Six Years of NCAA inVOLvement

[VolWil]

Scout.com: Six Years of NCAA inVOLvement
UT gets into this article to.

Ironically, it was the recruitment of Derek Watson that beget the investigation in the first place. It has been rumored in hushed tones in dark, smoke-filled rooms, that Tennessee's Phil Fulmer was the one that raised the flags on Derek Watson with the NCAA.
There is a lot of hearsay evidence that continues to float around out there. Many would say there is evidence to support these claims.

Phil Fulmer has friends in high places in Indianapolis, we all know that. Ask Alabama fans.

Watson was the most highly touted, highest ranked recruit in the class of 1999. He was actively being sought by the Volunteers. Then he did the unthinkable, he decommitted at the last minute and chose to stay in-state. At that point, he became an academic/public relations liability to Fulmer. (Albert Haynesworth and Terea Smalls were the vehicles used to raise questions among the media. A smart move by Fulmer in the plausible deniability game if correct.)
Fulmer abhors last minute decommits. Any potential student-athlete not smart enough to sign with Tennessee after being committed for so long, was also obviously not smart enough to qualify to attend any other institution of higher learning. Especially an institution competing against Fulmer in the SEC Eastern Division.

Lou Holtz's presence worried Tennessee and Clemson people alike. South Carolina had been fertile recruiting ground for the Vols for years and Holtz was threatening to build a fence around the Palmetto State.

Phil Fulmer, well known for his involvement in the Alabama investigation, is upset that Derek Watson turned his back on Tennessee at the last minute, the night before signing day, and cast his lot with Lou Holtz's Gamecocks. And Watson disappeared no less. He was hidden away in some distant hotel. Trying desperately to avoid the last minute meddling of the Volunteer coaches, (who were said to be scouring Watson's hometown looking for the star running back during the no-contact period).

And Tennessee. The Tennessee Volunteers who somehow manage to turn failing high school athletes into honor students? The program who, it is said, has a parking lot around their athletic facility that resembles the lot around a Cadillac Escalade dealership? Ironically, one of the violations listed was that a poverty stricken, parentless Derek Watson drove, I say again DROVE, a Carolina booster's SUV twice. (2 times)

 

[BigPapaVol]

Did this have a point?

 

[GAVol]

Did this have a point?

Maybe he wanted to see if a 2 year old link to a 5 year old story would still work. :dunno:

 

[utvolpj]

No doubt, there were infractions of the most minor sort committed under Lou Holtz, infractions that Holtz had no way of knowing were being committed at the time.

:lolabove:

allegedly, rumored, said to be, suggested, etc.

Lo and behold, that information was mysteriously being passed from people in Knoxville, to people in Clemson (South Carolina's hated arch rival), where, according to some, it allegedly ended up on the virtual desk of Clemson's compliance officer Becky Bowman - allegedly. And Bowman, a former NCAA case worker, is said to be close personal friends with Jackie Thurness, the NCAA case worker overseeing and directing the field investigators during their occupation in Columbia, SC.

huh??

 

[hatvol96]

:lolabove:

allegedly, rumored, said to be, suggested, etc.



huh??

You're surprised that the UT staff would make a concerted effort to rat out a fellow conference member to the 'AA? It's not like there is a lack of precedent.

 

[Jaytrain5]

What's the point of this thread?

Squeaky Watson was a bum anyway. If he's involved in a discussion on a UT board, you know it's a slow day...even for the offseason.

 

[utvolpj]

You're surprised that the UT staff would make a concerted effort to rat out a fellow conference member to the 'AA? It's not like there is a lack of precedent.

I'm surprised the "writer" would make Sweet Lou out to be such a saint. Maybe he is just the unluckiest coach in CFB.

The huge conspiracy theory also made me laugh. While I understand the bama reference, do our guys really have that much time on their hands to try and screw with a team that (at the time) had beaten us once since 1903?

 

[hatvol96]

I'm surprised the "writer" would make Sweet Lou out to be such a saint. Maybe he is just the unluckiest coach in CFB.

The huge conspiracy theory also made me laugh. While I understand the bama reference, do our guys really have that much time on their hands to try and screw with a team that (at the time) had beaten us once since 1903?

Apparently so. Also, am I the only one who notices the descent of the program into its current state of mediocrity coincides nicely with Haystacks deciding to play Inspector Javert? Sometimes, people get exactly what they deserve.

 

[GAVol]

You act as if CPF is the only guy that's ever complained to the conference about recruiting issues. This kind of stuff goes on all the time. CPF just happened to be involved in a high profile case and he's been around longer than anybody else.

 

[hatvol96]

You act as if CPF is the only guy that's ever complained to the conference about recruiting issues. This kind of stuff goes on all the time. CPF just happened to be involved in a high profile case and he's been around longer than anybody else.

I never said he was the only one. It's simply my belief that anyone who acts as an NCAA snitch is more than deserving of any bad professional fortune that they recieve.

 

[hatvol96]

You act as if CPF is the only guy that's ever complained to the conference about recruiting issues. This kind of stuff goes on all the time. CPF just happened to be involved in a high profile case and he's been around longer than anybody else.

There's also a huge difference between complaining to the conference office and actively seeking out witnesses and information to give to the retards in Indianapolis.

 

[GAVol]

Every time you post about "the 'AA" I envision Bob Huggins sitting next to you drinking a beer.

 

[hatvol96]

Every time you post about "the 'AA" I envision Bob Huggins sitting next to you drinking a beer.

There have been times that wouldn't be far from the truth.

 

[VolWil]

Maybe he wanted to see if a 2 year old link to a 5 year old story would still work. :dunno:

It was posted on a other forum I post at. I was under the impression that it was a new article. IMO, the author like to whine about other teams getting off the hook.

Six Years of NCAA inVOLvement. - SEC Talk Forums

 

[VolinArizona]

Terea Smalls - wow, haven't heard that bust's name in a looooong time.

 

[The Dude]

Terea Smalls - wow, haven't heard that bust's name in a looooong time.

He was my neighbor at one of my college apartments. Nice guy and cooks great BBQ. Last I heard he was coaching at Bearden, West, or Central, don't remember which.

 

[utvol0427]

He was my neighbor at one of my college apartments. Nice guy and cooks great BBQ. Last I heard he was coaching at Bearden, West, or Central, don't remember which.

That would be Central.