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…

Some Web sites offer you “insider” information on which teams to put money on during the week’s big football games. But only Sports by Brooks has the ultimate insider: Jesus Christ. That’s right, each week Our Lord and Savior will descend from Heaven to offer His insight into the week’s top games. And with over 60 percent of all college and NFL players attributing their success to Him, no one is more qualified to pick winners.

I know a lot of people wrote into me (bigbettinjc@godmail.com) to give me grief for going 2-3 last weekend. To the people who doubt my wisdom, I can just say that this is a journey and not a short trip. Or as Proverbs 19:11 says, “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” So instead of asking how your picks did, we’ll just use our knowledge gleaned from last week’s games to make better picks.

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• 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.

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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.

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When I was a kid (read: last year), I used to create elaborate forts in my parents’ living room out of blankets, pillows, bookcases, and chairs. Once, I somehow managed to create a two-story, multi-roomed palace with a cardboard front gate that consumed the entire living room and connected with the kitchen door. It was the pinnacle, and the end, of my career in structural engineering. I mean, when you’ve got YOUR OWN CARDBOARD FRONT GATE for crying out loud, what more can you do to top it? So I retired from the fort-building business forever.

Little did I know then, as I folded up the blankets and reassembled the dining room table, that it didn’t have to end that way. I could have persevered and gone on to accomplish ever more ludicrous fort-like structures. If only I had devoted myself to basketball, gone to the University of New Mexico, and gotten drafted by the Indiana Pacers, my love of fantastical forts and secret passages could have been indulged. Danny Granger did persevere and did choose that path, and that’s why he’s now got a Batcave. Yes, we’ll repeat that: Danny Granger has a Batcave in New Mexico.

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• Whether you adore her or want to ignore her, Erin Andrews is starting to embrace her popularity more & more - such as posing for a GQ photoshoot.

• Help wanted: New Mexico football office. Only hot young girls need apply.

• Redskins backup QB Colt Brennan denies reports that he’s Jessica Simpson’s new NFL stud.

• Tom Cable shows how rough & tough the Raiders are going to be this season by breaking the jaw of one of his assistant coaches.

• The Dodgers turn to Snoop Dogg to help sell tickets. Fo’ shizzle.

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• An ex-University of New Mexico employee sues the football department, claiming that the Lobos are only looking to employ lovely young ladies.

(“Hey, that bikini is in our school colors! You’re hired!”)

• South Africa can’t seem to give World Cup tickets away, but they’re going to try anyway.

• Washington Nationals broadcasters take some on-air time lambasting Scott Boras and his high-priced client, Stephen Strasburg.

• Speaking of D.C., Redskins backup QB Colt Brennan denies hooking up with Jessica Simpson. Hope you enjoyed your 15 minutes, Colt.

• Brendan Haywood doesn’t think much of Stephon Marbury’s latest online entertainment, but does think he might be gay.

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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.

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