Martin Salazar of the ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL has an update on the increasingly outrageous details of the Mike Locksley assault aftermath at the University of New Mexico:

University of New Mexico officials alleged Wednesday that assistant coach J.B. Gerald demanded $500,000 from the university in exchange for remaining silent about the Mike Locksley altercation. Evidence in the case was destroyed, UNM officials told the Journal.

Gerald is the New Mexico assistant football coach who alleged he was choked and punched by Lobos head coach Locksley in a coaches meeting on Sept. 20. More:

A timeline distributed by the university states that on Oct. 1, “university receives letter from J.B. Gerald’s attorney offering continued media silence in exchange for a $500,000 settlement figure.”

That sounds like extortion to me. But there’s no way of knowing, because the school’s athletic dept. “destroyed” all the evidence of the investigation!  (So did HR “shred” the documents or … ?) Read more…

It’s fair to say that even halfway through the regular season, the inaugural year of the Mike Locksley regime at UNM has been an unqualified mess. We’ve documented the litany of off-field scandals already - culminating in the surreal incident where Locksley punched his wide receivers coach, J.B. Gerald, in the face - but let’s go ahead and add “0-6″ to that list, with the Lobos joining only five other I-A teams who still have donuts in the W column this late.

(Good night, sweet prince.)

After considerable public outcry, the University of New Mexico brass reconsidered their earlier decision to simply verbally reprimand Locksley, and a probe from the HR department was re-opened. In fact, according to ESPN.COM, university officials have decided to announce a decision on Locksley’s fate on Tuesday.

Turns out, though, that the university announced a resignation over the incident ahead of time today. Did Locksley have a sudden pang of morality over the whole incident and excuse himself from further employment? No, of course not; the victim, J.B. Gerald, is calling it quits.

Read more…

It’s safe to say the Mike Locksley Era at New Mexico hasn’t exactly gone according to plan. Well, that is, unless athletic director Paul Krebs planned on an age-discrimination lawsuit, press conferences with none-too-subtle references to the ejaculations, and a locker room fight between coaches. We really hope the Lobos expected more.

(Yes, this is serious. Face-punchingly serious.)

But as Krebs only handed down a letter of reprimand to Locksley and let him continue his job, the UNM students have apparently decided that it’s up to them to sheriff the Lobos.  Feckless human resources department, meet the Associated Students of New Mexico (ASUNM). They’re here to punch this problem in the face.

Read more…

After KKOB-AM in Albuquerque, SbB was the first to bring you the saga of New Mexico football coach Mike Locksley, who has now admitted to being the aggressor in an altercation with now-exiled assistant coach J.B. Gerald. An altercation in which Gerald claims Locksley punched him. (Police later confirmed a cut on Gerald’s lip.)

(If he didn’t seriously assault assistant, why did Locksley apologize? )

After SbB posted the Locksley story, ESPN college football writer Bruce Feldman called the university to inquire about what was being done in regards to a week-old police report filed by Gerald about Locksley’s alleged assault.

Hours later, we had a suddenly had a statement from Locksley apologizing - but not telling us why he was sorry. That was followed up by a laughable “verbal reprimand” of Locksley from New Mexico AD Paul Krebs, who declared the entire incident closed.

So on the face of everything, it appears there’s a very good chance Locksley slugged an assistant coach and got away with it scot-free.

But the ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL reports that thanks to an avalanche of complaints from university employees and alumni over how the matter was handled - and Locksley’s behavior - the university has re-opened Krebs’ “closed” investigation. Read more…

New Mexico Athletic Director Paul Krebs met with the assembled Albuquerque media today to discuss an altercation between New Mexico assistant football coach J.B. Gerald and Lobos Head Coach Mike Locksley.

(Univ. New Mexico: Where you can punch an employee and it’s no biggie!)

Gerald recently filed a police report claiming that Locksley punched him during a coaches meeting on Sept. 20.

Locksley released a statement acknowledging the alteraction:

“I apologized to Coach Gerald, the coaching staff and our team for my poor judgement. I would also like to apologize to Lobo fans. Like I remind our players, when mistakes are made, you acknowledge them and deal with the consequences.”

Well since Locksley didn’t say what his “mistake” was, how do we know he even needs to apologize? (Don’t answer that.)

Read more…

UPDATE: ESPN’s Bruce Feldman reports “New Mexico says it will have a presser with the school AD at 5:30 ET about the Locksley “altercation.”

Last week I reported that New Mexico Football Coach Mike Locksley told the media he was trying to be a calming influence to his players, in preventing them from “blowing their load” before Saturday’s game.

Turns out Locksley (allegedly) needs to heed his own advice - with his assistant coaches.

Peter St. Cyr of KKOB-AM in Albuquerque reports today that the University of New Mexico has confirmed that Locksley has been accused of punching Lobos Wide Receivers Coach Jonathan “J.B.” Gerald in the mouth.

The alleged attack took place Sept. 20 during a UNM coaches meeting. Gerald has since filed a police report and taken leave from the team.

Police report details of the altercation after the jump. Read more…

• How did Plaxico Burress’ first night behind bars go? Fine - if you discount the other inmate taunts of “A**hole!” & “The Giants suck!”

• Washington State RB James Montgomery underwent surgery on his injured knee last Sunday. And doctors soon learned that it was a good thing James didn’t delay - or he might have died.

• Could the Nets’ new owner have LeBron Russian to New Jersey?

• Perez Hilton posts his doubts about whether Lamar Odom & Khloe Kardashian will actually tie the knot.

• Evander Holyfield has the bright idea to turn his Georgia mansion into a solar power plant.

Read more…

New Mexico football coach Mike Locksley told the media of his rather measured approach to this week’s game.

 (UNM coach seems to know all about blowing loads)

“It’s your job as a coach to manage the rivalry throughout the course of the week so that it’s not played in the paper, so you don’t shoot your load too early because you want to have your guys peaking right at kickoff time.” (11:45 into video - right sidebar of site)

Yea, I got a chuckle out of that one. But the quip isn’t the best part of the clip.

Read more…

As Coach Tony D’Amato might say, recruiting is a game of inches, and any advantage a coach can legally grab is one he’ll claw for like a crack addict who sees a stray rock behind the refrigerator. But that word - legally - regularly confounds the majority of coaches, who are usually no match for the NCAA’s draconian set of rules.

(”And that’s my vision for the football program this year. Say, have you seen my new harem of sexually eager young ladies with enhanced breasts? Err, I mean, ‘typists.’”)

You’d think they could do better than Mike Locksley, the incoming head coach of the New Mexico Lobos. While he doesn’t appear to have violated any NCAA rules, that’s only because his violatin’ sights were (allegedly) set much, much higher. Mr. Locksley, meet Mr. Equal Opportunity Employment Lawsuit.

Read more…