Supreme Court turns down appeal from former Alabama coaches

[DKW 86 7,424]

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/02/suprem...down_appea.html

Supreme Court turns down appeal from former Alabama coaches

Posted by Associated Press February 19, 2008 9:38 AM

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court declined Tuesday to hear an appeal from two former Alabama assistant football coaches who lost their jobs following an NCAA investigation of the Crimson Tide's football program.

The justices rejected the case of Ronnie Cottrell and Ivy Williams without comment.

Cottrell and Williams sued the NCAA and recruiting analyst Tom Culpepper for defamation, claiming they were unable to find comparable employment following the NCAA's investigation of Alabama. The football program was placed on probation and received other sanctions for rules violations.

Cottrell won a $30 million judgment against Culpepper, but the trial judge threw out the verdict and ordered a new trial. The Alabama Supreme Court upheld that ruling, as well as others that eliminated Williams as a plaintiff and the NCAA as a defendant.

Cottrell still is entitled to a new trial, but could find it harder to prove his claims under the Alabama high court ruling.

The case is Cottrell v. NCAA, 07-288.

[AUesquire 1]

I see a confidential settlement coming in the not too distant future. Wouldn't surprise me and it's probably in the best interest of everyone involved.

Even if they go through an exhaustive trial and prove the case against Culpepper again with the same type jury award, you still have to collect. Culpepper claims he had an agreement with the NCAA to indemnify. They say no. The NCAA needs to pony up a few million and put it on the table and let everybody walk away from this thing.

[TitanTiger 20,482]

Why did the judge throw it out?

[AUesquire 1]

It's a conspiracy. He was bought and paid for by Philip Fulmer and has band of evil minions.

[AUloggerhead 2,231]

What I don't get is why the NCAA should be held responsible for Cottrell or Williams ever getting a college coaching or recruiting job again? I mean it's like a former security guard getting accused of stealing money from the company, and then turning around and claiming the DA who brought the charges against him has prevented him from getting another security job again; "Gee, why won't anybody in the industry hire me? I just don't get it." Stupid bammies.

[DKW 86 7,424]

What I don't get is why the NCAA should be held responsible for Cottrell or Williams ever getting a college coaching or recruiting job again? I mean it's like a former security guard getting accused of stealing money from the company, and then turning around and claiming the DA who brought the charges against him has prevented him from getting another security job again; "Gee, why won't anybody in the industry hire me? I just don't get it." Stupid bammies.

Before Wincrimson chimes in with a vein bulging in his neck, the coaches were listed on the NCAA website on a "Do not hire" type list. The listing was later found to be in error, hence the case with the NCAA. It was tossed for whatever reason. The case for libel on Culpepper is a sham and should never have been brought. If you really think that the PTB in Tuscaloosa arent behind this and and want it to go away, you are nuts. They must think they are intimidating the NCAA with lawsuits. Har har. That back fired sssooo bad on them in the Means Case.

[quietfan 233]

"Obviously, we're not finished yet."

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/huntsvil....xml&coll=1

Supreme snub no end for Cottrell

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Ex-Tide coach vows new defamation trial after high court ruling

TUSCALOOSA - Despite an unfavorable ruling Tuesday from the U.S. Supreme Court, former Alabama assistant coach Ronnie Cottrell vowed not to give up.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Cottrell's appeal on his $30 million verdict won in a 2005 defamation case against recruiting analyst Tom Culpepper.

That verdict was set aside by presiding judge Steve Wilson.

Cottrell has the option of a new trial.

"I want to make sure I'm real clear," Cottrell told The Huntsville Times. "I want to go to trial. I want to finish this." (Hey, Ronnie: YOU seem to be the only one who believes it's not already finished. Even your own lawyer wants to "mull it over a few days" before continuing to beat this dead horse--see below.)

Cottrell and one of his attorneys, Delaine Mountain of Tuscaloosa, said they weren't surprised by the high court's ruling. "We've said all along we've got to go back to trial," Cottrell said.

Mountain said the chances of the Supreme Court hearing oral arguments in the case were "like one out of 3,000. We knew we had long odds."

Mountain said the Supreme Court required the NCAA - which was dismissed as a defendant during the 2005 civil trial - submit a brief stating its position in the case.

"I was getting my hopes up," Mountain said. The Supreme Court received the Cottrell appeal last fall.

Cottrell's verdict over Culpepper was the result of a highly publicized legal battle against the NCAA resulting from the investigation into wrong- doings in the Alabama football program under former coach Mike DuBose.

Cottrell and co-defendant Ivy Williams were assistant coaches under DuBose.

The case came to trial in the summer of 2005 with Cottrell and Williams seeking damages from the NCAA and Culpepper.

But Wilson dismissed Williams as a plaintiff and the NCAA as a defendant during the two-week trial. After Cottrell won the largest verdict in Tuscaloosa County history, Wilson threw out the jury's verdict because of bias and prejudice and granted Cottrell a new trial.

The state Supreme Court upheld Wilson's rulings.

Cottrell and Williams alleged they were wrongly accused by the NCAA, which tarnished their professional reputations and made it difficult to obtain coaching jobs.

"Now we're in discussion on where we go from here and what's the next stage," Mountain said. "We're looking at the situation to see what's in the best interest of our client."

Mountain also said he interpreted the U.S. Supreme Court's decision as the final step in the legal process for Williams.

Mountain said he had several conversations Tuesday with co-counsel Tommy Gallion - the flamboyant Montgomery attorney who generated much of the publicity surrounding the case - on Cottrell's options.

"I suggested we mull it over a few days," Mountain said.

But Cottrell said he's already made up his mind.

"My first thoughts are that I just don't want this to happen to another college coach or college program," Cottrell said. "I realize that through this, we have been able to get some things changed.

"Obviously, we're not finished yet."

JMHO, but if Cottrell had been this tenacious in recruiting by the book, would Bama have ever needed the help of characters like Logan Young & Co.?

[WinCrimson 61]

What I don't get is why the NCAA should be held responsible for Cottrell or Williams ever getting a college coaching or recruiting job again? I mean it's like a former security guard getting accused of stealing money from the company, and then turning around and claiming the DA who brought the charges against him has prevented him from getting another security job again; "Gee, why won't anybody in the industry hire me? I just don't get it." Stupid bammies.

Before Wincrimson chimes in with a vein bulging in his neck, the coaches were listed on the NCAA website on a "Do not hire" type list. The listing was later found to be in error, hence the case with the NCAA. It was tossed for whatever reason. The case for libel on Culpepper is a sham and should never have been brought. If you really think that the PTB in Tuscaloosa arent behind this and and want it to go away, you are nuts. They must think they are intimidating the NCAA with lawsuits. Har har. That back fired sssooo bad on them in the Means Case.

And, he's yet to get another collegiate coaching job...

If you don't think that the dragging of his name through the mud doesn't have anything to do with that, you're kidding yourself. With that said, Ronnie's been offered numerous jobs, but school administrations always axe it due to the bogus list put out by the NCAA. It's the equivalent of your name showing up on a "Ten Most Wanted" list the day before a job interview. What do you think your chances are after that?

David, there's no vein bulging in my neck. However, if you had seen a personal friend's career destroyed over someone else's mistake's, then you might be a little pissed off, as well.

[AWK 0]

The judge threw out the verdict due to the high amount of damages. I am assuming the majority of the award was punitive, which might be unconstitutional anyway. Either way, I stand with Esquire that if his lawyer has a brain he will convince him to settle.

[DKW 86 7,424]

What I don't get is why the NCAA should be held responsible for Cottrell or Williams ever getting a college coaching or recruiting job again? I mean it's like a former security guard getting accused of stealing money from the company, and then turning around and claiming the DA who brought the charges against him has prevented him from getting another security job again; "Gee, why won't anybody in the industry hire me? I just don't get it." Stupid bammies.

Before Wincrimson chimes in with a vein bulging in his neck, the coaches were listed on the NCAA website on a "Do not hire" type list. The listing was later found to be in error, hence the case with the NCAA. It was tossed for whatever reason. The case for libel on Culpepper is a sham and should never have been brought. If you really think that the PTB in Tuscaloosa arent behind this and and want it to go away, you are nuts. They must think they are intimidating the NCAA with lawsuits. Har har. That back fired sssooo bad on them in the Means Case.

And, he's yet to get another collegiate coaching job...

If you don't think that the dragging of his name through the mud doesn't have anything to do with that, you're kidding yourself. With that said, Ronnie's been offered numerous jobs, but school administrations always axe it due to the bogus list put out by the NCAA. It's the equivalent of your name showing up on a "Ten Most Wanted" list the day before a job interview. What do you think your chances are after that?

David, there's no vein bulging in my neck. However, if you had seen a personal friend's career destroyed over someone else's mistake's, then you might be a little pissed off, as well.

I think my comments came across too hard. I really meant oto just poke fun that YOU are very passionate about this and that was all. I agree with all that about the list. However, that was a while ago and some college somewhere should have stepped up and gone after him. Ex USA looking for a hc. Cottrell has a reputation in college circles that dates all the way back to FSU. His reputation was there long before the NCAA Investigation etc. He is why CSS called FSU Free Shoes University.