Event Details
- What: Tennessee vs. Arkansas
- When: Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007, 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Where: Neyland Stadium
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: All ages
Tennessee Stat Book
The words Josh McNeil used Tuesday afternoon to explain a strange series of events that brought Knoxville police inside his off-campus apartment early Sunday morning came easy.
Those he used to express his displeasure with media for including his girlfriend in early reports of the incident came with much more emotion.
Reading from a prepared statement, McNeil echoed UT coach Phillip Fulmer's explanation of a chain of events that occurred after police arrived around 1:30 a.m. Sunday to investigate a report of a burglary at McNeil's apartment.
McNeil said he accidentally broke a window while entering his apartment after forgetting his keys, and later used a flower pot to clear broken glass from around the window so he could climb in.
He said he had taken Ambien, a sleep-aid for which he has a prescription, and didn't hear police knocking on his front door or later at his bedroom door.
McNeil does not face any disciplinary action for 22nd-ranked Tennessee's key SEC game Saturday game against Arkansas because he was not charged, Fulmer said.
The incident began when a neighbor called 911 after hearing glass break and reported hearing someone enter McNeil's apartment.
According to a police department incident report, officer Jeffrey Damewood arrived at McNeil's South Knoxville apartment and found a broken window with blood smeared on the window frame and a potted plant he believed had been thrown through the window.
As Damewood waited for backup, the report reads, he heard a male and female arguing inside the apartment.
When backup arrived, officers knocked on the front door several times, identifying themselves as police officers.
With no answer at the front door, officer Brian Leatherwood then entered through the broken window, while Damewood and officer Stephen Burchfield entered through the front door.
Once inside, the officers determined that sophomore tight end Jeff Cottam, McNeil's roommate, lived in the apartment.
Cottam was not home when the incident occurred.
Officers also found "several rifles, shotguns and at least one handgun," the report said.
"The guns that were in the house were hunting guns, and they were locked in a case unloaded," Fulmer said. "The pistol actually belongs to Jeff and is registered and used only for hunting purposes."
Officers also found the door to McNeil's bedroom locked.
"At this point, we weren't sure what the situation might (be) or if someone might be locked in that room and be injured or in jeopardy," Damewood wrote in his report.
Officers then contacted Sam Brown, a KPD investigator, who in turn contacted Gerald Harrison, the football program's director of high school relations. Brown often works security for UT events, and athletic department spokeswoman Tiffany Carpenter said it is common practice for Harrison to be notified of an incident involving a football player.
Officers said they yelled several times through McNeil's bedroom door, identifying themselves as police and asking whoever was inside to come out.
According to police, Harrison arrived and "not yelling but in a normal voice" asked McNeil to come outside.
McNeil then emerged and was handcuffed. Officers observed "cuts/scratches that were fresh and had been bleeding" on McNeil's arm.
According to the report, officers saw three females in the bed.
However both McNeil and Fulmer said Tuesday the girls - McNeil's 19-year-old girlfriend and two of her friends visiting for the weekend from Virginia Tech - were sleeping on the floor.
According to police, all four were questioned and denied breaking the window or any argument.
Damewood wrote in his report that when interviewed separately, "all refused to cooperate in the investigation" and that McNeil was "rather indignant towards officers" and "didn't seem to understand the importance of our investigation and our concerns."
All three girls were cited for underage consumption.
McNeil, 20, was not cited, and KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk said McNeil had not been drinking.
McNeil, who immediately left the room after making his comments, said he felt compelled to address reporters about the incident because, "it's not fair that my girlfriend and her friends are being dragged into this."
McNeil concluded his statement by saying, "I know I live in a glass house because of who I am, but I don't want the people I care a lot about being pulled into this."
After his prepared remarks, McNeil became emotional while explaining his displeasure that his girlfriend was included in media reports.
"You all can say anything you want to say about me, but leave the people I care about out of this," he said. "Whoever's putting this stuff out ain't got integrity worth a (expletive). You can say what you want to about me. I'm a grown man. I play football here, and I've heard all I've got to hear.
"My girlfriend is somebody that's important to me. She's not no public figure, she's not no football player or someone who deserves this."
McNeil was suspended for five spring practices in March after being cited for underage consumption following a teammate's birthday party at a Cumberland Avenue club.
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 86
MiserableFloridaVol writes:
Where there's smoke there's fire.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Sounds like a whole lotta nuthin' to me, you can spin a story any way you want to make it sound as you want to hear it, this seems to be a mountain made out of a molehill.
How about we just play some football and beat the hogs!
GO VOLS!!!
andy112382#209793 writes:
Oh, and MiserableFloridaVol, technically that isn't true........but it's too late to split hairs on that!
revjulian writes:
Can she at least tutor him in English?
1974Vol writes:
Last time I checked you can break your own windows, take prescription drugs and have as many girls over the age of consent in your bed as will willingly laydown. Don't personally approve of the kids lifestyle (other than the keep and bear arms part) but I think everything he's said to have done falls under the "pursuit of happiness" clause in the Declaration of Independence. I agree with Andy Let's play some GOOD FOOTBALL!
txsvol#372416 writes:
I noted the need for remedial English as well. Re: Ambien. Several years ago, as our flight left Rome's Airport to return from our honeymoon to Houston and then, SA, the meals began to be served. Wanting to sleep much of the flight back, I popped a prescribed Ambien 10 mg. Because of turbulence or whatever, they stopped serving, and I went to sleep. Apparently it was served to my row while I was coherent, but amnestic. My face fell in the food, and my bride, embarassed by my incapcitation, tried to clean me up. I wasn't drunk, just out! When I awakened following REM sleep, she sent me to the lavatory to clean up, and this situation caused her to develop a (more than strong) dislike for that drug. But, irony of ironies, it became a part of her portfolio when she worked for a pharmaceutical company! She learned about it, and became an expert in proper indications for its use. And she now agrees with me that it is a wonderful drug to use in patients with proper indications, who do not mix it with alcohol. I can understand why, having recently taken Ambien, that Josh didn't hear the police--one may not hear anybody for the first three or so hours. Whatever happened to the dictum that a man's home is his castle, and even the King of England cannot enter without his permission? I'll bet a good plaintiff's attorney can get the charges against the women dismissed. BTW, a generic is now out, zolpidem. Go Vols! SAVol
CrankE writes:
Well, didn't they arrest all three ladies for underage drinking? That's a matter of public record, Josh.
Josh needs to work a heckuva lot harder (maybe 16 minutes) to check the "grammar" block on the chart.
BahamaVol writes:
wow...and that was a prepared statement. Then again, we're not paying you to learn English...get pissed and go hit somebody in the mouth this weekend! GO VOLS
VOLnATL writes:
TTN: A pistol can be used for hunting. Example: many people will carry one on their side if they are hunting in a snake infested area. People also carry one on their side while hunting for hogs with a bow/cross bow or a black powder gun. You have one shot and can be very dangerous.
CrankE writes:
Is it just me, or does McNeil's response sound sort of like the beat down on Pennington from Fulmer last month?
iowavol writes:
Three girls in bed...wow, I'm impressed. You go McNeil, you da man. Now, take it out on the Hogs.
kalij#244795 writes:
SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY!!!COULD HE BE TRADING PHIL'S TRADE FOOTBALL SECRETS TO THE ENEMY (VATECH) IN EXCHANGE FOR SEXUAL CONGRESS???TUNE IN THIS SAME STATION NEXT WEEK FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF "PHILS FOLLIES".
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
some of you are just arrogant bast@rds. You really, really are. Fussing about his English?? All atwitter about the girls??
I'll put it this way: he and his friends now live in this hypocritical world you and your holier-than-thou brethren have created. You market and glofrify casual sex, guns, and alcohol, but then get all goody-two-shoes about anyone breaking YOUR rules about those same topics.
You will take 18-year old kids and send them off to get legs blown off and bullets in their heads, then arrest them for 'underage drinking'.
So, you can be smug pricks making fun of this kid for his speaking and clucking your wicked tongues about the girls. Too bad some of you can't line up across from him this Saturday.
Bahamavol, yours wan't expecially nasty, but learn to read, dude. The English that so disturbed you was AFTER the prepared statement.
ruslt#212234 writes:
TouchdownTN you probably missed it in the story it said the handgun belonged to his room mate fellow teammate Jeff cottam. Yes, many people use handguns for hunting. It was probably a S&W Magnum 500 used to hunt big game.
orangebloodgmc writes:
Josh, good enough. Learn from it and let's move on.
alfrizzle097 writes:
Seems to me they just reported the details available at the time. Don't see anything wrong with that.
TommyJack writes:
This story is making me AMNESTIC
vol52 writes:
TommyJack, It must be the combination of zolpidem and ETOH. It can do that to people.
TommyJack writes:
VOL52: lotsa ETOH-ers on this board, and not just on Saturdays!
tennesseedad writes:
so..........why do the 3 girls get arrested and nothing happens to the Tennessee football player???
stroker writes:
This should be private: everbody not involved needs to stop worring and be happy or get a life.
tigervol9802 writes:
Looks like a complete rehash of yesterday's story.....
TommyJack writes:
Stroker: Right. Not eloquent, but you're on the mark.
webbofconfusion writes:
I see this all as being a non issue, that is unless he intended to change a tire on the side of the road while all three women wore bikinis while holding shotguns.
TommyJack writes:
Lazzie: As usual, your mind runs amuck. Were you there? Glad you're not a prosecutor.
GreerVol22 writes:
Media trying to make something out of nothing. But hey, thats why they have jobs. Josh just needs to put it behind him, concentrate on grades, football, and not much else in that order.
Pork...its whats for dinner!
sandboxpup#222155 writes:
Geoff -
I'll again ask you to tell me EXACTLY what Josh McNeil did wrong. Anything illegal? Anything sanctionable under NCAA rules? Of course not. You just enjoy pointing fingers and laughing at the University. The Sentinel got their traffic yesterday, and they had to amend their story after the other side of the story came out.
At some point yesterday, you said you were done talking about it...yet you insist on continuing with your diatribe on UT Athletics under Phillip Fulmer. For all of our sakes, leave it alone. There is nothing you or I will ever accomplish in the Comments section of this website. You've made your case, let it stand on it's own...whatever the consequence.
stroker writes:
T.J. elequonce includes being appropriate.
TommyJack writes:
Geoff: I agree. Let's let it go. But before you do...if you want the real skinny..ask LAZZIE..he was there.
Southland writes:
Fulmer or someone better yank a knot in this boys tail before he ends up in jail cause that is where he is headed
TommyJack writes:
Stroker: I'm with you dude. No offense intended.
Chainsaw writes:
You cannot reason with folks who have FDS*.
*Fulmer Derangement Syndrome
TommyJack writes:
TD: Lazzie is far too enlightened to know anything about hunting. Only us rubes..the Philistines..would hunt.
CoverOrange writes:
TN dad, cited is not the same as arrested. Tell me why anything should happen to the football player.
Laz, you have no basis for that scenario and you're making Josh's point. Why say it?
And, what do you expect, Josh and Jeff to walk down Cumberland Avenue looking for woods to shoot in? Ever heard of automobiles? They can transport you several miles. BTW, east Tennessee is covered in forests.
asleep#212036 writes:
Josh, bro, wait until you beat the Hogs, then get your three girls! Beating ULL should only be worth one! Go Vols!!!
burpee_von_rotweiler_IV writes:
Why does an obviously healthy young man who alledgedly works out vigorously every day need a prescription sleep medication? Give KPD a break. They arrived at a scene where foul play was a very distinct possibility. KPD showed a lot of restraint here given the circumstances they were presented with. If I were the landlord, I would evict any tenant that causes a disturbance and damages my property.
GerryOP writes:
tngeoff, there is a Mall near Corryton? A college friend of mine lived in Corryton. If I remember right, it was at least a daytrip out there and it seemed like turning back the clock about 20 years!! His Dad had a heart attack and I spent time in Corryton cutting and hanging Burley. Worst, stickiest, filthiest job I ever volunteered for!
juicetke#226846 writes:
Come after me! I'm a man! I'm 20!
Waterturkey writes:
Most of the time I'm shaking my head and exhausted by 9 or 10 posts down and I go on to the next article.
This kid didn't do anything wrong. He broke into his own house and had an argument with his GF...that should be end of story.
His and the ladies "uncooperation" with the police was no doubt for fear of being thrown under the bus by local law enforcement, media, and people like many of you. Unfortunately, it wouldn't have mattered how they handled it. The story would have been twisted either way.
I am glad the burglary investigation wasn't a total loss. They were able to site 3 college students for underage drinking to cap off a riviting article. Thank God we have protection from blood thirsty **** like that.
And good lord people, what difference does it make if he has guns in his apartment. I bet he has some furniture, a TV, and couple of throw pillows as well. Thank goodness they didn't find his steak knives.
kkebean#233101 writes:
COULD THE MEDIA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING? OR IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE MEDIA FAILED TO QUOTE JOSH IN HIS VERY WORDS AS VERBATEM? LORD KNOWS THE OFFICERS OF THE KPD WOULD NOT MISREPORT ANYTHING IN THEY'RE RECORDS WOULD THEY?
cnalumni writes:
Hmmmm what do you hunt with a pistol?
Volfantm writes:
Some people mount scopes on large caliber pistols to hunt deer. Smaller caliber pistols are often used for squirrel hunting. As mentioned above pistols are often carried when bow or black powder hunting. Football players golf and play basketball, why wouldn't they have time to hunt and fish?
TommyJack writes:
Laz: A man of your standing should not be using run-on sentences.
asleep#212036 writes:
A buddy of mine killed a record okapi in Africa with a pistol so I guess there's no limit if the shell is big enough and the muzzle velocity high enough. And Josh, bro - you had three drunk girls in your bed and you took Ambien? I'm thinking Viagra would have been more like it! Go Vols!!!
badgeman writes:
txsvol and touchdownTN....there is something in the law called exigent circumstances that gives police the legal right to enter a private residence, and in this case (burglary call by neighbor, broken window, blood present, hearing argument inside), all the criteria is present. The police did the legal and right thing to enter. Any charges they filed would then be legal and defensible in court because they had the legal right to be inside. The bigger problem is Mcneil only coming out of his room when someone with UT showed up. He should be more concerned with doing what a police officer tells him to do then with what may be said to him in the media or by his coach. It seems he is more worried about pleasing his coach more than obeying the law, and that is the problem.
juicetke#226846 writes:
Gatornation must have forgotten it was a Florida grad that stated he didn't know they spoke English in England. This was before thier trip to play in England.
What an idiot!
MOOREVOLS writes:
Someone earlier asked "why wasn't Josh arrested for underage drinking?" The report says Josh had not been drinking.
orangenwhitefan writes:
If my neighbors ever hear my window break and call police, unless im standing out there explaining, they better find out whos in the house and whats going on. Thats their job and whats expected of them. Had McNeil not reacted in the manner that he did, it wouldnt be a story. You cant tell me that it would have ever made the news if he had jumped down off his high horse and explained. Well wait a minute. With those language skills, maybe he should hide.
Colliervol writes:
Gatornation, I believe if we go back and look we might find maybe one or two (or 10 or 12) ex-Gators who ran afoul of the law. You know, assaults, bar fights, little things like that. You may return to your sandbox now. Thanks for visiting and let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Colliervol writes:
As far as the guns go, you do realize he is from Mississippi where I believe guns are thought of as good baby shower gifts. I think every male in Miss. hunts.
As far as this story goes, I agree with TDTN. Much ado about nothing. No charges, no problem. And if you don't think the police wouldn't take great delight in arresting a UT football player for spitting on the sidewalk, you are woefully naive. If there was anything to it, he would have been charged.
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