This one has definite popcorn potential written all over it.
Following a handful of days featuring mundane testimony from expert witnesses most people haven’t heard of, the plaintiff attorneys in the O’Bannon vs. NCAA trial will get a shot at the big cheese in short order. Citing a source familiar with his plans, USA Today reported overnight that NCAA president Mark Emmert stated Monday that he believes he will be called to the witness stand Thursday, where he will be grilled for X amount if hours by individuals looking to forever change the face if amateur athletics.
The paper writes that Emmert “had said last week he would be testifying, but the date of his appearance was not set until Monday night.” Emmert’s testimony could take up more than a full day.
As Emmert has been known to cram a foot -- or two -- squarely in his mouth, who knows how his time in the stand will play out and what impact if any it’ll have on the outcome of the trial.
Emmert’s “testimony in the case will not take the usual form of direct examination by the NCAA, then a cross-examination whose scope is largely limited by what is covered in the direct examination,” the paper added.
Regardless, grab a bag or two of Gordon Gee’s Orville Redenbacher‘s finest. This could get good.
Anyway, and in addition to Emmert, another big gun in the game of college football game could be called as Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told CBSSports.com that he’s open to taking the stand.
“I think I will but I don’t know for sure,” Delany said. “I’m prepared to do it, if asked.”