Are you familiar with USA Today’s gambling writer, Danny Sheridan? He writes about lines, odds, and college football, too. He went to the University of Alabama – file this away – and has been at USA Today for over 25 years. In the last month he’s ruined whatever credibility he built up in his career as a journalist.

Sheridan, for reasons unknown, claims to know who Auburn’s “bag man” is in the Cam Newton case. You know, the case the NCAA refuses to close the book on, even though nobody’s been able to unearth a smoking gun. Sheridan has floated this theory for weeks – I know who gave Cecil Newton money! – and for reasons that remain unclear, the media (even ESPN!) has given him a platform to go to the edge of the diving board … and then turn around and refuse to jump.

After weeks of, “I know what happened!” jibber-jabber, Sheridan always ends up hiding behind his lawyer. Sheridan’s embarrassing antics were so persistent that the NCAA spoke to Sheridan. Then, they bitch-slapped him.

Danny Sheridan continues to make vague, unsubstantiated claims without backing them up with proof. Contrary to his claims of having an inside source with details on the Auburn investigation, the NCAA has not provided information to Sheridan or anyone else.  As a matter of due diligence, the NCAA spoke with Sheridan this week to determine if he had any facts pertaining to the investigation. Sheridan, however, did not provide any information to the enforcement staff and certainly did not provide a name. Instead, he unsuccessfully attempted to gather information for his own use.

Everyone hates the NCAA, but everyone loved that statement. You’d think it would have shut Sheridan up. Sadly, it has not. He released his own statement to the NCAA’s statement about his many statements:

The NCAA statement about me is total propaganda and an absolute misrepresentation of the facts. For the record, I do have sources at the NCAA and that’s why the organization has chosen to shoot the messenger. The NCAA called me through my attorney and requested an interview. I spoke with two NCAA investigators last Wednesday for almost an hour. I was consistent with them as I have been with the media and the public in refusing to divulge my sources. I also politely declined to share the name of the individual I have been told gave money to Cecil Newton. For the NCAA to claim I did anything else is specious, deceitful, disingenuous and completely false. I will be happy to take a polygraph test on these specific issues and challenge them to do so as well.

Way to try and advance the story you created with the polygraph test silliness. At this point, readers are probably asking: If Sheridan has sources that are rock solid, why hasn’t he written this for USA Today? And if you’re so certain, why can’t you reveal the so-called bag man? I wouldn’t be surprised if Alabama coach Nick Saban personally called Sheridan and said, “Danny, please, cool it. You’re embarrassing your school. Nobody cares about this case anymore. If Yahoo doesn’t unearth the bag man, nobody will.” [AL.com, NCAA.org]