Rogers: Newton wanted cash for son to sign at MSU

[November 12, 2010]  DENVER (AP) -- A former Mississippi State player who worked with agents says Cecil Newton told him it would take anywhere from $100,000 to $180,000 for his son, Cam, to sign a scholarship with Mississippi State.

Kenny Rogers told ESPN radio in Dallas on Thursday that when he and Cecil Newton met with two MSU coaches at a hotel in Starkville, Miss., last Nov. 27, one of the coaches said, "No, no I don't want to hear that," when Cecil Newton asked about the payment for Cam Newton to attend Mississippi State.

Cam Newton eventually signed with Auburn, where the school says the quarterback is eligible to play. Newton is a leading Heisman Trophy contender and has the unbeaten Tigers in the hunt for the national championship. He's expected to play Saturday against rival Georgia.

Rogers said last week on the same show when asked about the recruiting scandal that "a school has never paid me for a kid. An alumni has never paid me for a kid. Period. Point blank."

Cecil Newton has denied any wrongdoing. He has admitted that he knows Rogers, but has said if Rogers solicited money, he did it on his own.

Rogers said Thursday his reputation was being attacked and people were "acting like the Newtons didn't know anything about anything."

Rogers' lawyer, who was also on the radio show, said his client has been contacted by the NCAA, but not by the FBI.

Rogers said he didn't know anything about Cam Newton's recruitment at Auburn and didn't know if Cecil Newton, a preacher in Atlanta, planned to funnel any money into his church.

Documents obtained last week by The Associated Press through an open records request show the city of Newton, Ga., had been pressuring the minister to make some $50,000 in repairs to the structure since June 2008. An inspector found multiple problems, including a lack of smoke detectors, sprinklers and rear exits; moldy insulation; faulty wiring; rotting wooden doors and broken windows.

Cecil Newton would not say where his church got the money to perform the improvements required by the city.

In an e-mail to the AP, NCAA spokesman Stacy Osborn wrote that "solicitation of cash or benefits by a prospective student-athlete or another individual" could either be a secondary or major violation depending on the specific situation. She also wrote that "the school must make the determination whether a student-athlete is ineligible. Once they do so, they could request reinstatement from the NCAA on behalf of the student-athlete."

Rogers declined to name the two MSU assistants at the hotel.

Mississippi State released a statement on Wednesday saying that it has sent information to the Southeastern Conference regarding Cam Newton's recruitment. Former MSU quarterback John Bond, who initially reported that Rogers talked to him about a cash payment for Cam Newton, told ESPN he will be interviewed by the FBI on Tuesday.

Rogers again denied talking to Bond during Thursday's interview, but he identified Bill Bell, another former Mississippi State player, as a contact between he and Bond. However, Bond told ESPN that he has phone records that will prove he spoke directly to Rogers.

Rogers has a company called Elite Football Preparation, which holds camps in Alabama, Chicago and Mississippi, and matches football prospects with colleges.

Rogers has separately come under scrutiny from the NFL Players Association and the NCAA.

The NFLPA last week issued a disciplinary complaint against contract adviser Ian Greengross, and spokesman George Atallah told The Associated Press on Friday that the union would be looking into Rogers' involvement with players as well. THE NFLPA identified Rogers as a recruiter for Greengross.

Greengross was cited for "violating numerous provisions of the NFLPA's agent regulations while recruiting and representing players," and, according to the union, is responsible for the actions of his recruiters, employees and associates.

In a statement, Greengross' lawyer Dave Cronwell issued a statement last week saying that of the 17 allegations in the complaint, only two "relate to acts allegedly undertaken by" his client. Cornwell said the "balance of the allegations relate to conduct and/or representations allegedly by Mr. Rogers, which have been disputed by players to whom they were allegedly made."

[Associated Press; By DAVID BRANDT]

AP Sports Writer John Zenor in Montgomery, Ala., contributed to this story.

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