From Sporting News: Ole Miss basketball coach Andy Kennedy has filed suit against a cab driver who charged him with assault and a parking valet who said he witnessed the incident, charging both men with defamation.
Thursday was a bad day for Ole Miss basketball. Kennedy was arrested, the Rebels lost to Louisville and Chris Warren was lost for the season.
CBS Sports' Gary Parrish gives "The Ole Miss Side of the Story." His unnamed source is obviously a member of the Rebel coaching staff. A blogger commenting on this story at The Big Lead wrote: This story is totally made up. I grew up in Cincinnati, and trust me - there's no way there were 3 different cabs downtown on a Wednesday night.
An editorial in Friday's Northeast Mississippi Journal didn't exactly leap to Kennedy's defense:
... The incident was weakly described as "unfortunate" by Athletic Director Pete Boone, who gave Kennedy the go-ahead to coach the team in Thursday night's game. It is more. It is potentially serious legally, undeniably embarrassing to the university and the athletic program, and calls into question Kennedy's leadership qualities.
Does the university consider late-night/early morning bar visits, and perhaps substantial drinking by coaches and other athletic program employees, acceptable behavior on a sanctioned trip? ...
It remains to be seen if what happened in Cincinnati merits suspension or dismissal.
The allegations, if true, describe grossly inappropriate behavior while officially representing the university, alumni, the basketball team, and, by extension, the state of Mississippi and the Southeastern Conference.
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