<p>I know the Heisman award is based on what happens on the playing field but I cannot help thinking about all the accusations that have followed this guy around. Now that his father has been in the news of late, I haven’t heard much talk about the alleged exam cheating, where he put his name on someone else’s exam when they accidentally left their name off.</p>
<p>Am I being overly critical of this latest winner of college football’s most prestigious award?</p>
<p>I was hoping that Stanford quarterback would win. He is an engineering and architecture student with over a 3.5 GPA. He is a real student athlete. Newton seems like a nice guy, but it is clear he is getting by in life based on his physical talent and people are overlooking is character flaws.</p>
<p>All I can say is that I’ve seen the kid play and he is amazing. If the award is based on ability he certainly deserves it.</p>
<p>Also leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but he is an amazing player.</p>
<p>One of my law partners is pretty plugged into the whole situation down there and she says Auburn is going down big time, but they (SEC/NCAA) didn’t want TCU to be in the championship so they aren’t busting Auburn until later. I think eventually (could be a couple of years) Cam will lose the Heisman. It’s a shame- he sure has the talent- but something is very rotten in Denmark (or Alabama…)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Seems a bit unfair. How do you know he doesn’t work extremely hard at his sport?</p>
<p>I also agree with MomofWildChild-- one day they WILL end up taking his Heisman back… I’d be surprised if it took a couple of years for that to happen.</p>
<p>I agree with AllThisIsNewToMe…</p>
<p>razorsharp - Although this guy is successful because of his physical ability I wouldn’t say that he is just getting by in life due to his physical talent. I can assure you that this guy works just as hard, if not harder, than person with the highest GPA at most schools, etc. Your comment is like saying that someone is just getting by on their intellectual talent…it completely discounts the hard work that the person put in to get to where they are.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I agree with you about the hard work. I think he is getting by in life based on his physical talent and also his hard work developing his football playing abilities. In other words, he is an extremely good athlete but not necessarily a good person. I think the same of Michael Vick. He is loved by others because of his physical talent and hard work on the football field, but he is a major league creep. I don’t think Newton is anywhere near as bad of a person as Vick, but I am betting that that Stanford quarter back is smarter than most of the best students at Auburn and smarter by leaps and bounds over the average Auburn football player.</p>
<p>razorsharp - The Heisman isn’t awarded to the smartest football player, it’s awarded to the best football player, which was clearly Cam Newton in this year. If Newton didn’t break any violations, which is a very big if, then I think he was the clear choice for the Heisman. Luck was second, and IMO, he may have won it had Stanford gone undefeated, but they didn’t. I don’t doubt that Andrew Luck of Stanford might be smarter than the best students at Auburn, but that’s irrelevant to the Heisman. </p>
<p>
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Newton or other athletes getting by because of their physical talent, but that doesn’t make them bad people anymore than singers getting by because of their voice.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The whole thing seems shady to me. If the NCAA really wants to clamp down on pay for play, they have to make it clear to the parents that the kid will suffer the consequences of this behavior and saying “he didn’t know about it” won’t cut it.</p>
<p>I doubt very seriously that the SEC is keeping this under raps so that TCU stays out of the championship. SEC/NCAA does not operate that way! More evidence of wrongdoing may be discovered at a later date, but right now SEC/NCAA can only work with the facts as of this date.</p>
<p>I have some sympathy for Newton in this matter. However, I’d like to have heard the NCAA comment on the published reports that Newton himself told a recruiter that he was going to Auburn instead of MSU because “the money was too much”. </p>
<p>My question is simply whether this report is accurate. If so , I would think that Newton himself was involved in trying to extract some payment from MSU. I doubt that he Auburn did anything illegal. There is, of course, more than just a little chance that the report was completely inaccurate.</p>
<p>It also seems interesting that the charges of academic cheating and possession of stolen property (a fellow students laptop) just went away and were dropped when he voluntarily left UF.</p>
<p>He is definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed. When the police had tracked the stolen laptop to his room and were on the way to arrest him, he tossed it out the window of his dorm to a friend who was to retrieve it and hide it. He texted the accomplice who texted back during the incident. The computer was no sooner out the window when the police arrived and placed him under arrest and in handcuffs. With his cellphone in custody as well, and as he was being escorted to the police car, his phone began to vibrate with a series of text messages. His buddy proceeded to assure Newton that cops, “did not have **** and if they did, he would be under arrest.” The texts advised that Newton should “keep denying it.”</p>
<p>The Heisman Trophy mission statement is as follows: “The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The Heisman Trophy Trust ensures the continuation and integrity of this award. The Trust, furthermore, has a charitable mission to support amateur athletics and to provide greater opportunities to the youth of our country. Our goal through these charitable endeavors is for the Heisman Trophy to symbolize the fostering of a sense of community responsibility and service to our youth, especially those disadvantaged or afflicted. All assets of the Trust beyond the expense of maintaining the annual presentation of the Heisman Memorial Trophy are reserved for such charitable causes. The Trustees, who all serve pro bono, are guided by a devotion to college football and are committed to community service and the valued tradition which the Trophy represents.”</p>
<p>Integrity is emphasized in the first sentence. If that is the case…Newton should not be polishing that trophy. Such a shame!!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I have some oceanfront property in Arizona to sell you!</p>
<p>
But we don’t know if he actually did anything yet. He probably did, given that his father did break some violations, but Newton himself has not broken any rules as far as we know.</p>
<p>Would love to see that property…give us the concrete proof/scoop on SEC!</p>
<p>[Newton</a> left off FWAA’s All-American team | CollegeFootballTalk](<a href=“http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/12/11/newton-left-off-fwaas-all-american-team/]Newton”>Newton left off FWAA's All-American team - NBC Sports)</p>
<p>He won the Heisman, but was left off the All-America team. Maybe there are those that do see something wrong with this whole situation?</p>
<p>I am a long-time, third-generation Alabama fan/graduate and that means (to those of those who were not born-and-raised in Alabama) that I am genetically inclined to dislike (to put it mildly) Auburn. But I am amazed by this guy’s talent on the field. There is no denying that.</p>
<p>However, I am equally mystified by how many seem to be turning their heads away from things that this guys has done: the stolen lap top, the cheating, and the very odiferous goings-on with his dad and asking for $$.</p>
<p>I was born and raised on the Alabama/Auburn rivalry, but I would not wish the inevitable consequences of these things (via the NCAA) if they are indeed found to be true, on the Auburn program and its faithful fans. Auburn is having their dream season, but it does seem like it could so very easily turn to a nightmare!!!</p>