Comments on: UT QB Bray Heading To Court For “Hot Dogging” On Jet Ski

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 05:06:45 +0000

@OZVOL

Yep, you figured me out. Either that or…

It could be that my keyboard has been screwing up, as referenced here:

http://www.mrsec.com/2012/08/beware-of-missing-fs-and-es-ive-done-worned-my-keyboard-down/

And that I was scheduled to have it fixed this afternoon which is why I was having to do headlines only today, as reference here:

http://www.mrsec.com/2012/08/sec-headlines-81012/

But when Miles made his announcement, I had to rush back home, dig out an old laptop and hurriedly post something/anything on the story. But don’t let facts get in the way of your conspiracy theory.

After all, fans from other schools all claimed I was being a Knoxville-homer when I didn’t write anything about Tyler Bray’s beer bottle tossing incident. (They didn’t care that I’d been on vacation all that week and that I was driving across Mississippi when Bray’s first incident took place. Apparently I’d planned in advance to be out of pocket when Bray got into trouble for breaking a windshield.)

But here’s the funny thing. What did you want me to write about LSU and Tyrann Mathieu? They kicked their Heisman candidate out of school. That IS discipline. I’d gotten onto Dooley for not so much as giving his star a one-half or one-game suspension for two legal scrapes in the same month.

So your logic — not that I’m surprised– is more than a little off.

Tell ya what, though. Since you don’t like me or the site, feel free to go somewhere else. We’re growing every day and I’m really not gonna miss your goofy “everybody hates my team” junk on here. And you clearly won’t miss me or the site.

So adios and have a nice life,

John

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 04:56:07 +0000

@SEC fan

Well it happens every time I write a story about something UT’s done well or right. Or when I write something about a bad happening at another school. Last week UGA fans came in to say I was looking at everything through my “orange glasses.”

I think the fact that anti-UT people think I love UT while pro-UT people think I hate UT tells you everything you need to know.

I’m objective.

The people who get mad after reading a story, take the time to register and then post angry, anonymous comments under the story… are not.

John

By: SEC fan

SEC fan — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 20:30:33 +0000

@John at MrSEC
John,
Nobody who reads what you write consistently could accuse you of being a Tennessee homer. Like John Adams, you seem to delight in reporting negative news about Tennessee and are usually quick to condemn anybody in the football program who does anything wrong. Call it paranoia if you like and I will admit that fans of other schools feel the same about their school’s coverage, but I have been reading your stuff for years and you seem to more often than not, take a negative view toward Tennessee. Doesn’t make you a bad guy, just wish you would treat all schools the same with your coverage. Seems like some “get a pass” more than others and suspect you are so concerned about being in Knoxville and being a homer, that you go out of your way to criticize Tennessee. Just one Tennessee fan’s opinion which I am sure you will disagree with.

By: OZVOL

OZVOL — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 19:03:34 +0000

@John at MrSEC
Then why do we get a nearly 1000 word diatribe about Tyler Bray & Dooley and only a brief 150 word post when the the “Honey Badger” is kicked out of LSU? Is it not as fun to take “shots” at LSU and Les Miles? You don’t have to answer John. We know why. :)

By: AllTideUp

AllTideUp — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 02:39:18 +0000

Some people are saying UT will bounce back this year. I say not a chance. UT will collapse in virtually every way and I’ll be surprised if Dooley even makes it to the end of the season. Everything about this program screams that Dooley is not really in control of the situation and/or doesn’t know what he’s doing. When even Asst Coaches are upset that you are giving certain players special treatment then how do you think the other players feel?You might be able to get away with lax discipline if it is applied evenly, but when you pick favorites and let certain players essentially call the shots then you will lose the team. And it doesn’t even matter what other things you might having going for you at that point…assuming there are some. No ifs, ands, or buts about that. There are at most 5 wins for UT this year and I wouldn’t be that surprised if they only had 3.I’m not saying this as a Bama fan either. I enjoy beating UT as much as the next guy, but UT is out of control. And I do actually hope that they hire someone who cleans house and brings them back to prominence. It’s more fun when UT is respectable and they can represent a Darth Vader to cheer against. The TSIO is far more special then. And even though people are talking about Bobby Petrino, I wouldn’t be shocked if it was Kirby Smart at the helm next year for UT.

By: ice2cold

ice2cold — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:23:19 +0000

Didnt Mark Richt lift a guys suspension who was busted with pot? He’s supposed to be the poster child for discipline, right?

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 17:14:44 +0000

SEC fan…

I don’t think I stated or suggested in any way that I was “brilliant.”

But here’s a question for you… do you read stories about your Vols?

‘Cause if you do NOT want inside info — who’s hurt, who’s looking good, who runs one play better than another — then you must just want daily affirmations stating: “Tennessee is so good they will win on Saturday. Can’t tell you why. But they will. Go Vols.”

Though you really can’t have it both ways, my guess is you try. You’re most likely fine with sources IF they’re revealing positive things about your favorite team (or negative things about a rival). But if the same sources reveal an injury or a pattern of misbehavior on your team, then those sources become bad. Or “idiots,” as you say.

But I get it. You think I try to hurt “your players” or ”your coach.” Fair enough.

Maybe some of those fans of other schools who come here and call me a Tennessee homer will take note. (But I won’t hold my breath.)

Thanks for reading,
John

By: SEC fan

SEC fan — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:30:27 +0000

@John at MrSEC
the main question I would have is why would anyone on the inside of Tennessee football give you any inside information when you obviously only use it to impress others with your “brilliance” and /or release critical information hurting our players or our coach. Only an idiot or someone who doesn’t like Tennessee would share information with you.

By: stonejonathan

stonejonathan — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 15:47:25 +0000

Well I can say that I have never been ticketed for that, or anything this young man yall make an angel to be. That’s pretty bad considering I live my life way to close to that edge. When one person keeps on getting into little trouble….Big things happen. Trust me, played out time and time again during my time training recruits in the army.

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:09:32 +0000

@kdlewis04

Fair enough. But I don’t think it requires using a “microscope set on 1000x” to read a police report or a court docket. When starting SEC quarterbacks get in repeated troubles and have to pay for damages to cars or have to show up in court, we report it. From Stephen Garcia to Jordan Jefferson, big and small. Suspensions and legal issues for SEC quarterbacks — the most important position on the field — will be discussed.

Thanks for reading,
John

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:06:28 +0000

anonymous…

When starting SEC quarterbacks are involved in legal scrapes, yes, you’ll read about it here.

Thanks for reading,
John

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:05:46 +0000

@Manolive

I’ll try to be more of a man when I get “a little criticism” like “you’re a clown.” Thanks for the instruction.

Now, sense everyone knows my name as a man… why don’t you sign yours and leave your address so we can know who “Manolive” is. That would be a manly act as well.

Thanks for reading,
John

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:03:51 +0000

Scott…

I’ll only say this regarding the sources part of your post. I’m in the media and have been so for 20+ years. I have contacts inside the Tennessee athletic department and the university administration — I currently live in the Knoxville area — and across the SEC (school administrations and athletic departments) thanks to this website.

When it was revealed a few years ago that UT quarterback Erik Ainge was having to hand the ball off with his left hand due to an injury… that was me, via a source inside the Vols’ practice facility. I reported that on radio at the time. The idea that a quarterback would attempt a handoff across his body was scoffed at and I was mocked pretty good. Then Ainge attempted to do just that during games until a costly fumble, I believe, against Florida.

Last year, when Tyler Bray was injured, I said on a Knoxville radio station that a UT source had told me to expect the running game to improve because Bray either could not or would not check the ball to the weak side of the defense on most running plays. I received numerous emails calling me a fool, liar or both. When UT’s running game did improve a bit minus Bray, other media members asked the coaches why. Their response: Matt Simms did a better job of “managing the run game.” (Meaning, he could or would identify the middle linebacker and then adjust run calls at the line accordingly.) By season’s end, everyone acted as though it had been a long-accepted fact that Bray wasn’t great at the line of scrimmage. The first person to point that one was yours truly via a source.

That’s just two quick examples that come to mind regarding Tennessee. If you still choose to say I have no sources, that’s fine. If you choose to not believe me or my sources, that’s fine also. But I’ll go on sharing what my sources say as I think being in the media for 20 years — local television and radio in multiples states, multiple newspapers, this website and my position on CSS — give me a hair of credibility. One, maybe, at least.

You and many others may disagree. Especially if what I say doesn’t fit the “My team is the best,” narrative that most fans want to hear. Read the comments under any story I write and you’ll usually find that 80-90 percent either disagree with my take or insult me personally. Like everyone else in the media, I’m a pretty unpopular guy with the people who read/iisten to/watch my work.

As for shouting down other people who have sources with dirt on Calipari and Saban, first, I don’t recall shouting anyone down. Second, I realize this will draw claims from some that I’m an elitist, but I see a difference between my own sources — or those of other trusted media members — and those provided by anonymous people in comment boxes. So if I’ve taken an anonymous poster to town for claiming to have sources, that’s probably why. But I don’t recall that with Saban or Calipari. And generalizations — “they’re cheaters” — are different than sourced material.

The only people I can recall busting on in the media for their “source” material were those during the Cam Newton affair who kept claiming to have proof that Auburn or Mississippi State tried to buy the player. Even at this site, you won’t find us saying, “We’ve got the tapes, but we won’t play them for you.” That’s not my style. In those case, I also looked at the credibility of the people doing the reporting.

In the end, it’s for the readers to decide whether they trust me and this site or not. If not, so be it. If so, I thank them.

And if anyone reads this as anything other than a calm response to just one portion of your post, then they’re misreading it or misrepresenting it.

John

By: MiloMoon

MiloMoon — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 03:21:39 +0000

@John at MrSEC I see both sides of the story. If this was just about horseplay on a jet ski, then it would be a non-issue. However Bray has a history going back three years of showboating and juvenile behavior. This is another just another non issue in a chain of non issues with Bray. This attitude will effect his paycheck at the next level. If he goes pro after this year, there will be a team or two that will pass on him because they don’t want the next Ryan Leaf.

By: bob

bob — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 02:44:02 +0000

http://www.newschannel9.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_1691.shtml the story in this post seems to be about someone who made more than one bad decision . Playing with big toys can get you hurt bad. You should take this more seriously. What if he had hit his friend and killed them?

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 02:30:47 +0000

@badbadhoggie If we hire Petrino, I’ll be reluctantly rooting for the other team in every game until he’s gone. And I’m being serious.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 02:23:47 +0000

Oh for the love of God. If Dooley loses his job after this season (and he probably will), it will be because he isn’t a very good coach. It will have NOTHING to do with his off-field discipline, which has been among the best in the SEC, and dramatically better than his two predecessors.

And it’s interesting that you’re now relaying “inside” info from “sources”. Yet whenever someone claims to have some sourced info about Saban or Calipari cheating (NO shortage of sources there), you shout them down and discredit them.

I love this site. I read it every day. But come on, man.:(

By: kdlewis04

kdlewis04 — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 01:22:11 +0000

@Vander @John at MrSEC You guys are a trip.

By: Dynamite fan

Dynamite fan — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 23:48:57 +0000

To quote Dean Wormer ”Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life son” At least he’s not fat.

By: Manolive

Manolive — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 23:45:18 +0000

Jesus Christ John, why do you get so butt hurt when someone throws a little critIcism your way? You write an article that some folks don’t like and you always feel the need to be a smartazz over it. Grow up and be above it man.

By: Gomezaaaa

Gomezaaaa — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 21:48:50 +0000

Your mom must be very proud.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 20:30:01 +0000

I hope to see a story every time an SEC play appears in traffic court over the next year.

By: RoadTrip

RoadTrip — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 20:04:17 +0000

John – total agreement with your take on this situation with Tyler. I am just holding my breath that he a Da’rick can make it through the whole season. They can then go on their merry ways as far as I am concerned. Tired of the self centered drama queens in the program. This they just having a little fun BS. People only hear a portion of the real story about these guys. If everything was made public most of these public defender posters would change their tunes.

By: woopig987

woopig987 — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:41:04 +0000

Oh no, but whatever will this site do without your ever important visits???

By: BonzaiB

BonzaiB — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:22:09 +0000

Yeah, its a non story. Except if you had been the guy who owned the car this jackass who gets national attention for playing ball pelted with golfballs, you might not have appreciated having to pay the deductable….. just saying, its not a big deal until you have someone endangerring your son or daughter, or wife with a high speed motor craft, just because he thought it was fun.

If we get media all hyped up because someone smoked a joint, and who plays college ball, then why not a guy who shows some real aggression when he is just out enjoying himself. I mean, don’t we all throw beer bottles, do damage to cars and endanger families who are out for a weekend on the lake every now and then. No big deal.

By: kdlewis04

kdlewis04 — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:52:17 +0000

Come on John, Dooley did not make light of the incident he was punished accordingly. He didn’t punish him to your satisfaction because you don’t know what type of punishment he was given. The punishment wasn’t tangible enough for you. It’s unbelievable that the media is acting like this young man committed a major felony. If I didn’t know any better I would have thought he was charged with manslaughter. Is he juvenile? Yes. Is this the worst conduct to have hit the program. Uh, No. If we win the east this is a non subject. It’s a slow period for the program, we’re down right now and anything is news. This is unbelievable the judgment of people.

By: OZVOL

OZVOL — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:42:40 +0000

Tyler’s attorney, Brian E. Nichols, issued the following statement after the hearing…”Tyler Bray was issued a citation concerning the operation of a jet ski on Tellico Lake on July 4, 2012. Tyler understands the importance of safety on the water. There was no alcohol involved. Tyler has agreed to assist the TWRA in its campaign to promote boater safety. TWRA officers note that Tyler was polite and cooperative upon receiving the citation. The citation will be dismissed with his cooperation with TWRA.”

Hope we can all get on with our lives…

By: Juanathan

Juanathan — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:38:10 +0000

@Vander “He said he did not recognize Bray, but said Bray was “polite and nice” when he encountered them.”

Sounds like a delinquent to me.

By: Vander

Vander — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:30:34 +0000

Did you read the article the officer that witnessed this said he was practically on top of the the two he knocked of the Jet ski. Spraying them with water is nothing, I agree, but it sounds like this may be the norm for this kid. Constantly getting into trouble even if it is minor is a sign that something may be wrong with him.

By: Vander

Vander — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:27:45 +0000

@John at MrSEC

Sorry, but John is right on this story. It is not the one incident. It seems this kid keeps making dumb decisions and that is more the story then the lake or the bottle.

By: guest

guest — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:20:35 +0000

thanks for the laugh during lunch (at you not with you). this is the only time I will ever visit this joke of a website. make sure to notify the world next time a prominent athlete doesn’t get arrested or spills some water on someone, thanks.

By: guest

guest — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:16:38 +0000

as an un-biased SEC fan, you are a clown. last time I checked, spraying someone with water is not considered a serious charge. stop reading into this so much and find something better do.

By: kdlewis04

kdlewis04 — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:59:56 +0000

It absolutely amazes me the over analyzing of this incident. I’ll give you the dumb decision making but to say that this will cost Dooley his job? There are people every day who get DUI’s, traffic tickets, bar fights whatever and yet their work or job is not affected. I’m not saying for everybody but these juvenile incidents do not make 2+2 =4. This doesn’t mean he can’t be the leader of this team or players will no longer respect him or in the 4th quarter of a game the jet ski incident will come back to haunt him. I think you’re over analyzing this situation because that’s your makeup. Every little thing means something to you John, I get it that’s what you do and I enjoy watching on television or reading your opinions. But I’m sorry I don’t one thing has anything to do with the other in every situation. Not that it means anything but when I was Tyler’s age I was in charge of half a million dollar equipment and a squad leader in the military. In the evening I was an idiot but when it came to my job as a soldier I did it to the best of my abilities. I’m just saying that I don’t thing you can always draw a deductive conclusion because of a few juvenile incidents. Yes he’s the quarterback of TN and should set the example and yes he’s under a microscope but you seem to have that microscope set on 1000x. People need to come off their moral high horses it coming across like an agenda. Anyway just an opinion John and I respect it but I can’t agree with it. You’re a good journalist and I hope you take this as a personal attack I know alot of people do I just disagree.

By: Juanathan

Juanathan — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:52:23 +0000

@John at MrSEC Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Pennington, I do appreciate the work you do. I also understand you have to report these things, and my comment was more aimed at media/society in general. I agree Bray is going to be held a little higher given his position…..but the whole situation is ridiculous. It is a JET ski. It is made for play. Countless people do the same thing day-in day-out during the summer. Equivalent of a speeding ticket. The folks that are truly outraged by this are the same ones that believe in participation trophies.

I have recently moved to NY, so I haven’t been out on the water in Knoxville in the past few years. I am given to understand the TWRA has ramped up enforcement to police state status. I would like to see how many other folks have received the same citation this year. I would think the volume of incidents would lend some context to the severity of this “bad decision”.

Keep up the good fight, and negotiate with Time Warner to get the Sports Source on in NY. Need the Sunday updates.

By: Travis

Travis — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:50:20 +0000

@John at MrSEC I understand your point, but this is practically the equivalent of going to court for a speeding ticket. The bottle throwing was silly, but this is just a couple of college kids having fun on the lake. Just my take.

By: VolGuest

VolGuest — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:30:27 +0000

Wasn’t Derek Dooley suppose to be the opposite of the Kiffen and Fulmer years? I know they didn’t hire him for his records at other schools. And I believe Dooley could last at Tennessee a lot longer if he was actually disciplining and removing players that don’t get it that the scholarship is a privilege, not a right. Bray and Rogers should have been kicked off the team long ago but Dooley totally ignores, or in some cases laughs off the problems these two cause. When Dooley looks back on his UT tenure in December when he is unemployed, he’ll see that the ‘playmakers’ he allowed to run wild were actually his undoing.

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:26:05 +0000

@Juanathan

PS… Not unlike Derek Dooley. (Rimshot!)

Thanks for reading,
John

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:25:31 +0000

@Juanathan

Sorry. The next time an SEC quarterback goes to court over charges… just two weeks after making headlines for another illegal act… we’ll ignore it.

Our bad.

John

By: Juanathan

Juanathan — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:05:44 +0000

Really? The same thing every other human being does on a jet ski….and this is a story?

By: badbadhoggie

badbadhoggie — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:04:38 +0000

Seems to me to be a sign of desperation in Vol land, win at all cost, but its never worth it in the long run! Dooley’s job is short lived, rumor has it here in west tenn…Bobby Petrino is in the running??????

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:34:29 +0000

Travis…

Just me, but I think when an SEC quarterback who is cited on July 4th and then could have been arrested for vandalism less than a month later it is a story. Ditto the fact that his coach made light of the issue(s). I think it speaks to the decision-making of Tennessee’s quarterback and Tennessee’s coach.

But that’s just my take.

Thanks for reading the site,
John

By: Vander

Vander — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:21:48 +0000

If it was a one time thing this would be a non story. To me Bray seems to careless about his actions. When someone is an athlete they represent the school and being a star athlete there is more attention on them. When they do something stupid not only does it look bad on them it looks bad on the University.

By: Travis

Travis — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:14:51 +0000

I normally agree with you John, but this is a non-story. Really.