New York Times sports reporter Pete Thamel ”broke” the story of the NCAA’s investigation into Tennessee’s football recruiting practices. After inititial investigation into his story, there seems to be a stink arising from little Pahokee, Fla., which drifts over to Gainesville and all the way north to a couple of offices in mid-town Manhattan.
The Players -
- Pete Thamel – College sports reporter for the New York Times
- Connor Ennis – Sports department staff editor, New York Times
- Chris Dunkley – Pahokee football prospect being recruited by Tennessee and Florida
- Ariel Alejo - Pahokee principal, Florida Alum, Gators fan
- Urban Meyer – Head coach, University of Florida
Lets start with a flashback to 1998. In the first game of Tennessee’s national championship run, the Vols narrowly defeated the Donovan McNabb led Syracuse Orangemen. A Tennessee loss looked eminent until a fourth down pass interference call allowed the Vols to move within range for a last second field goal for the win. The pass interference call led to a fervent outcry of SEC referee bias by the Syracuse area media. Conner Enis and Pete Thamel were both Syracuse students and writing for the Syracuse Post Standard and The Daily Orange at the time. Getting Interesting?
Thamel was at the forefront of reports on the recruitment of Bryce Brown, the heralded running back who eventually committed to Tennessee and was seen as a major coup for young head coach Lane Kiffin. It was a surprise when Brown was briefly declared ineligible by the NCAA roughly two weeks before the season began so they could investigate some reports they had gotten. Brown was eventually cleared to play. Pete Thamel has also witten so many gushing stories about the Florida Gators and Tim Tebow that it led one Gators blogger to refer to him as the “program’s most talented chronicler.” After Thamel’s prediction of a Gator blowout over Tennessee in this year’s contest didn’t come to fruition, he met with Meyer in his campus office the following morning. Here is the resulting article which blamed the lack of a blowout on the Flu and “Tennessee’s apparent lack of interest in actually winning the game” One thing is clear..Pete Thamel and Urban Meyer have a relationship.
The NYT article states that the NCAA has interviewed a handful of recruits regarding the investigation. The most interesting is Chris Dunkley. While the other players and/or their families were willing to talk about what they discussed with the NCAA and were generally complimentary of Tennesse, Dunkley refused to discuss what he told the investigators. Dunkley happens to play for Pahokee High School. The same school whose principal, Ariel Alejo, tried to ban Tennessee coaches from recruiting his student-athletes. This was after Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin made statements to the press that he didn’t trust the way things were done in Pahokee regarding the recruiting process, insinuating that they tried to steer players towards Florida. Of note: Ariel Alejo is a Florida Alum that has a good relationship with Urban Meyer and is known to be a huge Gators’ fan.
Urban Meyer. With the verbal jabbing back and forth between Gainesville and Knoxville since Lane Kiffin was hired at Tennessee, it is apparent that the cocky Tennessee coach has gotten under his skin. It is also apparent that the Vols have been raiding the state of Florida of some of its best football prospects which had until lately been almost guaranteed locks for the Gators. Meyer has friends in the administration at Pahokee. He also has a more tight than common relationship with an investigative sports journalist at the New York Times. Motive and Means?
In an ominous sign of things to shortly come, and a possible inside joke between the two, Pete Thamel wrote this of Meyer just a week ago – “The most memorable moment from the news conference may have been when Meyer was asked about Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin’s assertion that Alabama is the better-coached team. Meyer smiled big and said, ‘No comment.’“
.. excellent
[...] link got posted in the thread from Witch Doctor about the "Writer" for the NYT. Something Stinks In Pahokee 13psi Pretty compelling evidence about where this came [...]
[...] stinks in pahokee thought this deserved its own thread. Something Stinks In Pahokee 13psi __________________ pain i the a$$ to bamma and fla fans since [...]
Bad things coming Tennessee’s way and I can’t wait!
Stupid Bama hick….first of all, a couple of girls going to a high-school game and holding up a sign is NOTHING compared to your paying $100,000+ to high-school coaches for their players. We outplayed and outcoached you this year with 1/2 the talent….Lane will be beating your ass on a yearly basis.
Wasn’t it the New York Times that had a reporter get busted for absolutely making stories up a few years ago??
Yes it was, Suze….and it looks like they have a biased sleezball on their hands here.
LOL! UT is going down. Lane is slowly sinking that screw up of a program! I love it!
The nation is getting nervous about the Big Orange coming back to power, especially locally!
Yea soon people will hate us because Kiffin is building a Legacy at UT be prepared for another decade of dominence soon maybe 3-4 years from now we will have SEC East on Lockdown and Bama and Ut will reign supreme GO HORNS BEAT BAMA!!!!!!
LOL@at the little UTers who think Kiffin makes anyone nervous. People just enjoy watching this train wreck and watching how UTers try to say it is good for their school LOL!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ken Melton, Jesse Zamora. Jesse Zamora said: @ClayTravisBGID @wesrucker interesting story have you seen this: http://bit.ly/5JJptD [...]
HAHAHA
DON’T SUCH A TOOL. THIS WILL COME TO NOTHING AND YOU MORONS OUT THERE WILL HAVE TO WHINE. GOVOLS.
if you don’t these guys don’t talk and support each, then you people are truly clueless sheep.
HAHAHA: Hijo de perra
Ahhhhhhh, alabama………….what a great location for a tornado.
Who wrote this trash? It’s funny how he takes a writer to task yet will not attach his or her name to the article. He/she is also very misinformed.
You may not agree with this writer or the article, but here is one from a credible writer.
http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/12/09/ncaa-probes-tennessee-hostesses/
How can the Kiffin-haters deny that Kiffin is under Cryer’s skin?! I guess the same way they can pretend UT didn’t finish 2nd in the East despite every prognosticator’s predictions. Gator fans can hate all they want, their days are numbered now that Mullen and Strong have left (and others are leaving).
If Kiffin is a train wreck, someone forgot to tell the rest of the SEC East.
Great article and let’s not forget the principal of Pahokee had the Gator logo on the school website. Coincidentally he took it down after Kiffin alleged that Pahokee kids are steered toward the Gators at times. Interesting indeed.
You nuckle draggin hillbillies are too stupid to see what you are in for. You have any idiot for a coach who has pinned the bullseye on himself. The NCAA absolutley despises arrogance, we know displayed it to them before, and your snot nosed brat of a coach is off the charts with the cockiness. The NCAA will burn Knoxville to the ground. Roll Tide!
LOL…Y’all have fun, gaytuhs and viles. Roll Tide….
Thanks bama for spanking the gay-tors, i always pull for the sec & I hate horns, but i hope the horns stick one of those horns so far up your arse that you’ll need a bailout from Obama.
[...] Originally Posted by CountVolcula To be realistic,it may be the Gators that need to worry once the source of the stink is located in Pahokee. fyp Something Stinks In Pahokee 13psi [...]
To the Crimson TURD Morons out there; you have no right whatsoever to speak of cheating after the history Tuscaloser U has had. You boobs are idiots and blowhards and have zero class and you make the SEC look bad with rampant cheating.
Crawl back into the sewer with the rest of the used-tampon Crimson TURD worshippers and wait for the loss coming down the road.
HOOK’EM HORNS; BURY THE HABITUAL CHEATERS!
“Thanks bama for spanking the gay-tors, i always pull for the sec & I hate horns, but i hope the horns stick one of those horns so far up your arse that you’ll need a bailout from Obama.”
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…………………!!!
Great comment!
Vols are toast! No way does the NCAA investigate in this wide of a scope unless they are about to absolutely HAMMER a program.
What is so shocking is the detail and speed at which they are moving in this investigation. The coaches at UT are jumping ship like rats! Coach O and LT are rumored to be bailing as we speak.
This speaks volumes if the sinking ship in Knoxville. Burn baby burn!
“are too stupid to see what you are in for. You have any idiot for a coach who has pinned the bullseye on himself. The NCAA absolutley despises arrogance, we know displayed it to them before, and your snot nosed brat of a coach is off the charts with the cockiness. The NCAA will burn Knoxville to the ground. Roll Tide!”
Hey TURD Moron, funny you should talk about “You nuckle draggin hillbillies”, because that’s the makeup of the CRIMSON MORON NATION. I livd in Birmingham for 4 years and saw your inbred, classless bretheren every day.
I hope Texas rams that rammer-jammer hammer up Nicky Satan’s ARSE!.
Top of screen, Q&A with SHANNON SHARPE, dufus.
Funny how you throw around “misinformed” without any example. Looks to me like the writer actually did some digging instead of just posting the typical idiotic rantings of delusional and truly misinformed fans.
No doubt Urban started this BS. He is shaking about the thought of what Kiffin & Co. will do to his state. He witnessed this year, in Fl no less, what is to come.
This story has nothing to do with bama, yet half of the morons who posted a reply have be bama babies. Can you see the fear they have just by the words they write??? Come on boys, dont hate!! We are coming back, very soon!!
Hey, “rockytop!” Your nefarious band of mealy-mouthed smart aleks is getting what you have coming to you, namely a program that knows it is beaten before it ever takes the field. Kiffin or Fulmer, your ship is still playing host to a coven of gun-wielding thugs and plunger-stuffing weirdos. Live with it. It is REALITY. Your program is suckin’ hind tit, and can’t get off its knees because of the head coach’s caligulan bravado. I revel in your misery! No one deserves it more than a UT fan!
How many violations has Kiffin ran up now? How many coaches have jumped ship? And now the NCAA is looking into UT? Priceless! Spin it all you want UTers…your school is in trouble!
Kiffin brought this on himself when he disrespected the SEC commish and the NCAA. He is being put in his place when he needed recruits in the worst way. Now the bad publicity, NCAA probe, recruits ruled to cease and desist from attending UT, coaches jumping ship, and wave after wave of new stories surfacing…..well…
When Kiffin comes up with the ole 7-5 record (or worse)…next year, because they lose Everyone!…then the call for his head from UT boosters will be loud and clear!
Given, he even survives the NCAA reaming he is about to enjoy!
Look, nothing is going to come of this. Just some snot-nosed reporter in NY trying to keep from getting laid off like the rest of the news world.
Suuurrreee……the NCAA is going to spend that much time money and detailed effort just to say “nope nothing here” lol…dream on. A huge series of interviews into other areas going on today. Believe it..this is very serious!
Yeah…nothing will come of this. That’s why the NCAA is looking into UT’s cheating ways. Your boy Kiffin has screwed you. How much longer until more comes out…’cause you know it will.
This is why you don’t buy two players who are flagrantly for sale. Do you think the NCAA and the rest of college football were oblivious to the fact that Bryce Brown and David Oku were being auctioned off by a de fact “slave trader” to use Roy Adams parlance? The NCAA may not be able to prove the money trail and get you for that, but they likely will be unrelenting until they find the dirt on UT. Tell your smart-mouth coach that the NCAA and SEC don’t respond too well to acting like a cocky punk. It’s not smart to piss off the authorities.
[...] Something Stinks In Pahokee 13psi The gators seem to be in the middle of a lot of what goes on with the vols. [...]
Looks like Gator mouth Urban has used his NY Times connection to try and dig up some stuff on the Vols – Watch out Urbie, it may come back to smack you in the teeth..All the big colleges have the student support groups. Name one program that does not???
Why are folks so jealous of Lane Kiffin? Is it because they know his Vols will kick their A– real soon. We are coming – brace yourself..
Unlike the Gators (in 85 when they won the SEC but could not represent the conference due to cheating) and Bama (paying every coach and athlete in Memphis), the Volunteers have never had to vacate a title or bowl appearance. These are SECONDARY violations! And, I’m not so sure that the hostess thing will amount to anything at all.
Both the Gator and Bama must visit Neyland Stadium without Tebow and Cody, after being outcoached at home.
Good luck in the post season! Tell Tebow to stop crying.
You vols really need to look at what you have coming back next year. NOTHING!
Need recruits on the O and D Lines, secondary, special teams, and QB…etc etc…it ain’t gonna be pretty!
Especially with the NCAA on your rearend…and shackled with TERRIBLE publicity! heh…this could get really good (popping popcorn to settle in and watch the VOL trainwreck).
Kiffin throws down on Spurrier…gets more recruits to sign.
Kiffin gets reprimanded for recruiting excess…gets more recruits to sign.
Kiffen buys billboards in GA, FLA…gets more recruits to sign.
Kiffin calls Meyer a cheat…gets more recruits to sign.
Kiffin calls out Pahokee High….gets more recruits to sign.
Kiffin muses about a GA freshman receiver’s playing time …gets more recruits to sign.
Kiffin is sung about in a lilwayne rap…gets more recruits to sign.
Kiffin helicopters into a high school game…gets more recruits to sign.
Kiffin calls out a FLA alum referee…gets more recruits to sign.
Kiffin gets slapped down by Slive…gets more recruits to sign.
Kiffin correctly compliments the ALA coaching staff…gets more recruits to sign.
AND NOW…
Kiffin shows every 18 year old football player in America what Tennessee beauty awaits them in Knoxville and he has Urban to thank for it. Wonder how Kiffin will handle this one?
LOL…ok…we’ll see how the ronco red helicopter helps as the NCAA finishes up their interviews. A HUGE scope of interviews and investigation on a grand scale has been in the works. They have had TWO coaches leave the program this week.
Coach O and LT are BOTH leaving very soon. They are not fleeing because all is well my friend.
SHIP going down! The gimmicks aren’t working now.
By the way. UT has signed no good lineman or a QB. Have you seen the QB they DID sign lol….the stork?
THEY ARE TOAST!
It’s amazing how intimidated sports fans can display such a ridiculous degree of righteous indignation over such a trivial matter. “Knuckle draggin’”? We UT alums fare far better post graduation than those from Tuscalooser. Check the academic ratings. Living in South Carolina, I have to smugly ignore the unbelievable rantings of the game chicken faithful (Who’s school has one a single collegiate NC to their credit–that being in women’s track and field). This is all the media in general and the local radio jocks in particular (107.5 “The Game). If Meyer isn’t behind all this silliness (and he probably is) then Spurrier has to have at least put his two cents worth into this pauper’s pot. ‘Truth be told: All this will become moot after signing day, when Kiffin’s words will be fulfulled by providing a top 5–or even 3—football recruiting class. Brashness can be an advantage, as Spurrier once could admit. He’s just too old and cranky–having lost to the big 3 orange crush again. Who’s to say UT won’t push out the gators and tide in the next couple of years? As for this bowl season—-Hook ‘em Horns and GBO!
Being as he’s the assistant head coach, don’t expect Orgeron to be leaving anytime soon. As long as Monte’s there, with his mostly overlooked ability to teach his fellow coaches, don’t expect the mass exodus you’re predicting from the current coaching staff. CLK has already commented that he expects his assistants to move up on the coaching ladder, so there’s nothing surprising here. That’s one of the numerous attractions of coaching at UT. That and the generous salaries they’re getting and ALL THEM PURDY GIRLS! I know it’s impossible for you toilet paper and gayturd crawlers to see this, but Meyer or Spurrier or Saban—-or whomever it was that sent this tidbit to his NYT butt buddie, has just spread the word far and wide that UT has got stone foxes waiting for them and, except for you gay ones, that’s most significant in the decision process for a young and horny jock. Understand?
TheLIAR wrote: “LOL…ok…we’ll see how the ronco red helicopter helps as the NCAA finishes up their interviews. A HUGE scope of interviews and investigation on a grand scale has been in the works. They have had TWO coaches leave the program this week.
Coach O and LT are BOTH leaving very soon. They are not fleeing because all is well my friend.
SHIP going down! The gimmicks aren’t working now.
By the way. UT has signed no good lineman or a QB. Have you seen the QB they DID sign lol….the stork?
THEY ARE TOAST!”
LOL; you are an ASS!
HOOK’EM HORNS: ram the rammer-jammer hammer up Nicky Satan’s ASS!
Saban is disciplined, and he runs a tight ship. It is not likely any of these sorts of things will come out of Bama. As far as I’m concerned, UT and FL can fight it out and whore it out until nothing is left. Then Bama’s dominance that is already apparent will be complete. Roll Tide!
Coaches Wilson and Gran both left for better positions and pay. If Coach O and LT leave it will be for the same reason. Kiffin has contingency plans in every case because he knows that these guys are quality and will be in demand.
No one seems to mention that the number of minor recruiting violations by Tennessee in Lane’s first year was less than half of those committed by Georgia and Saint Richt. Take a look at Ohio State’s recent history and you’ll find they average darn near 20 per year. Tennessee had what… 8? So why all the fuss? Oh yeah, because he ruffled the feathers of ‘head ball coach’ and Urban Meyer.
Regardless of who has their crosshairs on Coach Kiffin, his players will continue to trust him and have his back, he will continue to sign big time players, and the VOLS will continue to play competitive ball in the nations best conference (eventually CHAMPIONSHIP ball).
V,B.
Also, the ‘wide ranging investigation’ tag was placed on this story by the reporter at the NYT to grab attention. The fact is that there is little chance of this developing into anything big. Matter of fact, I’m glad it is garnering so much attention because when UT comes out of this clean (or perhaps with just a minor violation) it will give the coaches and recruiting practices here MORE credibility for being under the magnifying glass and still passing the test.
As for next season, I’m sure the national media will jump all over Kiffin when he doesn’t show improvement in his 2nd year as coach… they will blame it on the departures of key assistants and petty distractions. They will disregard the fact that we will be fielding 4 new starters on the O-line, a new QB, and shuffling through 3 deep linebackers the whole season, all while playing arguably the toughest schedule in the nation.
Obviously, I’m drinking the Kiffin Koolaid, but so far he has done nothing to disappoint me (minus some poor playcalling against UCLA). For all you haters out there, we’ll spot you 2010, but Urban and Saban had better recruit hard for 2011, cause we will be a helluva football team by then. VoGols.
You are drinking the kool aid, and that’s exactly what Kiffin’s hype is. Without the elder Kiffin this year Tennessee is 5-7. Elder Kiffin is the real coach of the team. Lane is an empty visor.
do you guys have nothing better to do than sit around and talk bull shit with one another, whether you talk shit or not, its not going to make one damn difference on the situations outcome. So please instead of talking shit and embarassing yourself when whatever happens as a result of this, just shut the hell up and get life.