Before you spend any more time and energy on what may or may not have transpired, let me give you five (mostly) objective thoughts on the over-arching ramifications of this ESPN Story:
1. The Obvious- That the line of deductive reasoning could well end up being proven true, in which case, Cameron Newton should be ineligible.
But, only $200,000? That seems like a real steal for anyone considering that the revenue from #2 jersey sales alone likely dwarf that. (See below for Follow-Up)
2. The Starkville Factor- Somehow Mississippi State comes out looking like good guys. Seriously!-- Mississippi State!
3. Vicarious Victories- The never-ending avalanche of slack-jawed yokels that trumpet the story as some kind of vindication for their school's loss to Auburn.
You want a vacated victory? Really? You're the same guy who wanted your future wife to have been dumped by the man of her dreams right before she started dating you.
4. The Outcry for Oversight - The only way to curb agent involvement and extra benefits to collegiate athletes is to make it criminally negligent to offer or accept such benefits. Being professionally or financially liable for the risk doesn't quite seem to be doing the trick does it?
Without getting political, does anyone want to spend another couple of million tax dollars on enforcing this?
College football and how it makes you feel is more important than some of the programs getting cut from our schools and states in an effort to spend less?
This is the type of person who buys football season tickets, then gets evicted from their home in October....except this time you're asking me to chip in for the tickets.
5. Diminishing Returns- In general, this story is going to cause more emotional reaction to the readers of it than real, honest to God problems going on in your life, neighborhood, or city.
A story that you had no hand in making or preventing is gonna give you more pause or cause to celebrate than people going cold or hungry near you right now? It means more than reconciling relationships?
That may not be how you feel, but a willingness to re-post the story on your social media, or re-work fight song lyrics to fit the allegations reveal a disposition and priority on how you spend your time.
It's November. Goodwill is having a coat drive. It's just one suggestion in a nearly endless list of opportunities you have to actively do something for someone else.
If you have a broken relationship, spend the same amount of characters you did on your trite jubilation or displaced despair into fixing it. You might find your time better spent.
Now, before you think I went about writing a would-be lecture to those willing to read this article, I took a trip to my local Goodwill to drop off all but my essential cold-weather coats.
I also used 112 characters of text to reach out to a broken relationship-- and I tell you truthfully-- whatever happens with #2 and Auburn football, is gonna be alright with me. Simply acting on the right priorities straightened out everything else.
Of course, it's your right to seethe, gloat, or be indifferent about Cam Newton and the story unfolding down on The Plain-- I just hope you won't give yourself license to spend emotion and time on sporting news before you spend it addressing something real.
Just a few things to think about this weekend while you watch the highlights-- Cam Newton will probably be in a couple of them though.
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