Steve Smith Talks About Trade Demand

Receiver Steve Smith says he hasn't demanded a trade but has asked the Carolina Panthers to be "in a competitive situation." Smith contacted Pro Football Weekly on Tuesday so he could clear up reports that he wanted out of Carolina.

"These people that keep writing these articles, none of them have even spoken to me. What I want to do is be classy and not tip my cards, be respectful to the [Panthers] organization," he told the publication. It's not me saying, 'Yes, I want a trade.' It's still a family matter, and when my family feels it's the appropriate time, our actions will show how we feel (ESPN)."

Let me translate this for you. "I want out of Carolina, but I am trying to show that I am not as big of a douchebag that people think I am". That's really all this is. I don't think there is anyway Steve Smith plays for Carolina, and if you're Carolina you shouldn't want him back. He is a contantly pissed off WR that snaps a moments notice, and you have a rookie QB that really doesn't need his BS. Sure, it would be nice for Newton to have a guy like him to throw to, but it's really time for this team to move on and let Newton to be the leader of this team, since they used a #1 pick on him and I just don't see Steve Smith helping that cause.

Day 1 Winners and Losers

Winners:
New Orleans Saints:
Filthy draft. First the pick up DE from Cal Cameron Jordan and then they got a gift from the Patriots and selected the best RB in the draft in Mark Ingram from Alabama. They fill two holes in their roster. They strengthen their D Line and then will have a lot to work with at rb with Reggie Bush and Mark Ingram.

Carolina Panthers:
Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
I was hesitant to like this pick, but I completely flip flopped on this. I think this kid is the real deal and will win this team some ball games. He's big, athletic and has a cannon. He's not your typical athletic QB who looks to run before pass, he passes pretty well. The Panthers have a lot of holes, but their future looks brighter with Newton behind center.

Baltimore Ravens:
Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
The only reason he fell was due to off field issues, but this kid is 1A to Patrick Peterson. He's big at 6'2 and just as athletic as Peterson. The Ravens needed some defensive backfield help and got a big time player in Smith. I was really hoping he would fall to the Steelers.

Losers:
New England Patriots:
They had 2 picks to fill pretty glaring needs. I like Nate Solder the OL out of Colorado. He is huge and could be really good. Plus with Logan Mankins drama coming up and Matt Light retiring (maybe) but he's a project. Anthony Costonzo out of BC and Danny Watkins from Baylor have higher ceilings than Solder. I understand the position they pick, just not the player. I think they will really regret trading that second pick for New Orleans 2nd pick and next years 1st. They had 2 players they could have drafted that would have filled huge holes in Mark Ingram or Muhammed Wilkerson the DE from Temple. This was a big swing and miss for the Patriots and they will be haunted about this for years.

Minnesota Vikings:
With the 12th pick they select Christian Ponder. Yea.... really? I know the Vikings needed a QB but this is a reach of epic proportions. If I were to reach on a QB I would have taken Andy Dalton, Ryan Mallet and even Colin Kaepernick over Ponder. I don't get it, they could have drafted Robert Quinn the DE from UNC or Mike Pouncey the G from Florida.

San Fransisco 49ers:
I think Aldon Smith was a little high. Cam Jordan, Nick Fairley or even JJ Watt would have better selections.

With The 1st Pick In The NFL Draft The Carolina Panthers Select...

Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

Easily the best smile in the draft. I'm not sure about this pick, but if your Carolina, Why the fuck not, ya know. Sure they drafted Jimmy Clausen last year, but he sucks and looks like he has no future(I've always hated him). Cam has a good arm and last year he proved he's more than your flash in the pan college player as he led Auburn to a national championship. Yesterday I didn't think it was a good pick, today I'm optimistic he will pan out and be pretty good.

Plus they compare him to the best QB in the league Ben Roethlisberger.

With The 8th Pick In The NFL Draft The Tennessee Titans Select

DP's Pick
Cam Newton QB Auburn

I know, I know, I know Vince Young 2.0, but look at his good looks and that smile. The Titans need a face of the franchise and much like the Falcons did with Matt Ryan after the Michael Vick debacle, the Titans will do it to get passed Vince Young, Jeff Fisher unpleasantness. I don't really buy it, but I guess Cam Newton has a shot of being good. He has a good arm, decent decision making, mobility and toughness. Bud Adams loves these type of players and will be stoked to get a hot at another high boom project.

With The 3rd Pick In the 2011 NFL Draft the Buffalo Bills Select.....

DP's Pick:
Blaine Gabbert QB Mizzou

This pick makes the most sense to me for a couple reasons, Ryan Fitzpatrick did a much better job then anyone anticipated however, he's not a long term solution. Any QB selected in this draft is going to need some seasoning and this way Gabbert can sit out a year or 2 before being thrown into the fire. The options here would be between Cam Newton and Gabbert and I just feel like Gabbert is the safer choice here. Even though I personally don't like any qb in this draft other than Ryan Mallett.

BMack's Pick:
Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

I was torn on this pick, because I could see them grabbing Failey here as well. With Gabbert off my board I think the Bills go with Newton. Do I like the pick? No, but for a franchise that is about as exciting as a Bill Belichick press conference this move could build some excitement for the formerly proud franchise. The best part for the Bills is exactly what DP was talking about. Ryan Fitzpatrick can buy them a year or two to groom Newton, which could be huge especially with this lockout going on. Newton has all the physical tools, and throws a much better ball then Tebow. My questions with him will be his decision making, and character. I know the whole whether or not he took money in college thing doesn't really matter in the pros, but this is more about how he handles himself. The good news with this pick is that he is in Buffalo, and I would figure it's hard to get in trouble there. A back field with him and CJ Spiller could be one of the fastest in the NFL, and it would be nice to see Buffalo at least have a little bit of hype around them.

Cam Newton Going Pro

National Champion/ Heisman Winner/ Controversial Auburn QB Cam Newton has decided to go pro. Newton has good size at 6'6 250 and has a decent arm, and good mobility, but like all athletic QBs there are a lot of question marks.

On the field, Newton rushed for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns while passing for 2,854 yards and 30 TDs. He set Auburn season records for both rushing and passing TDs and total offense and an SEC mark for yards on the ground by a quarterback.

I like Cam Newton, he has a good arm and everything, however, I don't know if the intangebles are there. When he was on the biggest stage in college football he didn't wow me in the least. As a matter of fact, he played alright. A lot of people (Kiper/ McShay) say he's a sure thing 1st rounder, but I think he's a first rounder built on hype.

But hey, if Tebow can go in the first round why can't Cam?

Auburn 22, Oregon 19

If you thought this game (which had an over/under of 75) would feature 41 total points, a game winning field goal, 2 goal line stops, and the same number of turnovers as touchdowns, you should consider quitting your day job and betting sports for a living. This game wasn't the shootout predicted by the experts, but it was just as exciting.

And the big difference was Auburn's defense. Their line was able to come up with some huge plays, like a safety, like a goal-line stand, like pressure that resulted in an interception, and so on.

I think Auburn's rigorous SEC schedule prepared them for such a tight contest. In that league, especially in their division, you have to be able to win tough games against good opponents. Repeatedly.

Oregon averaged a 30.9 point margin of victory this season. Auburn averaged an 18.2 margin, which was inflated by a few blowout wins. The Tigers played 5 games decided by 7 points or less. Oregon played in 1 such game. That might make Oregon sound better, but in hindsight, it makes Auburn seem more capable of winning close games. At the very least, they came in with more experience in them.

It's not that Oregon choked in this close game, just that Auburn didn't play with anxiety in that last drive.

This is the 5th straight BCS title for the SEC, and their 7th overall. Don't forget, Auburn went 13-0 in 2004 and were excluded from the BCS title game, so it's almost like #8 for the SEC.

It was a great end to another interesting and thrilling season. Auburn's schedule was full of instant classics, and they deserve their Championship. There were a few loose ends, with an undefeated TCU team floating around. "Power conferences" like the Big East and ACC downright sucked this season. And radical realignment of all conferences seems to be on the horizon.

Ultimately, I'm happy that the stupid, jersey changing team from Eugene has one set of apparel they'll probably never don again.

This guy must feel like an idiot.



Although he's probably felt like an idiot before.

-The Commodore

National Championship Preview

Tonight in Glendale, Arizona, the NCAA crowns its champion. The contenders are, Auburn (13-0) representing the SEC, and Oregon (12-0) out of the PAC-10 conference.

There is little doubt that this game will be a shootout. Auburn’s staggering 43 points per game is good for 4th in the FBS. On the other side, Oregon boasts the nations highest scoring team averaging a shade less than 50 points per game (49.3). The catalyst offensively for both teams is their ground game. Auburn averaged 287 yards on the ground this year, however, that number pales in comparison to Oregon’s number 1 rushing attack. The Ducks averaged an overwhelming 303 rushing yards during the regular season.

Heisman winner, Cam Newton, leads Auburn in both rushing and passing and tallied nearly 4,000 yards of total offense this year. The junior quarterback drew much attention when speculation arose with regards to his transfer from Florida. By now most people have heard the story about his father being involved in a possible “cash for cam” situation, allegedly Cam Newton Sr. wanted $200,000 from potential universities for his son’s talents. However, nothing could be directly tied back to the younger Newton and he was able to complete his season without facing any penalty from the NCAA.

The Auburn offense is run through Newton. The vast majority of Auburn’s play calls involve Newton in the shotgun with a running back at his side. Once the ball is snapped he has the choice of handing the ball off to the back, dropping back and passing, or keeping the ball and using his legs to pick up yards. This style of offense calls for Newton to have nearly as many rushing attempts (242) as it does passing attempts (246). His 49 touchdowns this year (28 passing, 20 rushing, 1 receiving) left Heisman voters with a relatively easy decision to make. Newton ended his regular season on a roll, defeating conference rivals, Alabama and South Carolina. In those two games, he tallied 663 total yards scored 9 touchdowns and did not commit a turnover.

While Cam Newton has generated the most buzz going into the National Championship game, do not be surprised to see his counter part steal the show. Darron Thomas, Oregon’s sophomore quarterback, had a spectacular regular season tallying over 3,000 yards of offense with 35 total touchdowns. Certainly not as gaudy as Newton’s statistics, however, Thomas’ numbers are far from pedestrian.

Oregon runs what many people believe to be a “pro style offense.” The balance between their passing and rushing attacks is similar to the style seen in most NFL systems. Part of the reason why Oregon is able to remain balanced is do to the play of sophomore running back, LaMichael James.

James ran wild this season, he totaled 1,682 rushing yards in 11 games, averaged 6.0 yards per carry, and found the endzone 21 times. It comes as no surprise that James was a finalist for the Heisman trophy. Although he was not able to secure the award for nation’s top college player, he received the 2010 Doak Walker award for the country’s best running back. James won the award with little competition despite missing the first game of the season because of a domestic violence arrest.

The SEC is a perfect 6-0 in national championship games. They have won 5 out of the last 7, including a streak of 4 consecutive victories, which Auburn will look to perpetuate tonight. Interestingly enough, Heisman trophy winners are just 1-3 in the past five years in the National Championship game. The sole winner, Mark Ingram, led Alabama to a title last season.

The PAC-10 has only had one national champion since the introduction of the BCS in 1998. USC won the title in 2004 however; the trophy was vacated in lieu of the Reggie Bush scandal. Oregon is only the second team to represent the PAC-10 in the national championship.

Look for a high scoring battle between these two offensive powerhouses. The winner may not be decided until the final drive. Although both teams appear to be unstoppable, I like Auburn at a neutral stadium. I think Cam Newton will once again elevate his play in a big game, and bring the title back to the state Alabama for a second consecutive season.

Auburn 35 Oregon 31

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 9

The last three games. Two bowls that very few people care about, then the big enchilada in the desert. I'm 17-14 in my picks so far, and have selected each BCS game correctly.

Saturday - 12:00 PM - ESPN
BBVA Compass Bowl - Birmingham, AL
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Kentucky Wildcats
This would be a really good basketball game. Football? Not so much. Pitt can salvage their season with a win here. Kentucky was the SEC's whipping boy, going 2-6 in conference play, beating Vanderbilt and upsetting South Carolina. Wins against Western Kentucky, Akron, and Charleston Southern inflated their record. Pitt should walk.



Sunday - 9:00 PM - ESPN
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - San Francisco, CA
#15 Nevada Wolfpack vs. Boston College Eagles
Nevada only lost one game. They beat Boise State and won the WAC. They averaged over 42 points and 300 rushing yards per game. They'll face a BC defense that was actually 19th in the country, and might give them a fight. But BC was also 109th on offense, and so will ultimately lose. Though it might be close.



Monday - 8:30 PM - ESPN
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game - Glendale, AZ
#2 Oregon Ducks vs. #1 Auburn Tigers
The Ducks scored 49.3 points per game (#1 in the country), and allowed 18.4 (#14). But that was in a very shallow Pac-10. Oregon's biggest road win was at USC. I think this game will be close, and Auburn has more experience in close, difficult games. Oregon is a great team, and perhaps more talented all around. Cam Newton is such a load-carrying player, though. And his teammates play with character. They've proven so much more than Oregon.

Auburn wins, 31-27.









-The Commodore

Cam Newton Eligible, His Dad Was The A Hole

"Based on the information available to the reinstatement staff at this time, we do not have sufficient evidence that Cam Newton or anyone from Auburn was aware of this activity, which led to his reinstatement," said Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president for academic and membership affairs. "From a student-athlete reinstatement perspective, Auburn University met its obligation. ... Under this threshold, the student-athlete has not participated while ineligible."

Good. Now everyone get off his back, give him the Heisman and fucking move on. Sometimes it's hard to feel bad for athletes, but I did with Cam Newton. Other colleges and shady people were taking shots at the Auburn QB out of spite because the Tigers were winning and their teams weren't.

Newton has had a hell of a year individually and although it will be tarnished because his Dad was shopping him around, he should still win the Heisman.

I guess Cecil Newton was shopping him around and since he went to Auburn without a pay for play contract it's irrelevant.

In other college news Jon Gruden is said to have zero interest in joining the U.

I Love the South

The University of Alabama fired a part-time employee for playing unscripted and unapproved songs before Alabama's game with Auburn last Friday. The employee played songs that mocked the allegations surrounding Cam Newton, such as "Take the Money and Run," and "Son of a Preacher Man."

While I think the school is right to fire this guy, as their procedure is that all PA music be pre-approved, and while I think Cam Newton is innocent until proven guilty, I found this hilarious. And I commend the guy who had the stones to lose his job for a joke. Hell, his season of work at the football stadium was over anyway.

-The Commodore

Urban Meyer and the SEC Teams Should Be Ashamed Of Themselves (2 UPDATES)

So now that Ex-Gator and Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is rushing Auburn to the best team in the SEC and leader of the Heisman hopefuls, every other SEC is bringing up his troubled past.

Yes, Cam Newton got suspended from Florida and left after he found out Tebow was coming back. That's well documented and accepted. Now Florida is saying that he got suspended from the team for buying 3 papers online and cheating. I know that Urban Meyer has denied releasing this information, but lets not forget how big of a scumbag he actually is. I would not put it past this man, he in the past has been arrogant, and a drama queen(remember the "heart attack" incident), meanwhile every other player who plays for Florida gets arrested and for some reason the NCAA turns the other cheek. I can really see Urban Meyer pissed his team isn't in the top 25 and out of the spotlight and try to have negative press toward his rival.

I know there is already drama surrounding a potential pay-to-play controversy, which Auburn has denied vehemently. The past is the past, and should be left there. We can only take Auburns word for it and have the NCAA investigate privately.

What is getting lost in this whole negative press is that Cam Newton is probably going through a whole lot of bullshit that he could be innocent for. It's probably creating controversy in his day to day activity, whether it be walking to class, eating lunch or going out to dinner in the Auburn area. This is probably going to destroy his well deserved Heisman trophy (which it should be his to lose) amidst the whole Reggie Bush scandal.

However, if he does get found guilty I retract everything I just said.


***UPDATE***

ESPN Dallas' Ian Fitzimmons reporting that within 3-4 hrs the NCAA is going to suspend Cam Newton. Obviously a huge blow to Auburn, and this will kill any chance of him winning the Heisman. We will have more information when it becomes available.


***UPDATE 2***

MSNBC is now reporting that the suspension rumors are untrue, and he should be on the field against Georgia. The rumor gained so much attention that Vegas has pulled the line for the game off the board. We will let you know more when it becomes available.

Controversy Surrounding Cam Newton

Cam Newton is having a hell of a year, heisman runner, etc, however, friends of the program could be involved in his run.

Supposedly when Cam Newton spent a year in junior college(after being booted from Florida) his re-recruiting is what is in question. Here it is:

former teammate is Kenny Rogers, who played at Mississippi State from 1982-85. Rogers operates a Chicago-based company called Elite Football Preparation, which holds camps in Chicago, Alabama and Mississippi. A Lexis search for that business lists Kenneth Rogers as the contact and his title as “agent.” A Birmingham News story from 2008 said Elite Football Preparation “matches high school athletes with college programs.”

Bond said the former teammate told him other schools had already offered $200,000, but since Newton really liked Mississippi State and already had a relationship with head coach Dan Mullen dating to when both were at Florida, Mississippi State could get him for $180,000.

Basically this guy told Miss St., you give me the money and I give you the kid. Miss St. didn't comply and now Cam Newton is at Auburn. The investigation is now hard pressed against Auburn, seeing if they gave Kenny Rogers the money.

The only reason this would suck is that we wouldn't be able to watch Cam Newton play, I hope this blows by and we see a great ending to college football.