by Stan Crawley
posted August 2, 2004
A defamation lawsuit filed by former Tennessee player Kenny Smith in Tuscaloosa, Ala., against Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer was dismissed Monday.
"It is a good day for the coaching profession and the NCAA system of self-governance,'' Fulmer said. "I have been confident all along that we did what was right, the system would work, and it has.
"As this lawsuit went along, it became apparent that the controversial attorneys pressing the suit had as their goal the erosion of the entire NCAA process. One of the attorneys even admitted that as their goal last week.''
Fulmer said the Monday judgment was not a surprise to him.
"The desire to get to this point is what motivated me to participate in SEC Media Days by teleconference rather than be there in person,'' Fulmer said. "I appreciate my university administration, my football team, the Tennessee people and my fellow coaches for standing with me on this matter."
Smith originally signed with Alabama and then transferred to Tennessee. His high school football career started at Marion County High School in Jasper, Tenn., but he finished at North Jackson High School in Stevenson, Ala.
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)
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