The SEC just dropped a 41-page bomb on LSU, filing a scathing response to the Tigers’ motion to dismiss the federal lawsuit. And SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey? He’s making it clear where he stands, openly stating at SEC Tipoff Media Days in Birmingham that he’d “like to not be in court,” but that the legal filings “speak for themselves.” Yeah, he’s not messing around.
LSU’s Alleged Control Issues Just Blew Up Their Dismissal Attempt
This isn’t some minor dust-up, folks. The SEC met the U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon’s Oct. 13 deadline, firing back hard on Tuesday against LSU’s push to get this whole thing tossed. The conference isn’t pulling punches, arguing that LSU has a serious “lack of institutional control” and is constantly violating conference rules. They even brought up the potential nightmare of LSU’s actions messing with any future move to kick them out of the conference. LSU tried to say, “Hey, the two players in the original fight aren’t on our football roster, and that Sept. 10 meeting went fine!” But the SEC isn’t buying it. Not even close. They said those details don’t fix the “broader dispute” at all.
Basketball Recruits and Former Pros at the Heart of the Battle
So, what’s really got Sankey and the SEC so fired up? It’s all about player recruitment. The SEC’s response on Tuesday didn’t just point fingers at football, it specifically called out the LSU men’s basketball program and coach Will Wade for how they’ve gone after professional basketball players. Sankey was straight up asked about LSU men’s basketball’s pursuit of former pro RJ Luis, plus two other unnamed players who are still in the NBA Draft process. When questioned about conversations with Coach Wade, Sankey was tight-lipped, saying he’s “keeping conversations to myself most frequently.” The original lawsuit, filed way back on Sept. 3, was all about LSU supposedly violating conference rules by chasing former professional athletes, claiming it threatened the SEC’s First Amendment right of “expressive association” which is basically their right to ditch members whose actions clash with their values. Remember those former Ole Miss players, Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris? Both spent time with NFL teams and were central to the initial spat, though they never actually ended up on LSU’s football roster. Still, that didn’t make the lawsuit disappear.
LSU and the other defendants tried to shut this down with their motion to dismiss on Sept. 25, but the SEC isn’t letting up. Their conclusion in this latest filing? “A live controversy exists between the parties and no doctrine prevents this Court from adjudicating the SEC’s claims against Defendants. The motion to dismiss should be denied.” LSU had no comment when asked about the SEC’s filing. This isn’t just about a couple of players; it’s about the SEC drawing a line in the sand. And right now, it looks like this fight is heading straight for a full-blown court showdown.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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