UTC basketball's Chris Early suspended indefinitely for tweeting

photo UTC men's basketball coach John Shulman, right, talks to Chris Early during the game against Warren Wilson Monday at McKenzie Arena.
Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior forward Chris Early has been suspended indefinitely for violating the team social media policy.

Early posted six disparaging remarks about UTC coach John Shulman on Twitter from Nov. 16 to Nov. 21.

On Nov. 20 he wrote, "I hate this man with a passion, each and every day I have to see him I become more and more miserable."

Also that day, he wrote, "There are certain [people] that shouldn't be able to coach college basketball."

Shulman sent Early home to Huntington, W.Va., shortly after the Mocs arrived in Lexington, Ky., meaning Early will not play at No. 3 Kentucky on Saturday or Wednesday at McKenzie Arena against Hiwassee.

"He acted emotionally and that's OK," Shulman said via cell phone. "What's not OK is to put it in writing. He went outside the team and he made a mistake. Mistakes come with consequences."

The UTC social media policy reads in part: "Inappropriate comments or criticism of any fellow student-athletes, coaches or athletics department staff and inappropriate pictures or other content will be subject to discipline and could lead to dismissal from the team."

See Saturday's Times Free Press for more coverage.

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