Ex-Alabama coach Cottrell awarded $30 million in defamation suit

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2005-07-22-cottrell-lawsuit_x.htm



TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — A jury awarded $30 million to former Alabama assistant coach Ronnie Cottrell on Friday in his defamation lawsuit against former recruiting analyst Tom Culpepper.

Jurors awarded Cottrell $6 million in compensatory damages and $24 million in punitive damages.

Cottrell's suit claimed Culpepper defamed him by saying he stole money from the Shaun Alexander Foundation, that he stole videotapes from the University of Alabama after his dismissal, and that he abandoned his first wife and family in Tallahassee.

Cottrell and former Tide coach Ivy Williams filed suit nearly two years ago against Culpepper and the NCAA, claiming they were unable to find comparable employment following the NCAA's investigation and sanctions against Alabama.

Cottrell is currently the head coach at Carroll High School in Ozark.

Earlier this week, Tuscaloosa Circuit Judge Steven Wilson threw out all claims against the NCAA, leaving only Cottrell's suit against Culpepper, who was a secret witness against Alabama in the investigation.

Wilson also reversed a previous ruling Thursday in a move that made it easier for Cottrell to prove his claims against Culpepper. Wilson ruled that Cottrell should be considered a private figure by the jury, rather than a limited-access public figure, as he had previously ruled.

 

Funny how the Bama judge through out all the charges vs the bigwigs and let the little guy to fend on his own. If this guy was smart Cottrell won't see too much money unless insurance coverage was awfully good.

 

NCAA has an agreement with Culpepper to pay for it.

 

We will see if he actually gets a lot of that....

 

Culpepper will be in bankruptcy before the ink dries on the judgment.

 

Well, where is all the "vindication" all the Bummers predicted?

A former Bama coach wins a defamation judgement against a former recruiting guru but ALL CHARGES AGAINST THE NCAA ARE THROWN OUT?

All this entire lawsuit proved is that Bama has been for a LONG TIME and probably still is cheater. Virtually all the testimony regarding Bama only served to prove that Bama had knowingly cheated and that Bama boosters
have been heavily involved with buying players over many years.

Bama is a damn joke.

 

It will not hold up at the next court and even if the former as. coach wins in the Bama SC the award will be lowered and the NCAA has to foot the bill as they have an agreement with Culpepper to pay all the legal bills.

 

Re: Well, where is all the "vindication" all the Bummers predicted?

If there is one thing this has proven, it's you can't control boosters. Just ask the janitor at Butler, HSV, AL. LSU fan...and tried to influence Darby to play for the Tigers.

 

Re: Well, where is all the "vindication" all the Bummers predicted?

Now you are seriously going to attempt to equate some ridiculous allegation about a JANITOR at a high school in Alabama with a KNOWN LONG-TIME Bama
booster being proven guilty of offering hundreds of thousands of dollars to coaches, parents and recruits?

That's Alabama logic for you.

 

Re: Well, where is all the "vindication" all the Bummers predicted?

I was simply trying to make a point. There is no control out there for boosters. I'm very well aware of Logan Young's involment. I'm not trying/attempting to make excuses about it.

So, let me say this again. There is no way for a University to control boosters actions. It's not about equating anything...it's only an example of how it runs from the top of the socio-economic ladder to the bottom of it.