Alabama Coach Nick Saban Shows Up To Arch Manning’s High School Basketball Game

]

Alabama Coach Nick Saban is now showing up to Arch Manning’s high school basketball games just two weeks after losing the National Title game to Georgia.

Is there any doubt that Manning is the top recruit for the 2023 class? Maybe he doesn’t turn out the best, but you better believe that every coach in the nation is hoping that he signs with them…in 2023! The best part of all of this is that this isn’t even his signing year.

Now if you haven’t heard of Arch Manning, then here is the quick background. No he isn’t the son of Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning. He isn’t even the son of Super Bowl winner Eli Manning. He is the son of Cooper Manning, their older brother who never made it big after his career was derailed by a spinal condition.

Arch Manning is the grandson of NFL great Archie Manning and the hype train continues to grow.

Saban was even in attendance to watch him play a sport that Alabama isn’t even hoping he will play!

Nick Saban is going ALL IN on the next Manning 👀 (via @inthegymhoops_)

pic.twitter.com/rS6B2j0abb — Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 22, 2022

Trending from Side Action

Here’s the deal. Everyone knows how incredible Saban is as a coach and everyone also knows that he can groom the top talent to be NFL ready. Their former three QBs at Alabama are all enjoying a starting gig in the NFL; Mac Jones, Tua Tagovailoa, and even Jalen Hurts.

Ole Miss Coach Lane Kiffin is no doubt doing his due diligence to acquire the top prospect as Ole Miss is a family tradition for the Mannings. Arch Manning’s father Cooper played there, his uncle Eli played there, and his grandfather Archie played there.

There is no official word on where Arch will play his ball after high school, but one has to expect it is going to be for a top brand college.

Here’s to hoping the kid lives up to the sky high expectations!

Welcome to the game outside the game! Follow us on our Sideaction Twitter handle, Instagram, and Facebook for the latest on sports and pop culture news across the web!

The Daily Recap: Georgia stays relentless in recruiting

]

Here is the Jan. 21 edition of The Daily Recap presented by JFQ Lending.

Manning’s interest in Georgia

Blayne Gilmer spoke with Isidore Newman head coach Nelson Stewart about the interest quarterback Arch Manning (Isidore Newman/New Orleans) has in Georgia, as well as his overall recruitment. Stewart played high school football with both Peyton Manning and Cooper Manning and has been close to the family for many years.

Stewart said Manning likes a lot about what Georgia has to offer.

2024 offers extended

Jed May took a closer look at two class of 2024 prospects who received offers from Georgia this week. Those players are athletes Ryan Pellum (Millikan/Long Beach, Calif.) and Tavoy Feagin (Carrollwood Day/Tampa, Fla.)

Pellum is a playmaker in space on offense and Feagin is being recruited as a defensive back.

South Georgia recruiting tour

Head coach Kirby Smart embarked on a South Georgia recruiting trip on Thursday, hitting a number of area schools in the name of recruiting some of the state’s top talent to the national champion Bulldogs.

Stops included Dougherty in Albany, Crisp County in Cordele, Lee County in Leesburg, Colquitt County in Moultrie and Thomas County Central in Thomasville. Smart also visited the two Valdosta high schools—Valdosta and Lowndes.

Rece Davis talks title with Jim Donnan

ESPN’s Rece Davis joined Jim Donnan and Dayne Young to share stories from Georgia’s national championship win. Davis also discusses the state of college football and the future of the sport. He sprinkled in impressions of Larry Munson and Brent Musburger.

McCready: 10 Weekend Thoughts, presented by GameChanger Patch Co.

]

GameChanger Patches are the only two-patch system available in the market to stop hangovers before they start. The WarmUp Patch is used before or while you drink, and the OverTime patch is used after you’ve been drinking to recover while you sleep. The all-natural ingredients will keep you in the game and ready for your next play. Go to GameChangerPatch.com and enter Promo Code RebelGrove20 at checkout for 20% off your purchase.

Content Loading

Manage privacy settings Embed content not available PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0nc3RfX2NvbnRlbnQtYmxvY2sgc3RfX2NvbnRlbnQtYmxv Y2stLXR3ZWV0Jz4KPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0nY2VudGVyX3R3ZWV0Jz48YmxvY2tx dW90ZSBjbGFzcz0idHdpdHRlci10d2VldCI+PHAgbGFuZz0iZW4iIGRpcj0i bHRyIj5BbmQgYSBncmVhdCBkYXkgZm9yIPCfp6nwn6ep4pu38J+PnS4gV2Fp dCBmb3IgaXQg4oCm4oCmLiA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3R3aXR0ZXIuY29t L09sZU1pc3NGQj9yZWZfc3JjPXR3c3JjJTVFdGZ3Ij5AT2xlTWlzc0ZCPC9h PiA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3QuY28vM1c1MkJDSmMxZyI+cGljLnR3aXR0 ZXIuY29tLzNXNTJCQ0pjMWc8L2E+PC9wPiZtZGFzaDsgTGFuZSBLaWZmaW4g KEBMYW5lX0tpZmZpbikgPGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9M YW5lX0tpZmZpbi9zdGF0dXMvMTQ4NTI0MzU0NjkwMjk3NDQ2Nj9yZWZfc3Jj PXR3c3JjJTVFdGZ3Ij5KYW51YXJ5IDIzLCAyMDIyPC9hPjwvYmxvY2txdW90 ZT4KPHNjcmlwdCBhc3luYyBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxhdGZvcm0udHdpdHRl ci5jb20vd2lkZ2V0cy5qcyIgY2hhcnNldD0idXRmLTgiPjwvc2NyaXB0Pgo8 L2Rpdj4KPC9kaXY+Cgo=

1. It’s another day on the Jaxson Dart/Michael Trigg Jr. watch. Ole Miss fans are reading Lane Kiffin’s morning inspiration tweets, looking for hints in the form of emojis. On Sunday, Kiffin tweeted two puzzle pieces, a snow skier and a palm tree. I mean, I laughed. A day earlier, he had three puzzle pieces in his tweet and he included a dog. Maybe the dog was Georgia transfer portal wide receiver Jermaine Burton, who Ole Miss had hoped to convince to visit Oxford this weekend. Burton didn’t visit. Maybe the dog was representing former Oxford High School quarterback Jack Abraham, who was most recently at Mississippi State before entering the transfer portal and being granted a seventh year of eligibility by the NCAA. I don’t know. It’s likely Kiffin knows something and believes it’s a matter of when – and not if – Dart and Trigg transfer to Ole Miss. But I suppose it’s possible Kiffin is just being hopeful, perhaps trying to will the former USC duo to Oxford. And I guess it’s conceivable Kiffin is holed up at home, braving the chill while working on an actual puzzle. The last day to drop/add a class at Ole Miss with a professor’s permission – as long as it’s not sociology, I like the chances of getting said permission – is Jan. 31. So there’s still some time. But paperwork does take a minute, so resolution, if Trigg and/or Dart are going to go through the spring as part of the Ole Miss program, must come fairly soon.

Coach Lincoln Riley talks with Caleb Williams (13) during the Sooners’ 28-21 win against Iowa State on Nov. 20. They could soon be reunited at USC. (Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman/USA Today Sports)

2. My colleague, Chase Parham, and I have discussed the Dart/Trigg conundrum more times than I’d like to admit. He has a theory, and the more I think about it, the more I think it’s possibly valid. Realizing this could be outdated at any moment, but also wanting to enjoy a Sunday full of NFL Playoffs, I asked him to put it in writing. So, here’s Chase Parham: The waiting game on Jaxson Dart — and to some extent Michael Trigg Jr. — has reached a week since they left the Ole Miss campus and the clock started ticking. A decision was expected a couple to a few days after the trip to Oxford, and that has now stretched out, despite consistent social media teasers from the USC quarterback to entered the transfer portal. Dart visited Ole Miss and Oklahoma for full official visits and spent a day at home-state BYU, as well.The Rebels and Sooners have also visited Dart with in-home trips in the past week. The pitches have all been heard and now it’s up to Dart to make a decision. What we know is that both Oklahoma and Ole Miss have academic calendars that require Dart to be in class within the next week in order to go through spring practice, so while there’s no clock to simply being eligible for the 2022 season, there is a time limit for getting to campus in time to acclimate this semester. Former UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel is committed to Oklahoma, and his presence has hurt the Sooners in their pursuit of Dart. OU is pitching to Dart to be patient should he lose out to Gabriel in 2022 because it will hand him the keys in 2023 and beyond. Ole Miss, meanwhile, wants Dart to compete with Luke Altmyer, who got his first considerable action in the Sugar Bowl loss to Baylor. Those are the knowns, but the lack of a decision already is somewhat weird, and it’s making me consider if a different quarterback connected to Oklahoma is holding things up. Sooner Caleb Williams is the most sought quarterback in the portal, and while he’s been tied to USC and Lincoln Riley since even before he put his name in to transfer, there’s been no official movement in that direction. And while I still would guess that’s Williams’ eventual destination, his stalling could have an impact on Dart. It’s just a theory at this point, but should Williams choose somewhere other than the Trojans, Dart could simply go back to USC and be the starting quarterback. While Riley seems to like Williams more and has the relationship with him, he, according to sources, was positive with Dart when they spoke and would be comfortable with him as the primary quarterback on a roster that doesn’t hypothetically include Williams. If Williams does end up at USC, that’s a dead end for Dart and he can then choose his new destination. Williams and Oklahoma have officially separated at this point, so that’s no longer a concern for Dart, but with USC out there and Williams even speaking to Ole Miss multiple times throughout this recruitment period, it makes sense for Dart to get Williams out of the way before he picks a school. Maybe Dart ends the drama as soon as we hit publish. Maybe he knows where Williams is going even though it’s not official. But if that’s up in the air, it could explain why there’s a pause that really doesn’t make a lot of logical sense. Neal’s amendment to Chase’s thought: I asked my friend, Antonio Morales, who covers USC for The Athletic, about Williams. He said the last day for a USC student to drop/add courses is Friday. He also said USC sources had gone very quiet regarding backup plans if Williams didn’t transfer.

3. Ole Miss is scheduled to bring in some 2023 targets this upcoming weekend. Given that the Rebels aren’t expected to sign any 2022 prospects in the late signing period, which begins Feb. 2, we’ll start to turn our coverage attention to the 2023 signing class imminently. Keep this in mind as you read here and elsewhere about all of the “offers” being extended: No offers are official until Sept. 1, when they’re put in writing. Further, given Kiffin’s very apparent penchant to build at maybe as much as half of his program via the transfer portal, there’s only going to be so much room for high schoolers. I’ll start to identify, profile and break down some 2023 targets here in the next few days and weeks as we get into the time of year usually saved for junior days and spring visits. We’ll touch on some 2024 targets, but given the prevalence of the transfer portal and the ever-changing picture of college football, those recruitments have far too much time left in them to dedicate any real time and/or energy to them from a reporting perspective.

Content Loading

Manage privacy settings Embed content not available PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0nc3RfX2NvbnRlbnQtYmxvY2sgc3RfX2NvbnRlbnQtYmxv Y2stLXR3ZWV0Jz4KPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0nY2VudGVyX3R3ZWV0Jz48YmxvY2tx dW90ZSBjbGFzcz0idHdpdHRlci10d2VldCI+PHAgbGFuZz0iZW4iIGRpcj0i bHRyIj5OaWNrIFNhYmFuIHB1bGxlZCB1cCB0byB3YXRjaCBmaXZlLXN0YXIg UUIgQXJjaCBNYW5uaW5nIHBsYXkgYmFsbCDwn5GAIDxicj48YnI+KHZpYSA8 YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3R3aXR0ZXIuY29tL2ludGhlZ3ltaG9vcHNfP3Jl Zl9zcmM9dHdzcmMlNUV0ZnciPkBpbnRoZWd5bWhvb3BzXzwvYT4pPGEgaHJl Zj0iaHR0cHM6Ly90LmNvL3VhUDlVMXF0WWQiPnBpYy50d2l0dGVyLmNvbS91 YVA5VTFxdFlkPC9hPjwvcD4mbWRhc2g7IEJsZWFjaGVyIFJlcG9ydCAoQEJs ZWFjaGVyUmVwb3J0KSA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3R3aXR0ZXIuY29tL0Js ZWFjaGVyUmVwb3J0L3N0YXR1cy8xNDg0OTU3MjAyODQyNTg3MTM3P3JlZl9z cmM9dHdzcmMlNUV0ZnciPkphbnVhcnkgMjIsIDIwMjI8L2E+PC9ibG9ja3F1 b3RlPgo8c2NyaXB0IGFzeW5jIHNyYz0iaHR0cHM6Ly9wbGF0Zm9ybS50d2l0 dGVyLmNvbS93aWRnZXRzLmpzIiBjaGFyc2V0PSJ1dGYtOCI+PC9zY3JpcHQ+ CjwvZGl2Pgo8L2Rpdj4KCg==

4. Of course, when you discuss 2023 targets, the name Arch Manning comes up immediately. No recruitment will be more closely watched than Manning’s. Manning made game-day visits to Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Clemson and Ole Miss last fall. After an absolutely unprecedented coaching carousel – which continues to see assistants and coordinators shift places – the five-star quarterback is fully immersed in basketball season and put the recruiting side of things on the back burner until later this offseason. In Louisiana, basketball championships are played in early March. “All of his visits will be after hoops,” Newman head coach Nelson Stewart told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman. “He’s not in a hurry.” Manning made visits to five programs during the fall and coaches from all five of said schools were Uptown this past week to see the elite 2023 quarterback. So were LSU and Oklahoma – and the new coaches at both universities. The Ohio State coaches were on hand for Manning’s basketball game on Monday evening. Manning will likely see some familiar and some new campuses when he picks it back up. Cooper Manning, Arch’s father, embraced the game-day visits in the fall and also maintained that his son would keep his options open throughout the process. “He’s only been to college football games at Ole Miss and LSU his whole life,” Manning said before the visit to Athens last fall. “What’s next? Maybe we’ll go to a place that he hasn’t been to a game for. Maybe we’ll pop back up somewhere (we’ve been). We aren’t limiting anyone.” At one point, a spring decision was expected. There’s more talk now that Manning won’t pick his college home until closer to the fall. That is likely good news for Ole Miss, as people close to the process believe the Rebels have begun to gain some traction. Specifically, I continue to hear two programs – Georgia and Alabama – are out in front for Manning’s commitment. Georgia, which just won its first national title since 1980, has some familiar faces and Manning really likes Athens and the stability of Kirby Smart’s program. Several people have told me Alabama would be in a great spot if legendary coach Nick Saban were a little younger. Saban will turn 72 during Manning’s freshman season. Ole Miss has made up ground. Manning’s father loves Ole Miss and Oxford and has warmed to the idea of his son playing for Kiffin, per a source. The same applies to Manning’s legendary grandfather, former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints star Archie Manning. Clemson, considered the leader by many this time a year ago, has faded. Texas, which had tons of momentum last summer, is believed to have faded a bit as well. In other words, it’s shaping up as a cliffhanger of sorts, in case the Dart/Trigg drama leaves you wanting more.

Mississippi State Bulldogs forward Garrison Brooks (10) and Ole Miss Rebels forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) battle for a lose ball during the second at Humphrey Coliseum. Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

5. Ole Miss lost twice last week, dropping a 25-point home decision to Missouri Tuesday and then losing by 18 at Mississippi State Saturday. Ole Miss is now 9-9 overall and 1-5 in the Southeastern Conference. With the league slate one-third in the books, Ole Miss must now try to find a way to salvage something in the final seven weeks or so of the season. Ole Miss trailed by just one point, 42-41, at halftime Saturday. The Rebels lost the second half, 36-19. The Rebels lost the rebounding battle, 29-21. They committed 16 turnovers, five more than Mississippi State. In the second half, Ole Miss shot 33 percent from the floor while the Bulldogs shot 56 percent. Depth is a problem. So are dead rooster spots. Whether it’s evaluations or recruiting mistakes or a lack of recruiting resources, the roster isn’t good enough to win in today’s SEC. There is a strong young nucleus – Daeshun Ruffin, Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield – to build around. This team badly misses veterans Jarkel Joiner and Robert Allen, both out with injuries. But it’s the multiple roster slots that aren’t contributing that’s got this team trying to avoid disaster. Of the remaining games, Ole Miss will likely only be favored in five or so. If the losses pile up, crowds will diminish. Seasons spiral. That’s just how things go. Ole Miss has three home games this week. The Rebels host Florida Monday, Arkansas on Wednesday and Kansas State on Saturday afternoon. I wrote on Tuesday night that this season was at the crossroads. I still believe that to be true. The direction the Rebels take from here, at least in my opinion, will be determined this week.

Auburn Tigers forward Jabari Smith (10) looks to pass as Auburn Tigers men’s basketball takes on Kentucky Wildcats at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. Auburn Tigers defeated Kentucky Wildcats 80-71. (Jake Crandall/USA Today Sports)

6. It’s time for my weekly ranking of the SEC basketball programs, with NET rankings in parentheses. 1. Auburn (5) – The Tigers play with spirit and passion. They’re so enjoyable to just view. 2. Kentucky (10) – I know the ‘Cats lost, but that might be a different game had TyTy Washington not left with an injury. 3. Tennessee (11) – The Vols are now 4-3 in the league after beating LSU at home – and then trolling the hell out of them on social media. Goodness. 4. Alabama (21) – The Tide seems to be figuring things out a bit. 5. LSU (8) – The NET is fantastic, but the Tigers are 3-4 in the league. 6. Florida (39) – Mike White’s team heads to Oxford Monday with a little momentum. 7. Mississippi State (49) – The Bulldogs are now 4-2 in the league and looking very much like a tournament club. 8. Arkansas (55) – The Razorbacks just aren’t deep enough to make a real run, but they’ve improved to 4-3 in the league headed to Oxford Wednesday. 9. Texas A&M (57) – The Aggies are scrappy, but consecutive close losses to Kentucky and Arkansas have Buzz Williams’ team in need of a win. 10. Vanderbilt (81) – And here’s the fall-off. Thank God for Commodore Care Week. That crap really worked. 11. South Carolina (112) – I can’t help but think Frank Martin’s team, with a sub-100 NET, is going to pop a bubble here in the next few weeks. 12. Missouri (175) – Not a bad week for the Tigers, really, beating Ole Miss by 25 in Oxford and then playing respectfully in Tuscaloosa. 13. Ole Miss (135) – Depth – and a lack of perimeter scoring – is just killing the Rebels. 14. Georgia (225) – Gross.

Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari talks with his team from the sideline as Auburn Tigers men’s basketball takes on Kentucky Wildcats at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. Auburn Tigers defeated Kentucky Wildcats 80-71. (Jake Crandall/USA Today Sports)

7. It’s a pretty big week ahead for a handful of SEC teams. The league has a shot at nine bids, but to get there, the middle of the pack is going to have to avoid disaster and take advantage of opportunities. Here are three games to watch early this week: Mississippi State at Kentucky (Tuesday) – The Bulldogs could really enhance their resume with a win at Rupp Arena. I mean, a win at No. 10 in the NET is a total game-changer for Ben Howland and Co. Florida at Tennessee (Wednesday) – The Gators have a big week. They can’t afford a loss at No. 135 Monday, but if they can win in Oxford, they get a shot at No. 11 in Knoxville. Two wins really solidify the Gators’ NCAA case. Texas A&M at LSU (Wednesday) – The Aggies played very well versus Kentucky and then stormed back from a huge deficit to force overtime in Fayetteville before losing. They need a win in Baton Rouge. Badly.

Texas Longhorns head coach Chris Beard signals to players during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Frank C. Erwin Jr. Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

8. Oh, and in case you’re wondering what Texas and Oklahoma bring to the table in men’s basketball, it’s impressive. As of Sunday, the Longhorns are No. 19 in the NET. Oklahoma is No. 37. The frustrated calls to just abandon basketball at Ole Miss and leave the sport to everyone else while focusing on baseball are foolish. There’s no reason Ole Miss can’t be competitive in everything. But giving up on basketball? The entire concept, even when just expressed out of frustration, is idiotic. The league is about to get even better. Ole Miss has to figure out how to claim its space.

9. Ole Miss’ women’s basketball team made its strongest bid yet for a spot in the Associated Press Top 25 Sunday, winning at No. 23 Kentucky, 63-54. The Rebels are now 17-2 overall and 5-1 in the SEC. It was their sixth road win of the season. Shakira Austin led Ole Miss with 24 points and eight rebounds. Snudda Collins came off the bench to score 12 points. Madison Scott and Lashonda Mack had 10 points each for the Rebels. Ole Miss has a week off before playing host to Georgia Sunday at 2 p.m. After Sunday’s game in Lexington, Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin discussed her team, the victory and more.

New LSU football staff is starting their pursuit of Arch Manning

]

LSU Football: Derek Stingley goes No. 8 overall in Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft

LSU Football: Derek Stingley goes No. 8 overall in Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft by Zach Ragan

LSU football‘s new coaching staff — led by new head coach Brian Kelly — will undoubtedly have a slightly different approach to recruiting than the Tigers’ previous staff.

But one thing that isn’t changing is LSU’s pursuit of 2023 five-star quarterback Arch Manning — the most coveted recruit in the nation right now.

Manning, 6-foot-4/215 lbs from New Orleans (Isidore Newman), is everything a program could want in a quarterback.

The No. 1 rated overall recruit in the 2023 class has a football pedigree that is unrivaled. His uncles — Peyton and Eli — won a combined four Super Bowls. His grandfather, Archie, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1971 NFL Draft and ended up playing in the NFL for 13 years.

Arch’s dad, Cooper, committed to Ole Miss as a wide receiver. But a diagnosis of spinal stenosis ended his football career.

Suffice it to say, football is in Arch’s blood.

That’s why LSU — despite signing Walker Howard, the No. 5 overall quarterback in the 2022 recruiting class — is making Arch a priority.

LSU football set to visit with Arch Manning this weekend

247Sports’ Shea Dixon reported on Friday that a couple of LSU coaches will be heading to New Orleans on Friday night to check out Arch’s basketball game against De La Salle.

According to Dixon, quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan and special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator Brian Polian will be the LSU coaches at Arch’s game.

With Howard already signed, it’s not like Manning is a “must-get player” for Kelly and the Tigers.

But at the same time, this is Arch Manning. He’s expected to be a transcendent quarterback that could be the biggest star we’ve ever seen in college football (thanks to the insane media attention he will likely receive). It doesn’t matter what quarterback a program has — everyone out there is going to want Arch on their roster.

The Tigers have to make a strong run at him. Keeping Arch home in Louisiana would be massive for LSU.

This is going to be a wild recruiting battle. But the Tigers need to go all out to get Arch to Baton Rouge.

Judge rules in favor of city of Tallahassee in discrimination lawsuit

]

A judge ruled in favor of the city of Tallahassee in a lawsuit brought by a long-serving employee who claimed she was passed over as communications director because of age and race discrimination.

Leon Circuit Judge John Cooper granted a city motion for summary judgment during a pretrial hearing via Zoom on Thursday. The decision means a trial set for next month will not proceed.

Sandra Manning, who joined the city in 1995 and once oversaw WCOT, sued in 2019 claiming the city hired a less experienced person as communications director after she was promised the job. Manning, who is Black and in her early 60s, also alleged the city retaliated against her after she complained of racism.

Cooper said many of her allegations were not relevant, barred by the statute of limitations or “opinion and speculation.” He said he couldn’t find evidence that the city’s reasons for personnel moves involving Manning were a pretext for illegal discrimination.

“There’s a case that says an employer can terminate an employee for a good reason or a bad reason — it just can’t be an illegal reason,” Cooper said. “That’s been the law for a very long time.”

Changes in City Hall’s communications shop began in 2015, after Rick Fernandez was appointed city manager and implemented a series of staff shakeups and layoffs. And while Manning kept her job and her $100,000-plus salary, she was stripped of staff and duties, said her lawyer, Marie Mattox.

“They took everything from her, put her into essentially a secretarial position and that’s where she remains today,” Mattox said. “She had run a major department. She had been in high regard. Literally has nothing today.”

Back story:City special projects manager Sandra Manning files discrimination lawsuit

But Michael Spellman, an outside lawyer representing the city, said Manning wasn’t the right person for the job and had shown lapses in judgment. He said Alison Faris, the person ultimately hired, was a better fit for the post and had proven herself a “strategic leader.”

Spellman also told Judge Cooper that once Fernandez became city manager, he was going to remake the city workforce “the way he wanted it.”

“He changed the structure of the city — good, bad, agree with it, disagree with it — but it wasn’t based in this case on Ms. Manning’s race or her age or retaliation,” Spellman said.

Manning and Faris were the top two candidates for the post after Michelle Bono, who served under former City Manager Anita Favors, opted to step down and not serve under Fernandez. When asked by city brass who should succeed her, she recommended Faris over Manning, a fact Cooper emphasized as he explained his thinking.

“There’s no evidence in this record that Ms. Bono was in some sort of cabal or conspiracy or anti-anybody,” Cooper said. “She was the one who held the job for 20-plus years, worked with both people involved. She made the recommendation to the city manager.”

Cooper asked Spellman to draft a proposed order and share it with Mattox for review. But Mattox said that given the ruling against her client, she likely wouldn’t change anything in the document.

In a brief interview, Mattox said she intends to appeal the ruling to the 1st District Court of Appeal.

The decision short-circuited a trial that could have seen a who’s-who of current and former city officials take the stand, including City Manager Reese Goad, Deputy City Manager Cynthia Barber, Fernandez, Faris, Bono and Manning herself.

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.