$1.15 million annually is spent by the University of Tennessee toimport college football players who by and large are making moreheadlines off the field than on it lately. Great financial move by theuniversity and a great way to build these players resumes, er rapsheets.
So, the college athletes playing in these games are hugelyimportant employees to the overall branding of the team and positioningof the program as a major commodity to future recruits who will act as stewards to that programs continued success. However, with 50 percent of college football competitors being Black people, it is important to point out a trend that can be easily discerned at virtually every school – even the Naval Academy isn’t immune from this epidemic – for Black people find themselves incapable of keeping their names out of the press for their on-field talent, but also for their off-field behavior:
“ThreeUniversity of Tennessee football players and a female companion are inthe Knox County Detention Facility this morning on charges of attemptedarmed robbery.
Janzen Jackson, Mike Edwards and Nu’KeeseRichardson, all 18, were charged this morning after an armed robberyattempt at a Pilot station on Cumberland Avenue, according to theKnoxville Police Department.
Each player and the woman face three counts of attempted armed robbery. The woman also faces drug charges.
UT athletic director Mike Hamilton released a statement this morning about the episode.
“Atthis time we are currently evaluating the circumstances surrounding anincident involving Mike Edwards, Janzen Jackson and Nu’KeeseRichardson,” Hamilton said. “Any decisions or comments regarding theirstatus will not be made until the evaluations are complete.”
An isolated example you might ask? No, this is the true Knoxville Horror to those who follow University of Tennessee football, for any news event that shines a negative light upon their beloved Volunteer program is more important to dispel than any murder that might have happened in that city (here’s a 2005 USA Today story about Tennessee Football):
“On the back of the card are the home and cell phone numbers of the Tennessee coaching staff so players can call for help.
TheThink Card is part of a safety net of counselors, tutors and rolemodels the university has been constructing since 1995 after eightfootball players had run-ins with the law in a one-year span.
Butduring the last 16 months, players frequently have fallen through.Tennessee football players have been in at least 20 incidents involvingshoplifting, assault, gun charges, motor vehicle citations, disturbingthe peace and failing a drug test.”