If you read carefully not sure that there is a straight up contradiction. Also it will become apparent that Bond did speak directly with Rogers - maybe Bond called Rogers or got in touch with him after Bell called Bond.
Bond quotes and ESPN paraphrasing from original ESPN article:
Former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond told ESPN.com a teammate of Bond's at Mississippi State in the early 1980s contacted him soon after Newton's official visit to Mississippi State during the Ole Miss game in December, and said he was representing Newton.</p>
"He said it would take some cash to get Cam," Bond said. "I called our athletic director, Greg Byrne, and he took it from there. That was pretty much it."</p>
Bond said the former teammate told him other schools had already offered $200,000, but since Newton really liked Mississippi State and had a relationship with head coach Dan Mullen dating to when both were at Florida, Mississippi State could get him for $180,000.</p>
"I have no agenda other than protecting Mississippi State," Bond said. "We've done what we were supposed to do from the very beginning. Mississippi State has done nothing wrong, and I've done nothing wrong. It's been handed off to the NCAA, and it's in their hands now. I don't know what happened at Auburn. I don't know why he went to Auburn. That's not my concern. My concern is Mississippi State and making sure this doesn't cause us any trouble."
Bond statement released through his attorney:
</p>
“During the 2009 football season, I was contacted by a former football teammate, who represented to me that he was speaking for the Newton camp. He told me that Cam Newton wanted to play at Mississippi State, but that a specified payment would have to be made. I reported the conversation to the Mississippi State Athletic Department. I was told by the Athletic Department that Mississippi State would not respond to the overture that was made to me, and that Mississippi State would continue to recruit Cam Newton as it does any other football recruit.”</p>
Bond interview on Atlanta radio station:
On a former teammate approaching him about Newton:
Actually, there two people in between it but, basically, yes, that’s what happened.</p>
On whether he’s ever been professionally associated with Kenny Rogers:
I hadn’t heard from him in 30 years.</p>
More on Rogers:
I hadn’t heard from him, I guess, in 28 years or whenever the last time we played.</p>
On rumors Florida coach Urban Meyer put him up to report allegations to MSU:
(Bond laughs) No, I did it myself. When I got a phone call from the guy, I went straight to our athletic director. Now, what happened to it and how it grew legs after that? I don’t know. I know we handled it right on our end and that was my first concern: Mississippi State and making sure…</p>