Greg Auman, St Petersburg Times, Take On The

[UNT90]

Since you're so determined to defend Leavitt, how about answering these questions based on my read of the USF investigative report. I'd like to get the take of somebody who had law school students as roommates during the '70s.

1. Why did two USF players say they saw Leavitt grab Joel Miller by the throat with one hand and slap or strike him with the other?

2. Why did one of those two players call Leavitt's actions an assault and the other say that Miller said to him afterwards, "Did you see that shit? Did you see what he did to me?"

3. Why did two other USF players (who were not eyewitnesses) say they were told by Miller that Leavitt grabbed his throat and slapped him?

4. Why did several players say that Miller told them he was warned afterwards by Leavitt to be careful because he was the "most powerful person in the building"?

5. Why did Miller's former high school coach say he was told by Miller that the incident occurred exactly as it was reported by AOL FanHouse, which wrote that Leavitt "grabbed a player by the throat and struck him twice in the face during halftime"?

And finally ...

6. If Leavitt did nothing wrong and he's being smeared, why would such a large number of people lie to USF investigators?

You seem to put a lot of stock into what Miller said to other people. Miller has no credibility due to the numerous versions of the story that he told to teammates and the media. Throw out anything he says. Also, throw out anything Leavitt says because he obviously has a vested interest in the outcome of the investigation.

The only thing that matters is what witnesses that actually observed the incident reported. 2 players say Leavitt grabbed Miller by the neck (not choked) and slapped Miller. You have a state trooper saying he observed the incident and that never happened. This State Trooper is willing to go into court and testify to this version, basically putting his career on the line. That says a lot to me.

All of the interferance claims are based on Miller's statements. Miller is not credible, neither are the interferring with an official investigation claims.

[UNTLifer]

Where do you get all this misinformation? 10%??? What are you talking about?

He still has 5 years on his contract of $1.8 million per year. I tried to simplify the math for you as much as I could and you just don't get it.

Tell you what, since you are such a Levitt fan, how about Missouri hire Levitt and you send Pinkel to Denton?

[rcade]

You have a state trooper saying he observed the incident and that never happened. This State Trooper is willing to go into court and testify to this version, basically putting his career on the line. That says a lot to me.

The trooper did not say that nothing happened. Trooper Benny Perez "did recall Leavitt grabbing someone by the collar or jersey during this particular halftime."

[rcade]

Two disgruntled players vs several other players, a Florida State Trooper (now an FBI Agent), the strength coach, a player's father/volunteer coach. What about all those folks?

You are calling them "disgruntled," but they are not characterized that way in USF's report and there is no evidence they were unhappy with the coach prior to the incident. Why would both of these players lie about seeing Joel Miller being choked and slapped by Leavitt?

Those same two disgruntled players that were 50 feet away?

The report does not say they were 50 feet away. It says they witnessed the entire event.

You sure are hung up on only two players who weren't even alleged victims. What about the State Trooper?

Trooper Benny Perez told USF investigators that he "did recall Leavitt grabbing someone by the collar or jersey during this particular halftime."

Link?

As I said, it's in the investigative report.

http://www.gousfbulls.com//pdf4/664295.pdf

You really need to do some Googling and get the facts straight rather than continue to just make shit up.

Every time you are confronted with information you don't like, you accuse somebody of making shit up, being ignorant or being a liar. What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you even here if your ties are to Mizzou? Are you really so invested in Jim Leavitt getting another job that you came here just to harass UNT fans who don't share your unshakable belief in his innocence?

[FirefightnRick]

Since you're so determined to defend Leavitt, how about answering these questions based on my read of the USF investigative report. I'd like to get the take of somebody who had law school students as roommates during the '70s.

1. Why did two USF players say they saw Leavitt grab Joel Miller by the throat with one hand and slap or strike him with the other?

2. Why did one of those two players call Leavitt's actions an assault and the other say that Miller said to him afterwards, "Did you see that shit? Did you see what he did to me?"

3. Why did two other USF players (who were not eyewitnesses) say they were told by Miller that Leavitt grabbed his throat and slapped him?

4. Why did several players say that Miller told them he was warned afterwards by Leavitt to be careful because he was the "most powerful person in the building"?

5. Why did Miller's former high school coach say he was told by Miller that the incident occurred exactly as it was reported by AOL FanHouse, which wrote that Leavitt "grabbed a player by the throat and struck him twice in the face during halftime"?

And finally ...

6. If Leavitt did nothing wrong and he's being smeared, why would such a large number of people lie to USF investigators?

Since your re hashing questions we have already gone over, including one answered in my post at the first of this thread of an interview of Jerrel Young who tells Auman that the players in question were "Disgruntled", maybe you haven't read the official USF Report? If you have already then disregard the link.

And I tried a week and a half ago to give a cliff notes that shed a bit of light on the charade that was this so called "Investigation"HERE.

Also, if you ever can find someone who can answer all those questions above see if you can get 'em to answer one of mine: Why did Student Athlete B, who is the one who first blew the lid on the whole thing, report his concerns to the coach or his position coach or the AD or anyone even remotely connected to the university instead of running to an ex beat reporter for the Bulls/turned blogger about what he saw Coach Leavitt do to Miller?

Rick

[wardly]

just asking. i have read on several posts that "leavitt is interested in the north texas job". do we have any credible sourses of this rumor, or all we getting all worked up over nothing. i talked to rick v., c.dan smith, and dr.rawlings tuesday night and i don't have a clue who the canidates are other than rawlings said coach chico is on the short list. anyone have any reliable information ? [plesae, not the huge donner close to the program].

[VideoEagle]

just asking. i have read on several posts that "leavitt is interested in the north texas job". do we have any credible sourses of this rumor, or all we getting all worked up over nothing. i talked to rick v., c.dan smith, and dr.rawlings tuesday night and i don't have a clue who the canidates are other than rawlings said coach chico is on the short list. anyone have any reliable information ? [plesae, not the huge donner close to the program].

No, there is no credible evidence Leavitt is in fact interested. There are unsourced internet news stories and the MizzouTigers saying it is so between calling our fans liars and ignorant.

[rcade]

Also, if you ever can find someone who can answer all those questions above see if you can get 'em to answer one of mine: Why did Student Athlete B, who is the one who first blew the lid on the whole thing, report his concerns to the coach or his position coach or the AD or anyone even remotely connected to the university instead of running to an ex beat reporter for the Bulls/turned blogger about what he saw Coach Leavitt do to Miller?

Why does anyone talk to the press? He probably thought he could stay unnamed and face no consequences for telling the press. If he'd gone through official channels, he would've been held responsible for his decision to narc.

[FirefightnRick]

just asking. i have read on several posts that "leavitt is interested in the north texas job". do we have any credible sourses of this rumor, or all we getting all worked up over nothing. i talked to rick v., c.dan smith, and dr.rawlings tuesday night and i don't have a clue who the canidates are other than rawlings said coach chico is on the short list. anyone have any reliable information ? [plesae, not the huge donner close to the program].

Vitto spoke to him and I believe football scoop reported that he is rumored to still be a candidate.

Rick

[VideoEagle]

Vitto spoke to him and I believe football scoop reported that he is rumored to still be a candidate.

Rick

I forgot Vitto wrote about Leavitt in his Oct. 23 blog. He did not say he had spoken to him, but he had it on "good authority" which when written by Vitto I believe. Football scoop is just an unsourced internet posting.

[UNT90]

The only thing that matters is what witnesses that actually observed the incident reported. 2 players say Leavitt grabbed Miller by the neck (not choked) and slapped Miller. You have a state trooper saying he observed the incident and that never happened. This State Trooper is willing to go into court and testify to this version, basically putting his career on the line. That says a lot to me.

The trooper did not say that nothing happened. Trooper Benny Perez "did recall Leavitt grabbing someone by the collar or jersey during this particular halftime."

Come on now, don't take it out of context. I never said the trooper said nothing happened. I said the trooper denied the incident described by the 2 players. Coaches grab players by the neckline of the jersey all the time. Not an issue.

And he damn sure didn't say that Leavitt choked MIller (the most overblown aspect of this whole deal).

So, again, is this Trooper going to risk his career (and prosecution for perjury) and lie on the stand for a guy that is no longer a benefit to this Trooper? I wonder if the trooper hasn't been nicely told by the university that his services were no longer needed in the security detail. That would be very interesting to find out.

Edited November 22, 2010 by UNT90

[gangrene]

You are calling them "disgruntled," but they are not characterized that way in USF's report and there is no evidence they were unhappy with the coach prior to the incident. Why would both of these players lie about seeing Joel Miller being choked and slapped by Leavitt?

The report does not say they were 50 feet away. It says they witnessed the entire event.

Trooper Benny Perez told USF investigators that he "did recall Leavitt grabbing someone by the collar or jersey during this particular halftime."

As I said, it's in the investigative report.

http://www.gousfbull...pdf4/664295.pdf

I bet you're one of those guys who believes the magic bullet theory because it was in the Warren Commission's report?

[rcade]

I bet you're one of those guys who believes the magic bullet theory because it was in the Warren Commission's report?

Weak.

The fact that something is in USF's report does not mean it's automatically true. But given the number of people who either saw Leavitt choke and slap Miller or were told by a witness that he was choked and slapped, it borders on the ridiculous to believe nothing inappropriate happened.

Given the report, the most likely interpretation is that Leavitt grabbed Miller harshly and slapped him, Miller told people about it in anger, then Miller backed off his story after it became clear it would get his coach in serious trouble.

[rcade]

So, again, is this Trooper going to risk his career (and prosecution for perjury) and lie on the stand for a guy that is no longer a benefit to this Trooper?

The trooper, like other people in the room at the time, may not have been watching carefully at what happened. One player intentionally looked away from Leavitt's encounter with Miller, as he told USF's investigators.

The trooper also might be downplaying what happened because he doesn't believe it was as bad as choking and slapping.

It's not perjury to say he just grabbed a player's jersey if that's what you believe you saw, even if you're wrong.

[UNT90]

The trooper, like other people in the room at the time, may not have been watching carefully at what happened. One player intentionally looked away from Leavitt's encounter with Miller, as he told USF's investigators.

The trooper also might be downplaying what happened because he doesn't believe it was as bad as choking and slapping.

It's not perjury to say he just grabbed a player's jersey if that's what you believe you saw, even if you're wrong.

Seriously?

So, he saw the shirt grab, but just missed the choking and slapping? You know, being a person trained to respond to conflict, I am sure he just buried his head and didn't see a thing?

He states that what the 2 players said happen did not happen. He is quite clear about that. Again, the only reason he would have to lie would be to support the university. I would be willing to bet that not supporting the university's version of events has probably cost him his parttime gig with the team.

With your reasoning, maybe the 2 players just "believe" they saw Leavitt choke and slap Miller. Maybe what they "believe" they saw is wrong.

If you don't want Leavitt, fine, but don't misinterpret the report to create facts that you like better.

Edited November 22, 2010 by UNT90

[rcade]

He states that what the 2 players said happen did not happen. He is quite clear about that.

Where in the report does he state that?

With your reasoning, maybe the 2 players just "believe" they saw Leavitt choke and slap Miller. Maybe what they "believe" they saw is wrong.

Absolutely. That's how these things go down. Two people see the same incident differently or they shade the truth to benefit one side.

If you don't want Leavitt, fine, but don't misinterpret the report to create facts that you like better.

I have never said I don't want Leavitt. I'm just looking at what we know about the incident based on the investigative report and the other information that has come to light, the totality of which makes me think he grabbed Miller by the throat and slapped him.