Football
Associated Press 17y

Police say Tennessee players fought each other before arrest

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer on Monday
disciplined three players, including starting tailback Arian
Foster, following their arrests for disorderly conduct and underage
drinking at a nightclub after the Vols' loss to LSU.

"The three young men who were arrested let their teammates,
coaches, administration and great fans down," Fulmer said. "Their
behavior is an example ... (of) when immature male ego mixes with
alcohol and stupidity."

Foster will be suspended for the first half of the Arkansas game
on Saturday. Fullback David Holbert will be suspended for the
entire game. And safety Antonio Wardlow will be suspended for the
Arkansas game and the Vanderbilt game on Nov. 18.

About 70 people, including other football players, were gathered
around Good Fellas nightclub when police were called because of a
disturbance at about 3 a.m. Sunday.

Fulmer said he wasn't sure how many players were there.

"I don't know. It was a party, a college party," he said.

Police identified some people at the scene as football players
after reviewing video from police cruisers and interviewing other
witnesses. Several players, numbering less than 10, left when
authorities told people to leave, police spokesman Darrell DeBusk
told The Associated Press.

"We can't be certain" how many players were there, DeBusk
said. No one else was arrested.

Fulmer did not mention team actions against any other players.
He did say Foster, Holbert and Wardlow will also face internal
discipline. Holbert and Wardlow were demoted to the scout team
during their suspensions and will not travel to Arkansas, Fulmer
said.

The three were charged with disorderly conduct and underage
consumption of alcohol. Wardlow also was charged with public
intoxication.

The incident happened several hours after Tennessee lost 28-24
to LSU, clinching the SEC East division title for Florida.

Police began clearing the establishment and saw Foster
"pushing, yelling and cursing another male. Upon contact, the
defendant had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath
and stated that he was drinking alcohol prior to entering the
bar," according to an affidavit filed in Knox County General
Sessions Court and obtained Monday by The Associated Press.

Foster was arrested, and about 10 minutes later, police found
Holbert and Wardlow in an altercation with each other outside,
DeBusk said.

"The defendant was yelling and attempting to fight in the
parking lot and street. The defendant squared off with another male
and began to throw punches," according to the affidavit.

Holbert was advised of his rights and "admitted to drinking
alcoholic beverages inside of Good Fellas," according to the
report.

Wardlow was charged with public intoxication because he had an
odor of alcohol, "slurred speech and an unsteady walk," police
said.

All three players are 20, a year too young to buy alcohol
legally. They were released from jail later Sunday morning on $500
bond each. Their arraignments were scheduled for Nov. 14.

"The three young men did not leave when they should have, when
asked by teammates or officers," Fulmer said. "Foster was trying
to stop a silly and senseless argument between teammates, typical
of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Holbert and Wardlow
could have and should have avoided the confrontation."

Good Fellas is now off-limits to the team, Fulmer said.

Fulmer said nobody outside the team was egging on a
confrontation and he was not concerned about problems brewing
within the team.

"It was a silly thing between a couple of guys," he said.

Vols Turk McBride and Arron Sears supported their coach.

"The immature behavior of a couple of guys is certainly not
representative of our team's focus and energy to do the right
things on and off the field," said Sears, a senior offensive
tackle.

"Coach will deal with this and we will move on to prepare for
Arkansas," said McBride, a senior defensive tackle.

The Vols had four players arrested this summer and another
player was dismissed from the team after he made an inappropriate
comment to a woman and her daughter at a restaurant.

^ Back to Top ^