The best policy

In an HBO Real Sports report, four former Auburn football players said they were paid thousands in cash, and two of them said that the money they received swayed them in their choice of schools.

As a junior college player, defensive end Raven Gray, pictured above, received $2,500 to $3,000 to ensure he would attend Auburn.

“Loyalty is the key,” Gray told Real Sports. “I believe in that a whole lot. This man give me money. I’m going to be loyal to him and go up to Auburn.”

Stanley McClover committed to Ohio State, but changed his mind when a lot of Auburn cash crossed his palms.

"I literally almost passed out; I couldn’t believe it was true,” McClover said. “I felt like I owed them.”

Ah, yes, loyalty. The tale of these two “honest” former student-athletes reminds me of Ambrose Bierce’s definition of an honest politician: “An honest politician,” he said, “is one who when he is bought will stay bought.”