Spring Break
Tennessee football coach to skip SEC media days
Issue date: 7/28/04 Section: Sports
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer will not attend this week's Southeastern Conference media days after learning that attorneys in a lawsuit against the NCAA plan to subpoena him at the event in Alabama.
Attorneys representing a former Alabama assistant coach have accused Fulmer of conspiring with the NCAA in bringing down the Crimson Tide football program by speaking to an NCAA investigator four years ago. Alabama was placed on five years probation in 2002 after the NCAA uncovered recruiting violations that included payments to players from boosters.
"I am not attending media days because of the legal circus that has been created by an isolated group of attorneys. They want to hijack media days for their own benefit, but I am not going to allow that to happen," Fulmer said in a statement Monday. "This day is for the players. They should be center stage instead of this small group of lawyers who intend on attacking the integrity of the NCAA's enforcement process."
University president John Petersen and athletic director Mike Hamilton defended their decision to protect Fulmer from an onslaught of media attention and the threat of being served a subpoena.
"I don't think this is tucking and running," Hamilton said at a Monday night news conference.
One of the attorneys notified SEC commissioner Mike Slive that Fulmer would be issued a subpoena at media days if the coach did not agree to give a deposition, the Tuscaloosa News reported Monday on its Web site.
Fulmer will be fined $10,000 by the SEC for not attending media days, but will be available to reporters Thursday via teleconference during the time he was supposed to appear in person. Players Michael Munoz and Kevin Burnett will attend as scheduled.
Petersen tried to persuade Slive not to fine Fulmer.
"I think we will potentially avert something that would not be in the best interest of the NCAA, the conference or the coach of the University of Tennessee," Petersen said.
Attorneys representing a former Alabama assistant coach have accused Fulmer of conspiring with the NCAA in bringing down the Crimson Tide football program by speaking to an NCAA investigator four years ago. Alabama was placed on five years probation in 2002 after the NCAA uncovered recruiting violations that included payments to players from boosters.
"I am not attending media days because of the legal circus that has been created by an isolated group of attorneys. They want to hijack media days for their own benefit, but I am not going to allow that to happen," Fulmer said in a statement Monday. "This day is for the players. They should be center stage instead of this small group of lawyers who intend on attacking the integrity of the NCAA's enforcement process."
University president John Petersen and athletic director Mike Hamilton defended their decision to protect Fulmer from an onslaught of media attention and the threat of being served a subpoena.
"I don't think this is tucking and running," Hamilton said at a Monday night news conference.
One of the attorneys notified SEC commissioner Mike Slive that Fulmer would be issued a subpoena at media days if the coach did not agree to give a deposition, the Tuscaloosa News reported Monday on its Web site.
Fulmer will be fined $10,000 by the SEC for not attending media days, but will be available to reporters Thursday via teleconference during the time he was supposed to appear in person. Players Michael Munoz and Kevin Burnett will attend as scheduled.
Petersen tried to persuade Slive not to fine Fulmer.
"I think we will potentially avert something that would not be in the best interest of the NCAA, the conference or the coach of the University of Tennessee," Petersen said.