Greg Auman, St Petersburg Times, Take On The

FirefightnRick · November 15, 2010

Since we have a chance to get a $2 Million a year coach for $600K I thought I would share some of the interesting articles I have found concerning the Leavitt firing last year.

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/usf-bulls-coach-jim-leavitt-so-wrong-to-say-he-hit-player/1058816

The report was based on comments from Miller's father, Miller's high school coach and five unnamed members of the USF program. Reached by the St. Petersburg Times on Monday, Paul Miller said the incident was greatly exaggerated and that Leavitt grabbed his son by the shoulder pads and did not strike him.

"I stand behind the university and Coach Leavitt 100 percent," Paul Miller said. "I truly believe there was no malicious intent to hit anyone. He grabbed his shoulder pad … but it was like a motivational thing. After talking with Joel, he was satisfied there was not a slap, not at all."

The Fanhouse.com report quoted Paul Miller as saying "you do something like that, you put them in jail" and that Leavitt "crossed the line." He told the Times both quotes were taken out of context.

"He asked me what I did for a living, and I said, 'If you did that on the street, you'd go to jail,' " the former police officer said. "That doesn't mean I would say that about Coach Leavitt. That's not what was said. Joel said, 'Dad, we're fine. I know he didn't slap me. He was just trying to get me going.' "

Joel Miller calls his high school coach, David Mitchell, after most USF games to talk about his play. Mitchell said he talked with Miller after the Louisville game and he made no mention of the incident; Mitchell only heard of it Thursday when told by another high school coach who had heard about it.
"The best thing would be for (Miller) to tell you what went on, instead of me saying, 'This is what was told to me,' " said Mitchell, who was quoted in the Fanhouse report.

As far as I can tell, Greg Auman seems to be the only newspaper reporter in St Pete who didn't have a grudge against Leavitt? If you believe USF's final report, which I have linked to in other threads, Miller's parents and coach eventually changed their stories from what Auman is reporting above?

Rick

Edited November 15, 2010 by FirefightnRick

PlummMeanGreen · November 15, 2010

Since we have a chance to get a $2 Million a year coach for $600K I thought I would share some of the interesting articles I have found concerning the Leavitt firing last year.

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/usf-bulls-coach-jim-leavitt-so-wrong-to-say-he-hit-player/1058816

As far as I can tell, Greg Auman seems to be the only newspaper reporter in St Pete who didn't have a grudge against Leavitt? If you believe USF's final report, which I have linked to in other threads, Miller's parents and coach eventually changed their stories from what Auman is reporting above?

Rick

FFR, you will have the usuals of the SBC society say "that $600K figure is just not accurate" and argue that till the cows come home because they will be mostly pissed that you are not talking about another "un-named" :rolleyes: personality.

Hire Jim Leavitt yesterday, North Texas. He knows how it is to start from scratch and in many ways, he will be doing that in Denton (just not facility-wise).

GMG!

FirefightnRick · November 15, 2010

Miller's Lawyers threaten lawsuit.

A week before spring training Miller now say's he's not filing a lawsuit.

And of course, once a lawyer got involved and a lawsuit started to get thrown around, Miller is later rewarded a scholarship. Surprise surprise!

Rick

Edited November 15, 2010 by FirefightnRick

VideoEagle · November 15, 2010

As far as I can tell, Greg Auman seems to be the only newspaper reporter in St Pete who didn't have a grudge against Leavitt? If you believe USF's final report, which I have linked to in other threads, Miller's parents and coach eventually changed their stories from what Auman is reporting above?

Rick

Why not just let the court case proceed. A lot has happened since this article was written last December on both sides of the case. Until the trial is over, everything else is just speculation.

Let Jim Leavitt interview if he wants to and take his lawsuit against his former employer into account. There is nothing stopping him or his agent from picking up the phone and calling. When I'm looking for a job, that is what I do. When I have a job opening, that is what the candidates all do.

FirefightnRick · November 15, 2010

Miller said Thursday that those comments were lies to protect his coach, assistant coaches and team as they prepared for their Jan. 2 International Bowl appearance against Northern Illinois. "I covered it up," the 21-year-old sophomore out of Wharton High said.

Miller's father, Paul, who declined to comment Friday night, said he has met with attorneys in the past two days but would not say who any lawsuit would be brought against.

Rick

Edited November 15, 2010 by FirefightnRick

FirefightnRick · November 15, 2010

Why not just let the court case proceed.

What court case?

Rick

VideoEagle · November 15, 2010

What court case?
Rick

Leavitt's lawsuit against the State of Florida. Or did he finally settle and I just missed it.

Monkeypox · November 15, 2010

Leavitt's lawsuit against the State of Florida. Or did he finally settle and I just missed it.

I think it's still about a year away from trial. Could be wrong, though.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · November 15, 2010

The problem here, again, is that the school found that Leavitt interfered with the the investigation and intimidated some of the witnesses. He was fired on three counts.

Joel Miller did admit to fearing for his position on the team, as did others, and originally tried to cover to Leavitt. He stopped doing so in January of 2010.

Leavitt and his attorney are fighting the windmills of their minds. He'll probably begin to realize this even moreso as schools question him and his agent, and he remains unemployed.

As an athletic director, I'd be hesitant about hiring a guy in a pending lawsuit with student abuse as the main issue being led by an ambulance chaser. Bad publicity isn't worth it. Plenty of team win without coaches choking or hitting their players then lawyering up with doctor baiters.

So, the official record - until such time as a trial court find differently, or Leavitt wises up and settles with the University under a no liability admitted term - remains that he grabbed a player by the throat and hit him twice for missing a block.

Besides, we're not so desperate now that we've got to resort to hiring guys with unresolved legal problems. We're proving that an assistant with no prior head coaching experience can take a team rife with injuries and players he didn't recruit and win here. And, each win makes us less desperate.

Hire us a guy who wants to coach football. Let Leavitt and Leach go play Ally McBeal.

Green Jackal · November 15, 2010

Leavitt should just admit that he made a mistake, apologize on national TV while balling his eyes out and then claim to have discovered Jesus Christ. If he does that, I think he would be a stronger candidate for a HC job. Until then he is carrying too much baggage.

UNTLifer · November 15, 2010

If we pay a coach $600K, doesn't RV's salary go up also. I believe it is written that he is to be paid a certain percentage higher than the highest paid coach.

If true:

1. Pay off Dodge's contract.

2. Hire new coach at $600,000

3. Give RV a raise.

Who's budget are we working with here?

FirefightnRick · November 15, 2010

The problem here, again, is that the school found that Leavitt interfered with the the investigation and intimidated some of the witnesses.

You either don't know what your talking about or have not read the report very well.

Miller admitted to the interview team that he went on his own to visit coach Leavitt twice at Leavitt's office. Once to simply watch some special team film, the second time to ask the coach to apologize. So because of this contact, brought on by Miller himself, the interview team then gave the school their opinion that Leavitt had interfered with the investigation. A ridiculous claim at best, but good enough to draw up some trumped up charges for termination.

Miller then claimed that Leavitt told him to "Choose your words carefully...I'm the most powerful man in this building", that was Miller's accusation after he knew he was in this thing too deep to get out of it. And as I have pointed out countless times now, and by his own admission to the interview team, his word doesn't mean crap.

Rick

Edited November 15, 2010 by FirefightnRick

The Fake Lonnie Finch · November 15, 2010

You either don't know what your talking about or have not read the report very well.

I know exactly what I'm talking about - I'm the one who originally posted all of the links to the public document.

Further, the report lists the three reasons he was fired. And, after meeting with the school, he remained fired. He was fired for the reasons listed in the report.

The report isn't incomplete. It is the finished product. Allegation were made, and they were investigated. During the course of the investigation, more breaches of policy were found and added to the list. And, he was fired for the three charged breaches.

So, the official record is, and remains until such time as a trial court find differently or he settles with no liability admitted, he was fired for grabbing a student by the throat and hitting him twice, interfering with the investigation, and using his position to threaten students.

You don't have to like the official record of what happened. But, that doesn't make it any less official.

UNT90 · November 15, 2010

I know exactly what I'm talking about - I'm the one who originally posted all of the links to the public document.

Further, the report lists the three reasons he was fired. And, after meeting with the school, he remained fired. He was fired for the reasons listed in the report.

The report isn't incomplete. It is the finished product. Allegation were made, and they were investigated. During the course of the investigation, more breaches of policy were found and added to the list. And, he was fired for the three charged breaches.

So, the official record is, and remains until such time as a trial court find differently or he settles with no liability admitted, he was fired for grabbing a student by the throat and hitting him twice, interfering with the investigation, and using his position to threaten students.

You don't have to like the official record of what happened. But, that doesn't make it any less official.

One question on the "using his position to threaten students" charge: Is this charge based soley on those comments to Miller about being "the most powerful man in the building"? Were there any other comments made by Leavitt? If so, was Miller always the only witness to these comments?

FirefightnRick · November 16, 2010

I know exactly what I'm talking about - I'm the one who originally posted all of the links to the public document.

Further, the report lists the three reasons he was fired. And, after meeting with the school, he remained fired. He was fired for the reasons listed in the report.

The report isn't incomplete. It is the finished product. Allegation were made, and they were investigated. During the course of the investigation, more breaches of policy were found and added to the list. And, he was fired for the three charged breaches.

So, the official record is, and remains until such time as a trial court find differently or he settles with no liability admitted, he was fired for grabbing a student by the throat and hitting him twice, interfering with the investigation, and using his position to threaten students.

You don't have to like the official record of what happened. But, that doesn't make it any less official.

Yeah, your the first one to post one of the reports, and read it so well that you stated HERE that it was "The Majority" of 60 plus players in the locker room who saw it:

They interviewed the players around the locker, assistant coaches, and others in the room. The majority, and particularly those closest in proximity to the assault, told the university HR department that it happened.

And then later in the same thread you claim it was more than 12 HERE,

He choked the kid. He hit the kid. More than a dozen witnesses in the lockers around Joel Miller said so.

.....when in fact the report you linked to states only 4 did, and one of the 4's version differs from the other three.

Two of the five Student Athletes, Student
Athletes B and C, had seen the entire event and described it as involving Coach Leavitt grabbing
Student Athlete A by the throat with one hand and “slapping” or “striking” Student Athlete A’s
face with his other hand.

Student Athlete M recounted similar facts, saying that Leavitt grabbed Student Athlete
A’s jersey and was shaking Student Athlete A’s shoulder pads to motivate him. He indicated
that Leavitt slapped Student Athlete A two times on the cheek to get his attention and was
holding his chin with his hand. According to Student Athlete M, this is “what coaches do” to
motivate Student Athletes.

The problem is you keep repeating this as if it is the final court decision which it isn't. Its an opinion by two individuals who were sent out by USF to find a cause to fire him. Plus it isn't the complete findings of the interview process otherwise a judge in September wouldnt have ordered USF to turn over more documents that were being withheld from Leavitts defense team. And until it is the final word and a court agrees with it he should be greatly considered as our next head coach.

Rick

Edited November 16, 2010 by FirefightnRick

FirefightnRick · November 16, 2010

USF Bulls player Jerrell Young disputes another player's version, says coach Jim Leavitt did nothing wrong

"I speak for most of the team (except) a couple of bitter players: We want Coach Leavitt and that's what we're sticking by," Young said Thursday. "I don't think he did anything to cost him his job. I've been playing since Little League and grabbing shoulder pads, that's petty stuff. Call my mama, and she'll tell a coach to grab you like that. He didn't grab the throat or slap. It was nothing in that context."

USF is investigating allegations that Leavitt grabbed Miller by the throat and struck him twice in the face.

Asked why more players haven't spoken out in support of Leavitt, Young said the players were specifically told by athletic director Doug Woolard not to speak publicly about the incident.

"Woolard told us not to talk publicly … but I won't and I can't let my coach be scrutinized over something he didn't do," Young said. "It wouldn't be right. I take it upon me to say something because it's not true."

"Murph reacted to that, like 'Okay, Okay,' but Joel was kind of out of it. Coach got him by the shoulder pads, saying 'Joel, we need you.' It wasn't nothing, no choke or no slap or nothing like that. He grabbed him like a motivational talk. I would have seen it if it was a slap. I was right across. I talked to (investigators) and this is what I told them. That's the truth. There wasn't nothing like what Colby Erskin said."

I may have missed it and will re-read the report again, but I do not believe there is one comment in the universities' report about a player being this emphatic about clearly seeing what happened and specifically saying it did not happen as has been reported? This type of testimony and others like it may be what USF has been witholding from Leavitt's lawyers and were forced back in September to turn over to them.

Rick

VideoEagle · November 16, 2010

The problem is you keep repeating this as if it is the final court decision which it isn't. Its an opinion by two individuals who were sent out by USF to find a cause to fire him. Plus it isn't the complete findings of the interview process otherwise a judge in September wouldnt have ordered USF to turn over more documents that were being withheld from Leavitts defense team. And until it is the final word and a court agrees with it he should be greatly considered as our next head coach.

Rick

You are quite correct the report by the investigating team is NOT a final court ruling. A court can reverse the finding of the investigation. But until they do, that report is the official position of the State of Florida as to what happened. USF hired investigators from outside of their regular staff to conduct an investigate and the report is what they found. Jim Leavitt and you can dislike and disagree with what they found, but never the less it IS the final report. USF acted on the results of this report reads as it does until a court decides otherwise.

This is not a criminal case where Leavitt is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. The presumption rests with the report until Leavitt and his legal team can convince a court it is wrong. If the presumption was NOT with the report, Leavitt could not have been fired for cause by USF. Thus Leavitt hired plaintiffs attorneys to go after USF. If he wins he hits the jackpot. I would suspect the attorneys are working on a contingency basis so losing won't cost him any money but just his time.

Should Leavitt still be considered? Certainly, but you have to factor all of this in. While many people disagree with finding of the report, I'm sure the university attorney's office knows its official until proven otherwise. Did he build a program from scratch? Hell yes and he did a great job! Was he fired for cause? Yes, but he is suing over that and in a year or two might have it reversed.

FirefightnRick · November 16, 2010

. USF hired investigators from outside of their regular staff

No sir. The woman, whose name now escapes me, works for USF's Human Resources department. The other gentleman is an attorney whose specialty deals with employer legal disputes. They are not investigators and there were no emails and there were no recordings of any kind used during their interview process of this incident.

Rick

Edited November 16, 2010 by FirefightnRick

The Fake Lonnie Finch · November 16, 2010

Jerrell Young, being a scholarship player, was not in the same room at Joel Miller, a walk on, at the time of the choking and hitting. As the report notes, USF's scholarship players dress in a different area than the walk ons.

Those witnesses in the room, with lockers next to and around Miller, say it happened. If they are ever called to a witness stand, their testimony will be given more weight than those, like Jerrell Young, who were not in the locker room when the incident occurred.

In fact, I'd say that USF would welcome Jerrell Young as a witness for the very reason that he wasn't in the room at the time of the incident. If the trial ever occurs, it will be interesting to see if Leavitt's ambulance chasing attorney can figure that one out.

Also, the firing is the official version of what happened - Jim Leavitt is and remains fired. The letter dismissing him give the reasons and list parts of the USF Rules and Codes he violated. USF is a State entity that has the right to enforce its own rules and codes.

As noted, several times over, only a trial court or settlement can change the official version. Settlement without admission of fault or liability would have been the best case scenario, as Mark Mangino's attorneys knew and were able to do for him. Then again, Mangino's attorneys weren't ambulance chasers who dabbled in employment law in their spare time.

MizzouTigers · November 16, 2010

No sir. The woman, whose name now escapes me, works for USF's Human Resources department. The other gentleman is an attorney whose specialty deals with employer legal disputes. They are not investigators and there were no emails and there were no recordings of any kind used during their interview process of this incident.

Rick

Sandy Lovins is her name. She is USF's VP of Human Resources. The other is Thomas Gonzales who is an attorney that specializes in management side labor disputes. He has been USF's go to guy when they have fired personnel in the past.

VideoEagle · November 16, 2010

No sir. The woman, whose name now escapes me, works for USF's Human Resources department. The other gentleman is an attorney whose specialty deals with employer legal disputes. They are not investigators and there were no emails and there were no recordings of any kind used during their interview process of this incident.

Rick

I stand corrected about the woman not being on staff. The attorney was not on staff and specializes in exactly this type of situation. Since the State of Florida through USF engaged them to conduct the investigation, they are by definition "investigators." You can question their qualifications if you choose, but they unquestionably were investigators. I know every corporation in Texas would have one of it's own HR people on the investigation team into an accusation of abuse by a supervisor. USF also brought in an outside attorney who is ethically bound to conduct a complete investigation.

Reading the report, they were very thorough and appear to have interviewed everyone who was anywhere near or could have been anywhere near where the incident took place.

Thus, the report is still the official version of what happened until a court rules otherwise.

Edited November 16, 2010 by VideoEagle

MizzouTigers · November 16, 2010

Jerrell Young, being a scholarship player, was not in the same room at Joel Miller, a walk on, at the time of the choking and hitting. As the report notes, USF's scholarship players dress in a different area than the walk ons.

Those witnesses in the room, with lockers next to and around Miller, say it happened. If they are ever called to a witness stand, their testimony will be given more weight than those, like Jerrell Young, who were not in the locker room when the incident occurred.

In fact, I'd say that USF would welcome Jerrell Young as a witness for the very reason that he wasn't in the room at the time of the incident. If the trial ever occurs, it will be interesting to see if Leavitt's ambulance chasing attorney can figure that one out.

Also, the firing is the official version of what happened - Jim Leavitt is and remains fired. The letter dismissing him give the reasons and list parts of the USF Rules and Codes he violated. USF is a State entity that has the right to enforce its own rules and codes.

As noted, several times over, only a trial court or settlement can change the official version. Settlement without admission of fault or liability would have been the best case scenario, as Mark Mangino's attorneys knew and were able to do for him. Then again, Mangino's attorneys weren't ambulance chasers who dabbled in employment law in their spare time.

Per usual you are just making shit up pretending you know something about the legal system...

Here is Young's description of what took place at halftime, describing Leavitt's interaction with Miller and cornerback Jerome Murphy:

"I was sitting across from Joel and down from Murph. What happened is Joel made a couple mistakes on special teams, he had a block in the back. Jerome Murphy got beat on a couple of passes. They both had their heads down, just out of the game. They weren't in the game, you could tell by their body language and their demeanor. Coach Leavitt, he tried to get both of them, telling them we were going to need them, telling Murphy 'You're a senior, you've got to step it up, we're going to need you this half,' telling him and Joel.

"Murph reacted to that, like 'Okay, Okay,' but Joel was kind of out of it. Coach got him by the shoulder pads, saying 'Joel, we need you.' It wasn't nothing, no choke or no slap or nothing like that. He grabbed him like a motivational talk. I would have seen it if it was a slap. I was right across. I talked to (investigators) and this is what I told them. That's the truth. There wasn't nothing like what Colby Erskin said."

Erskin, a senior receiver who was injured and not in the locker room during the Nov. 21 game, told Fanhouse and WDAE-AM 620 on Wednesday that Miller had told him an account of things that matched Fanhouse's initial report.

USF Bulls player Jerrell Young disputes another player's version

Leavitt's attorneys take exception to USF athletic director Doug Woolard's statement that no credible witnesses could be found to corroborate Leavitt's account of the incident, that the coach grabbed the player by the shoulder pads and shook him, but never grabbed his neck nor slapped him.

The lawsuit says Benny Perez, a Florida Highway Patrol officer, told investigators he was in the room and saw the incident, but said Leavitt did not choke or strike Miller; the summary of USF's investigation conveys his statements as a far weaker defense of Leavitt. The lawsuit also alleges that USF materially misrepresented the testimony of another Highway Patrol officer, Jack Hypes. Strength coach Ronnie McKeefery; a player's parent, Mike Durakovic; and safety Jerrell Young also gave statements in support of Leavitt's account of what happened, but weren't deemed credible, with no explanation, according to the lawsuit.

Ex-coach Jim Leavitt sues USF

FirefightnRick · November 16, 2010

Jerrell Young, being a scholarship player, was not in the same room at Joel Miller, a walk on, at the time of the choking and hitting. As the report notes, USF's scholarship players dress in a different area than the walk ons.

This wasn't time to get dressed, it was halftime. Time to get instruction from coaches about what had just occurred in the first half. Show me in the report where it states that Jerrell Young is a liar, or that all Walk-On, regardless of contribution to playing time, remain separate from the scholarship players during halftime?

Those witnesses in the room, with lockers next to and around Miller, say it happened. If they are ever called to a witness stand, their testimony will be given more weight than those, like Jerrell Young, who were not in the locker room when the incident occurred.

In fact, I'd say that USF would welcome Jerrell Young as a witness for the very reason that he wasn't in the room at the time of the incident. If the trial ever occurs, it will be interesting to see if Leavitt's ambulance chasing attorney can figure that one out.

More fantastic prophecy from you about what is sure to happen should it ever go to trial.

Also, the firing is the official version of what happened - Jim Leavitt is and remains fired. The letter dismissing him give the reasons and list parts of the USF Rules and Codes he violated. USF is a State entity that has the right to enforce its own rules and codes.

I guess continuing to repeat this helps you dismiss the fact that you continue to exaggerate how many players witnessed the incident as I have clearly pointed out above. We know what the university did. And I think it's a sham and you don't. I think he will have the university over a barrel if it ever does go to trial and you don't. But I agree, it will be fun to see how it plays out.

Rick

MizzouTigers · November 16, 2010

I stand corrected about the woman not being on staff. The attorney was not on staff and specializes in exactly this type of situation. Since the State of Florida through USF engaged them to conduct the investigation, they are by definition "investigators." You can question their qualifications if you choose, but they unquestionably were investigators. I know every corporation in Texas would have one of it's own HR people on the investigation team into an accusation of abuse by a supervisor. USF also brought in an outside attorney who is ethically bound to conduct a complete investigation.

Reading the report, they were very thorough and appear to have interviewed everyone who was anywhere near or could have been anywhere near where the incident took place.

Thus, the report is still the official version of what happened until a court rules otherwise.

Thomas Gonzales is an attorney that has been USF's hit man when they have fired people. If one truly wanted to conduct a full, fair and thorough investigation, why would you hire an attorney that specializes in management side labor disputes to aid a USF employee?

Cerebus · November 16, 2010

I was in no way, shape or form a expert on the Leavuitt firing before he became a candidate for out HC job, and I still am not. But I can tell when something smells funny, and this entire situation, IMHO, is starting to appear pretty trumped up.