[UPDATED] The Backpedaling Begins...

So now the owners of the bar where the UT players got into a fight are changing their story...

"It's really irritating because they're making us out to be the bad guys," Morton said. "We've got somewhere between 200 and 300 people that we consider VIPs that aren't athletes. All ladies are considered VIPs, which only means they don't have to pay a cover charge.

"The VIP is nothing that has anything to do with UT athletics."

Oh, Really?

That is not what the owner said originally...

''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."

Anyone else think that some UT boosters got to her to change her story? She is even on videotape saying it...

I like the name of the establishment....BAR.

A couple of other observations...

Dooley was able to gather enough information on 2 players not arrested to suspend them indefinitely...but he's going slowly with Da'Rick...who was arrested.

Got it!

Looks to me like he needs a stud WR and has made sacrificial lambs out of the other 2. If Dooley was such a man of integrity why hasn't he booted Rogers already.. Oh wait he is a 5 star guy..

There is some funny stuff on the Vols board...the conspiracy that Coach O was behind the bar brawl.

Gee, conspiracy much?

Speaking of conspiracies the blog across town thinks that Kiffin put D-Bax up to lying about being contacted from the 5 schools in question, that we are approaching a slippery slope of coaches saying things just to get other schools on the NCAA's radar. Then again they be right...after all they hired one of the biggest liars and cheats in all of CFB...

UPDATE:

Here is ESPN's Chris Low with more on the story...(emphasis added)

The 6-foot-4, 312-pound Hughes, who has not been questioned by police or charged with any crimes in connection with the brawl, has adamantly disputed Russell's version of the story. He told Tennessee coach Derek Dooley that the 5-8, 215-pound Russell hit him from behind after they bumped into each other earlier in the night and had words.

The day after the brawl, Hughes retained prominent Knoxville attorney Gregory Isaacs to represent him, and Isaacs told ESPN.com that his client was the one who was attacked and suffered a bloody eye.

"Montori Hughes was the victim of an unprovoked assault while at the establishment," Isaacs said. "Our witnesses and investigation have confirmed that Mr. Russell threw the first punch, and this has been corroborated by not only the individuals at the establishment but also by photographs showing the damage to Montori Hughes' face."

Isaacs also suggested that Hughes' status as a Tennessee football player was being used against him.

"Unfortunately, athletes can be targets at times in public establishments," Isaacs said. "Montori Hughes has absolutely nothing to hide and will cooperate completely with authorities."

OK a couple of quick points...

Does anyone really believe that a 5-8, 215-pound guy is going to start a fight with a 6-4, 312-pound football player?

As emphasized above,how does a college football player afford one of the top defense attorneys in Knoxville? I would like to know just who is paying that tab. Of course, this prominent Knoxville attorney is going to spin this sad tale in a pro-Vol manner, but now that a cop is hurt, I have a feeling that no mercy will be shown to the Tennessee football players upon conclusion of their investigation.

I like that the status of the football player could be used against him...you mean the same status that got him his VIP status at the club?

This could get real ugly...

Here is another gem.

Morton said his bar does have a video surveillance system but that when he went to check the tape the morning after the brawl, he realized there must have been a power surge a few days earlier and that the tape hadn't been running for two days.

Sure, the tape wasn't working...right. That tape was destroyed that night once the phone calls started coming in.

Frankly, this couldn't have happened to a more deserving fan base than UT's. They're getting absolutely ugly with the owners of that bar, which will put their treatment of Lane Kiffin and his family in a more proper perspective.