Tennessee’s new men’s basketball head coach was assured by America’s Sharpest Athletic Director™ that all is under control in Vol Land.
“Mike assured me everything will work out, and I support that 100 percent,” Martin said. “Whatever happens with the NCAA, I’m here to coach a ball team and to be successful doing that. I’m really not concerned with what the NCAA has to do, what they have to say. We’ll just wait and see when that happens.”
Still, he’s not that trusting.
Martin’s “memorandum of understanding” — a contract has not been finalized — at UT includes clauses that protect his position in the face of NCAA sanctions. The five-year agreement would be extended annually for each year of recruiting restrictions, scholarship reductions or a postseason ban from the NCAA. [Emphasis added.]
With Pearl’s and Junior’s issues, that’s got the potential to be Hewitt-esque.
Oh, and speaking of the Laner, guess who wants to come to Tennessee’s infractions hearing with the NCAA?
USC AD Pat Haden says he wants to attend Tennessee’s June infractions hearing as an “observer.”
Haden told CBSSports.com he was in the process of making a request to the NCAA.
“I hope I’m able to attend as an observer,” Haden said. “I have a request [in] … I’ve been told by people I should be able to.”
All of which leads to today’s orange-tinted poll.
Get The Picture 
Even more bizarre was the fact that Tennessee never had any announcement whatsoever (official or otherwise) that Pearl was ever fired. Looks like they want to keep a muzzle on the ASAD.
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You might consider adding Pat Haden to that list too
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Nah. Haden’s already replaced a guy who made Hamilton look like a genius by comparison.
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Yea, good point. That said, I think there is a better than even chance the NCAA will level some sanction on Kiffin, including a suspension.
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Cuonzo sounds like a smart man with a smart agent. Watch him get his first team into the tournament with any Pearl holdovers that stick around, get a fat raise, and then ride out what’s going to become a seven or eight year contract. Losing hurts, but that paycheck can dry a lot of tears.
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Would this have anything to do with Kiffin/NCAA punishment/Tenn? Has Kiffins actions at Tenn been adjudicated? He is only serving out the previous admins NCAA sanctions at USC.
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Bingo. Methinks Haden wants to hear evidence about Kiffin’s conduct at UT because if it’s bad (particularly if it winds up in NCAA sanctions being imposed against UT for stuff done by Kiffin or his minions), Haden can then use that as an excuse for USC to get rid of Kiffin.
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Hmm …
America’s Sharpest Athletic Director™ = AmSAD
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America’s Sharpest Athletic Director™ : Perfect Entry!
I voted for Hamilton in the poll because if he hasn’t been fired by now, the only way he leaves is if God retires him. That’s just too hard to predict.
I think “Hewitt-esque” should make the lexicon also.
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Good work Aristoggle. Like Chuck I voted for Mike to be the last comedian standing on the shoulders of the noted Greek poster:
America’s Sharpest and Smoothest Athletic Director – ASSAD Hamilton is kneeling on his prayer rug inside the UT Green Zone mosque headed toward Dollywood giving thanks to someone somewhere because today ASSAD is the luckiest man alive.
While he catches grief for a lot of things he does and doesn’t do in the HR field, most outsiders don’t appreciate the little things handled and fixed under his leadership, such as when Lane crashed his Lexus and did exactly what any other driver would do, “Kiffin walked home from the scene of the wreck, a high-ranking Tennessee source told ESPN’s Dwayne Bray.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4840383
How does Mike stay fired up and ready to go all the time? He starts each day by listening to what Johnny Majors told him was a Vol fight song.
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Ever notice that the only time the NCAA does anything quick is when there is a lot of money involved. Scam’s one day suspension comes to mind. OSU’s not having it’s QB and 4 other starters declared ineligible for the Sugar Bowl. Heck the Tressel Case is an absolute no brainer and yet the NCAA can’t bring itself to act. If I was USC I would sue the NCAA for everything I could think of and cost the bastards as much money as possible cause once Yahoo released the story the NCAA was all over it. I guess the NCAA is waiting for Yahoo to recommend penalties for OSU before they act.
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