Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Catching up with "Big Cat Weekend"

Never let it be said that the Expats have it in for Tennessee -- between the coach's words and the players' actions this year, they've been way too much fun to hate on. Anyway, we were reminded that we had been remiss in not talking about the fallout from Auburn's "Big Cat Weekend" -- 6 assistants were reprimanded and the program had to stop recruiting 6 players for 6 weeks. (6 ... 6 ... 6 ... just sayin'.) You can read all about it here and here.  (As it happens, one of those players was Marcus Lattimore, who was quoted in the story about the UT investigation. Not sure what to make of that particular recruiting karma.) -- RTR

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the biggest rub most of us UT fans have with The Observer is the Vols are not represented on the SEC Expats panel. We expect Bama, Florida, and other SEC fans to have an anti UT slant, but the Observer should have a Vol blogger as well.

RTR said...

Agreed, Anon. We'll also be doing some recruiting this off-season -- but without benefit of good-looking women or toilet paper.

Peter from Georgia said...

RTR, Lane Kiffen might be looking for a new career. You and the other EX Pats could use a little "street cred!"

Oskie said...

"Never let it be said that the Expats have it in for Tennessee "

Why would anyone think that? A few hours to post about an investigation of alleged infractions at UT versus 5 days (and only after being called on it) to post about infractions and penalties at Auburn? Bias? No Way!

Anonymous said...

The fact is all SEC schools and most other schools do this exact thing
http://cronkitezine.asu.edu/archives/stories/recruiting03.html

"In an informal survey of the 117 Division I-A college football programs nationwide, The State Press found that many schools have similar groups to the Sun Devil Recruiters, and all are predominantly or entirely made up of female students.

Some of the largest groups exist in the South, with Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools Louisiana State (55 females), Georgia (78 females), Auburn (80 females, 20 males) and Alabama (100 females) leading the way. The State Press traveled to LSU in Baton Rouge to get a perspective of how SEC schools manage their student recruiting programs"

Spurrier even had is daughter being one at one point. Which is ironic since he is the one behind this probe.

Anonymous said...

Two things to note:

1) The UGA, 'Bama and Auburn people who dominate this blog can all be identifed (2 are Observer staff, the other 2 have blog IDs where you can find out who they are). By contrast, most of the UT commenters are cowards who hide behind the identity "anonymous."

2) In reference to the data posted by anon 12/9 5:59, note that 'Bama and Auburn have the highest number of hostesses - because 'Bama and Auburn are - and always will be - the most important schools in the SEC. The SEC is at it's best when both 'Bama and Auburn are good. That hasn't happened much in recent years, but with 'Bama in the national title hunt and Auburn improving, that's about to change. I look forward to the Iron Bwl being a match of #1 vs. #2.

As for the violations, I think nothing would have come of this if the clown with the microphone wasn't there. They've been doing stupid stuff at Toomer's Corner longer than any of us have been alive.

Hey, RTR, MG, Tommy, Peter, et al - maybe that should be a new post - what ridiculus traditions occur at your school? The strange desire to bring toilet paper to Toomer's Corner is a good start.

Bud said...

I'm not sure why we are surprised when sex is used to recruit football players. And Spurrier using his own daughter for this purpose??? No problem -- after all he sold his soul to the Devil a long time ago. Wherever you have big money like you have in college sports you will find that sex is in there too. As Joni Mitchell says:
I pulled up behind a Cadillac;
We were waiting for the light;
And I took a look at his license plate-
It said, "Just Ice."
Is justice just ice?
Governed by greed and lust?
Just the strong doing what they can
And the weak suffering what they must?
And the gas leaks
And the oil spills
And sex sells everything
And sex kills ...
Sex kills ...

Michael said...

Just to remind the Vol posters . . .

1. We love you being here.
2. We wish you'd take off the sheets and tell us your names.
3. We recruited like crazy to find a Tennessee poster but failed. We're still trying. But you guys are holding your own. We urge you to use these threads to break more news.
4. Lane Kiffin is the most controversial coach in a league filled with coaches carrying more baggage than a skycap. So don't blame us if we react to the things he says and does.

Besides, it's giving LK what he wants -- attention -- and it gives y'all opportunities to plough in set us straight.


MG

Bud said...

I second what MG says. And besides, if it weren't for Laney, what would we have to talk about the week before the "all important" Army-Navy clash???????

Oskie said...

"We urge you to use these threads to break more news."

Why, you've convinced me you guys don't have it in for Tennessee. It only took 5 days and some prodding to post about violations and sanctions at Auburn.

"So don't blame us if we react to the things he says and does."

Where was your outrage when Spurrier incorrectly accused Kiffin of recruiting violations the day he was hired? Maybe there wasn't much because instead of crying like a 2 year old and hiding behind Slive, Kiffin fired a shot back at Spurrier and that was the end of it.

How about when Meyer accused Kiffin of not trying to win the game at Gainesville? If you're a true competitor, there's nothing more inflammatory than a comment like that. But Saint Urban got a pass yet again just like he does whenever another Gator gets arrested. What's his count now, 30?

Oskie said...

One more thing about your "We wish you'd take off the sheets and tell us your names" comment. People who are little more politically correct minded than I might take offense at a racial tinged comment like that. But it is ironic to see it in a post about someone who allegedly puts his foot in his mouth.

Peter from Georgia said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Peter from Georgia said...

Alabama disbanded its "Bama Belles" in 2004, I believe.