With the NCAA wiggling to maintain control of anything, now would be the perfect time for a school to finish them off with a civil suit that could assess serious financial damages. Tennessee could be that school.
If you’ve read to here, you’re better than most. Headlines grab people’s attention. Public opinions are drawn on hearsay and meek reporting daily. Those opinions can undercut any recruiter. Why, now that the Vols are in the financial clear, shouldn’t Tennessee file a civil suit against the NCAA citing the governing body defamed the University of Tennessee by leaking news of a pending investigation to the press. Could the Vols win? Who cares? The NCAA would be forced to discontinue to meddle with football, which has historically proven to be a disaster.
Have Tennessee recruiters been asked about being in yet another NCAA investigation after it was reported earlier this month that the Vols were facing potential punishment again? Absolutely. Prospects asked about another potential investigation. So did parents and coaches. So sue the NCAA.
It is incredibly odd that the school that was best known for working with the NCAA through decades of college football could be the one which ultimately brings down the antiquated system of managing athletics. Tennessee used to be the nice guy, until they weren’t. Then, things got serious. Now, Tennessee could finish the deal.
It wouldn’t be hard to track the recruiting expenses and hours spent on prospects that expressed concern about another investigation. And I’m sure those numbers would be inflated to make a point, which ultimately is the point. The NCAA should pay for trying to attack an opponent they saw as defensiveless before leaking said investigation. It doesn’t matter if you root for Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama or Powell High School, the NCAA had the Vols in the crosshairs and that shouldn’t sit well with fans of any team.
Then, there’s the possibility that a school like Tennessee could win a civil case for a few million against the NCAA. Then what? Then there’s no NCAA in football. The game is already ruled by the Big Ten and SEC commissioners. Why not just be open about it? Tennessee has done some unforgettable things in its athletic history, but the Vols have never run the NCAA off of every college football field in the country. It seems the Vols have the power to do just that.
