Two Quarterbacks, Two Directions, and the Unfairness of Life
To those who follow college football in general, surely the name Cam Newton rings a bell. He is considered the Heisman Trophy front-runner and the starting quarterback for an undefeated and #2-ranked Auburn Tigers team. Jerrod Johnson, you may not know. He is the backup quarterback at Texas A&M University. Johnson had been the starter for several years, but had struggled lately and has been relegated to backup status.
Cam Newton began his college football career at the University of Florida. In 2007, he actually beat out current UF starting QB John Brantley to be the primary backup to Tim Tebow. In 2008, he actually played in the season opener against Hawaii, but hurt his ankle and took a redshirt since he would have not played much anyhow. In November of 2008, he was arrested on felony charges of burglary, larceny and obstruction of justice after allegedly purchasing a stolen laptop from a student at the University of Florida. He was suspended from the team after his arrest. Oh, and yes it is true, when the cops came to investigate the laptop, he threw it out a window to hide it from the cops. When Tebow announced his return for his senior year, Newton and his father decided it would be in Cam’s best interest to transfer to another school. He entered a pre-trial diversion program and the charges were summarily dropped. Newton then transferred to Blinn College in Texas (a junior college). There he kept his nose clean and helped lead them to the 2009 NJCAA Championship. He entered the recruiting season of 2010 as the top-rated QB according to Rivals.com.
Jerrod Johnson took over the QB reigns at A&M in 2008 after an injury to senior Stephen McGee in the season's second game, and promptly completed 60% of his passes for over 2400 yards and 21 TDs versus only 10 picks. Not too bad for a sophomore in a new system. His junior year he threw for over 3200 yards and had a 28:6 ratio of TDs to INTs. Johnson came to Texas A&M from the great named town of Humble, TX. Johnson's parents, a high school teacher and a high school administrator had such a deep and profound faith, they took in nearly two dozen foster children during Jerrod's childhood. They took in infants, toddlers or teens; black, white, and Hispanic boys; some had severe developmental or health issues. It never mattered to them. They simply treated them all as family. And how did Jerrod turn out? He doesn't drink. Advil is the strongest drug he has tried. During the summer when no team activities are organized, he awoke every day at 5 a.m. to lead his teammates through rigorous workouts and drills. He met with his teammates and went over the playbook on their own.
This year the stories are different. Newton is now the subject of an intense investigation over whether or not his father solicited a payoff from Mississippi State for his son to sign with the Bulldogs, through a third party. Mississippi State informed the SEC and the NCAA of this back in late January. The FBI has even stepped in to the picture. Cecil Newton's church, which was on the verge of being demolished by the city for being in violation of countless building codes, now suddenly has the money in hand to renovate his church. Cam said his father told him where to sign (he signed at Auburn). As a sidelight to the whole story, word leaked out of the University of Florida that Cam Newton also faced academic sanctions or expulsion for putting his name on another student's work, and when confronted with it, bought another paper on the internet and tried to pass it off as his own. Yes, someone at UF deserves to be canned for leaking out a private matter. But Cam has never denied any of it. Not one word.
Johnson had shoulder surgery this past off-season and struggled in his senior year to be consistent. He still has thrown for over 1900 yards and a 14:9 TD to INT ratio. But in the Kansas game this season, Coach Mike Sherman turned to his backup and he has been on fire. The team has won 3 straight under him and Johnson has remained a class act, cheering on his teammates as they have climbed to a 7-3 record and second in the Big 12's tough South division. He has not been investigated by the NCAA, only by pro scouts who are still impressed with his 6-5, 245lb frame, strong arm and enough agility to have been offered a full Division I basketball scholarship and to play wide receiver at A&M as a freshman. He will leave school as the all-time yardage leader in Aggies history, regardless of whether or not he takes another snap. Finally, he has already graduated, earning his degree in Kinesiology this past spring.
Life certainly doesn't seem fair does it? Of course, I would argue it never is, never will be, and despite that simple fact, people everyday overcome the adversity in their path and still rise the occasion and succeed where others fail.
Now, I can honestly say, I don't know either of these two, or their families. I have no inside information on Newton's situation. Maybe he is completely innocent in the recruiting bribe issue, maybe his dad is as well. Newton may even win the Heisman Trophy for his play on the field this year.
But, I am quite confident as to which of these two players is the better person. I hope his team beats the Horns over the Thanksgiving weekend, with him at the helm.
Sources:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/john_lopez/09/30/jerrod-johnson/index.html
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5783051
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5765214
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/11/17/newton.payment.ap/index.html
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/college/cam-newton-lame-laptop-thief
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_uf/2008/11/backup-qb-camer.html
Note: I rushed this a bit, so I apologize if it seems a bit unpolished.
Cam Newton began his college football career at the University of Florida. In 2007, he actually beat out current UF starting QB John Brantley to be the primary backup to Tim Tebow. In 2008, he actually played in the season opener against Hawaii, but hurt his ankle and took a redshirt since he would have not played much anyhow. In November of 2008, he was arrested on felony charges of burglary, larceny and obstruction of justice after allegedly purchasing a stolen laptop from a student at the University of Florida. He was suspended from the team after his arrest. Oh, and yes it is true, when the cops came to investigate the laptop, he threw it out a window to hide it from the cops. When Tebow announced his return for his senior year, Newton and his father decided it would be in Cam’s best interest to transfer to another school. He entered a pre-trial diversion program and the charges were summarily dropped. Newton then transferred to Blinn College in Texas (a junior college). There he kept his nose clean and helped lead them to the 2009 NJCAA Championship. He entered the recruiting season of 2010 as the top-rated QB according to Rivals.com.
Jerrod Johnson took over the QB reigns at A&M in 2008 after an injury to senior Stephen McGee in the season's second game, and promptly completed 60% of his passes for over 2400 yards and 21 TDs versus only 10 picks. Not too bad for a sophomore in a new system. His junior year he threw for over 3200 yards and had a 28:6 ratio of TDs to INTs. Johnson came to Texas A&M from the great named town of Humble, TX. Johnson's parents, a high school teacher and a high school administrator had such a deep and profound faith, they took in nearly two dozen foster children during Jerrod's childhood. They took in infants, toddlers or teens; black, white, and Hispanic boys; some had severe developmental or health issues. It never mattered to them. They simply treated them all as family. And how did Jerrod turn out? He doesn't drink. Advil is the strongest drug he has tried. During the summer when no team activities are organized, he awoke every day at 5 a.m. to lead his teammates through rigorous workouts and drills. He met with his teammates and went over the playbook on their own.
This year the stories are different. Newton is now the subject of an intense investigation over whether or not his father solicited a payoff from Mississippi State for his son to sign with the Bulldogs, through a third party. Mississippi State informed the SEC and the NCAA of this back in late January. The FBI has even stepped in to the picture. Cecil Newton's church, which was on the verge of being demolished by the city for being in violation of countless building codes, now suddenly has the money in hand to renovate his church. Cam said his father told him where to sign (he signed at Auburn). As a sidelight to the whole story, word leaked out of the University of Florida that Cam Newton also faced academic sanctions or expulsion for putting his name on another student's work, and when confronted with it, bought another paper on the internet and tried to pass it off as his own. Yes, someone at UF deserves to be canned for leaking out a private matter. But Cam has never denied any of it. Not one word.
Johnson had shoulder surgery this past off-season and struggled in his senior year to be consistent. He still has thrown for over 1900 yards and a 14:9 TD to INT ratio. But in the Kansas game this season, Coach Mike Sherman turned to his backup and he has been on fire. The team has won 3 straight under him and Johnson has remained a class act, cheering on his teammates as they have climbed to a 7-3 record and second in the Big 12's tough South division. He has not been investigated by the NCAA, only by pro scouts who are still impressed with his 6-5, 245lb frame, strong arm and enough agility to have been offered a full Division I basketball scholarship and to play wide receiver at A&M as a freshman. He will leave school as the all-time yardage leader in Aggies history, regardless of whether or not he takes another snap. Finally, he has already graduated, earning his degree in Kinesiology this past spring.
Life certainly doesn't seem fair does it? Of course, I would argue it never is, never will be, and despite that simple fact, people everyday overcome the adversity in their path and still rise the occasion and succeed where others fail.
Now, I can honestly say, I don't know either of these two, or their families. I have no inside information on Newton's situation. Maybe he is completely innocent in the recruiting bribe issue, maybe his dad is as well. Newton may even win the Heisman Trophy for his play on the field this year.
But, I am quite confident as to which of these two players is the better person. I hope his team beats the Horns over the Thanksgiving weekend, with him at the helm.
Sources:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/john_lopez/09/30/jerrod-johnson/index.html
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5783051
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5765214
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/11/17/newton.payment.ap/index.html
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/college/cam-newton-lame-laptop-thief
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_uf/2008/11/backup-qb-camer.html
Note: I rushed this a bit, so I apologize if it seems a bit unpolished.
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