GPCwallace
ADMIN
Just spoke to Bender's father
I always feel bad bugging parents (considering I've called him something like 10 times since yesterday morning), but Jeremy Bender has been extremely cordial the two times he has answered and, in both instances, he says the rumors about Tay are news to him.
Yesterday afternoon, after leaving him a handful of voicemails, Jeremy called me back here at the PI office shortly after Lincoln Southwest football coach Mark King told our own D.Scott Fritchen he hadn't word a word about the developments with Tay. Like King, the elder Bender seemed both surprised and confused by the reasoning behind my phone calls.
"I really don't have any idea about anything," Jeremy Bender said yesterday. "Why don't you fill me in on what you're hearing."
After I told him about the rumors swirling around town, he continued to insist he was unaware of the situation and told me he'd call me back once he found out.
Fast forward to today and I still hadn't heard back from Mr. Bender, so I dialed him up once again.
This time, I was lucky enough to have him answer on the first attempt and upon asking him what the latest update was with his son, the father replied, "I have found nothing that leads me to believe any of the things you told me yesterday or are still hearing today are true."
So, long story short, according to Tay's dad, he's still in Manhattan and part of the Wildcat football team.
Now, that's not to say that what was going around yesterday didn't necessarily happen in one way, shape, or form. All it tells me is that if Tay was going to quit and/or leave, things have changed.
That, or I'm being led to believe something entirely false.... but we'll all find out the truth on Saturday I guess, when LHC Bill Snyder opens his doors for Fan Appreciation Day.