Making Money Guide

Auburn (AP)– No one knows how many more twists the Cam Newton saga still holds. But everyone has a pretty good idea where he will be when it’s over, regardless of how it ends: cashing paychecks in the NFL.

It barely matters whether Auburn’s star quarterback did all the things that have recently been alleged, or none of them. Recruiting violations are the college sports equivalent of a victimless crime. Nobody really gets hurt.

Universities that get caught red-handed may have to hand back trophies, take down some banners and delete a few pages from the media guide. But if you hooked up the athletic directors at those schools to lie detectors — and for even more fun, the presidents who enable them — all of them would swear it was worth it. So would their fans.

Championships are a lot rarer than recruiting violations. Win the former and people will tolerate plenty of the latter. The Southeastern Conference is practically a testament to that.

This season hadn’t even begun when word spread of NCAA investigations into “extra benefits” handed out by unscrupulous agents to players at North Carolina and four SEC schools. Alabama coach Nick Saban cluelessly likened those agents to “pimps,” though the only distinction in some cases is whether the players get the benefits once they’re in school or before they arrive.

Coach Gene Chizik angrily pushed back at suggestions that Auburn gave Newton anything beyond a scholarship — “pure garbage,” he labeled them — and there’s no reason so far not to believe him. Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs called it “sad and unfortunate,” and there’s no arguing with that, no matter what happens from here on.

Newton is, by all accounts, a poised, gregarious kid who is making the most of his second chance. He got stalled in the quarterback queue behind Tim Tebow at Florida, then got caught in possession of a stolen laptop his freshman year. The following spring, according to another report, he was facing possible academic expulsion after getting caught cheating three times.

Newton said previously he left Florida and enrolled in Blinn Junior College, where he led the team to a national title in 2009, because Tebow was coming back for his senior year. Either way, he took responsibility for those problems, getting his grades up and taking part in a pretrial program that resulted in the theft charges being dropped.

Newton was right to insist those problems were in the past.

“I’m not going to entertain something that took place not three months, not six months, not a year but two years ago,” he said Tuesday, when asked about the cheating allegations. “I’m not going to sit up here and say anything about it, whether I did or did not do it, because I don’t want to beat a dead horse talking about it.”

Newton spoke calmly, even smiling occasionally as he handled the question. But later Tuesday night, ESPN.com reported that both Newton and his father, Cecil, told Mississippi State recruiters in separate phone calls about what sounded like a pay-for-play scheme. The details, including Newton telling one of them that his father selected Auburn for him because “the money was too much,” have been in the hands of SEC investigators for months.

The Newtons have denied any wrongdoing in the recruitment process. And a source told The Associated Press that an internal review by Auburn officials of phone and e-mail records showed no contact with Kenny Rogers, identified by ESPN.com as the former Mississippi State player who initiated the pay-for-play talks.

“This is a character assassination attempt,” Cecil Newton said earlier Tuesday on a radio show. “Who is going to profit and why are they are going to profit? We sure don’t.”

If that’s true, the Newtons might be the only party in this mess who won’t turn a profit — at least not until Cam Newton decides when to make himself eligible for the NFL draft.

In the meantime, he’s vaulted himself to the top of the Heisman Trophy race and almost single-handedly nudged the Tigers into the national championship picture. And if Newton handles the distractions as capably going forward — beginning Saturday against Georgia — as he has so far, well, few people will remember, let alone care, how Auburn got there.

That was the lesson of Reggie Bush’s stay at USC and what goes on to some degree or other at just about every school that’s running a football factory. Constructing a minor-league system for the NFL has turned out to be a profitable sideline, even if it sometimes means having to hold your nose.

RELATED:

John Lucas: Paying college athletes a good thing

Dr. Boyce: NCAA athletes suing for their money

Share this post on Facebook! CLICK HERE:

A chill’s setting in and everyone (in the U.S., at least) is putting away their Halloween pumpkins and skimming over their Turkey recipes. While the seasons are quickly changing, we’ve brought together another round of social media tools and resources from the past week or so.

Check out class='blippr-nobr'>Social Mediaclass="blippr-nobr">social media for tips on how to gain Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter influence, or a glimpse at the future of Foursquareclass="blippr-nobr">Foursquare. Tech & Mobile includes a thorough discussion of online privacy, A/B testing resources for developers, and website designs that blew us away. Business comes packed with tips for using Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook’s new groups, marketing to an international audience, and startup funding tips from eight investors.

Looking for even more social media resources? This guide appears every weekend, and you can check out all the lists-gone-by here any time.

Social Media

• Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week /> Wondering what was hot in the Twitterverse this past week? Check out our comprehensive chart of the top trends.
• 10 Fun Doodling Apps to Unleash Your Creativity/> The pen and paper may be on a fast track to obsolescence, but the doodle will live on forever. These 10 sites are some of our favorites.
• The Future of Social Media and Politics/> With the midterm elections in their final throes, we spoke to some key players for their views on what the rise of mainstream social media has in store for the next generation of political campaigns.
• HOW TO: Gain Twitter Influence/> Twitter Influencers Guy Kawasaki and Robert Scoble share their tips for earning Twitter cred.
• 4 People Who Let the Crowd Control Their Destiny/> We’ve taken a look at four instances of crowd sourcing one’s life — all of which launched around the same time, but include their own set of hardships and rewards.
• A Glimpse at the Future of Foursquare/> CEO and co-founder Dennis Crowley discussed the future of Foursquare Wednesday, touching on customized recommendations, the instant checkin, and brand discovery.
• HOW TO: Organize a Mashable Meetup/> Many of our readers have been taking the reins in getting to know each other by organizing Mashable Meetups. Here’s how to get started setting up your own.
• 5 Must-Follow Non-Profits Making a Difference With Social Media [Mashable Awards]/> From raising money to spreading awareness to connecting with people, social media is a boon for non-profit organizations. Here are five must-follow groups that stood out in 2010.
• Social Media Weddings: 4 Tips From the Pros/> Social media can help you research vendors, communicate with guests and share your big day with your friends and family. Here’s how.
• An Inside “Look” at Showtime’s New Voyeuristic Series/> Based on director Adam Rifkin’s 2007 film of the same name, “Look” was shot via security cameras and integrates social media.

For more social media news and resources, you can follow class='blippr-nobr'>Mashable’sclass="blippr-nobr">Mashable social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Tech & Mobile

• 10 Essential Websites for iPhone Photographers/> We’ve bookmarked 10 brilliant online resources that offer great galleries, talent showcases, app reviews, exhibition news and more, all for the iPhone photography enthusiast.
• 5 Website Designs That Blew Us Away [Mashable Awards]/> A beautiful website can blow you away: Here are a few of the websites we think showcased excellent design work this year, both in terms of form and function.
• 5 Stylish iPhone Alarm Clock Apps to Wake You Up On Time/> We’ve tried and tested five great alarm clock apps for the iPhone that can’t make getting out of bed any easier, but at least you can customize your morning.
• “Def Jam Rapstar” Raises the Roof Just Short of Greatness /> The game’s creators can go on and brush their shoulders off because the limited options won’t hold those living room MCs back from personal stardom.
• The Social Future of Xbox Live and “Halo” /> We spoke with “Halo” Franchise Development Director Frank O’Connor to learn more about Bungie and Microsoft’s strategy for promoting social gaming with “Halo: Reach.”
• 9 iPhone Apps for Managing the Recruiting Process/> Instead of creating new processes or downloading a bunch of new apps, here are some iPhone apps you might already have that can help you manage the recruiting process.
• 5 Media Format Flops Destined To Be Forgotten /> For every VHS, there’s a BetaMax. As consumer electronics companies do battle, the tech landscape is littered with losers. Check out the interesting stories behind 5 famous flops.
• Hands-on With Logitech’s Wireless Solar Keyboard /> The K750 won’t change your life. It won’t even even help you type faster. It will, however, allow you to buy a few less batteries.
• 10 Intermediate and Advanced Tips from PHP Masters/> We asked class='blippr-nobr'>PHPclass="blippr-nobr">PHP experts about their top suggestions for developers on their way to becoming true masters of the art and science of PHP.
• Online Behavior Tracking and Privacy: 7 Worst Case Scenarios/> If advertisers continue to self-regulate online tracking or if the government steps in, what’s the worst that could happen? We spoke to experts on both sides of the issue to find out what’s at stake.
• Two Ways Developers Will Interact With Google TV Viewers/> class='blippr-nobr'>Connectedclass="blippr-nobr">Connected devices like the Google TV promise to bring the web to your living room in one of two ways: optimized websites and native applications.
• 12 Tech Toys for a Geeked-Out Wedding/> A wedding is no time to hide your inner geek. These 12 gadgets will spice up any lo-fi nuptial celebration.
• 7 A/B Testing Resources for Startups and Solo Developers/> If you need a simple, inexpensive way to figure out what’s going to make your website’s users click on that big, red button, check out these tools.
• HOW TO: Start Your Own Internet Talk Show/> Do you fancy yourself a budding talk show personality? With a few inexpensive tools and a bit of planning, you can launch your own web show. Here’s how to do it.
• Why Location Apps of the Future Will Do Much More Than Checkins/> class='blippr-nobr'>Sparkleclass="blippr-nobr">Sparkle is a new location platform launching today from Location Labs.
• 5 MP3 Players for Pumping Up Your Workouts/> Whether you’re looking for a new MP3 player or an alternative to taking your expensive phone into the danger zone, we’ve got five options that are ideal for sporty types.
• The Evolution of Mobile /> We’ve certainly come a long way.

For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Business

• HOW TO: Score a Job Through Facebook/> While Facebook is known as a casual network of friends, with 500 million users, it has the potential to be one of the largest job hunting resources available – if used correctly.
• How Online Private Sales Work and How Businesses Can Get Involved/> A look at the ins and outs of online private sales and how businesses can benefit from getting involved.
• 4 Things Small Businesses Should Know About Facebook’s New Groups/> Can Facebook’s new Groups feature be used for business? Here’s a rundown of what you should include in your Facebook biz strategy.
• 5 Tips for Marketing Online to an International Audience/> Expanding your marketing efforts to an international audience widens your brand’s reach, but it entails understanding regional cultures, laws and online behaviors.
• Drupal Founder on Why Open Source is Good for Business /> Fresh off of an $8.5 million round of funding, Acquia and class='blippr-nobr'>Drupalclass="blippr-nobr">Drupal founder Dries Buytaert spoke with Mashable about the role of commercial interests in the success of open source software.
• What to Consider When Building an In-House Social Media Team/> We talked to professionals who have built a social media team – from big global businesses to small companies – in order to pin down some best practices.
• Essential Startup Funding Tips From 8 Seasoned Investors/> Mashable reached out to angels, seed stage investors and VC firm partners and asked them to share their best advice on how to get your big idea in front of the right people.
• 5 Tips for Improving Your Social Customer Service/> Companies that provide support through public channels keep customers happy and gain a reputation as consumer-focused businesses. Check out these tips for streamlining your social support model.
• 5 Proven Strategies for B2B Social Media Marketing/> B2B marketers can use social media to generate leads, create specialized communities, improve SEO, become knowledge sources, and strengthen marketing campaigns.
• HOW TO: Calculate the ROI of Your Social Media Campaign/> If you’re not measuring your social media campaigns on an ROI basis, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Here are some tips to get you on a results-driven path.
• 10 Reasons Every TV Exec Needs to Start Tweeting/> Twitter offers a lot for TV execs looking for a real-time understanding of what fans want. Here’s why everyone in the TV biz should start tweeting.

For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

[Image courtesy of Webtreats]

For more Social Media coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Social Mediaclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Social Media channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

eric seiger

Obama 2012 - Doug Schoen - Fox <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Fox News' Democratic analysts have thrown President Obama under the bus: Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell suggested this weekend that the Democratic Party must cut off its head to stand a chance in 2012. Schoen was back on America Live ...

Google <b>News</b> Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

New Yorker&#39;s Music Critic Moves to <b>News</b> Corp.&#39;s Daily - NYTimes.com

Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.

eric seiger

Auburn (AP)– No one knows how many more twists the Cam Newton saga still holds. But everyone has a pretty good idea where he will be when it’s over, regardless of how it ends: cashing paychecks in the NFL.

It barely matters whether Auburn’s star quarterback did all the things that have recently been alleged, or none of them. Recruiting violations are the college sports equivalent of a victimless crime. Nobody really gets hurt.

Universities that get caught red-handed may have to hand back trophies, take down some banners and delete a few pages from the media guide. But if you hooked up the athletic directors at those schools to lie detectors — and for even more fun, the presidents who enable them — all of them would swear it was worth it. So would their fans.

Championships are a lot rarer than recruiting violations. Win the former and people will tolerate plenty of the latter. The Southeastern Conference is practically a testament to that.

This season hadn’t even begun when word spread of NCAA investigations into “extra benefits” handed out by unscrupulous agents to players at North Carolina and four SEC schools. Alabama coach Nick Saban cluelessly likened those agents to “pimps,” though the only distinction in some cases is whether the players get the benefits once they’re in school or before they arrive.

Coach Gene Chizik angrily pushed back at suggestions that Auburn gave Newton anything beyond a scholarship — “pure garbage,” he labeled them — and there’s no reason so far not to believe him. Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs called it “sad and unfortunate,” and there’s no arguing with that, no matter what happens from here on.

Newton is, by all accounts, a poised, gregarious kid who is making the most of his second chance. He got stalled in the quarterback queue behind Tim Tebow at Florida, then got caught in possession of a stolen laptop his freshman year. The following spring, according to another report, he was facing possible academic expulsion after getting caught cheating three times.

Newton said previously he left Florida and enrolled in Blinn Junior College, where he led the team to a national title in 2009, because Tebow was coming back for his senior year. Either way, he took responsibility for those problems, getting his grades up and taking part in a pretrial program that resulted in the theft charges being dropped.

Newton was right to insist those problems were in the past.

“I’m not going to entertain something that took place not three months, not six months, not a year but two years ago,” he said Tuesday, when asked about the cheating allegations. “I’m not going to sit up here and say anything about it, whether I did or did not do it, because I don’t want to beat a dead horse talking about it.”

Newton spoke calmly, even smiling occasionally as he handled the question. But later Tuesday night, ESPN.com reported that both Newton and his father, Cecil, told Mississippi State recruiters in separate phone calls about what sounded like a pay-for-play scheme. The details, including Newton telling one of them that his father selected Auburn for him because “the money was too much,” have been in the hands of SEC investigators for months.

The Newtons have denied any wrongdoing in the recruitment process. And a source told The Associated Press that an internal review by Auburn officials of phone and e-mail records showed no contact with Kenny Rogers, identified by ESPN.com as the former Mississippi State player who initiated the pay-for-play talks.

“This is a character assassination attempt,” Cecil Newton said earlier Tuesday on a radio show. “Who is going to profit and why are they are going to profit? We sure don’t.”

If that’s true, the Newtons might be the only party in this mess who won’t turn a profit — at least not until Cam Newton decides when to make himself eligible for the NFL draft.

In the meantime, he’s vaulted himself to the top of the Heisman Trophy race and almost single-handedly nudged the Tigers into the national championship picture. And if Newton handles the distractions as capably going forward — beginning Saturday against Georgia — as he has so far, well, few people will remember, let alone care, how Auburn got there.

That was the lesson of Reggie Bush’s stay at USC and what goes on to some degree or other at just about every school that’s running a football factory. Constructing a minor-league system for the NFL has turned out to be a profitable sideline, even if it sometimes means having to hold your nose.

RELATED:

John Lucas: Paying college athletes a good thing

Dr. Boyce: NCAA athletes suing for their money

Share this post on Facebook! CLICK HERE:

A chill’s setting in and everyone (in the U.S., at least) is putting away their Halloween pumpkins and skimming over their Turkey recipes. While the seasons are quickly changing, we’ve brought together another round of social media tools and resources from the past week or so.

Check out class='blippr-nobr'>Social Mediaclass="blippr-nobr">social media for tips on how to gain Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter influence, or a glimpse at the future of Foursquareclass="blippr-nobr">Foursquare. Tech & Mobile includes a thorough discussion of online privacy, A/B testing resources for developers, and website designs that blew us away. Business comes packed with tips for using Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook’s new groups, marketing to an international audience, and startup funding tips from eight investors.

Looking for even more social media resources? This guide appears every weekend, and you can check out all the lists-gone-by here any time.

Social Media

• Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week /> Wondering what was hot in the Twitterverse this past week? Check out our comprehensive chart of the top trends.
• 10 Fun Doodling Apps to Unleash Your Creativity/> The pen and paper may be on a fast track to obsolescence, but the doodle will live on forever. These 10 sites are some of our favorites.
• The Future of Social Media and Politics/> With the midterm elections in their final throes, we spoke to some key players for their views on what the rise of mainstream social media has in store for the next generation of political campaigns.
• HOW TO: Gain Twitter Influence/> Twitter Influencers Guy Kawasaki and Robert Scoble share their tips for earning Twitter cred.
• 4 People Who Let the Crowd Control Their Destiny/> We’ve taken a look at four instances of crowd sourcing one’s life — all of which launched around the same time, but include their own set of hardships and rewards.
• A Glimpse at the Future of Foursquare/> CEO and co-founder Dennis Crowley discussed the future of Foursquare Wednesday, touching on customized recommendations, the instant checkin, and brand discovery.
• HOW TO: Organize a Mashable Meetup/> Many of our readers have been taking the reins in getting to know each other by organizing Mashable Meetups. Here’s how to get started setting up your own.
• 5 Must-Follow Non-Profits Making a Difference With Social Media [Mashable Awards]/> From raising money to spreading awareness to connecting with people, social media is a boon for non-profit organizations. Here are five must-follow groups that stood out in 2010.
• Social Media Weddings: 4 Tips From the Pros/> Social media can help you research vendors, communicate with guests and share your big day with your friends and family. Here’s how.
• An Inside “Look” at Showtime’s New Voyeuristic Series/> Based on director Adam Rifkin’s 2007 film of the same name, “Look” was shot via security cameras and integrates social media.

For more social media news and resources, you can follow class='blippr-nobr'>Mashable’sclass="blippr-nobr">Mashable social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Tech & Mobile

• 10 Essential Websites for iPhone Photographers/> We’ve bookmarked 10 brilliant online resources that offer great galleries, talent showcases, app reviews, exhibition news and more, all for the iPhone photography enthusiast.
• 5 Website Designs That Blew Us Away [Mashable Awards]/> A beautiful website can blow you away: Here are a few of the websites we think showcased excellent design work this year, both in terms of form and function.
• 5 Stylish iPhone Alarm Clock Apps to Wake You Up On Time/> We’ve tried and tested five great alarm clock apps for the iPhone that can’t make getting out of bed any easier, but at least you can customize your morning.
• “Def Jam Rapstar” Raises the Roof Just Short of Greatness /> The game’s creators can go on and brush their shoulders off because the limited options won’t hold those living room MCs back from personal stardom.
• The Social Future of Xbox Live and “Halo” /> We spoke with “Halo” Franchise Development Director Frank O’Connor to learn more about Bungie and Microsoft’s strategy for promoting social gaming with “Halo: Reach.”
• 9 iPhone Apps for Managing the Recruiting Process/> Instead of creating new processes or downloading a bunch of new apps, here are some iPhone apps you might already have that can help you manage the recruiting process.
• 5 Media Format Flops Destined To Be Forgotten /> For every VHS, there’s a BetaMax. As consumer electronics companies do battle, the tech landscape is littered with losers. Check out the interesting stories behind 5 famous flops.
• Hands-on With Logitech’s Wireless Solar Keyboard /> The K750 won’t change your life. It won’t even even help you type faster. It will, however, allow you to buy a few less batteries.
• 10 Intermediate and Advanced Tips from PHP Masters/> We asked class='blippr-nobr'>PHPclass="blippr-nobr">PHP experts about their top suggestions for developers on their way to becoming true masters of the art and science of PHP.
• Online Behavior Tracking and Privacy: 7 Worst Case Scenarios/> If advertisers continue to self-regulate online tracking or if the government steps in, what’s the worst that could happen? We spoke to experts on both sides of the issue to find out what’s at stake.
• Two Ways Developers Will Interact With Google TV Viewers/> class='blippr-nobr'>Connectedclass="blippr-nobr">Connected devices like the Google TV promise to bring the web to your living room in one of two ways: optimized websites and native applications.
• 12 Tech Toys for a Geeked-Out Wedding/> A wedding is no time to hide your inner geek. These 12 gadgets will spice up any lo-fi nuptial celebration.
• 7 A/B Testing Resources for Startups and Solo Developers/> If you need a simple, inexpensive way to figure out what’s going to make your website’s users click on that big, red button, check out these tools.
• HOW TO: Start Your Own Internet Talk Show/> Do you fancy yourself a budding talk show personality? With a few inexpensive tools and a bit of planning, you can launch your own web show. Here’s how to do it.
• Why Location Apps of the Future Will Do Much More Than Checkins/> class='blippr-nobr'>Sparkleclass="blippr-nobr">Sparkle is a new location platform launching today from Location Labs.
• 5 MP3 Players for Pumping Up Your Workouts/> Whether you’re looking for a new MP3 player or an alternative to taking your expensive phone into the danger zone, we’ve got five options that are ideal for sporty types.
• The Evolution of Mobile /> We’ve certainly come a long way.

For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Business

• HOW TO: Score a Job Through Facebook/> While Facebook is known as a casual network of friends, with 500 million users, it has the potential to be one of the largest job hunting resources available – if used correctly.
• How Online Private Sales Work and How Businesses Can Get Involved/> A look at the ins and outs of online private sales and how businesses can benefit from getting involved.
• 4 Things Small Businesses Should Know About Facebook’s New Groups/> Can Facebook’s new Groups feature be used for business? Here’s a rundown of what you should include in your Facebook biz strategy.
• 5 Tips for Marketing Online to an International Audience/> Expanding your marketing efforts to an international audience widens your brand’s reach, but it entails understanding regional cultures, laws and online behaviors.
• Drupal Founder on Why Open Source is Good for Business /> Fresh off of an $8.5 million round of funding, Acquia and class='blippr-nobr'>Drupalclass="blippr-nobr">Drupal founder Dries Buytaert spoke with Mashable about the role of commercial interests in the success of open source software.
• What to Consider When Building an In-House Social Media Team/> We talked to professionals who have built a social media team – from big global businesses to small companies – in order to pin down some best practices.
• Essential Startup Funding Tips From 8 Seasoned Investors/> Mashable reached out to angels, seed stage investors and VC firm partners and asked them to share their best advice on how to get your big idea in front of the right people.
• 5 Tips for Improving Your Social Customer Service/> Companies that provide support through public channels keep customers happy and gain a reputation as consumer-focused businesses. Check out these tips for streamlining your social support model.
• 5 Proven Strategies for B2B Social Media Marketing/> B2B marketers can use social media to generate leads, create specialized communities, improve SEO, become knowledge sources, and strengthen marketing campaigns.
• HOW TO: Calculate the ROI of Your Social Media Campaign/> If you’re not measuring your social media campaigns on an ROI basis, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Here are some tips to get you on a results-driven path.
• 10 Reasons Every TV Exec Needs to Start Tweeting/> Twitter offers a lot for TV execs looking for a real-time understanding of what fans want. Here’s why everyone in the TV biz should start tweeting.

For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

[Image courtesy of Webtreats]

For more Social Media coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Social Mediaclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Social Media channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

eric seiger

Obama 2012 - Doug Schoen - Fox <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Fox News' Democratic analysts have thrown President Obama under the bus: Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell suggested this weekend that the Democratic Party must cut off its head to stand a chance in 2012. Schoen was back on America Live ...

Google <b>News</b> Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

New Yorker&#39;s Music Critic Moves to <b>News</b> Corp.&#39;s Daily - NYTimes.com

Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.

eric seiger

eric seiger

eric seiger

Obama 2012 - Doug Schoen - Fox <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Fox News' Democratic analysts have thrown President Obama under the bus: Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell suggested this weekend that the Democratic Party must cut off its head to stand a chance in 2012. Schoen was back on America Live ...

Google <b>News</b> Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

New Yorker&#39;s Music Critic Moves to <b>News</b> Corp.&#39;s Daily - NYTimes.com

Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.

eric seiger

Auburn (AP)– No one knows how many more twists the Cam Newton saga still holds. But everyone has a pretty good idea where he will be when it’s over, regardless of how it ends: cashing paychecks in the NFL.

It barely matters whether Auburn’s star quarterback did all the things that have recently been alleged, or none of them. Recruiting violations are the college sports equivalent of a victimless crime. Nobody really gets hurt.

Universities that get caught red-handed may have to hand back trophies, take down some banners and delete a few pages from the media guide. But if you hooked up the athletic directors at those schools to lie detectors — and for even more fun, the presidents who enable them — all of them would swear it was worth it. So would their fans.

Championships are a lot rarer than recruiting violations. Win the former and people will tolerate plenty of the latter. The Southeastern Conference is practically a testament to that.

This season hadn’t even begun when word spread of NCAA investigations into “extra benefits” handed out by unscrupulous agents to players at North Carolina and four SEC schools. Alabama coach Nick Saban cluelessly likened those agents to “pimps,” though the only distinction in some cases is whether the players get the benefits once they’re in school or before they arrive.

Coach Gene Chizik angrily pushed back at suggestions that Auburn gave Newton anything beyond a scholarship — “pure garbage,” he labeled them — and there’s no reason so far not to believe him. Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs called it “sad and unfortunate,” and there’s no arguing with that, no matter what happens from here on.

Newton is, by all accounts, a poised, gregarious kid who is making the most of his second chance. He got stalled in the quarterback queue behind Tim Tebow at Florida, then got caught in possession of a stolen laptop his freshman year. The following spring, according to another report, he was facing possible academic expulsion after getting caught cheating three times.

Newton said previously he left Florida and enrolled in Blinn Junior College, where he led the team to a national title in 2009, because Tebow was coming back for his senior year. Either way, he took responsibility for those problems, getting his grades up and taking part in a pretrial program that resulted in the theft charges being dropped.

Newton was right to insist those problems were in the past.

“I’m not going to entertain something that took place not three months, not six months, not a year but two years ago,” he said Tuesday, when asked about the cheating allegations. “I’m not going to sit up here and say anything about it, whether I did or did not do it, because I don’t want to beat a dead horse talking about it.”

Newton spoke calmly, even smiling occasionally as he handled the question. But later Tuesday night, ESPN.com reported that both Newton and his father, Cecil, told Mississippi State recruiters in separate phone calls about what sounded like a pay-for-play scheme. The details, including Newton telling one of them that his father selected Auburn for him because “the money was too much,” have been in the hands of SEC investigators for months.

The Newtons have denied any wrongdoing in the recruitment process. And a source told The Associated Press that an internal review by Auburn officials of phone and e-mail records showed no contact with Kenny Rogers, identified by ESPN.com as the former Mississippi State player who initiated the pay-for-play talks.

“This is a character assassination attempt,” Cecil Newton said earlier Tuesday on a radio show. “Who is going to profit and why are they are going to profit? We sure don’t.”

If that’s true, the Newtons might be the only party in this mess who won’t turn a profit — at least not until Cam Newton decides when to make himself eligible for the NFL draft.

In the meantime, he’s vaulted himself to the top of the Heisman Trophy race and almost single-handedly nudged the Tigers into the national championship picture. And if Newton handles the distractions as capably going forward — beginning Saturday against Georgia — as he has so far, well, few people will remember, let alone care, how Auburn got there.

That was the lesson of Reggie Bush’s stay at USC and what goes on to some degree or other at just about every school that’s running a football factory. Constructing a minor-league system for the NFL has turned out to be a profitable sideline, even if it sometimes means having to hold your nose.

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A chill’s setting in and everyone (in the U.S., at least) is putting away their Halloween pumpkins and skimming over their Turkey recipes. While the seasons are quickly changing, we’ve brought together another round of social media tools and resources from the past week or so.

Check out class='blippr-nobr'>Social Mediaclass="blippr-nobr">social media for tips on how to gain Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter influence, or a glimpse at the future of Foursquareclass="blippr-nobr">Foursquare. Tech & Mobile includes a thorough discussion of online privacy, A/B testing resources for developers, and website designs that blew us away. Business comes packed with tips for using Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook’s new groups, marketing to an international audience, and startup funding tips from eight investors.

Looking for even more social media resources? This guide appears every weekend, and you can check out all the lists-gone-by here any time.

Social Media

• Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week /> Wondering what was hot in the Twitterverse this past week? Check out our comprehensive chart of the top trends.
• 10 Fun Doodling Apps to Unleash Your Creativity/> The pen and paper may be on a fast track to obsolescence, but the doodle will live on forever. These 10 sites are some of our favorites.
• The Future of Social Media and Politics/> With the midterm elections in their final throes, we spoke to some key players for their views on what the rise of mainstream social media has in store for the next generation of political campaigns.
• HOW TO: Gain Twitter Influence/> Twitter Influencers Guy Kawasaki and Robert Scoble share their tips for earning Twitter cred.
• 4 People Who Let the Crowd Control Their Destiny/> We’ve taken a look at four instances of crowd sourcing one’s life — all of which launched around the same time, but include their own set of hardships and rewards.
• A Glimpse at the Future of Foursquare/> CEO and co-founder Dennis Crowley discussed the future of Foursquare Wednesday, touching on customized recommendations, the instant checkin, and brand discovery.
• HOW TO: Organize a Mashable Meetup/> Many of our readers have been taking the reins in getting to know each other by organizing Mashable Meetups. Here’s how to get started setting up your own.
• 5 Must-Follow Non-Profits Making a Difference With Social Media [Mashable Awards]/> From raising money to spreading awareness to connecting with people, social media is a boon for non-profit organizations. Here are five must-follow groups that stood out in 2010.
• Social Media Weddings: 4 Tips From the Pros/> Social media can help you research vendors, communicate with guests and share your big day with your friends and family. Here’s how.
• An Inside “Look” at Showtime’s New Voyeuristic Series/> Based on director Adam Rifkin’s 2007 film of the same name, “Look” was shot via security cameras and integrates social media.

For more social media news and resources, you can follow class='blippr-nobr'>Mashable’sclass="blippr-nobr">Mashable social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Tech & Mobile

• 10 Essential Websites for iPhone Photographers/> We’ve bookmarked 10 brilliant online resources that offer great galleries, talent showcases, app reviews, exhibition news and more, all for the iPhone photography enthusiast.
• 5 Website Designs That Blew Us Away [Mashable Awards]/> A beautiful website can blow you away: Here are a few of the websites we think showcased excellent design work this year, both in terms of form and function.
• 5 Stylish iPhone Alarm Clock Apps to Wake You Up On Time/> We’ve tried and tested five great alarm clock apps for the iPhone that can’t make getting out of bed any easier, but at least you can customize your morning.
• “Def Jam Rapstar” Raises the Roof Just Short of Greatness /> The game’s creators can go on and brush their shoulders off because the limited options won’t hold those living room MCs back from personal stardom.
• The Social Future of Xbox Live and “Halo” /> We spoke with “Halo” Franchise Development Director Frank O’Connor to learn more about Bungie and Microsoft’s strategy for promoting social gaming with “Halo: Reach.”
• 9 iPhone Apps for Managing the Recruiting Process/> Instead of creating new processes or downloading a bunch of new apps, here are some iPhone apps you might already have that can help you manage the recruiting process.
• 5 Media Format Flops Destined To Be Forgotten /> For every VHS, there’s a BetaMax. As consumer electronics companies do battle, the tech landscape is littered with losers. Check out the interesting stories behind 5 famous flops.
• Hands-on With Logitech’s Wireless Solar Keyboard /> The K750 won’t change your life. It won’t even even help you type faster. It will, however, allow you to buy a few less batteries.
• 10 Intermediate and Advanced Tips from PHP Masters/> We asked class='blippr-nobr'>PHPclass="blippr-nobr">PHP experts about their top suggestions for developers on their way to becoming true masters of the art and science of PHP.
• Online Behavior Tracking and Privacy: 7 Worst Case Scenarios/> If advertisers continue to self-regulate online tracking or if the government steps in, what’s the worst that could happen? We spoke to experts on both sides of the issue to find out what’s at stake.
• Two Ways Developers Will Interact With Google TV Viewers/> class='blippr-nobr'>Connectedclass="blippr-nobr">Connected devices like the Google TV promise to bring the web to your living room in one of two ways: optimized websites and native applications.
• 12 Tech Toys for a Geeked-Out Wedding/> A wedding is no time to hide your inner geek. These 12 gadgets will spice up any lo-fi nuptial celebration.
• 7 A/B Testing Resources for Startups and Solo Developers/> If you need a simple, inexpensive way to figure out what’s going to make your website’s users click on that big, red button, check out these tools.
• HOW TO: Start Your Own Internet Talk Show/> Do you fancy yourself a budding talk show personality? With a few inexpensive tools and a bit of planning, you can launch your own web show. Here’s how to do it.
• Why Location Apps of the Future Will Do Much More Than Checkins/> class='blippr-nobr'>Sparkleclass="blippr-nobr">Sparkle is a new location platform launching today from Location Labs.
• 5 MP3 Players for Pumping Up Your Workouts/> Whether you’re looking for a new MP3 player or an alternative to taking your expensive phone into the danger zone, we’ve got five options that are ideal for sporty types.
• The Evolution of Mobile /> We’ve certainly come a long way.

For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Business

• HOW TO: Score a Job Through Facebook/> While Facebook is known as a casual network of friends, with 500 million users, it has the potential to be one of the largest job hunting resources available – if used correctly.
• How Online Private Sales Work and How Businesses Can Get Involved/> A look at the ins and outs of online private sales and how businesses can benefit from getting involved.
• 4 Things Small Businesses Should Know About Facebook’s New Groups/> Can Facebook’s new Groups feature be used for business? Here’s a rundown of what you should include in your Facebook biz strategy.
• 5 Tips for Marketing Online to an International Audience/> Expanding your marketing efforts to an international audience widens your brand’s reach, but it entails understanding regional cultures, laws and online behaviors.
• Drupal Founder on Why Open Source is Good for Business /> Fresh off of an $8.5 million round of funding, Acquia and class='blippr-nobr'>Drupalclass="blippr-nobr">Drupal founder Dries Buytaert spoke with Mashable about the role of commercial interests in the success of open source software.
• What to Consider When Building an In-House Social Media Team/> We talked to professionals who have built a social media team – from big global businesses to small companies – in order to pin down some best practices.
• Essential Startup Funding Tips From 8 Seasoned Investors/> Mashable reached out to angels, seed stage investors and VC firm partners and asked them to share their best advice on how to get your big idea in front of the right people.
• 5 Tips for Improving Your Social Customer Service/> Companies that provide support through public channels keep customers happy and gain a reputation as consumer-focused businesses. Check out these tips for streamlining your social support model.
• 5 Proven Strategies for B2B Social Media Marketing/> B2B marketers can use social media to generate leads, create specialized communities, improve SEO, become knowledge sources, and strengthen marketing campaigns.
• HOW TO: Calculate the ROI of Your Social Media Campaign/> If you’re not measuring your social media campaigns on an ROI basis, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Here are some tips to get you on a results-driven path.
• 10 Reasons Every TV Exec Needs to Start Tweeting/> Twitter offers a lot for TV execs looking for a real-time understanding of what fans want. Here’s why everyone in the TV biz should start tweeting.

For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

[Image courtesy of Webtreats]

For more Social Media coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Social Mediaclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Social Media channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

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eric seiger

Obama 2012 - Doug Schoen - Fox <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Fox News' Democratic analysts have thrown President Obama under the bus: Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell suggested this weekend that the Democratic Party must cut off its head to stand a chance in 2012. Schoen was back on America Live ...

Google <b>News</b> Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

New Yorker&#39;s Music Critic Moves to <b>News</b> Corp.&#39;s Daily - NYTimes.com

Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.

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eric seiger

Obama 2012 - Doug Schoen - Fox <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Fox News' Democratic analysts have thrown President Obama under the bus: Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell suggested this weekend that the Democratic Party must cut off its head to stand a chance in 2012. Schoen was back on America Live ...

Google <b>News</b> Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

New Yorker&#39;s Music Critic Moves to <b>News</b> Corp.&#39;s Daily - NYTimes.com

Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.

eric seiger

Obama 2012 - Doug Schoen - Fox <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Fox News' Democratic analysts have thrown President Obama under the bus: Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell suggested this weekend that the Democratic Party must cut off its head to stand a chance in 2012. Schoen was back on America Live ...

Google <b>News</b> Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

New Yorker&#39;s Music Critic Moves to <b>News</b> Corp.&#39;s Daily - NYTimes.com

Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.

eric seiger

Obama 2012 - Doug Schoen - Fox <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Fox News' Democratic analysts have thrown President Obama under the bus: Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell suggested this weekend that the Democratic Party must cut off its head to stand a chance in 2012. Schoen was back on America Live ...

Google <b>News</b> Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

New Yorker&#39;s Music Critic Moves to <b>News</b> Corp.&#39;s Daily - NYTimes.com

Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.

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eric seiger

eric seiger
eric seiger

Obama 2012 - Doug Schoen - Fox <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Fox News' Democratic analysts have thrown President Obama under the bus: Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell suggested this weekend that the Democratic Party must cut off its head to stand a chance in 2012. Schoen was back on America Live ...

Google <b>News</b> Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

New Yorker&#39;s Music Critic Moves to <b>News</b> Corp.&#39;s Daily - NYTimes.com

Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.

eric seiger

Obama 2012 - Doug Schoen - Fox <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Fox News' Democratic analysts have thrown President Obama under the bus: Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell suggested this weekend that the Democratic Party must cut off its head to stand a chance in 2012. Schoen was back on America Live ...

Google <b>News</b> Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

New Yorker&#39;s Music Critic Moves to <b>News</b> Corp.&#39;s Daily - NYTimes.com

Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.

eric seiger

Obama 2012 - Doug Schoen - Fox <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Fox News' Democratic analysts have thrown President Obama under the bus: Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell suggested this weekend that the Democratic Party must cut off its head to stand a chance in 2012. Schoen was back on America Live ...

Google <b>News</b> Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

New Yorker&#39;s Music Critic Moves to <b>News</b> Corp.&#39;s Daily - NYTimes.com

Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.

eric seiger