Vanderbilt University Football Team Apologizes for Tweet - East Idaho News
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Vanderbilt University Football Team Apologizes for Tweet

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Thinkstock 080615 Vanderbilt?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1438890990646Sean Pavone/iStock/Thinkstock(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) — The Vanderbilt University football account is apologizing Thursday after a tweet promoting its football team was criticized for its use of tone-deaf language.

The tweet, which has since been deleted, read “We are RELENTLESS, TOUGH AND INTELLIGENT, and…” and featured a graphic, quoting head coach Derek Mason, that read “We don’t need your permission!” The language was particularly inappropriate given the recent rape trials involving four former Vanderbilt football players.

After the tweet was deleted, the account posted an apology.

“We apologize for today’s tweet,” the apology read. “It’s not a comment about sexual assault. Sex without permission is always wrong and not accepted…Sexual assault is not acceptable at Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Athletics and Vanderbilt Football.”

The quote in question was actually pulled in part from a tweet Mason posted last month, which read “Back in Nashville and the work never stops. This team wants what some say it can’t obtain. Sorry…We don’t need your permission!”

Earlier this year, former Vanderbilt football players Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey were found guilty on rape charges. A mistrial was declared in June over concerns about one juror’s ability to be impartial, and a second trial is scheduled to begin later in the year.

Two other players were also accused of rape in the same incident, but have not yet gone to trial.

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