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Articles
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A Rush to Judgment By: Richard Linde, Posted 2 July 2003
No one should be surprised by Hedges' decision in response to Neuheisel's Thursday appeal, even though Neuheisel’s gambling imbroglio is a twisted affair of justice versus injustice and right versus wrong. Rick Neuheisel is fighting for what is right. In my opinion, by cowing to the strong-arm of the NCAA, the UW ostensibly is fighting for what is wrong. Deciding to keep Neuheisel as head football coach most likely would have meant his suspension by the NCAA, which could have resulted in a lengthy appeals process. In this topsy-turvy world of Husky football, reality trumps justice and wrong topples right; it could all be about expediency, complicated by ambiguously written NCAA rules that are subject to a variety of interpretations. Obviously, Barbara Hedges feels differently, that Neuheisel should never have participated in the basketball pools, regardless of the school's interpretation of NCAA Bylaw 10.3, which seems to be aimed at organized gambling. “The point of the matter is, if a school tells an employee that this is okay and the employee relies on that information, it seems a little bit unfair that the employee be the one to bare the brunt of that,” Neuheisel told ESPN Sunday night, in reference to the e-mail sent out by UW Assistant Athletic Director Dana Richardson that okayed his participation in basketball pools. Because of this witch hunt--a Shakespearean tragedy--what was fair is now foul and what was foul is now fair, a miasma consisting of fog and filthy air hovering over Montlake--ethereally, one of Macbeth's witches, the NCAA. During the ESPN interview, Neuheisel said, “I think the NCAA has put on a lot of pressure because of some the statements they made. I think that the day after I was questioned by the NCAA, Miles Brand said I should be fired. There was no way they could know all the facts. The university felt pressure to make a decision. I think it was simple as that.” Clearly, the University made a rush to judgment. During their press conference last Thursday, Neuheisel’s lawyers, Jerry Crawford and Bob Sulkin, presented a cogent case for Neuheisel’s reinstatement as head coach at Washington. Last week, Neuheisel, admitting he had turned down a settlement offer, said, “Thankfully, my wife said, ‘absolutely not (to the settlement offer)'; she said 'this is about right or wrong. And those boys deserve you, just like your players deserve you standing up for what is right.’” “I am hopeful that people will get to know me before they rush to judgment.” So far, no one has taken the time to get to know Rick Neuheisel, who now can ask for a hearing with Norm Arkans, the assistant to the President. That hearing must take place by July 25. Let’s hope that Arkans is willing to listen to Coach Neuheisel. Richard Linde (a.k.a., Malamute) can be reached at malamute@4malamute.com |
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The
University of Washington has denied Rick Neuheisel’s appeals process. According to
the Seattle Times, AD Barbara Hedges has sent a letter
(1 July) to Neuheisel, which says, "I have concluded that there is just cause
for the termination of your employment contract based upon all the reasons
stated in my June 11 letter (to you). Therefore, I am terminating your employment as Head
Football Coach.”