The Oxford store at the center of some of the NCAA’s allegations against Ole Miss’ football program is suing the head coach and athletic director at Florida.
The Oxford store from Ole Miss’ NCAA case is suing Dan Mullen and Florida’s AD
Rebel Rags has long alleged that Mississippi staffers colluded against it during the NCAA’s Ole Miss investigation.
Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images
The NCAA says that Rebel Rags, a private business that sells Ole Miss gear, gave free merchandise to Ole Miss players and recruits at the behest of Ole Miss staff. In the report by the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions that led it to sanction Ole Miss in December, Rebel Rags is mentioned — as a “retail store” — dozens of times.
Rebel Rags has contended since the summer that two of the NCAA’s witnesses against Ole Miss lied to investigators about the store’s role.
In June, the store sued Mississippi State players Leo Lewis and Kobe Jones and Lindsey Miller, the stepfather of former Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil. Rebel Rags sought damages against the three for “defamation, slander, conspiracy and commercial disparagement.” Lewis and Jones were Ole Miss recruits before they signed with MSU. Tunsil and Miller were involved in several of the NCAA’s charges against Ole Miss.
This might be a similar lawsuit with different defendants. Mullen and Stricklin were the head coach and AD at Mississippi State while the bulk of the Ole Miss case was unfolding. Stricklin left to become Florida’s AD in 2017 and hired Mullen away from the Bulldogs shortly thereafter. Rebel Rags is now going after both of them, plus an NCAA investigator.
What’s the suit about, exactly? It’s not clear, but Rebel Rags has argued since at least last summer that Jones colluded with MSU staffers before talking to the NCAA about Ole Miss:
The assertion that Jones conspired with MSU staffers, among others, is a key part of Rebel Rags’ complaint and an affidavit signed by Lopaz Jones, who served Kobe Jones, included alleged conversations that add to those claims. The Clarion-Ledger obtained the affidavit on Tuesday.
The main point of Rebel Rags’ complaint in its lawsuit against Jones, his teammate Leo Lewis and Kobe Jones, and Lindsey Miller, Laremy Tunsil’s estranged stepfather,is that there was an “overarching conspiracy” involving the three defendants. The conspiracy also included MSU staff, a NCAA staff person and a fan-base MSU site.
Jones’ lawyer has denied that he colluded with Mullen before interviewing with the NCAA.
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