Vol Recruiting Hostesses Trigger NCAA Investigation
by War Eagle Atlanta on Dec 9, 2009 5:08 PM CST
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The New York Times revealed yesterday that the NCAA is conducting a wide-ranging investigation into recruiting practices by the University of Tennessee. Specifically, they concern the use of recruiting hostesses from the school's Orange Pride organization, an ambassador-like club directly affiliated with the university that is comprised of both men and women . They exist on most campuses and help serve as representatives to the school for many events, and also sometimes escort potential recruits in all sports around campus. It seems that the women of Orange Pride have attracted quite a bit of attention to themselves lately for their uncanny ability to successfully land recent football recruits.
The controversy surrounds an unspecified number of visits made by these women to some potential recruit's high school football games this fall--one over 200 miles away. In this specific incident, hostesses are reported to have brought signs that read 'Come to Tennessee'. The NCAA is conducting interviews with four potential recruits, including Marcus Lattimore of James F. Byrnes high school in Duncan, SC, who saw the signs. "I haven’t seen no other schools do that. It’s crazy," said Lattimore. He also described the hostesses as "real pretty, real nice and just real cool." He said he thought they had "a lot" of influence in two of his teammates' commitments to Tennessee. Often times, these hostesses exchange social networking information with recruits, like Myspace and Facebook, or send them text messages.
Since these hostesses are a formal part of the university, these alledged 'off-campus' visits could be considered secondary recruiting violations, if not more. Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton confirmed the investigation, but refused to elaborate further.
This incident marks the sixth time that secondary violations have been reported during coach Lane Kiffin's tenure. The NCAA's enforcement division gets involved if similar incidents continue to get reported. The investigation appears to revolve around if these visits were impromptu ones made by the hostesses, or if they may have been directed by the university in some fashion. Certainly the latter case, if true, would constitute a more serious scenario.
For me, I think the NCAA should clamp down on this pretty hard for all schools. It has the potential to get way out of hand, especially with all the electronic means of communication these days. We've even seen coaches themselves push that envelope. If they had the male hosts doing this, no one would care, but have pretty girls do it and the intent is pretty clear.
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Leave it to rapper wannabe Kiffin to emphasize the ho in hostess. Thank God they’re just hostesses. It’s funky, and it smells fishy, too. Football groupies? Or just girls who wanna have fun. The NCAA doesn’t wanna have so much fun. Anything that can be taken the wrong way, will be. Coach Price was sent packing for a little bit more fun than this. But packaging is everything. Let’s see how Lane spins it.
...not sure why everyone is making a big stink.
do we really think that high school kids can persuaded in any way by hot college chicks?…
what are hostesses hosting if they are making the trip to see recruits?… nope. they are recruiters appealing to something other than the guy’s love for football and interest in higher academic opportunities. this is absolutely crazy, although… i am not sure i don’t like it… open the market i say!… legalize prostitution in college football recruiting!
send all the college chicks you want. go get em!…just kidding of course. love the scandal. great stuff TN,… keep it coming. this is so entertaining.
wappa
do we really think that high school kids can persuaded in any way by hot college chicks?
Uh, YEA!!!
by Jumpn_JackFlash on Dec 10, 2009 8:36 AM CST reply actions
Sarcasm
doesn’t translate well to the world wide web
"Jay Jacobs can't go to the bathroom without Bobby Lowder's permission" - Paul Finebaum
by GumptownTiger on Dec 10, 2009 8:59 AM CST up reply actions
so many fun headline options...
Orange “Pride” big “O” no.
Vols hostesses Volunteer themselves…
wappa
by buddy Ro on Dec 10, 2009 8:52 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Vols hostesses Volunteer themselves
well played sir
"Jay Jacobs can't go to the bathroom without Bobby Lowder's permission" - Paul Finebaum
by GumptownTiger on Dec 10, 2009 8:59 AM CST up reply actions
Hahaha!
Those are good!
How about: Kiffin’s Kittens Cajole With Kitty ?
Auburn Tigers: The leap-frogging'ist bowl team in 2009.
by War Eagle Atlanta on Dec 10, 2009 1:43 PM CST up reply actions
This is all VERY EROTIC
"Jay Jacobs can't go to the bathroom without Bobby Lowder's permission" - Paul Finebaum
hilarious... i love it. it is so entertaining.
i remember back in the day when Univ. Miami used to have this kind of whirlwind media attention (not all good), and it really grew bigger than the team itself. Similar with the fab 5 of Michigan in college basketball a good while ago. …with such a grand history attached to college football and the teams of college football, every program has a reputation… some are more tricky to shed and rebuild…others tend to be more steady…
this new look at the Vols is great for the SEC… i am rooting for this to stick and add a new dynamic to the conference. i wouldn’t expect this to detract from the Vol’s momentum recruiting…(we’re talking about high school kids) maybe a few moms and dads across the country will be turned off…but the edge they have created around the football team can become contagious…we shall see.
wappa
Don't know, but
I’ve been in touch with Rachel Uchitel just in case
"Jay Jacobs can't go to the bathroom without Bobby Lowder's permission" - Paul Finebaum
another headline...
Tennessee’s Orange Pride “orientation training” under investigation…
sign me up! i would be on board for sure.
the detail here is if the TN “hostesses” were instructed to go on these trips…that would mean they were representatives of the school…and this is against NCAA rules. TN already has 6 minor recruiting violations since Kiffin was HC…
from what i’ve heard… TN might get the book thrown at them if all this is true… NCAA loves to run into opportunities like this to make an example especially with the changing “devices” such as the social networking and all constantly changing the “game”.
wappa
Well
I wonder if Kiffin’s wife does this aswell….. cause if she is, sign me up!!!!
You Know...
If that picture is one of the girls, that’s awesome. I think I would play for Tennessee if she had a sign saying come to play at Tennessee. Damn, she is hot.
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