Report: Mississippi store sues NCAA, Mullen, Stricklin for defamation
Clothing store Rebel Rags has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, former Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen and ex-athletic director Scott Stricklin (both now at Florida), and NCAA investigator Mike Sheridan, according to Bruce Feldman of Sports Illustrated.
Rebel Rags, located in Oxford, Miss., specializes in Ole Miss merchandise. The store's owner, Terry Warren, was previously named as "Booster No. 5" in the NCAA's investigation of the school's football program. He was banned from the university, but was reinstated in December, according to Brian Stultz of SEC Country.
The reported lawsuit focuses on defamation, civil conspiracy, and commercial disparagement, according to Antonio Morales of The Clarion Ledger. Also reportedly named as defendants are Bulldogs players Leo Lewis and Kobe Jones and Lindsey Miller - the stepfather of former Rebels star and current Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.
In the original NCAA investigation, it was alleged that Lewis, Jones, and MIller received free merchandise worth hundreds of dollars during their recruiting trips to Oxford. Lewis and Jones eventually decided to attend Mississippi State.
In the lawsuit, Rebel Rags says the NCAA, Sheridan, Mullen, and Stricklin were all involved in a conspiracy that negatively impacted the store once it was mentioned in the Notice of Allegations for the investigation, according to Morales.
Stricklin's attorney, Charles Winfield, issued a statement Tuesday calling the claims against his client "wholly devoid of merit."
"There is simply no good-faith basis in either law or fact for Mr. Stricklin to have been made a party to such a case," Winfield wrote.