Tenn Stud Interviewed by UT Compliance....

Appproximately 30 minutes later the land phone rang. It was an individual in UT's compliance office. He was nice and courteous so I spoke at length with him.

I plead guilty to the following accusations:

1. Giving Memphis high school coaches $1,000-$1,500 if they would take out a 15 year loan on their first home purchase instead of the legalized crooked self defeating hard to pay off 30 year loan.

2. Lending van, automobiles, for Memphis area high school coaches to take their prospects to college summer camps.

3. Buying automobiles for individuals at various SEC schools.(many years ago)

4. Giving money to high school coaches for various activites.

5. owning a condo in Destin and letting coaching friends use it.

6. Giving money to several SEC athletes.

7. Donating money to other schools( only one such donation and it was a modest $1,000 given to a local college in two former player's names so my name wouldn't be used).

8. Being a 40+ year UT season ticket holder(section E 61, seats 19-20) and an annual contributor to the UT Athletic Dept.

9. Past president and Memphis-Shelby County UT Alumni Board member for 20 years and member of former UT Board of Governors of National Alumni Association.

I vehemently denied the following accusations:

1. Trying to influence prospects to attend UT
2. Hosting Saturday football parties, functions, in an attempt to give UT a recruiting advantage.
3. Giving money or benefits to any present UT football player.
This gentleman was just just trying to do his job. I told him as I've always told the NCAA, recently, too, that I would be willing to take a lie detector test in regards to any and all of my answers. I have nothign to hide. I don't, didn't, give up any of my God given American rights as a private citizen by being a UT alum. Under previous NCAA questioning, my then attorney assured the NCAA that we would be glad to take them to court. They backed down on both occassions. I have a good relationship with the NCAA and try to abide by all rules. I don't give autos to individuals at other schools now because they might lose their athletic eligibility, even though I have a long standing relationship with their dads, Odel Beckham at LSU, Jonathan Brown, Illinois etc.
Larry Lacewell while at UT many years ago was the last UT coach I let use my Destin condo. When he became associated with the Dallas Cowboys, he told me that his boss, Jerry Jones, had a condo in Destin "a little" nicer than mine so he wouldn't have to use mine anymore.

I didn't take personal offense to this UT offical confronting me. I would do nothing to get UT in trouble! The Memphis high school coaches know that I treat them as friends, not as a UT recruiting tool!

Cortez Kennedy has never kept secret the fact that I would send him money while he was attending the U. In fact, at the recent NFL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Canton, he told many folks of calling me back one time and telling me that he had checked with his Miami coaches and since I wasn't a U alum, booster, it was perfectly legal for me to keep sending money to him! Thanks for finding that out Cortez! He just wanted another $100!

HIs Own Words...