Cam Newton, what is going to happen in the near future?

By: Coach Brown

When you are a top flight high school athlete and schools start recruiting you, you are going to see and hear things that normal 17, 18 & 19 year olds never see or hear. You will be treated differently and there is a possibility that you may start believing the hype, and that's where the problems may begin if your parents and/or your advisory team doesn't help keep you humble and focused on making the best possible decision in choosing the college where you will get an education and play collegiate sports, even if for only 1 year.

You've heard the stories. This kid was given cash, a car. The parents have been given a house, a job. It's all been done before and it will always continue. Why, you ask? Because all alumni and especially booster's will pay the price to make things happen! What young student-athlete do you know will turn down extra incentives when that student-athlete knows that the college/university is literally making millions off of them. The only student-athletes that probably don't take "extra" are the ones from well-off families and those student athletes most likely take their fair share of "extras" too.

The NCAA should be ashamed of themselves for what they are doing with the Cam Newton situation. I do not know if Cam or his parents received any extra benefits, but the NCAA should use this issue to put in place a payment system for these Division 1-A (FBS) football & basketball student athletes to get paid a monthly stipend ($500 - $1000). That way, these "Cam Newton" and "Reggie Bush" stories will stop happening on such a high frequency.

Coaches at these FBS schools get radio & tv shows, shoe deals & other endorsement deals to make millions for themselves and the student athlete is supposed be cool with his scholarship while everybody in their state and beyond is walking around with their jersey # on and they bought the jersey from the school. It's an insult.

Cam, here's my suggestion to you. Go ahead and declare for the NFL Draft as soon as your season is finished regardless if you are found innocent or not of these Pay-to-Play allegations. Your time at the University of Florida was marred with scandal, and now your time at Auburn University is being marred with scandal. It appears that your time at Blinn College was your most peaceful time and you won the Junior College National Championship! Don't worry about the National Championship (We need a playoff system to really determine that anyway.) and definitely don't worry about the Heisman Trophy (It's nice to win, but it is tremendously overrated). You are Blessed with outstanding football skills and it is time for you to go on to the NFL where you are supposed to get PAID!!!

Parents, be very, very, very careful about asking for extra benefits for you superstar student-athletes. It may not be worth it to jeapordize your child's education and elgibility. By far, every player is not going to make it to the Professional Level (That's an absolute fact!), but every player can graduate from college if they apply themselves!

May God Bless you Cam and your Family!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Youth Soccer - Concorde Fire Soccer Club

By: Coach Brown

I must give major props to the Concorde Fire Soccer Club (Atlanta, GA) and in particular the coaches on the southside, Brian Moore & Jeff Golston. These gentlemen are tireless coaches that represent the game of soccer and teach the game of soccer with the passion and knowledge that makes the game exciting and fun for the young people in their program.

Along with the coaches of the Central Area & North Area, Concorde Fire is Ranked #28 in Soccer America's Top Boy's Soccer Clubs in America.

I have personally seen some awesome talent that is being developed from as young as six (6) years old, and I can't wait to see how this talent continues to develop!

Congratulations to Concorde Fire and keep up the great work!

If you would like to get more information, please visit:

http://www.concordefire.com