Quitter or Not, Get Rid of Cutler

Sports is a place where heroes are born and legends are made and where men lay it all on the line just to win a game. Football in particular is a sport that requires maximum toughness both mental and physical. Sunday afternoon the Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears 21-14 to earn a trip to Dallas where they will meet the Pittsburgh Steelers for Super Bowl XLV. The Bears were so close yet, to me, seemed like they were so far away from winning the NFC Championship. Maybe I felt like that because the Packers are a great team with the top quarterback in the league right now. Maybe I felt like that because the Bears were always playing from behind. Or maybe I felt like that because quarterback Jay Cutler was sitting on the sidelines for the second half while Todd Collins looked like the Bad News Bears behind center and Caleb Hanie nearly became the hero that Cutler never will become. Yeah, the third reason is definitely why.

In one of the final series of the first half Cutler injured his knee and there talks within the Bears organization that he would not even take the field for the second half. However, he tried it and after one unsuccessful series retreated to the bench, which is where he would stay for the rest of the game. Todd Collins entered and left in the blink of an eye and then it was third-stringer, Caleb Hanie's turn. You know Hanie woke up that morning just excited to have a great seat for the game and wasn't expecting to even step on the field. Yet, there he was leading the comeback for the Bears and, had it not been for Sam Shields second interception of the day, perhaps could have tied the game up with under a minute to play. We can't fault Hanie's effort because he is a third string quarterback who was thrown into the biggest game of the Bears-Packers rivalry and told to lead the comeback, a Super Bowl birth on the line.

When it comes to Cutler though, questions are raised about his effort. He hurt his knee, and his teammates and coaches have defended him 100% so far, but how bad was it? Was it bad enough that he had to sit out of the biggest game of his career? Because it wasn't bad enough that he couldn't stand on it or even ride the bike. He wasn't receiving any treatment and there was no brace or anything on it. He was just standing there with that look he always wears, one of disinterest and unhappiness. I'm not going to sit here and say that Jay Cutler quit because I don't really know how bad that sprained MCL was. The training staff wouldn't let him go but in my mind it didn't seem to affect him much.

Ronnie Lott had his finger cut off so that he could keep playing and Willis Reed took the floor with a broken leg. Phillip Rivers has played with a torn ACL and many players have knee injuries but they still play. I just think that if Cutler really wanted to play he would have done everything he could to get on that field. Good players compete in Playing Time but the great ones show up in Winning Time. The second half of that game was Winning Time and Caleb Hanie was under center. Keep in mind this wasn't just any game, this was the NFC Championship against the Bears biggest rival and this was only the second time the two teams had met in the playoffs. Cutler was coming off his first playoff game since high school, a win against the Seahawks and a win in this game would have elevated his status as a great quarterback in Chicago and in the league.

Sad thing is, he never gave himself a chance and that's why people will question him for the rest of his life. What if the Bears never get back to that point with him? In my opinion he won't be in Chicago too much longer and that means fans lasting memory will not be Cutler throwing the ball on the field; it will be Jay Cutler standing on the sideline, jacket and stocking cap on, watching as his team lose a chance to go to Dallas. Some franchise quarterback...

Packers vs. Bears and Other Great Games

On Saturday night the Green Bay Packers easily disposed of the #1 seeded Atlanta Falcons from the NFL Playoffs and on Sunday the Chicago Bears man-handled the sub-.500 Seattle Seahawks for three quarters and came away with an 11 point win. This coming Sunday is now an NFL fan's dream as the Packers will travel to Soldier Field for an NFC Championship matchup against their division rival. As a Bears fan I am very excited for the game as it is the only the second time that the two teams have met in playoff history. The Pack is hot right now with Aaron Rodgers looking like the best QB in the game but the Bears D has also looked good lately minus the 4th quarter against Seattle. As soon as the Bears won the Divisional Round game I got on StubHub.com and checked the tickets and the fact of the matter is, fans will be paying at least 500 bucks for a seat. I would love to be at the game even though the temperature will be below 10 degrees. This game got me thinking about what games I would have loved to be at in person so I compiled a list of five games in my lifetime that I wish I could have been at.

2004 ALCS Game 6 (Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees)- To see this game would be seeing history. The Red Sox tying up the series after being down 3-0. Led by Curt Schilling and David Ortiz's heroics, the BoSox went to the World Series to break the Curse of the Bambino. Schilling pitched seven innings with a torn tendon in his right ankle that was held in place by three sutres that connected the skin to the tendon and connective tissue. NYPD members had to take the field in riot gear after Yanks fans threw balls and debris on the field because they were unhappy with Alex Rodriguez being called out for interference. A-Rod slapped Bronson Arroyo's arm as he tried to tag him out and the umpires called him out. This game had it all and would have been an amazing game to be at.

1997 NBA Finals Game 5 (Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz)- "The Flu Game" is one of the most legendary stories of Michael Jordan's career. He woke up with a stomach virus on Tuesday and team trainers said there was no way he could play in Game 5 on Wednesday night. With the series tied at two games apiece and the Bulls playing on the road, Jordan took the floor and got off to a slow start but dropped 17 in the second quarter. MJ did little in the third as fatigue set in but in the fourth he had 15 points including a big three at the end. He played 44 minutes and collapsed into Scottie Pippen's arms at the end of the game, which the Bulls won 90-88.

2009 NBA Playoffs Round 1, Game 6 (Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls)- Without a doubt the most epic game for the Bulls in the post-Jordan era, Chicago defeated the Boston Celtics 128-127 in three overtimes to force a Game 7. John Salmons led the Bulls with 35 points and Ray Allen's 51 was not enough for the C's. The Bulls took the lead when Joakim Noah stole the ball from Paul Pierce, dribbled length of the floor, dunked the ball while being fouled by Pierce and then made the free throw for a three point play. Derrick Rose, who finished with 28 points, blocked Rajon Rondo's potential game winner with 8 seconds left in the third OT.

2009 Big East Tournament (Syracuse Orange vs. UConn Huskies)- After 3 hours and 46 minutes of back and forth basketball the Orange defeated UConn at Madison Square Garden 127-117. The Orange's Eric Devendorf made a three at the buzzer of the regulation to win the game but the refs ruled that Devendorf didn't get it off in time. Jonny Flynn had a monster game for Cuse with 34 points, 3 rebounds, 11 assists, 6 steals, and 1 block. To be at this game where numerous future NBA players were playing in a primetime game in the Big East tournament would be incredible to see.

2010 NCAA Championship (Butler Bulldogs vs. Duke)- Funny thing about this game is that my grandpa had tickets but sold them. It would have been the ultimate Cinderella story had Gordan Hayward's last second heave gone in. Instead the ball bounced off and Duke came away with a two point win in the one of the most thrilling national championship games ever. 70,000 fans were in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis where the hometown Bulldogs nearly upset the number 1 seed Blue Devils.

Sports produce some of the best drama in the world and there certainly will be some when the Packers and Bears clash with a chance for the Super Bowl. These are just five games that I wish I could have seen but there are countless others. So now its your turn, let me know what games you wish you were at in your lifetime.

Seeing Kobe In Person

I'll admit it: I used to be one of those Kobe-haters that hated the guy just because. Just because he was good and I hated people comparing him to Michael Jordan, my favorite NBA player of all-time. However, things have changed and I am no longer a Kobe hater and here is why: the guy is a winner and he plays the right way. Do I think he will ever be as good as Michael? No but I do think he is right up there and he is definitely the best player in the game today. Go ahead and make your case for LeBron but at the end of the day Kobe wins that debate.

Kobe is 32 years old and in his 15th season for the LA Lakers. He is going for his sixth ring this season and the Lakers look like the favorite in the West once again if they can hold off the Spurs. So far this season he is averaging nearly 27, 5 and 5 but rarely has the attention been focused on him. Instead, the media has flocked to Miami to cover the Big Three's every success and failure or headed to Denver to see when Carmelo will be catching a flight to New York. Meanwhile, Kobe and the Lakers have gone about their business out West, compiling a record of 19-7 which is good for first place in the Pacific Division.

What sets Kobe apart is his determination and want to win, which makes him like Jordan. LeBron just doesn't seem to have that. Kobe takes over a game with an assassin's mentality and plays through pain. Never has he allowed people to even think that he quit on his team like LeBron did last year in the playoffs. That could be the reason Kobe has five rings while LeBron is still in pursuit of his first and felt the need to go down to Miami and team up with Bosh and Wade. Much like Jordan, Kobe loves to be the man and relishes the moment when its time to takeover the game.

On Wednesday night I had the chance to go the Lakers-Pacers game down in Indianapolis and it was my first time seeing Kobe in person. In a word, it was incredible. He was quiet in the first half but then there was a stretch in the second half where you could just see him turn it on and by the end of the game he had 31 points and Conseco Fieldhouse was going crazy everytime he put another one in. Two plays stick out in my head from that game, the first being a three from the top of the key where he caught the ball and thought about shooting but then decided against it. He stood there with the ball for about five seconds and then in the blink of an eye he put it up and swished a three. Shooting a shot after thinking about it is not the easiest thing but Bryant made it look easy. Later on in the second half he caught the ball a good five feet above the three point line at the top of the key and without hesitation just drained it. He smiled and ran down the floor as if to say, "This is what I do everyday."

I respect the way Kobe plays the game because he plays hard and plays on both ends of the floor. I have changed my opinions on him and without a doubt he is head and shoulders above LeBron or anybody else in the league. Scary thing is...Kobe is only 32 years old. There are many more years of this domination to come.

The Greatest Pitching Staff Ever Assembled

In the most surprising news of the baseball off season (sorry Jayson Werth, your insanely large contract with the Nationals that was a couple million too much isn't as big as this) Cliff Lee signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for 5 years and $120 million dollars. Lee rejected bigger offers from the Yankees and the Rangers to join Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels in arguably the greatest pitching staff ever assembled. The best thing about this deal is that Lee took a smaller deal even though the Yankees dangled more money in front of him. Lee had played in Philly for half a season in 2009 and loved the city. The Phillies let him go after that 2009 season and signed Halladay but Lee loved Philly enough to take less money; refreshing to hear in this day of "who can sign the biggest contract."

With the signing of Lee the Phils have four legit number one starters in one rotation. Some teams in the MLB would kill to have just one of those guys. With this signing, it cancels out the loss of Werth, and makes the Phillies the clear cut favorite for National League. Looking at the Phillies on paper is unbelievable. Here are some samplings from 2010 of the newly dubbed, "Phab Four."

Halladay: 21-10, 219 K's, 2.44 ERA, Perfect Game, Playoff No-hitter, NL Cy Young Award

Lee: 12-9, 185 K's, 18 BB's, 3.18 ERA, Led Rangers to World Series

Oswalt: 13-13 (7-1 w/Philly), 193 K's, 2.76 ERA

Hamels: 12-11, 211 K's, 3.03 ERA

Assuming that Zack Grienke is traded from the Royals in the last big deal of the offseason, the Royals number one starter at this point will be Kyle Davies. Davies is a 26-year-old righthander who posted an 8-12 record with an ERA over 5.00 last season. You think the Royals would love to have one the Phillies starters? The Miami Heat had an impressive offseason by signing Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh but the Phillies offseason may be more impressive with this one signing. It's that big of a deal.

 

Consider that in the NLDS, which the Phillies are almost sure to make, a team only has to win three games to move on to the NLCS. That means that if there was a sweep, Hamels wouldn't even see the mound. This is by far the most impressive pitching staff since I've been born but can they produce the results expected of them? The pressure is on but these four are hardly ever phased by it. Out of the four, Hamels is the only one with a World Series ring but Oswalt and Lee have both been there. Halladay has two Cy Young awards to his name while Lee has one. In the Phillies World Series year Hamels won the NLCS and WS MVP award and Oswalt won the 2005 NLCS MVP award. The group comes in with impressive credentials and it won't be surprising to see them rack up many more in years to come.

Why I Hate College Football Bowl Season

We couldn't get through a year of college football without a heated debate about the BCS vs. a playoff system and this year is no different. This year that one unlucky team that got left out is TCU who went 12-0 but never had a chance of being invited to the BCS Championship Game in Glendale because of all the factors working against them such as their weak conference schedule and their starting position in the BCS rankings. I am a huge college basketball fan and there isn't a better time of year than March Madness. 68 teams (don't ask me about that 96 team tournament thing or I'll get really mad) come together and play a tournament where anything can happen and teams like Butler can become a national sensation. College football doesn't have that and they never will. Bowl season lacks the suspense and the fun that college basketball brings to the table.

Starting on the 18th, bowl season will be off an running and it will last nearly a month, but the funny thing is only three days really matter. Nobody cares about the GoDaddy.com Bowl or the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. There are plenty of pointless bowl games and it has become so watered down that its really not even fun anymore. Boise State lost one game to this season to Nevada and because of that they weren't invited to a BCS bowl. Instead they will be playing in the Las Vegas Bowl...how prestigious. I also read that in Sports Illustrated this past week that Nevada cost each WAC school 1,000,000 dollars by beating Boise State because, had the Broncos made a BCS bowl, they would have earned roughly 10 million dollars for the conference which would have been divided evenly. So to me, Nevada punished themselves for winning a game. How dumb is that?

If I ruled college football there would be a playoff system of 16 teams like many have suggested. It makes more sense to give the top 16 teams a fair shot at the title rather than telling 14 teams to go play in another bowl with no reward except pride. Take Virginia Tech for example: they stumbled twice at the beginning of the year and never had a chance to be mentioned for the championship game but they reeled off 11 wins in a row and are playing some really good football. College football doesn't know the term "Cinderella" and that's because they don't allow themselves to. There is rarely a chance for the small school to beat the big school in a postseason game but in college basketball that is all the rage.

It's amazing how every professional sport and college sport has a playoff system but college football can't seem to figure it out. I hope they do soon though because teams will keep getting cheated year after year and the computers will decide teams fates unfairly. The game is supposed to be played on the field...why not let the athletes decide it out there?

Dissecting LeBron's Return

Thursday night on TNT LeBron James made his much anticipated return to Cleveland where he spent seven seasons before leaving the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. When LeBron announced his Decision on ESPN in an hour-long special with Jim Gray, there was an immediate backlash at James and fellow stars Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. No team in my lifetime has ever received the press that the Heat have so far and, as one could imagine, with every loss comes more speculation as to why they aren't winning.

Of the Heat's Big Three no one has received as much hate as LeBron has since they joined forces. Why is that? Some say LeBron did nothing wrong because he is allowed to leave in free agency. That is true but there are so many reasons why LeBron is wrong. It seemed like a dream situation for LeBron and for Cleveland on Draft day back in 2003; the kid from Akron who had dominated the high school scene and taken over the nation already was going to be drafted number one overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, a franchise desperate for a star player and wins.

LeBron lived up to the hype for the seven years he was in Cleveland, leading the Cavs to the Finals once and rewriting the franchise record books. At times it seemed like he was the only guy the Cavs had on the roster and he single-handedly would propel them to wins but then this summer...he left. He left Cleveland, the city that loved him with all they had. Go to Youtube and watch a clip of LeBron before a game when he was a Cavalier. Fans would mimic him as he threw the powder into the air and teammates would joke around and share a laugh before, during and after the games. With James in a Cavs uniform, Cleveland really did rock. Listen...I've been to Cleveland and it sucks. There's nothing to do and the city is just depressed but LeBron was that bright spot. Many in the city are unemployed, the Browns look like they will never be good again and the Indians seem to have forgotten what winning is but LeBron and the Cavs brought life to the city and to make it even better he was a hometown kid. He was a hero.

Few men have ever experienced the love that LeBron had in Cleveland. Sure, every city loves their star player but not like Cleveland loved LeBron. He was their savior. He was going to bring them a championship and he even went on the record saying that. He wouldn't stop until he got it he said and we believed him. Life was a party with LeBron.

Everything has changed. He betrayed the city and that's not an unfair assessment of the situation. He was a hometown kid who said he would bring a championship to the city and he made a mockery of the city and the team on national television by announcing his Decision for all in a truly selfish fashion. He deserved the chorus of boos that he received from his once loyal fans and he deserved the signs and t-shirts with anti-LeBron phrases and pictures. Never again will LeBron be accepted in that city and I'm not sure he understands that yet. Yes, he scored 38 points but he came out of Quicken Loans Arena a loser in my mind. Maybe he finally understands that the fans aren't joking and that their anger wasn't just one night. They really do hate him.

The hero that the city of Cleveland loved is suddenly the villain that the city of Cleveland hates with all their heart.

More Surgery for Oden, Not as Much Chillin for Bosh

Two recent NBA headlines irked me this week and from different sides of the country. First, from Portland, news came across that center Greg Oden will miss another season, his second since he was drafted in 2007 after one season at Ohio State. His college career was so short that maybe some forgot how dominant and promising he looked. He came into Thad Matta's program along with high school teammate Mike Conley and wingman Daequan Cook. The three led the Buckeyes all the way to the championship game down in Atlanta before falling to Florida. In his lone season in Columbus Oden averaged 15.7 points and 9.6 rebounds and was named a First Team All-American at season's end.

The Trail Blazers owned the first pick in 2007 and worked out Oden and Kevin Durant and, after weeks of mulling it over, Portland selected Oden with their pick. Oden missed his first season because of knee surgery and through 2010 has only played 82 games for the Blazers. To put that in perspective, after this season the Blazers will have played 328 games since drafting Oden. What makes it even more painful is that Durant, who was selected second, is a legitimate star for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was the scoring champion last season and has played for USA Basketball. Oden meanwhile has gone through a couple knee surgeries and instead of being labeled as a future star he is now considered a guy that could just "contribute" and be a good "role player" for the Blazers.

It is sad to see because for some reason we all love Greg Oden. He's not a punk or an idiot and he hasn't been involved in any off-the-court issues. Yet now I'm beginning to worry we may never get to see his talents unfold before us in the NBA.

On the other coast, down in South Beach, the Heat have won a few games lately and on Wednesday night they demolished the Suns 123-96. Chris Bosh, quiet for much of this young season and basically a non factor for the Heat, put up 35 points in the win. After the game Bosh was asked about coach Erik Spoelstra and he said the Heat played better because they went back to work in practice. "We got back to getting after it again; I guess [Spoelstra] felt he was loosening up a little bit too much," Bosh said. "He knows he has to meet us halfway. He wants to work; we want to chill."

What did he just say????

The players want to chill. Chill as in not practice too hard and just have a few days off. Sorry Bosh, but that aint the way this whole thing works. I never heard Michael Jordan say he just wanted to chill. Kobe Bryant never seems to have a problem meeting his coach halfway. Don't forget Bosh plays alongside LeBron James who earlier this year criticized Spoelstra because he "played too many minutes." The Celtics put together three all-stars and won a championship right away and that's because those guys worked. The Heat will not win a championship if the stars don't figure out what it takes. Remember, only Dwyane Wade has won a championship and he was with Shaq that year. These guys still have alot to figure out before we anoint them the kings of the NBA.

Assembling the All-Time NBA Team

Just for fun let's discuss the All-Time NBA team. So much debate goes into who is the best player to ever play the game (it's Michael Jordan for anybody who needs to know) and as I tried to assemble this team no position came easy. Who is your center??? Bill Russell? Kareem? Wilt? You can hardly cut one of those guys, but that's what has to be done to do this. What I did was make a 12-man roster like an NBA team uses today. There are no active players on this roster. All players must be in the Hall of Fame to be eligible for the team. I note the starters and then the bench players and then picked my coaches. So here it goes...the NBA's All-Time Team:

Point Guard: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers (1979-1991, 1996)

Magic led the Showtime Lakers of the 80's and helped the franchise to six titles during that time. Magic was named to the All-Star team 11 times and was the league MVP three times along with three Finals MVP awards. At 6'8" Magic was taller than most guards, yet he handled the ball so well, dishing out 11 assists per game for his career.

Career Stats: Points- 19.2    Rebounds- 7.2     Assists- 11.2     Steals- 1.9

Shooting Guard: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls (1984-1998), Washington Wizards (2001-2003)

MJ's storied career with the Bulls is highlighted by the two 3-peats in the 90's along with Scottie Pippen and he is considered by many the greatest player of all time. Jordan collected five MVPs, six Finals MVP's, was a 14-time All-Star, and was named to the All-NBA First Team ten times. Jordan was an offensive force but also a defensive stopper. He averaged over two steals per game and was named to NBA All-Defensive Team ten times over his career.

Career Stats: Points- 30.1     Rebounds- 6.2     Assists- 5.3     Steals- 2.3

Small Forward: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics (1979-1992)

The Hick from French Lick went up against Magic's Lakers several times during the glory days of the 80's and Bird's Celtics won three championships in that time. Bird was the Finals MVP twice to go with his three league MVP awards. Bird's shooting was unmatched, especially from behind the arc. His defense also was recognized as he was named to the All-NBA Defensive Second Team three times. He was also a 12-time All-Star.

Career Stats: Points- 24.3     Rebounds- 10.0     Assists- 6.3     Steals- 1.7

Power Forward: Kevin McHale, Boston Celtics (1980-1993)

After much debate McHale gets the starting job for the power forward position. Statistically speaking he is not as good as others but what sets him apart is his rings and the fact that he played on one of the greatest teams ever. McHale was with Bird for the three championships and won two Sixth Man of the Year awards. He was also selected to the All-Defensive First team three times.

Career Stats: Points- 17.9     Rebounds- 7.3     Assists- 1.7     Blocks- 1.7

Center: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks (1969-1975), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-1989)

The center position was the hardest to pick but Kareem is the best. He dominated the floor on both ends and won championships while doing it. He won one championship with the Bucks and five with the Lakers. Kareem won six MVP awards and was the Finals MVP twice. He also was named to 18 All-Star games and won the Rookie of the Year award in 69-70.

Career Stats: Points- 24.1     Rebounds- 10.9     Assists- 3.5     Steals- 1.0     Blocks- 2.6

Off the Bench

Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics (1950-1963), Cincinnati Royals (1969-70)

Career Stats: Points- 19.0     Rebounds- 5.1     Assists- 7.9

Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals (1960-1970), Milwaukee Bucks (1970-1974)

Career Stats: Points- 25.7     Rebounds- 7.5     Assists- 9.5     Steals- 1.1

Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers (1976-1987)

Career Stats: Points- 23.1     Rebounds- 7.0     Assists- 4.0     Steals- 1.9     Blocks- 1.6

Karl Malone, Utah Jazz (1985-2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-2004)

Career Stats: Points- 25.0     Rebounds- 10.1     Assists- 3.6     Steals- 1.4

Wilt Chamberlain, PHI/SF Warriors (1959-1965), Philadelphia 76ers (64-68), LA Lakers (70-73)

Career Stats: Points- 30.1     Rebounds- 22.9     Assists- 4.4

Bill Russell, Boston Celtics (1956-1969)

Career Stats: Points- 15.1    Rebounds- 22.5     Assists- 4.3

Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers (1960-1974)

Career Stats: Points- 27.0     Rebounds- 5.8     Assists- 6.7     Steals- 2.6

Coach: Phil Jackson, Chicago Bulls (1989-1998), Los Angeles Lakers (1999-Present)

Alright so I made an exception on the whole "gotta be retired" thing with the coach but that's because Phil Jackson is that good. He has coached the Bulls in the Jordan-era, the Lakers in the Shaq and Kobe-era and is now working on another 3-peat with the Kobe-led Lakers. He has been able to mesh superstars with each other and has won three titles in a row three times.

Career Stats: 11 NBA Championships (6 with Bulls, 5 with Lakers)

Picking this team was, by no means, an easy task. When comparing statistics it's amazing how close some players are to one another. Truth is, you could take five guys off that bench and put them as the starters and you might have just as good or a better team. Also, picking only 12 guys is just not fair. Where is Elgin Baylor, Elvin Hayes, and Moses Malone? What about Isiah and Walt Frazier? Bob Pettit at power forward maybe? The list goes on and on but it's so hard to narrow it down to twelve players. These are the 12 I would take and the five I would put out on the floor to start the game. Let me hear who you would start though. Let the debate begin...

Not You Cam Newton

Everyone knows the story of Auburn quarterback Cam Newton by now. A Florida recruit who was kicked out for troubles with the law, Newton dominated at Blinn Junior College before coming to Auburn this season and making SEC defenses look silly. Newton has run all over the field and shown off his arm as well, leading the Tigers to an undefeated record and number 1 ranking. His name has come up in all the Heisman talk and as of now he is the frontrunner for college football's most prestigious award.

Yet, as soon as Newton's name came up in the Heisman talk, so did a whirlwind of talk that Newton's father, a minister in Georgia demanded money for his son's commitment. The Newtons deny any wrongdoing but the latest report is that Cecil Newton wanted six figures for his son's commitment to Mississippi State. Surely, there will be an investigation into the matter but it is truly a shame that this talk didn't come up until Cam Newton's finest hour.

I want to believe that Newton didn't do anything wrong. I want to believe that there is a player out there who has a clean record and actually is a good role model. Reggie Bush handed his trophy back in earlier this year, baseball players keep getting caught using steroids, college recruits accept money from agents then lie about it and Gilbert Arenas keeps guns in his locker. What's wrong with athletes? Is the fame just too much for them? It seems hard to find somebody with star status that hasn't done something stupid off the field and just when the nation gets fired up about Cam Newton these allegations come in. For once I would like to believe that the athlete is really a good guy with a clean record. Don't let us down Cam.