Last December, former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond reported to the school that his former teammate at MSU, Kenny Rogers, had contacted him and identified himself as a representative of quarterback prospect Cameron Newton.
Bond also alleged to Mississippi State officials that Rogers told him Newton would need to be paid $180,000 in order to sign to play football for the school. The NCAA has since reportedly began an investigation into Bond’s claims.
Both Bond and Rogers appeared on radio shows Friday to discuss the alleged impropriety involving the recruitment of Newton. During their separate, on-air appearances, the former Mississippi State football teammates had distinctly different accounts of the exchange Bond claims took place between the two in December.
Appearing on WCNN’s Buck & Kincade show in Atlanta, Bond was asked whether Rogers approached him about Mississippi State paying for Cam Newton’s services:
Actually, there two people in between it but, basically, yes, that’s what happened.
On his relationship with Rogers before he was contacted about Newton:
I hadn’t heard from him in 30 years. I hadn’t heard from him, I guess, in 28 years or whenever the last time we played.
Rogers meanwhile had a remarkably different account of what happened between the two.
When asked when the last time he talked to John Bond was, Rogers told KESN-FM radio in Dallas Friday:
I have not talked to John (Bond) or seen John in over probably 20 years or more. Probably 20 years or more I have not talked to John or seen John.
When asked why his name then came up, Rogers said:
I have no idea where my name came up in this. I was at the game, I had been talking to Mr. Newton, because he had been asking about Mississippi State. And I was telling him. He was asking about the culture of Mississippi State because that’s a small town. We would just talk back and forth about Mississippi State.
But I have no idea. I’m just assuming because I was there with him and I was talking with him. I had never met Dan Mullen before. So when I was there that night, actually Mr. Newton introduced me to Dan. So that was my first time meeting coach Mullen in person. So I have no idea how my name jumped out there.
When asked if he had any contact with Auburn, Rogers said:
No. No. No. None at all. None at all.
Rogers on his job description:
I help kids get in school. The only thing I was doing is just like every other kid. Cam Newton left Florida, I would try to get in touch with that kid. When I see a name go across the screen, I try to get in touch with that kid to see if he has any opportunities to see if I can help him. That’s pretty much it. That’s how I do things with the kids. The parents will call me and say, ‘Well, I’ve got a kid.’ OK. I get some film. I look at the film to see what I can do. I let them know what level I think they can play on and then we go from there.
More Rogers:
These last few days (exhales), that’s hard to explain. Especially in the state of Alabama, because that’s where I’m from. So that really hurt me. That hurt me bad right there.
Obviously, between Bond and Rogers, somebody is lying.
Before the Newton recruiting allegation against Rogers, NFL agent Ian Greengross confirmed that Rogers may have posed as an NFLPA employee to try to convince players to hire him.
Also Friday, the NFL Players Association’s committee on agent regulation and discipline issued a disciplinary complaint against Greengross for “violating numberous provisions of the NFLPA’s agent regulations while recruiting and representing players, and for the actions of his recruiter, Kenny Rogers.“
8:58 pm on November 5th, 2010
Rogers is not looking good. And that’s the opinion of an Auburn grad.
* If you are a former player at MSU, your first meeting with Dan Mullen should not come through Cecil Newton. If you are connected with the program legitimately, then you shake Mullen’s hand at a banquet. Not in the last game, and not through someone indirectly affiliated with the program. It solidifies your status as a hanger-on.
That said, if Rogers is this disconnected, who recommended calling John Bond?
9:23 pm on November 5th, 2010
According to John Bond he didn’t talk to Rogers. He said there were two people in between it. So he heard from somebody that heard from somebody that Cam was getting shopped.
9:26 pm on November 5th, 2010
Fellow Auburn grad right here, GC, and you’re right: Rogers seems completely untrustworthy.
I’m still not sure exactly what he claims he does for a living. If i were somebody who made a living by selling high school and junior college athletes to the highest bidder among various programs, that’s probably exactly what I’d claim to do for a living.
I really hope Auburn isn’t involved in this at all. The sooner it goes away, the better.
11:58 pm on November 5th, 2010
USC had to be in this somehow. We even cheat at ladies tennis as well as mend hoops and football. CHEATIN AT LADIES TENNIS? NCAA proved it.
3:14 am on November 6th, 2010
no way cecil newton did anything wrong,,,he is a man of god and a member of the church. I hear black people all the time telling me how they love god and go to church,,,so all the blacks on welfare and having how many kids out of wedlock would never do anything wrong.
3:39 am on November 6th, 2010
hey help me out,,that suit that Cam Newton is wearing in the picture above,,,is it “Fly” or “kicking”,,,,not sure on the difference
8:01 am on November 6th, 2010
GolferDrew–written like a true Bammer with inocorrect punctuation.
Any literate person with knowlege of the investigation process would clearly view this as nothing more than a media circus. Then again, GolferDrew, I did say “literate”. Your racial comments prove you probably won’t understand that and my statements either.
The real highlight should be the reasoning behind these individuals trying to sabatoge the career of a very successful you man. A young man who was VERY honest about his misdoings at Florida and his drive to move forward. Why is this just now appearing? Could the motive be the winning season…perhaps? I would like them the investigate the bank accounts of those that “sold” the story to the media.
This entire thing sounds like a jealous rage of those unfortunate coaches (ie. Mullen, Myer) who do not have Cam wearing thier colors this year. Let’s face it, if Cam and Cecil wanted money—Cam would be wearing Crimson right now!
The only wrongdoing out of this campaign, yes a campaign to distract from AU’s success, is the effect it could have on the Hiesman race. I only hope there are still some knowlegeable individuals voting out there who can see through the smoke and mirrors.
WAR EAGLE!!!
10:43 am on November 6th, 2010
Actually Golfer Drew, if you take your pointy hood off, you’ll see it’s definitely a very “sweet” suit.
It’s probably not available anywhere close to your trailer park though, maybe try Birmingham.
12:32 pm on November 6th, 2010
War-Cam-Eagle,
What are your excuses for not winning a championship in 2004? More media circuses going on? You ignorant booger eating Aub, I wouldn’t expect you to understand what is going on, because Auburn math never adds up. How can you not listen to these interviews and not think something is up? Its a shame that there isn’t a recording of Bobby Lowder telling Cecil “to keep it down home cuz.” Also, dumbass its spelled Heisman, for a school and fan base to boast about the number of Heisman winners I would expect you to atleast know how to spell it, but I guess this just falls back on some more of that fine Auburn education. Dumb fuck, I hope Auburn wins every game played with Cam Newton and I hope he wins the Heisman, then 4 years later Rogers or Bond come out and tell the truth about the situation, then Auburn gets the same sentence of USC. And don’t think that is impossible especially with Tony Barbee as head basketball coach and his connections to World Wide Wes. Enjoy
8:49 pm on November 6th, 2010
WAR-CAM-EAGLE what kind of word is inocorrect? I am not from Alabama or didn’t go to Auburn. I do realize Auburn is quite the university,,,after all James Brooks has a degree from Auburn and can’t read.