Gene Chizik had this to say:
- "Being a head coach, you obviously have to win football games. That's certainly ours at Auburn. The value of winning is important to us. However, there are other things that are important to us. And that's getting into young men's lives and helping them grow."
- "Cameron Newton has done everything we've asked him to do from the day he stepped on campus at Auburn."
- "The value of winning is important to us. However, there are other things that are important to us. And that's getting into young men's lives and helping them grow."
- "Is there a wizard behind the curtain? I don't know. I don't know and I don't care."
- "Because this is pure garbage, I'm going to move on and talk about Georgia." Not taking any further questions about Newton's situation.
- "This deserves zero of my time. I've already wasted four minutes talking about it."
- On the importance of this game: "Everybody knows as you keep winning the stakes get higher."
- Has faith that one of the punters will step forward.
- On A.J. Green: "You spend hours figuring out how to try to cope with him."
- On Auburn's secondary: "We've been beat up. We challenged those guys the week of the LSU game and I thought they responded well. Georgia will make plays. So it's going to be about how our secondary responds to the next play and don't let that play beat you twice."
- On Mike Dyer: "I think the plan has unfolded the way we've envisioned it. With running backs, a lot of it is them used to getting to protections."
Newton spent some time at the podium too:
- "We know that Georgia is a dangerous as a whole. And this defense has some talented players."
- "I can't even express how much it feels as a person, as an athlete, to be in a place where you feel not just the love as an athlete. ... It works wonders in my life that Auburn and my supporting cast is behind me."
- "Am I hurt? No. Am I curious. A little bit."
- "There's a lot of speculations, rumors going around. I'm not going to be up here and entertain it."
- On the cheating allegation: "I can't say it more clearer. ... I'm not going to say anything about it, whether I did or did not do it. I'm not going to beat a dead horse."
- Newton doesn't think Urban Meyer is the leak: "The coach I knew is a man of integrity. I would hope he wouldn't say nothing like that."
And that's a wrap. I'll have more in a bit, including video.
Gene Chizik had this to say:
14 comments:
Big mistake, Chiz... got to get ahead of this thing and stop letting rivals set the agenda. Need to talk about it with a thoughtful statement and put everything on the table that could get used against us later. Public loves a redemption story, and this redemption story just got more compelling. Don't be afraid to play that card.
(posted after 1st update)
Chizik handled this perfectly and professionally, he knows the truth will come out and I loved how he called out Urban! Get 'em Chiz!
I love The Chiz
Thanks for live bloggin it, AB.
I'd really like to see one of the punters step forward too. Sheesh! We used to be able to depend on having really awesome punting. Whoever talked to Cam and some of the other guys about their "job description" needs to have a talk with the punters.
And this "done everything we've asked" statement is getting old. It wouldn't hurt to be a little clearer on that front. Coined phrases only go so far and they are no longer useful in this situation. The key word is "heart-felt".
You always want to make sure your coach doesn't go up there and pull a Gundy at the podium, but I think his reaction in this situation was perfect. While everyone else is saying "No comment", we need him to be a fired up and vocal supporter of Cam. Major privacy laws have been violated just to get this latest story out in time to capitalize on the hype surrounding the Cam situation. I don't know what impact Chizik's reaction will have on the overall situation, but we sure didn't need a bunch of mundane coach speak.
Marmot, you need to listen or watch the press conference, it was definitely heartfelt.
Great coverage Andy. Once again you are proving why you are one of the most excellent beat writers in America.
Don't let some people get you down about posting all of these articles and info. You are just spreading the word of what is going around the sports circles of the nation. And I know that you are a good enough person to not post hear say as fact and to allow your readers to create their own assumptions.
You do a great of covering this team and keeping everyone on the up and up. Keep it up man.
You're right. I'm not listening to it and that probably would have helped me. I just think Auburn needs to make some savvy PR moves to diffuse the story. Not sure I'm 'reading' that here.
Moose - I thought I was the biggest suck up on ABs blog, but you obviously are better at it. AB regurgitating Thayer Evans crap on here was repulsive.
@TarHeelTiger he is just doing his job by letting Auburn people know what is being said about Auburn.
No where on here has Andy Bitter claimed to know the truth, support Thayer Evans, or support any other wild claim made about Cam. Yuo ever think that maybe this is the only site some AU fans come to? Andy does his best to include all news stories concerning AU. Whether it good news, or like now, questionable/unethical news.
Everybody just calm down.
Unfortunately, while we would like to see Chizik come out and speak with great detail in defense of Cam Newton, it would be the equivalent of overlooking this weekend's HUGE GAME. If it ends up affecting Cam's Heisman chances, that would be pretty sad, as it means the treasured Heisman trophy is all political and a new precedent of mudslinging will have been established. Cam has clearly indicated that he's more concerned with the team goals of an SEC and maybe national title. If the Heisman doesn't work out, maybe that brings him back for another year to set everything straight. Right now there's just not time.
AB
You are awesome.
The Chiz is doing his job. He does not need to answer the questions because he questions will be answered. He needs to play ball. If you take your eyes off the end zone and focus on every little thing in front of you, you will get creamed. Just WIN BABY!!! WIN!!!!
KC
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/14267701/consider-the-source-on-newton-story
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