The University of Tennessee no longer can blame wayward ways on whatever lax attitudes existed during the lightning-quick Lane Kiffin era. Nor can it attribute the number of Vols names that wound up on the Knoxville police blotter to Phil Fulmer's dwindling attention span in his final years with the orange.
No, in the wake of the accusations that are flying after last night's bar fight it's time for Tennessee to take a deep look at its fabric and culture, because there is just something inherently wrong there.
Early this morning, police charged UT freshman receiver Da'Rick Rogers -- the plum catch of this year's recruiting class -- disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in connection with a brawl that left an off-duty police officer unconscious and bloodied in the street with a head wound.
Rogers, 18, is one of at least four Vol football players being questioned about the injuries Officer Robert Capouellez, 24, suffered around 1:50 a.m.
Also in the mix: Darren Myles Jr., a sophomore safety, who in April was charged with public intoxication just hours after the Orange and White game; Denarius Moore, 21, a senior wide receiver; Montori Hughes, 19, a sophomore defensive tackle.
Police say that, according to witnesses, the officer was kicked several times while on the ground.
Last November, three football players were arrested on charges of attempted armed robbery. Two were among the most prized signees of Kiffin's first recruiting class, and were quickly released from the team.
In January, basketball star Tyler Smith was dismissed from the team by coach Bruce Pearl because of gun charges that also led to the suspension of three other players.
In Fulmer's final season, 2008, at least a half-dozen Vols had run-ins with the law.
Tennessee continually has promised to clean up its act, with no visible progress. So what's the solution?
Maybe hire an athletic director that can take control of the programs. And get rid of thugs, you have to take a setback in progress, but you sure need to clean your act up, pronto!
This kind of thing has happened everywhere, it has rested it's ugly head on The Capstone's front doorstep before. But you must clean it up before it's all you have left. It's not the fault of the institution's involved.
It starts at home while the child is growing up. They act just like they are taught, all kids. If you don't give some kind of positive guidance as a child grows, the child grows up without the basic social skills that are acceptable in society. RTR
Bot out
No, in the wake of the accusations that are flying after last night's bar fight it's time for Tennessee to take a deep look at its fabric and culture, because there is just something inherently wrong there.
Early this morning, police charged UT freshman receiver Da'Rick Rogers -- the plum catch of this year's recruiting class -- disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in connection with a brawl that left an off-duty police officer unconscious and bloodied in the street with a head wound.
Rogers, 18, is one of at least four Vol football players being questioned about the injuries Officer Robert Capouellez, 24, suffered around 1:50 a.m.
Also in the mix: Darren Myles Jr., a sophomore safety, who in April was charged with public intoxication just hours after the Orange and White game; Denarius Moore, 21, a senior wide receiver; Montori Hughes, 19, a sophomore defensive tackle.
Police say that, according to witnesses, the officer was kicked several times while on the ground.
Last November, three football players were arrested on charges of attempted armed robbery. Two were among the most prized signees of Kiffin's first recruiting class, and were quickly released from the team.
In January, basketball star Tyler Smith was dismissed from the team by coach Bruce Pearl because of gun charges that also led to the suspension of three other players.
In Fulmer's final season, 2008, at least a half-dozen Vols had run-ins with the law.
Tennessee continually has promised to clean up its act, with no visible progress. So what's the solution?
Maybe hire an athletic director that can take control of the programs. And get rid of thugs, you have to take a setback in progress, but you sure need to clean your act up, pronto!
This kind of thing has happened everywhere, it has rested it's ugly head on The Capstone's front doorstep before. But you must clean it up before it's all you have left. It's not the fault of the institution's involved.
It starts at home while the child is growing up. They act just like they are taught, all kids. If you don't give some kind of positive guidance as a child grows, the child grows up without the basic social skills that are acceptable in society. RTR
Bot out
