(Newser)
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It's getting hard to keep track of all the allegations surrounding Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, but "right now this story is all smoke and no fire," writes Michael Rosenberg at SI.com, who stitches together the pieces. CliffsNotes version: Newton left Florida after getting caught with a stolen laptop and allegedly cheating; then he reportedly offered to play for Mississippi State for $180,000, which turned him down, and ended up at Auburn, which denies any monkey business. Oh, and Newton's father, who is pastor of a church in Georgia, also is implicated as deal-maker.
"Please—PLEASE—let's not act like this is something new," writes Rosenberg. "Academic fraud and under-the-table payments have been staples of college football for a century. The only difference now is there are a lot more people paying attention." In Newton's case, none of the serious allegations have been proven. Allow the story to play out, he suggests. "Don't presume guilt and don't expect innocence." As of now, the kid still deserves the Heisman.
