Almost as interesting as what we do know about the NCAA investigation of Tennessee men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl is what we don’t know. Because we know that Pearl was charged with impressible contact with a recruit, but there are some puzzling redactions from the report. There are highlights at Rocky Top Talk, including such hits as the NCAA’s request for:
A statement identifying all [two lines redacted]. Please indicate whether the [line and a half redacted].
This could, obviously, be just about anything. “A statement identifying all al-Qaeda training camps set up in Knoxville or the surrounding areas using NCAA funds”? It’s possible. In any case, the totality of the blacked-out sections are leaving some Tennessee fans understandably concerned.
Perhaps there’s a perfectly appropriate explanation for this other than what I fear. Perhaps it’s just sloppy and inconsistent redaction. I hope that’s all it is. But Mike Hamilton also said in the statement he released with all of the other documents this morning that “most items noted in this document have already been reported broadly.”
Most? Which ones haven’t?
The answer could decide the future of Pearl and the Tennessee men’s basketball team.
Keep up with Rocky Top Talk for more on the NCAA investigation.