Mississippi State player: Facebook strip club claim 'was a joke'

One of the authors of the Great Facebook Strip Club Controversy, Mississippi State football recruit Jameon Lewis, says that it was all a big misunderstanding. He and two other Bulldog recruits never visited a Starkville-area strip club called the Pony during their recruiting visit, he says, even though all three apparently boasted in similar Facebook posts about going there.
Lewis, to the Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Miss., when asked about the Facebook posts: “Nah, it’s no truth,” he said. “It was a joke we were playing.” Yeah … ooookay.

Mississippi State officials aren’t taking Lewis’ word for it, however. Late Tuesday the university issued a statement to address the rumor tsunami (the story has been picked up by several news outlets). Excerpt:

It has been brought to our attention that an activity – outside the approved itinerary and certainly without the approval or consent of our coaches or athletic department – may have occurred last weekend. Our athletic director, compliance office and coaching staff were all immediately made aware of the possible incident, and we are reviewing the facts at this time.

Did the three Mississippi high school seniors stop to ogle topless dancers near West Point? The university will sort that out. What’s interesting is that they all wrote about it on their Facebook accounts; another spectacular Social Networking Fail no matter how you look at it. Even considering that they’re kids, it’s remarkably dumb for up-and-coming athletes to put their new school in that position.
Lewis denied all to the Clarion-Ledger:

Screen grabs from Facebook show Lewis saying this Sunday: “MAN WE HAD SUM FUN ET STATE BUT MY FAVORITE PART WAS WEN WE WENT TO (THE PONY) OH YEAH!!!” Lewis said he removed the status when someone told him about the stir it was creating on the Internet. “I really didn’t even know what the Pony was,” he said.

Recruit Robert Johnson, whose Facebook status also apparently mentions The Pony’s name, according to screen grabs circulating the Internet, has said he didn’t go to the Pony.

A manager at the Pony who would only identify himself as “Rick” said today that he didn’t know if any prospects had visited his club this weekend. The Pony is located on Highway 45 just south of West Point, about 10 miles from Starkville.

More to come, I’m sure. Until then, “POOONNNYYYY!” (allegedly!).
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Did Facebook Stalking Just Uncover a Mississippi State Recruiting Scandal? [The Sporting Blog]
State issues statement on recruiting visit [Clarion-Ledger]
Lewis says Pony status was a joke [Clarion-Ledger]