Much has been made lately of Cam Newton’s troubles, and the allegations that he and his father sought money to play for universities. This issue heated up to supernova proportions last week, and I was undecided about his guilt. I remain that way.
I am becoming convinced, however, that Auburn is coming apart at the seams. Saturday, against UGA, Auburn had two players ejected from the game for fighting, and Nick Fairley has come under considerable fire for making a number of very nasty, apparently purposeful cheap shots. In one incident, he blatantly speared Aaron Murray in the back with his helmet, well after Murray had thrown the ball. This drew a PF flag, but it probably should have drawn an ejection. In another incident, Fairley noticeably leans into a tackle so that his helmet takes Murray directly on the knee. This resulted in Murray leaving the game, injured. Toward the end of the game, Fairley’s diving tackle at the knees of the UGA rusher nearly resulted in a bench-clearing brawl. Fairley danced away down the field, celebrating.
So, thoughts? I still have Bama beating Auburn in the Iron Bowl, Cam or no, but if Fairley goes after McElroy’s knees, I honestly fear for his safety. After all this, I doubt there’s a force on earth that could stop Fairley from being torn limb from limb. People are angry around here.
I saw the Georgia game. No doubt the spear was a late hit. Arguably, the shot at the QB was dirty. Fairly may be a dirty player, but that doesn’t mean Auburn is a dirty team. One guy does not a team make, and we don’t know what, if any, sanctions the coaches imposed on him for those plays. In my day, while at a level considerably below the SEC, the standard penalty was one lap per penalty yard…
Geesh. Sorry the OP is a mess. I meant to ask at the end if all this is, along with the widely-held opinion that Auburn should have sat Cam on Saturday, evidence that the inmates are taking over the asylum at Auburn.
I really don’t see what difference sitting Cam on Saturday would have made. Either he’s an eligible player, or he isn’t. If he isn’t, Auburn will have to forfeit all the games he’s played this year anyway, so they really have nothing to lose by playing him. And, had he not played, I doubt Auburn wins that game, which would have ended their dream season.
I’m not so sure, Oak. This is a pretty well-established pattern for Fairley. People have been complaining about his tactics all season, including late hits, dirty shots, body slams, and, once again, in the UGA game, when Fairley blatantly used his facemask to dig under Murray’s helmet after he was on the ground, and draw blood (Danielson said “They must have gotten their facemasks stuck together.” :rolleyes: ).
With that kind of record, you’d think that his dirty play is being either tolerated or actively taught at practice. It argues for a lack of control.
Well, I know it’s Iron Bowl season, and that’s almost as important as Egg Bowl season, but I think you may be stretching a bit if you’re going for a lack of institutional control kinda argument here. Takes more than a possible recruiting violation…which may have had nothing to do with Auburn at all…and a Jack Tatum wannabe to get there.
Ah, no. “Lack of control” on the practice field does not equal “lack of institutional control”, and I never said it did. Please don’t put words in my mouth.
I think It does make a difference in the end. It a team plays a guy who broke the rules, but didn’t have any reason to be suspicious, you are going to get spanked. But If they continue to play a guy after there is reasonable suspicion of dirt, they are going to get hit harder. Most teams do bench a guy under suspicion just to “Avoid any appearance” of possible team negligence. On the other hand I can’t personally remember a case where a guy under the gun was such an directly important part of the ‘national championship/no national championship’ equation.
And championship seasons are so rare it would not surprise me if the guy at the top made the draconian decision that they don’t care, and they will go to the end to get it. Even if it is eventually voided, and you get 4 years of no bowl, then it is still worth it for a chance at the big one now.