The Morning Dish – Tuesday, July 8th
Clemons Update: As reported yesterday, Missouri guard Ricky Clemons crashed an ATV at a party hosted by Missouri president Elson Floyd, but the fallout is just beginning. Clemons, who was on a work release assignment as part of his sentence for an assault conviction, did not have permission to attend the party. It turns out that Clemons’ work release program had been revoked that day, due to Clemons not checking in. Meanwhile, a Boone County circuit judge has determined that Clemons will serve the rest of his 60-day sentence from jail. However, Clemons is still listed in fair condition at University Hospital with a severe concussion, punctured lung, and broken ribs.
No Bronco: In the Chris Webber case, Michigan booster Ed Martin had a handwritten note that read “$20,000 – Bronco”. Prosecutors have attempted to prove that Martin had given the vehicle as a gift to Webber during his high school career, but Martin was not permitted to present the gift by Webber’s father, Mayce, Jr. Webber’s attorney has indicated that Martin’s notes aren’t reliable and should not be entered as evidence. Webber and his father are scheduled to start their perjury trial on July 15th.
Saved by the Gun?: In his first public statements since his blowup and subsequent firing in January, Nolan Richardson III has said that his biggest mistake saved his life. Richardson, who attempted to fire his two Tennessee State assistant coaches on December 26th, and later came back to the gymnasium with a handgun to confront them, was forced to resign on January 8th. In an interview with the Associated Press, Richardson now says that medical evaluations immediately after the resignation revealed that he was a “walking stroke” with high blood pressure, and a candidate for kidney failure and heart attack. By the way, Richardson admits that bringing the (non-loaded) gun was a mistake. Assistant coach Christopher Graves disputed the claim that the gun was unloaded. It will be a lot of anger management sessions before a program will touch him again.
Georgia Dawg: The Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that assistant athletics director Susan Lahey has filed a complaint against AD Vince Dooley, complaining that she was unfairly passed over for a promotion. Senior assistant athletics director for academic counseling and support Robert Goodwin is leaving the university, and when Lahey applied for the position, she allegedly was told that she was not under consideration. Dooley commented that he consulted with the school’s equal opportunity office before making a decision. This controversy is right in the middle of the Dooley-Michael Adams skirmish. Adams, the university president, denied Dooley a contract extension, but then was put on the hot seat with alumni and boosters for the entire Jim Harrick mess, as Adams brought in Harrick over objections from Dooley.
