Picks panel administrator John Adams said picker Dave Hooker would not be kicked off the panel following an off-the-panel incident involving fellow picker Mark Burgess.

Hooker kicked Burgess in the shin with a hobnailed boot last month following an argument over a radio interview. Burgess was treated at a local hospital and missed a day of work.

"It was an unfortunate incident," picks panel administrator John Adams said. "Dave is sorry about what happened and assured me it won't happen again."

That wasn't good enough for sports columnist John Adams, who ripped picks panel administrator John Adams for his lack of discipline and demanded that Hooker be kicked off the picks panel.

"One boot deserves another," Adams wrote in his column, which can be read in its entirety on pickspanelxtra.com. "Hooker didn't just kick Mark Burgess. He kicked everybody on the panel.

"His actions reflect on all the pickers. Picks panel fans must be wondering if the picks panel has a bunch of thugs on it.

"Thugs like Hooker don't belong on the picks panel."

Picks panel administrator John Adams said sports columnist John Adams "has never been more off base."

"Dave Hooker has never been in trouble before," the picks panel administrator said. "The incident was completely out of character. Everybody who knows Dave thinks of him as a big teddy bear.

"He just had a two-second lapse in judgment."

Hooker said the incident might turn out to be the best thing that could have happened.

"Everybody makes a mistake," Hooker said. "I just want to turn mine into something positive.

"Hopefully, I can be a role model to other people who have made a mistake. I want to show them that one mistake doesn't prevent you from being successful or attaining all your goals and dreams."

Burgess did not file charges against Hooker and said, "I just want to put it behind me." He had no comment when asked if picks panel administrator John Adams pressured him into not filing charges.

In his column, John Adams wrote that picks panel administrator John Adams and picks panel attorney Doug Anderson met with Burgess and his wife, Amy, at a local restaurant two days after the incident.

"We just wanted to make sure Mark was OK," picks panel administrator John Adams said. "Doug wanted to go, too, because he cares about Mark as a picker and a person."

Sports columnist John Adams disagreed.

"The only thing Doug Anderson cares about is billable hours and ingratiating himself to the picks panel administrator," Adams wrote.

"The aftermath of the incident is almost as sickening as the incident itself. Picks panel administrator John Adams has turned this into a testimonial for Dave Hooker. And Hooker thinks he is a role model because he almost maimed someone. How twisted is that?

"What about the victim?"

The victim now walks without a limp. He said doctors told him the soreness should be gone in another month.

He wasn't so sure about the scar.

"Isn't it awfully hot to be wearing jeans?" WVLT sports director Rick Russo asked Burgess on the air following a UT football practice.

"I haven't worn shorts since the incident," Burgess said. "My left leg still looks pretty ugly."

A few feet away, Hooker shouted, "If you want to see some legs, check these out, Rick."

Records Of Alternates: B. J. Wright 37-8 (40 points), Zack Theekat 33-12 (33 points), Brandy Fore 33-12 (33 points), Rick O'Shea 31-14 (31 points), Tim Harmon 25-20 (28 points), Chuck Williams 23-22 (26 points), Kathy Best 25-20 (25 points), John Pennington 24-21 (24 points).

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.