“The university is confident the truth will come out…”

“In the situations identified in the lawsuit filed today; the University acted lawfully and in good faith, and we expect a court to agree.” — University of Tennessee legal counsel Bill Ramsey, 2/24/16

Not so fast, friend.

A sweeping sexual assault lawsuit against the University of Tennessee will proceed, after a federal judge denied a motion by attorneys for the university to dismiss the case.

Out of a number of requests for dismissal by university lawyers, U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger granted one.

As you might recall from March, Judge Trauger isn’t finding Bill’s arguments convincing.  And remembering what I posted when the suit was originally filed…

I don’t see how Tennessee has any choice but to fight this hard, given the way people all the way up the chain of command are named.  In any event, it sure looks like all the rumors about misbehaving Vol players being coddled by the administration going all the way back to the Fulmer era are coming home to roost.  Ugly.

… I stand by that last word there.  Either UT had better be prepared to write a large settlement check, or it had better be polishing up its PR skills when unflattering info comes leaking out of deposition testimony.  Either way, I imagine Bill Ramsey isn’t feeling so confident today.  That may go for Booch, as well.

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UPDATE:  Oh, my.

Tennessee suggested plaintiffs' claims it was indifferent to athlete misconduct may violate Title VI since FB & BB teams are heavily black.

— Jon Solomon (@JonSolomon35) May 3, 2016

Judge said Tennessee's Title VI suggestion "is an absurd distortion of the issues currently before the court" & case will be based on facts.

— Jon Solomon (@JonSolomon35) May 3, 2016