JIHAD!

On the heels of the arrest of head basketball coach Andy Kennedy, the University of Mississippi Athletic Department has released a statement regarding the incident and subsequent fall out. 

In response to the charges made against Ole Miss Head Basketball Coach Andy Kennedy in Cincinnati, OH, Thursday morning, Athletics Director Pete Boone and Coach Kennedy issued the following statements:

“Clearly, this is an unfortunate situation. However, after a full discussion with Andy Kennedy and his staff, who were with him, I have the utmost confidence that once all the facts are known, Coach Kennedy will be cleared of all charges,” said Boone, who is with the team.

“I regret this situation,” Kennedy said. “The focus should be on the players and the game, not on me. I vehemently deny the charges levied against me, and am completely confident that I will be fully exonerated of all charges.”

Coach Kennedy will continue his coaching duties.

Kennedy’s version of the story is quite different than the one reported this morning. 

As relayed by several message boards, Kennedy claims they left the Lodge Bar (don’t forget the Ugly Sweater Party Saturday!) hailed a cab, and when the group piled in the cabbie (we feel very flapperish referring to him that way) then told him he couldn’t take his entire party (5 including Kennedy).  At that point Kennedy (who was in the front seat) asked to be let out of the cab, the driver refused, locking the group in the back of the cab in the car, all the while arguing and throwing racial slurs at assistant coach Torey Ward.  Kennedy got out but the cabbie proceeded to drive the rest of the group about a hundred feet, more words were exchanged and the cops were called.  Once the cops showed, the cab driver started claiming that Kennedy hit him and yelled racial slurs at him.  In the midst of Kennedy’s arrest,  coordinator of basketball operations Bill Armstrong started yelling about the situation and kennedy’s arrest and was sumarily arrested himself.

The cab driver has since made it on to local radio to give his side of the story…sort of. 

The overwhelming willingness of the administration to get Kennedy’s back here leads some credence to his side of the story, but an additional concern for Ole Miss fans should be getting clarification as to why the coaching staff was out at 1:30 AM, coming out of a bar, less than 24 hours from a nationally televised game against a top ten opponent.