Does UF Hate Cam Newton?

From Matt Murschel, College Insider, Orlando Sentinel:

Florida hates Cam Newton.

Reuters photo

At least that's how it appears when the school 'Kanye Wested' the Heisman Trophy ceremony Saturday night by announcing the hiring of Will Muschamp.

You can almost see Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley racing up to the podium at the Best Buy Theater in New York City and making the announcement in front of a surprised Newton.

You have to admit that the timing of the announcement was a bit . . . peculiar.

While the Internet should have been abuzz about the Auburn quarterback and his Heisman Trophy win, instead more characters were used to talk about Muschamp's hiring.

Who announces a head coaching hire on a Saturday night?

It doesn't take too big of a conspiracy theorist to figure out that something funny is going on.

All conspiracy's that have a life of their own.

Let's take a look at the facts:

When Auburn began showing its dominance, reports begin to appear that Newton's father, Cecil, and a former Mississippi State football player were involved in a pay-for-play scandal.

In the middle of the accusations, Foxsports.com reported that Cam Newton had faced possible expulsion from the University of Florida for academic cheating. He reportedly was caught cheating three times during his two years in Gainesville.

Academic records are protected by law and suppose to be private but somehow this information made it into the hands of the media two years later, while Auburn was enjoying one of its best season's ever.

Fast forward to Wednesday, when Urban Meyer announced his decision to retire for a second time from Florida. The announcement came in the early afternoon, on the same day that some of college football's best athletes, including Newton, were making their way to Central Florida to prepare to meet the media for the Home Depot College Football Awards banquet.

Newton skipped talking with the media but Urban's retirement dominated headlines for several days afterwards.

Obviously, school make coaching announcements all the time but most orchestrate it to get the maximum exposure for the program. Sometimes though, it never works out that way.

Read more here.