8:00 PMJeRome Wilkins, a former University of New Hampshire football player accused of sexually assaulting a woman outside a house, said in court Friday that he did have sex with the woman but that it was consensual.
7:30 PMRafael Nadal says he was given a surprise drug test Saturday a few days after a French TV show lampooned doping allegations against Spanish athletes.
In a statement to Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston today, Arizona State Chief Operating Officer Steve Patterson said that the school was no longer pursuing current SMU football coach June Jones for its own football coaching position.
In response to Patterson’s announcement the agent of Jones, Leigh Steinberg, posted the following message on his official company blog:
“Just had one of the most bizarre endings to a set of productive discussions to bring a client to a new situation. Everything was set,few tweaks left,and the principal decision maker yanks the deal w no real explanation.”
In the aftermath of the announcements from both sides, multiple sources close to the negotiation told SbB today that the sticking point between the two parties was the $2 million buyout in Jones’ SMU contract.
After June Jonesbolted a comically underfunded Hawaii football program a year ago, he took the reins of an SMU Mustangs program still struggling to re-establish their pre-death sentence identity from 20 years ago. Jones apparently thought that over 10% of the team didn’t fit that identity and purged nine players from the roster in February, citing the ubiquitous “violations of team rules.”
(The judge also ruled that trying to sacrifice players in order to bring back Eric Dickerson is illegal.)
There was one teensy problem, though; some of the players argued that they hadn’t, in fact, broken any rules. Eventually, five off the nine dismissed players appealed SMU’s decision to release them from their scholarship. A judge finally ruled on the case Friday, and according to the DALLAS MORNING NEWS, three of the five athletes have been placed back on athletic scholarship for 2009-2010. Awkwaaard.
The HONOLULU ADVERTISER hikes along news that the Rainbow Warriors are talking with June’s new school, SMU, about the Mustangs heading out to Oahu to start the 2009 season.
It would be interesting to see Jones back on the sidelines at Aloha Stadium, considering how he left UH in a huff. But it turns out he might actually return to Honolulu sooner - or at least some of his money will.
Excerpt of Whitley drive-by: “He has a $60 million contract. His jersey is one of the NFL’s hottest sellers. He’s hanging out with the Beautiful People, and nobody seems to be all that upset.”
The HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN reports that the Warriors have promoted assistant GregMcMackin to run the football program. The defensive coordinator was all set to follow June Jones to SMU, until he was given the chance to take the reins of the defending WAC champs.
It does seem a bit odd that a team known for their offensive output would nab a defensive guy. But then again, this school did let Jones slip away from paradise to the plains of Conference USA.
McMackin has his work cut out for him, such as building a coaching staff, hitting the recruiting trail - and finding a Hawaiian home for his daughter & grandchildren, who he plans to move out from Texas.
As for John L. losing out on the job, we imagine this was his reaction:
The HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN reports that Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier is saying aloha to his job:
Frazier is expected to be removed from his position within the next 24 hours. One source says that if the AD doesn’t resign by then, he will be fired.
Frazier’s dismissal comes on the heels of June Jones leaving to take the head coaching job at SMU. But Jones’ jolt was seen as the last straw in a list of Warrior worries.
The HONOLULU ADVERTISER leis downs the news that June Jones has bid aloha to Hawaii:
A close friend of Jones said that the Warriors coach resigned from his position on Saturday, apparently frustrated by “a lack of loyalty and commitment” from the school’s athletic department. June had sent out a letter to friends listing his reasons for leaving but also thanking them for his support.
KGMB-TV has also learned some details of a document sent by Jones to Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier.
DOES HAWAII COACH PINE(APPLE) FOR UCLA OPENING?: The LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS reports that Hawaii coach June Jones has expressed some interest in the UCLA job:
According to the article, Jones “has put out feelers to gauge UCLA’s interest, and UCLA has reciprocated… although it is uncertain at what level.”Is Jones - who lead the Warriors to an undefeated season & a BCS appearance in the Sugar Bowl - really willing to give up living in paradise in order to share space in Pasadena with Pete Carroll?
In the meantime, Bruins AD Dan Guerrero is thumbing through his list of other candidates, including former USC & current Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow, former NFL coach Steve Mariucci, and Boise State coach Chris Petersen - even though Petersen has already stated, “I’m not interested in that place.”
Also still on the radar is ex-UCLA QB Rick Neuheisel, who’s obviously not doing much as Baltimore Ravens OC. While many ex-Bruin players favor Ricky, he does have some NCAA violation baggage to bring along from previous stints at Colorado & Washington.We hope the search isn’t distracting from the Bruins’ important preparations for the mighty Las Vegas Bowl.
