Statement from UT Athletics Department

[KingtUT]

If you read the University's statement, it will answer your question. In a nut shell Tennessee was aware of the issues, asked the appropriate questions of the NCAA, vetted the circumstances, came to a conclusion that Tyndall was fine and made the hire. Sounds like they did what they should have done. Based on the information provided by Southern Miss and the NCAA. If UT was lied to or mislead, then they won't and can't be held responsible....

Or, that there was absolutely nothing suspected when Tennessee hired him or the process leading up to it. Either way, the Vols are in the clear.

The AA is so mad at Miss St and Ole Miss they are taking it out on little ole southern miss

Sorry but that's not what the statement says. Our statement basically said we asked if anything crooked was going on at the time of the hire and we were told no.

 

[Howie54]

Also this Clarke kid flipped faster than a Wendy's Hamburger. He in my opinion is dripping wet with "academically Ineligible". He knows something, I would at least make it a point to stop by his place on the investigation tour.

That's not fair at all! SEC schools can't even take prop 48 kids. Don't assume this young man has anything to do with it. If I were him why wouldn't you flip? Avoid this mess all together.

 

[cncchris33]

If you read the University's statement, it will answer your question. In a nut shell Tennessee was aware of the issues, asked the appropriate questions of the NCAA, vetted the circumstances, came to a conclusion that Tyndall was fine and made the hire. Sounds like they did what they should have done. Based on the information provided by Southern Miss and the NCAA. If UT was lied to or mislead, then they won't and can't be held responsible....

Or, that there was absolutely nothing suspected when Tennessee hired him or the process leading up to it. Either way, the Vols are in the clear.

The AA is so mad at Miss St and Ole Miss they are taking it out on little ole southern miss

I don't know of one logical person that is suggesting that UT is culpable here. These issues happened at another school, and UT apparently was given prior notification that there was nothing to worry about. If it turns out Tyndall lied, then he gets popped, not UT.

However, UT's already fragile reputation takes the hit here in court of public opinion, and they take the PR hit because for better or worse, Tyndall is here now. UT escapes the NCAA hammer, but suffers from the bad publicity and worse-case scenario, yet another sure to be bungled coaching search from our dysfunctional athletic department.

Again, that is worst-case scenario, and not a personal calling for Tyndall's firing. I need to hear more facts before I decide whether I think he should retain his job.

 

[therickbol]

How can people's reading ability be that lousy? UT asked BOTH the NCAA and USM if there were any investigations or allegations involving Tyndall. They both told UT "no" so what exactly do you think UT was suppose to do. Assume they were not telling the truth? Seems obvious this investigation is new and none of this was known when Tyndall was hired.

 

[vavolunteer]

If the NCAA tries to implicate UT at all in this mess, someone finally needs to stand up and push it to the highest legal level possible. The NCAA is completely corrupt and totally inconsistent. The reason other schools are getting away with almost anything is because they know the AA has no legal ground on which to stand.

Tennessee is scared s&%*less because they think sanctions will dramatically hurt the income flow. If they would stand up and push back on these idiots like Miami, Penn State, OSU, FSU, and others, they will back off. The NCAA is completely inept and everyone knows it. The reason they keep knocking on UT's door is because we let them.

 

[keckjm]

I don't know of one logical person that is suggesting that UT is culpable here. These issues happened at another school, and UT apparently was given prior notification that there was nothing to worry about. If it turns out Tyndall lied, then he gets popped, not UT.

However, UT's already fragile reputation takes the hit here in court of public opinion, and they take the PR hit because for better or worse, Tyndall is here now. UT escapes the NCAA hammer, but suffers from the bad publicity and worse-case scenario, yet another sure to be bungled coaching search from our dysfunctional athletic department.

Again, that is worst-case scenario, and not a personal calling for Tyndall's firing. I need to hear more facts before I decide whether I think he should retain his job.

Keep this in mind, if he is guility and we do have to fire him who do we get at this point? On top of that, most schools would allow an assistant coach to fill in as an interm coach, but all of our assistant coaches except one were at Southern Miss with Tyndall. I'd be willing to bet that they are equally as guilty as Tyndall is if this turns out to be true. Point is, if we fire Tyndall, we may also have to fire his assistant coaches too. The NCAA will place punishments on Tyndall's assistant coaches just like they will with him.

 

[SDV]

If we were going to take a risk in a coach, we shouldve at least gone after somebody better than DT. Risk was not worth as much as the reward

 

[Sudden Impact]

I don't know of one logical person that is suggesting that UT is culpable here. These issues happened at another school, and UT apparently was given prior notification that there was nothing to worry about. If it turns out Tyndall lied, then he gets popped, not UT.

However, UT's already fragile reputation takes the hit here in court of public opinion, and they take the PR hit because for better or worse, Tyndall is here now. UT escapes the NCAA hammer, but suffers from the bad publicity and worse-case scenario, yet another sure to be bungled coaching search from our dysfunctional athletic department.
Again, that is worst-case scenario, and not a personal calling for Tyndall's firing. I need to hear more facts before I decide whether I think he should retain his job.

You are correct. It is really that cut and dry. Until the AD and Administration develop a set of balls and tell the NCAA to trend lightly on the backlash we are going to get fallout or take direct media hits.

If UT missed something in the Vetting Process then Heads should roll here.

 

[orangeluvr]

Sour grapes somewhere. :question:

 

[volroadwarrior]

Look at Penn St I cannot think of worse violations, but the NCAA is caving beccause of the PSU administration. Look at Miami and the booster paying for player girlfriend abortions and and kind of financial benefits, not much in the way of sanctions that I can see. Look at FSU four years ago or over 70 athletes caught cheating on an online test where is the sanctions? tOSU got away with huge violations, what did they get Urban as coach and a great recruiting class. Couch gets kicked the team Gurly get a suspension. It is the Adminstrations job to fight for the university not for the 'AA

Unfortunately, the UT administration has shown it to be inept or just down right antagonistic to athletics. They screwed up the Pearl, Couch and Golden situations and will somehow screw this one up. Jimmy Cheek and his band of Berkeley broads need to go or at least be marginalized. Other schools get away with far more egregious violations and sometimes criminal acts and get away Scott free. I would not be surprised if Cheek and company have us on probation again for something that happened at Southern Miss.

 

[cncchris33]

Keep this in mind, if he is guility and we do have to fire him who do we get at this point? On top of that, most schools would allow an assistant coach to fill in as an interm coach, but all of our assistant coaches except one were at Southern Miss with Tyndall. I'd be willing to bet that they are equally as guilty as Tyndall is if this turns out to be true. Point is, if we fire Tyndall, we may also have to fire his assistant coaches too. The NCAA will place punishments on Tyndall's assistant coaches just like they will with him.

Oh I agree. I just don't think anything will be done quickly. It's not like the NCAA is going to give resolution on this in a week, or even a month. I wouldn't look for any staff changes until there is clear resolution from the NCAA. As of yet, it doesn't even sound like Tyndall has been contacted. If he is found guilty though, and UT pushes to terminate, I think you'll see Pinkins named interim HC, and all coaches associated at USM will be fired with cause.

Again, that is all way down the road, and worst-case scenario, but it could happen. Like I said, I'm waiting on the facts to come out. This really throws a wet blanket on the excitement of the upcoming season though. Similar to the feeling before Pearl's last season, with the only exception being that going in, we knew Bruce was guilty by admission.

 

[madbamahater]

This is pathetic, simply pathetic, embarrassing & I hate to say it well deserved. Our athletic director, the boosters, & the petition fans ran off Cuonzo, some of our players, & all of Zo's recruits & that is after that awesome tournament run to the SWEET 16 & a questionable call away from the next round. There are 3 people laughing right now that is Hamilton (former AD) Cuonzo, & Bruce the Auburn Tiger Pearl!

How?

 

[volnpowell]

If the NCAA tries to implicate UT at all in this mess, someone finally needs to stand up and push it to the highest legal level possible. The NCAA is completely corrupt and totally inconsistent. The reason other schools are getting away with almost anything is because they know the AA has no legal ground on which to stand.

Tennessee is scared s&%*less because they think sanctions will dramatically hurt the income flow. If they would stand up and push back on these idiots like Miami, Penn State, OSU, FSU, and others, they will back off. The NCAA is completely inept and everyone knows it. The reason they keep knocking on UT's door is because we let them.

:thumbsup:

 

[livefaith]

If we were going to take a risk in a coach, we shouldve at least gone after somebody better than DT. Risk was not worth as much as the reward

Did not you read UT's statement? What risk are you referring to?

IMO, we should have taken a "risk" on that coach Auburn hired.

 

[DD4ME]

To me the statement means at the time of the hiring process, the NCAA had no knowledge of questionable benefits for the Prop48 kids and SMiss was honest because nothing was wrong or didn't know anything was wrong. I am a wait and see guy but sometimes with allegations of wrong doing your reputation is tarnished immediately. Lets all hope everything checks out as on the level and we bounce back with solid spring recruiting because it wouldn't suprise me if one of the other commits decided to not sign during the early period. What I never understood about coaches who cheat (not saying Tyndall did) is that you are handing over a large amount of leverage to a 18-22 yrd old. If that player doesn't pan out and you wash your hands of him, he still has a show cause stack worth of evidence to bury you someday.

What usually catches these guys is either sloppy book keeping or disgruntled handlers. From the article it sounded like they had sloppy book keeping or less than hidden methods for paying for guys fees. The power in the kids hands part comes whenever the NCAA starts digging into the money trail and asking who knew what.

 

[DD4ME]

If we were going to take a risk in a coach, we shouldve at least gone after somebody better than DT. Risk was not worth as much as the reward

This is the worst part.

 

[keckjm]

Oh I agree. I just don't think anything will be done quickly. It's not like the NCAA is going to give resolution on this in a week, or even a month. I wouldn't look for any staff changes until there is clear resolution from the NCAA. As of yet, it doesn't even sound like Tyndall has been contacted. If he is found guilty though, and UT pushes to terminate, I think you'll see Pinkins named interim HC, and all coaches associated at USM will be fired with cause.

Again, that is all way down the road, and worst-case scenario, but it could happen. Like I said, I'm waiting on the facts to come out. This really throws a wet blanket on the excitement of the upcoming season though. Similar to the feeling before Pearl's last season, with the only exception being that going in, we knew Bruce was guilty by admission.

If it does occur can you imagine the heat Cheek and Hart will take? Not only that, but it could be a death sentence to our basketball program. Buzz ball here we come...

 

[butchna]

If it does occur can you imagine the heat Cheek and Hart will take? Not only that, but it could be a death sentence to our basketball program. Buzz ball here we come...

After Baylor's scandal and resurgence, you could actually think that? :no:

 

[T_man]

This is pathetic, simply pathetic, embarrassing & I hate to say it well deserved. Our athletic director, the boosters, & the petition fans ran off Cuonzo, some of our players, & all of Zo's recruits & that is after that awesome tournament run to the SWEET 16 & a questionable call away from the next round. There are 3 people laughing right now that is Hamilton (former AD) Cuonzo, & Bruce the Auburn Tiger Pearl!

Let me assure you, everyone did not share your infatuation with Cuonzo. It had nothing to do with the color of his skin. He was too nice. There are times when a coach has to get in the face of the officials and stand up for his team. It took almost a whole season before he finally went to someone and complained enough to get the officials off of Stokes back so he could finally play ball. We would have went to the Tournament a year earlier. This past year the team sucked until they realized they were going to be responsible for getting Cuonzo fired. There were no coaching moves or change of strategy that caused them to turn the corner. That talent was there all year and Cuonzo couldn’t do anything with it.

 

[keckjm]

After Baylor's scandal and resurgence, you could actually think that? :no:

This would be twice that this has occurred to us in five years. Add in the Zo racists card, and an incompetent AD dept. that refuses to spend money on basketball coaches and it becomes a recipe for disaster. I think we'd be in serious trouble.

 

[Sudden Impact]

This is pathetic, simply pathetic, embarrassing & I hate to say it well deserved. Our athletic director, the boosters, & the petition fans ran off Cuonzo, some of our players, & all of Zo's recruits & that is after that awesome tournament run to the SWEET 16 & a questionable call away from the next round. There are 3 people laughing right now that is Hamilton (former AD) Cuonzo, & Bruce the Auburn Tiger Pearl!

No they are not.

Hamilton in Africa and has let it go.
Bruce loves UTK just doesn't care too much for Cheek.
Cuonzo is Cuonzo and didn't want to deal with the drama at UTK.

All three have let it go and it is time that the fans moved on as well.

Our fans are wasting to much energy on a BB Coach that is 4 years removed, an AD, 2.5 years removed, a BB Coach 1 year removed.

Add to it the FootBall Saga, Fulmer, Kiffen, Dooley.

The loss of CPHS....

That is a decades worth of Drama in 5 short years. We need to let some of this crap Go.

Martin is in California and we are still talking about him. Why? His choice to leave.

 

[butchna]

This would be twice that this has occurred to us in five years. Add in the Zo racists card, and an incompetent AD dept. that refuses to spend money on basketball coaches and it becomes a recipe for disaster. I think we'd be in serious trouble.

Unauthorized BBQ and trumped up racism vs falsely disparaging a murdered player to cover up violations? You're off your meds! Not to mention, whatever this SouMiss is happened there...this ain't going to kill our program Chicken Little.

 

[keckjm]

Unauthorized BBQ and trumped up racism vs falsely disparaging a murdered player to cover up violations? You're off your meds! Not to mention, whatever this SouMiss is happened there...this ain't going to kill our program Chicken Little.

You win butchna Until next time...

 

[vols 30]

It appears that this "breaking story" has been published to make money by the ones who "broke it". For all we know it is being way over blown due to little facts being known. Actually no facts being known.

But it did cost DT a recruit, a very good one.

 

[Manvol]

The sword is out and we are getting prepared to take a deep wound for the NCAA. UNC/ Roy Williams has a fake college program going on and get zero punishment, ZERO, yet we are getting prepared to take the sword again, maybe fire our coach for something he "may have done" at SMU. Why are we the punching bag for NCAA? Bring back Douglas Adair Dickey.