found no wrong doing by Cam Newton or by Auburn University. This kid played through it all, and led his team to a national championship. Look at all the blatant disrespect Alabama fans threw out there, especially the song being played "Take the Money and Run" with all the monopoly money being thrown. But now these are the same fans that get around here and say, "We have two Heisman Trophy Winners and two BCS Championship teams in the same state." Get outta here with that foolishness. You weren't cheering for him during the season. It was a constant topic on Finebaum about Auburn cheating. So shut up about it now. That is another topic for another day.

But the biggest joke of the off-season has been John-Patrick Smith winning the SEC Male Athlete of the Year and Jimmer Fredette winning the ESPY for the Best Male Athlete of the Year. I am not the smartest man in the world, but Cam Newton made millions for ESPN and Millions for the SEC.

Did anyone know who John-Patrick Smith was prior to this award being handed to him? I'll wait. An All-American Tennis Player that never won a national title, that only was a finalist (not winner, but finalist, which in my eyes means runner up) as a singles and doubles competitor? Really? Over a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback that won the BCS National Title in the area of the country that holds football higher than they hold their spouses? Hopefully I am not the only one that sees the bias in this decision that seems to be based only on speculation. I have heard that Smith won because he was great student. Did Ingram win in 2009 because of his grades? Again, I will wait. Ingram won that title off of being the best athlete in the SEC. Not best athlete student. So try again.

Jimmer Fredette is exactly what everyone in America wants. A good white basketball player that can play with the black players. Let's just put it out there. If Jimmer was a Laker, he wouldn't matter. He wouldn't play. He is not a solid point guard. He doesn't rebound, nor does he play defense. He does not play defense. And last time I checked, BYU was not undefeated nor did they play for a national title. Jimmer was a scorer. I will definitely not take that from him. But he will not be the greatest scorer in the NBA. He will be a good pro, but not a great pro. Didn't Kemba Walker lead UCONN to the national championship though? Jimmer you are a good player, but you just did not have the influence over the program that Cam Newton had.

Smith and Fredette did not do for BYU or Tennessee what Cam Newton did for Auburn. They did not change the recruiting scope for their program. They did not turn a 2nd year coach into a championship coach and get him a raise. They did not make the red headed step child of the state of Alabama relevant again in their sport. And honestly neither of these athletes rose to the challenge to lead their team to a championship.

Cam Newton has not always been the greatest kid, but he has been able to drown out the speculations, the accusations, and doubts and lead his team to the 2010 BCS National Championship. I thought we measure greatness on winning and triumphing through adversity on and off the field. If that is the case, then I think some ballots need to be redone

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