Report: Alabama businesswoman denies giving Martin money

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - An Alabama businesswoman denies giving money to former Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin or to a sportswriter to give to Martin. <br> <br> The Southeastern Conference is looking into $4,500 in payments allegedly made in February 1999 by Dianne Sanford, then an executive at Aarco Insurance, and forwarded to Martin from Mobile (Ala.) Register reporter Wayne Rowe. <br> <br> Sanford denied the allegations in an interview published in Thursday&#39;s Knoxville News-Sentinel. <br> <br> ``I never gave Wayne Rowe any money for Tamaurice (Tee) Martin, nor did I give Tamaurice Martin any money,&#39;&#39; Sanford told the newspaper. ``Neither Tamaurice Martin nor any member of his family have ever asked for any money.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Neither Sanford nor her attorney, Thomas Doyle, immediately returned phone messages left by The Associated Press. <br> <br> Martin, who led the Volunteers to the 1998 national championship and is now a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, has denied receiving money from Sanford. <br> <br> Tennessee athletic director Doug Dickey has said the university investigated the case in 1999 and found no improprieties.