When will Tennessee fire Mike Hamilton?

V olunteers in bar brawl!

The problems in Tennessee continue. And it looks bad.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported at least two police officers were assaulted and one sent to the hospital. From the Knoxville News-Sentinel: “The injured and kicked officer and a bar patron were sent to the University of Tennessee Medical Center after being beaten by a group of people identified as UT football players. Authorities are withholding that patron’s name pending notification of relatives.”

The Times-Free Press offered Bar Knoxville owner Sandy Morton’s eyewitness account, “Basically, it was a normal Thursday night — Thursday’s our big night,” Morton said. “We had all the UT football players come in. They’re on a first-name basis with my husband (and co-owner), and they get VIP status, which means they pay no cover at the door. We’ve never had a problem with them in the past, but tonight, apparently they had a falling out with another gentleman. I don’t know why. I don’t know what happened, but several of the guys started beating up the other customer. I want to guess there was seven to 10 guys beating up this one gentleman.

“All the security then rushed in and were trying to break it up. My husband saw them picking up bar stools and starting to swing them. We got them out the door with security. There happened to be a friend of ours who was an off-duty police officer outside. He tried to help, and he ended up getting knocked out in the street and proceeded to be kicked while he was down on the ground in the middle of Cumberland.”

Disgusting.

Can you say cesspool? That is what Knoxville has become.

You can’t blame Lane Kiffin for this. You can’t blame Derek Dooley. This goes beyond the football staff. With basketball players getting some negative attention this last year too, it is clear the entire athletic department lacks leadership.

Mike Hamilton must go. When will Tennessee do it?