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Kliempsein was told no, but still showed up at the Mr. Football Luncheon and Presentations.  But there's more, UT showed up, too. 

The college football recruiting process is completely out of control. 

http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013312020039

I don't see that it's a huge deal. But that may be just me and my bias...because personally I think it's TSSAA that is out of control (not on this issue; just in general).

As I posted on another forum, I am not a fan of much of what the TSSAA does, but they got this one right.  Two things:

1.  The TSSAA turned down Kliempsein's request for tickets and told them is was not an event for college coaches and recruiting.  They went around the back door and came anyway.  UT knew about the policy as well, and went in a side door. 

2.  This event is to honor ALL of the Mr. Football finalist and winners, and not just the ones who happen to be BCS level recruits.  Having those coaches there takes away attention that ALL of the honorees deserve, and not just a few, or in this case one who is a recruiting target of the ONLY two schools who went around protocol to send not just one, but multiple coaches there dressed in their school attire. 

I didn't go to the luncheon yesterday because I wasn't on assignment to cover it, but I have covered about a dozen of these luncheons at both the Opryland Hotel, where it used to be held, and now at the Ebassy Suites in Murfreesboro.  Not once have I ever seen a college coach there in a recruiting capacity, much less multiple coaches there for the purpose of being seen.  I've talked to a couple of media buddies who were there and both have said that it was a disgusting display by both sets of coaches. 

And let me say again, I am not a fan of the TSSAA in general, but this is their event, so it's their rules. 

I am glad Butch was able to sneak in.  Screw the TSSAA. 

Yeah, to hell with protocol and that thing about being told by the organizing hosts that it isn't an event for college coaches.  Whatever it takes.   :rolleyes:

Much ado about nothing.

You just made my point.  Take off the orange colored glasses, and then tell me that there is nothing wrong with going to an even that is an invitation/ticketed event when you've been told that you aren't invited. 

TSSAA do a lot of dumb things. I don't even attempt to explain them. My question is, why bar football coaches from an event that celebrates football players? The kids are probably thrilled that they are there.

Actually, volmeister made a point in his last sentence that I was going to make. While the coaches were there to be seen by a couple of BCS prospects at an event intended to honor all of TN's top prep players, even those guys who will never play football at a BCS school were a little excited by the extra attention. And if recruiters being there cheapens the event, it isn't just their presence that cheapens it...the media members who attend the event pay a lot more attention to the highly-recruited guys than the lesser-known Mr. Football candidates.

Obviously TSSAA has a right to say who can be there and who can't, but I just don't see it as that big a deal. And it has nothing to do with a UT bias; I don't see a problem with Clemson coaches showing up, either. Should the coaches have respected TSSAA's request to not attend? Probably, but to me it's just not that big a deal.

TSSAA should have much more to worry about than whether college recruiters are trying to slip into their prestigious awards event...like doing something about this out-of-control public-vs.-private monster that TSSAA created by trying to avoid stepping on anyone's toes.

Read on TOS that the Tennessee Titans are a sponsor of the Mr. Football awards and they gave UT coaches the tickets.....Clemson was the ones not invited. Don't know if it's true or not but that's what I read.

I do know this....if Malone had committed today to Clemson a huge majority of UT fans would be raking Butch and company over the coals for letting Clemson out recruiting them....including Clemson showing up for the awards ceremony and UT coaches didn't.

But the reality is that the UT coaches knew the guidelines and were denied tix by the TSSAA, too.  Both circumvented the TSSAA and went in the side and back doors, and both are the reason the TSSAA is rewriting the "guideline" to make it a hard rule beginning next year - no college coaches at the event.  It's not a recruiting opportunity type event.  

It's the old Bill Clinton "depends on the definition of what is is".  It's the TSSAA's event.  They make the rules.  The ends don't always justify the means.  

reading the article, it appears that the Titans were unaware of the restrictions when they gave the tickets to the UT coaches so I think UT gets a pass on this one.  So to speak :angel:

Well, I for one have no issue with our coaches being there.  It was "legal" and they knew Clemson was going to be there (I assume).  Clemson was the biggest threat to getting Malone, so you gotta do what you gotta do.  

They're now gonna make a hard rule, good.   They should've already done so if it's such a big deal.  But I don't subscribe to the thought that TN coaches should've just stayed away to please a few in TSSAA, knowing Clemson was going anyway.  Recruiting isn't always pretty and nice.  Frankly it is my expectation that Butch should do everything shy of NCAA violations to impress a recruit.

Agreed, and a TSSAA rule change in response is appropriate if they don't want this to be a recruiting event. Nothing to get too upset about here.

Preach it! The only thing you forgot to add is "T$$AA sucks."