By Howard Fendrich
The Associated Press
Washington
The new head of college sports thinks investigations such as that of Auburn quarterback Cam Newton should be done as quickly as possible - as long as the NCAA gets the facts correct.
'I want our people to be as efficient and expedited in the way they manage these things as possible, but at the same time, you've got to get the facts right. The burden of proof is higher than what it is for somebody who's writing in a blog,' NCAA president Mark Emmert said Friday while taping a TV show that will air Monday on the Big Ten Network.
'You can write in a blog that, 'Gee, I think everyone knows that if there's smoke, there's fire.' Well, that's a great thing to say,' Emmert continued. 'But we have a burden of proof to demonstrate what are the real facts before we take to an infractions committee ... a recommendation that says, 'We think this has happened.' '
Emmert did not specifically address the case of Newton, a leading Heisman Trophy contender for the No. 2-ranked Tigers.
Newton's father, Cecil, reportedly sought money from Mississippi State when his son was being recruited.
Asked about a series of recent high-profile cases involving college football players and improper contact with agents, Emmert wondered aloud about the possibility of allowing 'interaction with agents in a way that's aboveboard, monitored by institutions.'
Emmert made an analogy to doors opened for a college student who wants to be an accountant - summer internships, for example.
'But if a student comes to us and says, 'I want to be a professional athlete,' we immediately say, 'Well, you can't talk to anybody in that profession.' I'm not sure that makes a lot of sense,' said Emmert, the former president of the University of Washington who took over as head of the NCAA last month.
During his appearance on the show, Emmert touched on a variety of topics, including:
* He said student-athletes 'will never be paid as long as I'm president of the NCAA.'
n\He called 'creeping commercialism' the biggest ethical issue facing college sports and noted: 'We don't want intercollegiate athletics to just become the minor leagues for the professionals, as many people see them today.'
n\He said he'd be willing to work with school presidents if they decided to change from the Bowl Championship Series format and move to a playoff .
CAPTION(S):
Mark Emmert said the burden of proof is higher than that of blogs. associated press file photo
The father of Auburn QB Cam Newton, above, reportedly sought money from Mississippi State when his son was recruited. leading contender for the Heisman Trophy, has guided Auburn to a No. 2 ranking.
