I wished that Court TV would televise this trial.
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Calkins: Television missing one whale of a show
By By Geoff Calkins
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January 27, 2005
Defense lawyer Robert Hutton walked to the lectern and began his cross-examination of Duke Clement.
Clement had testified on direct that Logan Young bragged, over dinner at the Grove Grill, of having bought former Melrose defensive end Kindal Moorehead for Alabama.
Hutton -- sticking to the essential defense strategy -- tried to emphasize that his client was smashed at the time.
"You said that when Mr. Young was talking to you at the Grove Grill about Alabama football, he had at least 10 scotch and sodas, did you not?"
"No, sir," said Clement.
No?
Ha!
Hutton had him now. He whipped out Clement's testimony to the NCAA, where the guy had clearly said -- Hutton read this all out loud -- that Young had downed 10 scotch and waters at that dinner.
So, did you or did you not say that, Mr. Clement?
Clement looked back, deadpan.
"I thought you said scotch and sodas."
Oh.
Geez.
Never mind!
Which is when the idea hit: There really should be an ESPNCRIME.
All the action, all the laughter, all the human drama of courtroom competition.
Plus, no shortage of programming!
If professional poker can draw monster ratings, why can't this?
See the Detroit basketball fans on trial for throwing stuff at players.
See the Ole Miss football players charged with sexual assault.
See Ronnie Cottrell's suit against the NCAA, and Jackie Sherrill's suit against the NCAA, and, by all means, see the show going on right now on the 11th floor of the Clifford Davis Federal Building.
Wednesday was a slow day, but it still beat the heck out of -- actual ESPN programming this week -- live Senior Bowl practice.
Lynn Lang said that East High coach Wayne Randall talked to him because Randall "wanted to know how to get money for a football player that went to the University of Arkansas."
Oooooooh.
Lang said he nearly reneged on his deal with Young because Arkansas offered him money and a position as a defensive line coach.
Ahhhhhhh.
And then, just before court adjourned, an FBI expert testified that there were 59 phone calls between Young and Lang from June 5, 2000 through February 13, 2001.
Yowser!
You have to think this creates a problem for the defense. If Young didn't buy players from Lang, what were the two gabbing about?
The pesky mosquito problem in Chickasaw Gardens?
The pros and cons of single malt scotch?
The challenge of getting today's misguided youth to realize there's more to life than sports?
Our experts could discuss all that, along with the other breaking issues of our time.
Missouri basketball. Colorado football. All things SEC.
"It's like a soap opera," said Marv Conrad, 37, who left his printing business Wednesday to come watch the Young trial.
Conrad was joined by John Hirschman, one of his employees.
"Curiosity overwhelmed me," Hirschman said.
And would the two tune in if this stuff were on TV?
"Absolutely," said Conrad.
"I know I would," said Hirschman.
So there you go, ESPN. You can thank me with cash or check.
People love sports. People love trials. It's the best blend since Reese's peanut butter cups.
And if that's not enough, think about the real ratings bonanza.
Someday, a poker player will go on trial.
Contact Geoff Calkins at 529-2364
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The former high school coach that sold Means to Bama now lives in Michigan. LOL!!!
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Scenes from the back bench
January 27, 2005
Six Degrees of Bowden Wyatt
Jim Neal, the legendary trial lawyer who is lead counsel for the defense, played football under former Tennessee coach Bowden Wyatt.
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No, not for the Vols. For the University of Wyoming. "Back before there were helmets," he said, which isn't quite true.
Neal then went to Vanderbilt Law School, where he finished first in his class.
Conspiracy?
Alabama fans are grumbling because Daniel Breen, the U.S. district judge presiding over the case, is a graduate of Tennessee. That's both true and not. Breen did graduate from Tennessee Law School. But he did his undergraduate work at Spring Hill College in -- ta-dum! -- Mobile, Alabama.
Crime doesn't pay
Lang is now employed as an assistant principal at a high school in Michigan. Honestly, we don't know how he makes ends meet.
Lang is still making payments on the Ford Expedition he bought after Means's senior year. More than $500 a month is automatically deducted from his paycheck for child support.
And then there's the back taxes on the $150,000 he says he got for selling Means.
Lang said the total tax bill was for nearly $70,000.
"I know it comes out to $1,200 a month," he said.
Liar, liar?
The prosecution should finish up this morning with more testimony about phone calls and at least two witnesses testifying about bank records. The defense will then have its chance to prove that Lang is a big, fat liar.
That will be the theme with a parade of witnesses lined up to swear it's so.
Rip Scherer will testify that he never offered Lang's wife a free ride at Memphis Law School.
Jim Donnan will testify that he never gave Lang cash.
Tim Thompson will testify that he didn't sell Kindal Moorehead.
Moorehead will testify that he wasn't sold.
That's just the start of the list. It may reach double figures by the time Neal's done. At the end of the trial, Neal will then ask, "Do you believe all these folks, or do you believe Lang?"
Randall responds
East High football coach Wayne Randall, a potential witness in the trial, denied Lang's accusation in court Wednesday that Randall talked to Lang because he "wanted to know how to get money for a football player that went to the University of Arkansas."
"You have to consider the source," Randall said. "We pride ourselves in doing everything openly and honestly at East High School. We've had a great many coaches representing a great many colleges come through here, and at no time has there been any inappropriate conduct by a college coach or myself in the recruitment of one of our athletes."
-- Geoff Calkins and Jim Masilak
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