Opinion ID: 1826657
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether the alleged defamatory statements were germane to the plaintiffs participation, in the controversy.

Text: The NCAA and Culpepper contend that the alleged defamatory statements were germane to Cottrell's and Williams's participation in the public controversy. Black's Law Dictionary 708 (8th ed.2004) defines germane as relevant; pertinent.
The statements made by the NCAA in the penalty-summary report involved the imposition of penalties for violations of NCAA rules by employees of The University. The statements indicated that a show-cause provision had been imposed against the recruiting coordinator and other employees of The University. These false statements were germane to the public controversy because a central issue of the public dispute was the nature of the penalties imposed by the NCAA against The University, its employees, and its representatives. As the NCAA stated, the statements made by the NCAA during the infractions process and in the erroneous penalty summary all were related to the NCAA investigation. Therefore, the NCAA's statements about Cottrell and Williams in the penalty-summary report published on the NCAA Web site were germane to the public controversy.
Cottrell contends that the statements made by Culpepper to the effect that Cottrell stole funds from the Shaun Alexander Foundation, that he and his assistant stole videotapes from The University's athletic department, and that he had abandoned his family in Tallahassee were not germane to the public controversy. In support of his contention, Cottrell emphasizes that these statements were not used by the NCAA or The University to substantiate any of the rule violations he allegedly committed. Cottrell reasons that because they were not relied upon in the investigation, the statements were not germane to the public controversy. The record establishes that the statements made by Culpepper were not relevant to the public controversy. The public controversy did not focus on Cottrell's character or his fitness to coach, but on the investigative process and the NCAA's treatment of The University. Although one can argue that the public controversy implicitly involved Cottrell's character or his fitness to coach, the wealth of articles presented to this Court defining the public controversy do not lend themselves to such a conclusion. Therefore, we conclude that the statements made by Culpepper about Cottrell were not germane to the public controversy.
Culpepper made statements to the effect that Williams was a recruiting cheater and that he had funneled money from Young to Means. These statements described rule violations the NCAA was investigating and, therefore, were germane to the public controversy.
Like the statements made by the NCAA in the penalty-summary report, these statements were germane to the public controversy because they were allegedly made during the NCAA investigation and involved information about various interviews and evidence relied upon by the NCAA in developing its charges of rule violations against The University and against Cottrell and Williams. Indeed, Cottrell and Williams do not refute the argument that these alleged defamatory statements were germane to the public controversy.