Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt and R.B. Summitt signed divorce papers Friday, officially ending their marriage after more than 27 years.
The couple has been separated for just over two years. Pat Summitt filed for divorce in Blount County Circuit Court last August, citing "irreconcilable differences."
The couple has one child. Ross Tyler Summitt, a junior at Webb School. Tyler lives with his mother.
Pat Summitt said last August that she doesn't plan to change her name. A campus street and the court at Thompson-Boling Arena are named after her. The basketball court at UT Martin, her alma mater, is named after her as well, along with a campus street.
R.B. Summitt is the president of Sevier County Bank.
Pat Summitt just finished her 34th season as the Lady Vols coach, helping guide her team to its second consecutive national championship and the eighth in program history. The Lady Vols beat Stanford 64-48 in the national championship game April 8 in Tampa, Fla.
She became the first female recipient of the Legends of Coaching Award, which was adopted by the John R. Wooden Award Committee in 1999.
Pat and R.B. were married Aug. 23, 1980, at Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church near Clarksville, Tenn.
Vanderbilt 93, Tennessee 79, Feb. 9…
Signing day celebration at Neyland…
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 48
dandyseniors#546965 writes:
It seems peculiar that Summitt and Pearl are divorcing their mates at the same time.
blewissmith writes:
This is a story that is not anyone's business but the Summitt's. Why would you want to print this?
volnut1 writes:
I agree, this is some business that is between Pat and R.B. summit only and if you are going to print a story about them-then print a story about all the divorces.
Alumni_06 writes:
DANDYSENIORS took the words right out of my mouth!
jglocsawgrass#635647 writes:
Unbelievable....not only is this in bad taste but you need to bring Tyler into the picture? Divorce is never easy on anyone and especially the children. Who cares that he goes to Webb? My daughter went to Webb and we are still married. Maybe the KNS would want to do an article on us....somehow I doubt it. Give the Summitt family and the Pearl family their privacy just like you would want!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Ah, the travails of being a public persona. This too, shall pass.
I'd rather hear about the DTs we don't have.
sstterry#205746 writes:
And just why is this news???????????
sstterry#205746 writes:
Ooops.....I for got Adams is the Sports Editor!
98reax writes:
No posts needed here, OK?
FatherVol writes:
I'd rather read something by John Adams.
ULTIMATEVOLUNTEER writes:
Fulmer's fault!
LadyVolsEighTimes writes:
ESPN had it on the crawl at the bottom of the TV picture. Bunch of jerks, that just isn't right.
Pullingguard writes:
When you are a public figure paid with State and University funds there are no secrets and nothing is off beat to report... Just the way it is... Why should she be treated differently than any other high profile person getting divorce.. The papers are full of it each day... Go Lady Vols.
hdhurst writes:
You just had to know this would be printed since Spring football practice is over, Rocky Top league has not started yet, and Football is not around the corner.
Just because she is a public figure and is paid via state/university funds doesn't mean we need to print everything that is out there. Now, if this experience had any real negative significance to her role as coach, parent, etc. then I might bye into it, but otherwise, poor taste to even go there.
I am no coach of morals, but somethings should be left alone.
McIntireIMP writes:
I used to tell the people who complained about the coverage of Pat's divorce to shut up, but at this point I agree with them. This information benefits noone.
Tyler, sorry your name had to be publicly brought up in this.
LadyVolsEighTimes writes:
I'm not going to say what I really think...but Pullinguard, Pat isn't paid with State MOney, nor is she paid with University funds. The atheletics programs at UT aren't given any, the program has to support itself. And it actually gives the University money, or did anyway, this year they may not be able to do that.
This type of reporting is pure and simple trying to fill columns with out having to do any research.
CPS, CBP, and CPF were all in Washington this week. The had some meetings at the US Senate, where is the report on that?????????????
BillVol writes:
And this is a story on the sports page why???
pdhuff#552644 writes:
LadyVolsEight Times 12:41 am -Tennessean.com covered the trio celebrating Pat's # 1, Pearl's # 7 and Phils "We're # 12".
OldNumber7 writes:
This is a story because IT SELLS folks. It's readily apparent many have not considered that this is a business of printing things that are interesting to people. You and I both clicked this article because it is interesting. Had it been "Fred Smith gets a divorce" I would have passed on it. But it's Pat and it's bad news - it sells. By the way - if you are married it's public record..nothing on this page you can't find at the courthouse..or on Yahoo for that matter.
cdtnladyvols931#663910 writes:
I agree, this is none of nobody's business but Pat and RB's, if some of those newspaper reporters were getting a divorce they would not print it. Give it a rest. and shut up about Pat's divorce.
THE_VOL writes:
WHEW! Now I'll sleep better!!! BTW I heard Geno is also filing papers to make their split official too.
rusty_shackleford writes:
Public people deserve private lives. Reporting in the minor son is tacky at best, if not criminal.
By allowing this to be printed in the sports page only goes to prove that the editor, Tuscaloosa John, is the leading a$$hole in the state (adapted from "Blazing Saddles.")
DroopyDrawers writes:
Donkey Adams had to approve this column or most likely instructed Dan to write it.
PRNDL writes:
"Public people deserve private lives. Reporting in the minor son is tacky at best, if not criminal".
How many times in numerous media outlets has it been reported that the Summit's have a kid named Tyler who attends Webb? Criminal???
Point out to me the sensationalism is this reporting. This is a basic piece that states nothing more that has not already been reported, that the divorce is signed off and she is not changing her name.
Geez...but what do we expect from the brain trust that is leading the libel suit against Adams, and of course the all too successful boycott of KNS. BTW, how’s that going?
It’s not hard to glen from your continued childish post that most likely you are not a product of the university and thus we can feel safe that at least the academic side of UTK is still doing well.
packie56 writes:
Tough couple of years for the Summitts, especially Pat and Tyler. Hope they can get on with their lives and find success and happiness. I agree with those who said that this matter was reported in a factual, tasteful manner, not much that hasn't been reported before. I gotta agree that the crawl on ESPN, if true was more than a tad tacky--maybe it was their way of making up with Geno?
budd#207344 writes:
The reason this got printed is because we all read it and there are twentyseven posts about it.
Want to stop train wreck journalism?
Stop reading and watching it
rusty_shackleford writes:
Kid, a "glen" is a field. Do you mean "glean"? By your obvious lack of ability to proofread, spell check and/or grasp the English language, a question can be raised about your own educational background as well.
Maybe "criminal" was too strong. But I'll stand by my thought that detailed information about the son added nothing to the "news." If you have suffered through a divorce, either as a spouse or child, any publicity is too much, especially for the child.
BTW, my distaste of tuscaloosa john (lower case intended to indicate disrespect) goes back further than his "fire Fulmer" article. As a matter of fact, it started pretty much from the beginning of his tenure at the KNS. Are you old enough to remember those days?
volguy#211935 writes:
Folks, if Pat Summit does it, it is news in Knoxville. Obviously, it's not quite that simple, but her marriage to R.B. Summit was news, so is their divorce. It was short and sweet with no details of the divorce and it didn't invade their privacy. This information is public record.
PureOrange writes:
I hate for Pat to have to go thru something like this, and I really hate for it to be so public when it is a private matter.
Regardless, Pat Head Summitt is the very best when it comes to coaching, and come to think of it, she absolutely cannot be beat as an outstanding human being.
May God be with you, Pat.
FishTacos writes:
All the people that are saying not to post stories like this are ignorant! Look if you are a PUBLIC FIGURE you are a PUBLIC FIGURE, you should expect to have articles like this written about you. If you don't like being a PUBLIC FIGURE then step out of the spotlight.
scvols writes:
Why do you guys get so upset when something is printed about UT's coaches personal life? I didn't see anyone say anything when Summitt knocked her shoulder out of place. When a legal document is file and it has something to do with a UT coach, it is going to make the news.
jdcdjc#246285 writes:
Basketball & UT are and should be public, but this is Pat's private live and this is her business and none of ours. Just because she coaches our ladies basketball team does not make her private life public. This is just wrong.
GreerVol22 writes:
Just goes to prove that Adams journalistic integrity ranks right up there with The Globe and National Enquirer. You should be proud John.
ggriggs939#223122 writes:
This article should win the John Adams Award for 2008 unless John Adams is eligible for the award.
It should also place high on the lists for the KNS Tawdry Award and The Knoxville Media Award for Tactlessness.
BobbyGraham writes:
Good
GoVol writes:
Geno has the ring and is down on one knee now!
1volk-nowi-tall writes:
Wouldn't it be great if the news media could unearth some of the secrets of the current administration in D.C as easily as they can discover these facts. No, people who are paid with our money (public funds) do not always have the facts about them exposed to us. I had much rather know who was setting on Chaney's energy comittee than that Pat's divorce is final.
kcabutti writes:
I agree with packaway.If you are a public figure you can expect this. Pat has continually put her son in the spotlight every opportunity she can. Anytime you see an interview with Pat on TV her son will also be seen throughout the interview. This article is nothing to the public spotlight that Tyler hasn't already been exposed to since birth by his mother Pat.
amcguire01 writes:
Why is this published? So what if Pat is a public figure....She wasn't married to the public, so we don't have the right to know this stuff.
Gigavol writes:
If she does not want her public records made public, maybe Pat should give back $1.2 million to the University and all its sponsors. What is everyone going to say if she is seen dating someone people do not approve of? Who knows!
Lofton4Three writes:
Will the floor be now called "The Head?"...
TheVolMan writes:
Ah, Adams boycott Weenies such as Rusty have to slam JA here as well. Very lame... LOL...
RoyaltyVol#280778 writes:
I heard that daddy cheated on mommy? Its none of my business, but thats what I heard
TheLongView writes:
How much alimony is R.B. getting?
AllLadyVol writes:
When Pat finds a raccoon on her deck it makes news; so naturally this will be sensational since she is a celebrity. It's unfortunate and sad, especially for Tyler, but hopefully Coach Summitt knows that she has a lot of people who have never met her but still love and support her.
NatiVol writes:
Now I love Pat, but this story is ok to print...she is in the public eye. Why would they print a story on every divorce? No one cares about yours, but she is in the public eye...they print it because people care and want to know.
uconnfan1 writes:
I though Herry Perretta was the home wrecker.
uconnfan1 writes:
It's not his fault she has a thing for him.
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