Cameron Artis-Payne is a junior-college transfer running back who came to Auburn. He has gone by Cam in the past, but that wasn't going to fly at Auburn.
You see, Auburn has a Cam. He's on a first-name basis now and forever. Came in, won a Heisman Trophy and a national title, and still comes back to go to class and pass out donuts to fellow students. Being a football player at Auburn and going by Cam is probably not the wisest move after Mr. Newton's accomplishments. Like if there was a Herschel who wanted to play football for Georgia. He'd probably have to go by Bob or something.
So Artis-Payne will go by Cameron. Consider the name Cam retired at Auburn.
Brandon Marcello of AL.com broke it down:
Cameron Artis-Payne says people called him Cam until he arrived at AU. Pretty obvious designation reserved for a certain AU Heisman winner.
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) April 17, 2013
The War Eagle Reader reader caught up to Artis-Payne and also asked him about the Cam issue.
“Well, I’ve been called both,” he said. “But they already have a Cam here, so I have to be Cameron.”
It makes sense. The legend of Cam is pretty well set at Auburn. Just remember this in a few years when a recruit comes to Texas A&M and changes his preferred nomenclature from Johnny to Jonathan.
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