Lang targets schools, people

"Anything that happens up here, stays up here," Lang quoted Young as warning. "He said this was just between me and him, and that it would always just be my word against his."

Lang’s three hours on the stand Tuesday highlighted the first day of testimony in the criminal trial against Young, who is essentially charged with paying Lang to ensure his star recruit, Albert Means, played for the Crimson Tide.

Others also took the stand, including Means, Alabama athletic director Mal Moore and Young’s ex-girlfriend, Lisa Mallory.
But the most interesting moments came from Lang, the former Trezevant High coach who meticulously detailed his story of the alleged selling of Means during the 1999-2000 school year.

Lang’s testimony implicated many people and schools. Among the notable things he testified to were:
Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Michigan State and Arkansas each offered money for Means, but only the first three actually paid.

Lang said former Kentucky recruiting coordinator Claude Bassett gave $7,000 for work at a camp and a Means visit, and that former Georgia coach Jim Donnan gave $700 "out of his pocket" for work at a camp. Lang added that Bill Harper, a Georgia booster from Memphis, sent him a $100 bill in an envelope.

While Lang was at Young’s house, he overheard many phone calls from Tim Thompson. After a few, Lang said he asked Young about the former Melrose High coach, and how much he gave him in exchange for Thompson sending Kindal Moorehead to Alabama.

"At the time, I was curious how much Mr. Young paid Mr. Thompson for Mr. Moorehead," Lang testified. "He told me he paid Mr. Thompson $10,000 for Mr. Moorehead."

Asked why Thompson was repeatedly calling Young, Lang said Young told him Thompson was trying to get Young to purchase another recruit, Dewayne Robertson.

"But Mr. Young told me he was upset with Mr. Thompson because David Paine never materialized," Lang said. "He told me he wished he’d stop calling."

Paine, another Melrose player, signed with Alabama in 1999, but failed to qualify academically. Robertson eventually went to Kentucky and now plays for the New York Jets.

Even after this scandal went public in January 2001, Lang’s payments from Young didn’t stop.

Lang initially hired A C Wharton, now Shelby County mayor, to defend him, but it didn’t come cheap. He said he needed $4,000 for compensation. So he called Young.

"I told him I needed some money to pay Mr. Wharton," Lang said. "He told me to come by."

Lang testified that Young gave him $4,000 on Jan. 26, 2001. The prosecution then presented a check from Lang to Wharton for $4,000 that was dated the same day.

After about two hours of direct examination, the prosecution passed Lang, and the defense immediately began its attempt to discredit the government’s chief witness.

Lang had earlier testified that he never met with Young in the presence of another person. The defense jumped on that and brought up an alleged meeting between Lang, Young and attorney Bill Wade, which prompted a fiery exchange.
"Are you saying you never met with Mr. Young with Mr. Wade?" asked defense attorney Jim Neal.

"Never," answered Lang.

"Never?" Neal repeated.

"Never" Lang answered again.

"So if Mr. Wade says he met you in the fall of 2000, he’s lying?" asked Neal.

"Totally," said Lang. "I don’t know a Mr. Wade. I never talked to a Mr. Wade. So that’s a negative."