Everything right now seems to indicate there is some truth to these rumors. Will Tyler Smith end up at Tennessee? A week ago I would have said no way. But here are a few reasons I think something might be about to happen.
1. As mentioned earlier, Smith has a kid, and his father is also very ill.
2. Apparently Tyler Smith didn't show up at an Iowa basketball banquet last week.
3. For whatever reason, Tennessee canceled Alexander's visit last week. The reasons given were that Pearl didn't feel he would be any better than anyone else we had for next season. These may very well be the case. But it is interesting how we had seemingly been recruiting this kid pretty hard, but then all of a sudden cancel his visit, right about the time that the Tyler Smith rumors begin.
4. Back when the whole Smith/Pearl controversy took place two years ago, most people knew that it was Billy (Smith's father), not Tyler, that had some vendetta against Pearl. By all accounts, Tyler and coach Pearl never even met face to face. Several people even said that if it had been up to Tyler alone, he would have still come and played for the Vols.
5. Several local media outlets, including Basilio and Rob Lewis, have indicated that there very well might be truth to these rumors.
To the poster that said it would be illegal if Pearl contacted Smith, you are right. But what apparently happened was that Smith contacted ut. Nothing wrong with that.
Also, a couple of days ago there was an article, I think from the KNS. This was after the news that we decided to pass on Alexander came out. Someone asked Pearl if we would just hold all of our scholarships for '08. I can't remember the exact quote, but Pearl basically that they are still keeping an eye out. Well, Alexander had really been the only player we were really looking at closely.
Also, Smith and Alexander are both 6'7".
It may be nothing, but something tells me there is more to this.