Kramer walks softly, doesn

Time to set the record straight on SEC commissioner Roy Kramer. Yes, Kramer and I disagree sharply on the role the SEC should play in dealing with SEC rule-breakers. His is the soft, "walk the offenders through the NCAA minefield" approach. I believe the SEC office should aggressively investigate and punish those who violate NCAA rules or commit academic fraud to keep players eligible. But Kramer has been criticized unjustly by those who accuse him of favoring Tennessee over other SEC members. I've known Roy for more than 50 years, and I know him to be a man of integrity. He wouldn't play favorites. To suggest that is ludicrous.

Registering on the radar

Tennessee is far from out of the woods in the Tee Martin case. It has been three weeks since the former Vol QB told the Mobile Register he did not receive money from a sports writer. Now, the manager of a Mobile supermarket which handles Western Union money orders says SEC investigator Bill Sievers has records showing money was wired by former Register sports writer Wayne Rowe to Martin in February 1999, when Martin was a junior. Rowe says he sent the money to Martin on behalf of Diane Sanford, then an executive with a Mobile insurance agency. If such a record exists, it will prove Martin did not tell the truth when he said he never received the money in question.

Devine sailed clean ship

Former Notre Dame coach Dan Devine, who died recently, was a man of impeccable integrity. I can't recall a single instance when any of the schools he coached -- Missouri, Arizona State or Notre Dame -- ran afoul of the NCAA. Asked once what it is like to coach at Notre Dame, Devine told me he felt the presence of Knute Rockne over his shoulder as he walked across the South Bend campus. "Anybody who has ever coached football should want to coach at Notre Dame," he said. "It's a special place." Dan led the Irish to the 1977 national title.

Creighton Miller, the halfback who led Notre Dame to the 1943 national title, died this week at age 79. His dad, Red Miller, was Notre Dame's 1908 captain. ... Paul Giel, a football and baseball All-America at Minnesota in the early 1950s and later the school's athletics director for 18 years, died last week at 69. He pitched for four major league teams in 1954-61. ... I don't know whether Al Brown left Tennessee of his own accord or was asked to leave, but his skills in breaking down an opponent's offense and defense and as a motivational speaker will be missed. He'll be a big asset to the Wisconsin women's basketball program.

Welcome y'all

Tennessee will face two new SEC head football coaches this fall, Florida's Ron Zook and Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson. ... It's been two weeks, and I still haven't heard back from the University of Tennessee on my request for meetings with president John Shumaker and provost Loren Crabtree to discuss evidence of academic fraud in the men's athletics department. ... The Michigan booster accused of illegally loaning $600,000 to four Wolverine basketball players has pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge. He could be sentenced Aug. 29 to up to 37 months in prison. The NCAA has not completed its investigation.

And another thing...

A proposal being discussed at the SEC spring meeting would benefit both college basketball and the NBA. Scholarship players would not be eligible for the NBA draft until after their third season or before they turned 20. ... Now we learn the Tyson-Lewis fight in Memphis is far from the sellout promoters claimed. ... Ex-Vol end Don Leake says a friend of his found the following inscription on a tombstone in Key West: "I told you I was sick."