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Articles
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Calling Adrian Monk Some loose ends need tidying. By: Richard Linde, Updated 24 August 2003
The text from the audio tapes obtained by the Seattle Times shows that Rick Neuheisel misled NCAA investigators in the morning session and then told the truth in a late afternoon session, those question-and-answer sessions being reminiscent of former president Bill Clinton’s "lies" to federal investigators, the effects of which took over one year to resolve. Like Clinton in Whitewater, Neuheisel, in Gamblegate, parsed his words carefully, avoiding words, such as “bet,” that appear in NCAA bylaw 10.3. “There is no betting taking place. Basically what it is, is it's an auction,” he told investigators. Clearly, Neuheisel was not as forthcoming in the morning session as he should have been. He should have been completely truthful, and he was not. However, a careful parsing of Neuheisel's answers to investigators indicate that he didn't tell any boldface lies to them in the morning session, when he supposedly lied repeatedly. He misled the investigators, but he didn't lie to them, as shown by a literal interpretation of the answers Neuheisel gave to investigators. Table 1. The results of our lie-detector test (from The Seattle Times *)
Only when Neuheisel realized that the NCAA had the goods on him did he tell the complete truth--was completely forthcoming. And that was later in the afternoon, according to the tapes obtained by the Seattle Times. Neuheisel has repeatedly contended he was confused by the line of questioning, and said he thought he was being accused of "gamboling" with organized gamblers. For example, the NCAA investigators asked Neuheisel whether he had an internet gambling account or whether had had an internet gambling account under somebody else’s name. He was asked whether the house keeps a percentage of the money wagered, and he told them “there is no house.” "Have you ever wired money by (sic) Western Union because that was an internet gambling account," one questioner asked. Neuheisel's lawyer, Bob Sulkin, said Neuheisel's responses would seem much different if the original context, which implied involvement with illegal, organized gambling, were available. End of story? No. The Neuheisel gambling imbroglio is a never ending story, much like some physicists' view of the universe--a collapse, followed by a big bang, followed by a collapse. Because of Neuheisel's big-bang episode, the paintings in Barbara Hedge’s office need straightening. The block “W” on Husky field is slightly askew. Calling Mr. Monk, some loose ends need tidying. "Mr. Monk," a TV show that appears on the USA channel, stars an obsessive-compulsive detective played by Tony Shalaub. Being able to discern facts and solve criminal cases like no one else, Mr. Monk is called in on cases that appear totally unsolvable. Likewise, Mr. Monk needs to find some answers to some penetrating questions before partial closure can be reached regarding the gambling episode involving Rick Neuheisel. Full closure comes after his lawsuit with the NCAA and the UW is settled. Here are the questions for Mr. Monk:
Whether Neuheisel lied to the NCAA investigators or not is a moot point. The bottom line concerns Neueheisel’s alleged breaking of NCAA Bylaw 10.3, which is clearly aimed at organized gambling. That’s how the whole affair got started. It is our opinion that Neuheisel did not specifically violate the rule, though he may have violated the spirit of the rule; he certainly used bad judgment in entering the pool. And, initially, he misled the investigators when asked about his participation in the pool. None of this alters the bottom line involving the breaking of Bylaw 10.3. If that should be the case, ironically, the whole imbroglio is much ado about nothing. However, the much hyped affair, along with the 49ers interview, reflect on the former coach's character. When taken by surprise on a volatile issue, the coach's first inclination, seemingly, was to be mendacious rather than forthright. It is a defense mechanism built into a lot of people, even former Presidents of the United States. --------------- Photo above: Athletic Director Barbara Hedges, 66, speaking to guests at Band Day, Don James Center, August 19, 2003. "Everybody in the country knows my age and my hair color," she said.
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Did
Rick Neuheisel lie to NCAA investigators during the infamous meeting that took
place on June 4, 2003? Are there any loose ends in the gambling imbroglio that
need tidying up? The text from the audio tape recordings of the morning and
afternoon sessions between Neuheisel and NCAA investigators has some surprising
answers.