Okay, I'll be the first to admit that it was extremely hard to swallow when I heard that Auburn had snagged Cam Newton.  Actually, I was downright mad about it.  After all, just a short time ago the guy was in the Mississippi State locker room ringing a cowbell.

Having said that, give Auburn their due credit.  Obviously they did a masterful job of wooing Cam on his visit there in December.  There are a lot of rumors swirling around regarding exactly what it was that swayed Cam to pick the Tigers.  There are some that believe it was as simple as geography.  Auburn is much closer to Newton's Atlanta home.  There are others that say Mullen made it clear to Newton that he would have to compete for a starting job against Tyler Russell and Chris Relf. 

As I said before, these are just rumors.  However, if that was indeed the case and Cam Newton was told he would have to compete for the starting job, then I applaud Coach Mullen for that.  Newton is a five star recruit.  If he is as good as we are led to believe then he should have no problem beating out Russell and Relf. 

Of course this is all just theory, but Newton could have recognized Tyler Russell as a legitimate threat to beat him out of the starting job.  If that is true, then it is clearly something for State fans to get excited about.

Cameron Newton is a bruising runner, but he has a lot to prove as a passer in the SEC.  The hype generated right before the Bulldogs landed Russell was high, but the internet buzz created during the agonizing wait on Cam Newton's decision dwarfed it in comparison.  Tyler Russell has a lot to prove in the SEC too, but there is considerably less pressure on him than there is on Newton.

Bulldog fans, do not get discouraged by Newton's decision on New Year's Eve.  It is quite possible that Cam Newton will turn out to be a bitter disappointment for Auburn fans.  When Newton returns to Starkville on September 11, 2010, the Bulldogs will no doubt do their part to make that a reality.  Bring your cowbell.