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I don't post much, but I read the board religiously every day. Call me naive or what you wish, but I am surprised at all the paranoia surrounding the Cam Newton case. It's been almost 2 weeks since this stuff broke wide open, and I have yet felt confident enough to comment on it because there are just too many unknowns. I am the most rabid Auburn fan in my office and people seem surprised when I don't have more to say on the situation. Well, what CAN I say? I don't have a strong enough opinion about all the crap that has surfaced to voice it and not feel like one of the masses with dirreaha of the mouth spouting off the latest he's heard from that last raio show he listened to or blog he read.
It's taken these 2 weeks for me to boil this down to one simple statement/question--Do you trust Auburn? Before you scoff or laugh, give that question a good thought. We are just common fans with nothing but team/school pride riding on this issue. Granted, it feels like more than that, but it's not. We are all just "johnny-clickers" on the message board of sports life.
Sure, Auburn has a past that most of us like to ignore--we aren't the only school with a shady past. But do you trust Auburn now? It seems to me that most think Chizik/Auburn is rolling the dice and playing Cam on a hunch. I think this theory is ludicrous. Why?
Gene Chizik has a little bit more than team pride riding on this. Does anyone think he would take a risk that wasn't thoroughly (and I mean thoroughly) researched, calculated, vetted, questioned, etc., knowing the potential consequences? The personal consequences for him are more than most have yet to consider. If he didn't have confidence that both Cam and Auburn are clear in this, would he be willing to commit career suicide? That's basically what he would be doing. I don't know the exact contract language, but if he or any coach is guilty of major NCAA infractions, he's gone, the coaches are gone. Not only does he lose his livlihood (salary), but he assumes the burden of the $750K buyout at ISU.
Malzahn. An up-and-comer and regarded by some as the next big head coach prospect. Would he commit career suicide on this? Leverage your remaining career on one player?
Nobody, and I mean nobody, you have heard on #badword#, ESPN, Fox, or Wxxx knows what these guys and our administration know. I like to think that with the resources available to AU, that they have looked at this from every direction and have on good authority that Auburn and Cam are in the clear. They have information that nobody has--this is what is pissing everyone else off. Speaking of the talking heads, I will have to say that of the ones I've heard, our buddy #badword# is one of Auburn's and Cam's biggest champions right now. Say what you want, but he's no dummy.
I know I'm ranting, but just take a deep breath and look at every side and consider what the coaching staff, the administration, and others have riding on this. Is an entire coaching staff and athletic administration worth one player? Things are different now than they were just 15 years ago. Relish the fact that they have more information on this than anyone on the planet. Remember what Chizik said right after this broke--none of this was new news to Auburn. They dealt with this in January and again in July. The stupid decsions, as some might think, are not being made now. If a mistake was made, it was made back in the summer. We have consulted with some of the best in the business--this is not Jay Jacobs, Chizik, and Malzahn sitting around the table wondering, "Well, should we play him?"
I may be totally off base and naive, but I don't think I am. Before I finish the rant, I have just one statement on the whole Fairley circus. Aren't defensive linemen supposed to tackle players with the ball? How many late hit penalties does Fairley have? I saw one in the UGA game. I don't have any idea what the issue is with the LSU sacks--player has ball, defensive player is supposed to tackle said player, tackling technique is wrapping up, driving, and putting player on the ground.
Rant over.
