Just in time for the start of the NFL combines in Indianapolis, Cam Newton came across as a huge cock (surprise!) earlier this week by telling Sports Illustrated's Peter King, "I see myself not only as a football player, but an entertainer and icon." The Heisman Trophy winner followed through with an equally boastful statement to Dan Wetzel: "I'm aware of that statement. I don't want to sound arrogant but I did something in one year people couldn't do in their whole collegiate careers." Whether you think Newton's statements were a sign of confidence or cockiness, you have to respect Auburn's own Charles Barkely for providing a coup de grace on KJOX sports talk radio this morning. Sir Charles gave the prospective number-one draft pick a piece of his mind while ranking the best athletes in Auburn's history, giving himself the number one spot, followed by Bo Jackson. Newton, according to Barkley, ranks third on the list. Read the quote, via Page 2, after the jump.

"You know, I finally got a chance to meet him. Since I keep getting him tickets to all these events, I joked with him, 'I keep hearing I'm getting you tickets to all these events.' I finally got a chance to meet him. He came over, we were actually staying at the same hotel and he came over and said hello to me. And I just told him how proud I am of him and the Auburn team, and what a great season they had. ... Then I said I love you, I'm proud of you, but you can't ever go any higher than No. 3 on the list behind me and Bo [Jackson]. No matter what you accomplished, I said if you had stayed another year and did what you did this year I might have moved you up. But right now, I'm No. 1, Bo [is] No. 2, and you're No. 3. And I felt bad that I had to move Frank Thomas down to No. 4."

Reason #762 Charles Barkley is the f*cking man.

Here's Reason #763: