NCAA takes another detour in search of the Cam Newton ?bag man?

Making the morning rounds.

? Just the facts, sir. An attorney for Mobile, Ala.-based sports handicapper Danny Sheridan confirmed Tuesday that Sheridan has been contacted by the NCAA and plans to meet with investigators about his claim that he can identify the elusive "bag man" who allegedly paid Cam Newton and/or his father to get Newton to Auburn. Last week, Sheridan awkwardly backed out of his promise to name el hombre de bolso on the air with radio host/ringmaster Paul Finebaum, per lawyer's orders, but continued to insist he knew the identity of a witness who could break the NCAA's ongoing pursuit of the Newton Affair wide open.

"I let [the NCAA] know that if they wished to talk to me, I will talk to them on or off the record about subjects of mutual interest," Sheridan told al.com, adding he had no desire to see Auburn or Alabama on probation. "I have no idea if the allegations against Auburn are true. I only know that what I reported was exactly what I was told." In the meantime, Newton and his Heisman have been officially added to Jordan-Hare Stadium for posterity. [al.com, War Eagle Reader]

? Teflon Lane. One man who apparently will not face any further scrutiny from the NCAA: USC coach Lane Kiffin, who has reportedly escaped sanctions for alleged recruiting violations on his watch at Tennessee. According to the Knoxville News-Sentinel, the NCAA will release a verdict today that downgrades the "major violations" under Kiffin to "secondary violations," and subsequently declines to levy penalties against Kiffin or Tennessee. Former Vol basketball coach Bruce Pearl, on the other hand, will not be so fortunate. [Knoxville News-Sentinel, Los Angeles Times, USA Today]

? Well, that was easy. The neck-and-neck quarterback derby at Ole Miss was definitively settled Tuesday, although not the way the Rebels had hoped: Junior Randall Mackey has been suspended for the Rebels' season opener against BYU after an early morning arrest for disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. According to Oxford police, Mackey hit an officer on the lip in the midst of "a large fight" at a downtown bar, though Mackey claimed he was pushed in the scuffle. (The officer agreed it was an accident, according to chief Mike Martin, or the charges would have been much more serious.)

Mackey's temporary position delivers the starting job to West Virginia transfer Barry Brunetti, whose narrow lead earlier in camp may prove insurmountable as long as Mackey is in the doghouse. "I am still looking into everything, but the bottom line is that he got into a fight," said coach Houston Nutt. "The bottom line, as I tell them, even though there may be 50 other arrests, your arrest is headlines. Walk away. Turn the other cheek." [Associated Press, Clarion-Ledger]

? Meanwhile, in Baton Rouge... Police chief Dewayne White held a news conference Tuesday night to describe the injuries of four men hospitalized last week in a bar fight involving multiple LSU players, telling reporters that one man (a Marine) was knocked unconscious in the brawl and another suffered three fractured vertebrae. Two other men suffered cuts and bruises. Earlier in the day, starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson and three Tiger teammates met with investigators, but were not charged or arrested. "They did not invoke the fifth amendment. They gave their side of the story," White said.

"This investigation is far from over," said Sgt. Don Stone. "We are still on a fact-finding mission." When it is over, though, he hinted "there is a good chance" arrests will be made on battery charges. [Baton Rouge Advocate, Associated Press]

? Cool your horns a while. Suspended Texas safety Christian Scott, a regular starter in 2010, has been reinstated to the team but will have to sit out the Longhorns' first three games on the heels of an arrest for allegedly shoving a repo woman to the ground as she tried to drive away in his car earlier this month. "We're disappointed any time one of our players makes a poor decision, and Christian understands he made a mistake," said coach Mack Brown. "He has taken responsibility, is accepting the consequences of his actions and has returned to the team." [Associated Press]

Quickly? Oregon refugee Lache Seastrunk lands at Baylor, as expected. ? Richmond's head coach resigns following a DUI. ? Alabama is still waiting on Duron Carter. ? Oregon State loses a starting cornerback to a shoulder injury. ? Markeith Ambles is a Trogan no more. ? Ohio State has a kicker. ? Hawaii may be turning Japanese in the near future. ? The Cougars agree to a home-and-home with the Cougars. ? Georgia will not hesitate to play a bunch of freshmen, possibly because it has no choice. ? And Clint Anderson's mullet isn't just a haircut. It's a lifestyle.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Garnett College Basketball Philadelphia Eagles NBA