In Dallas, Jennifer Emily in a front-page piece reports former Baylor AD IAN MCCAW in a motion filed yesterday said that BU's regents "cast black football players and the football program as the scapegoats in a university-wide rape scandal that spanned decades." The regents sanctioned McCaw in May '16 during the scandal and "placed him on probation." He "resigned within days" and now serves as Liberty AD. McCaw said he "did not want to be part of some Enron cover-up scheme." In his deposition, McCaw described an "elaborate plan that essentially scapegoated black football players and the football program for being responsible for what was a decades-long, university-wide sexual assault scandal." BU in a statement said, "Much of the testimony of Mr. McCaw that is selcetivley quoted in the motion is based on speculation, hearsay and even media reports." The school is "asking a judge to prevent McCaw's deposition from being released" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/28).
Ollie is owed more than $10M under the terms of his contract, which UConn is trying to avoid paying forGETTY IMAGES
IN THE COURTS: Former UConn men's basketball coach KEVIN OLLIE's lawyers are "demanding UConn make a retraction regarding documents released last week, and are threatening to sue for defamation and invasion of privacy." In a letter to UConn President SUSAN HERBST, Ollie’s lawyers asserted that in "releasing transcripts of interviews relating to an ongoing NCAA investigation, the school violated Freedom of Information Act laws that protected him from false claims." The documents included a transcript of an interview in which former associate coach GLEN MILLER indicated Ollie "arranged for $30,000 to be delivered to the mother of a player in order for her to relocate to Connecticut." The charge was "not included in the school’s reasons for terminating Ollie’s employment on March 10 for 'just cause.'" Ollie is owed more than $10M under the terms of his contract, but in "claiming just cause for termination, UConn is trying to avoid paying it" (HARTFORD COURANT, 6/28).
PAYING TRIBUTE: Late Univ. of Tennessee radio play-by-play announcer JOHN WARD's friends, former coworkers and fans paid tribute and "listened to memorable highlights from Ward's soundtrack during a ceremony" last night at Thompson-Boling Arena. Ward, who called football and men's basketball for more than 30 years, died June 20. Many of Ward's "top calls aired during the ceremony as accompanying video highlights played." BOB KESLING, who replaced Ward, served as a "master of ceremonies" (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 6/28). Former UT AD DOUG DICKEY and current AD PHILLIP FULMER were in attendance, along with Fox announcer and UT alum CHARLES DAVIS. PEYTON MANNING was "unable to attend, but he sent a video as part of the tribute." CAA Football co-Head JIMMY SEXTON, a UT alum, said, "The very first game I attended in Neyland Stadium was the early '70s, and it was like I'd been there for 300 other games. That's because John Ward put you there every Saturday" (ESPN.com, 6/27).
THE GOOD STUFF: Redskins CB JOSH NORMAN and Saints LB DEMARIO DAVIS "made a trip to a San Antonio Walmart to purchase toys, book bags and other items that they personally handed out on Tuesday to immigrant children who were separated at the border from their parents and later released from family detention centers." Norman and Davis both have been "outspoken on social-justice issues in the past" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 6/27)....Jaguars DT MARCELL DAREUS through his Dareus Foundation donated $125,000 to the Christ-Roi Primary School of Cammy in Haiti, and last week attended the “groundbreaking ceremony on a three-classroom building that will be named after him” (JACKSONVILLE.com, 6/27).
NAMES: Senators Assistant GM RANDY LEE “faces a second charge of harassment for allegedly making lewd comments and rubbing the shoulders of a 19-year-old male shuttle driver in Buffalo last month.” The additional charge “falls under a separate subsection of the legal code outlining the violation of harassment.” Lee will be “formally presented with the second charge at his next court appearance on July 6” (AP, 6/27)....NBA Senior VP/Int’l Basketball Operations KIM BOHUNY was one of four civilians recognized by Army Chief of Staff Gen. MARK MILLEY during the “Salute from the Chief’ ceremony earlier this month for their extraordinary support and unwavering commitment to members of the armed forces. Bohuny helped launch the NBA’s Hoops for Troops initiative in ’04. The NBA and the Department of Defense have participated in a variety of events designed to impact military and local communities positively (NBA)....Baseball HOFer IVAN RODRIGUEZ plans to “open a family-friendly pizza restaurant at the Texas Live mixed-use district in Arlington, which is set to open in August” (DALLASNEWS.com, 6/27)....TANNER AINGE, the son of Celtics President of Basketball Operations DANNY AINGE, has “won the Republican primary for a county commission seat in Utah County.” Ainge will be the “heavy favorite in November for the commission seat that drew no Democratic challengers” (AP, 6/28)....Authentically American, a veteran-owned startup that offers premium branded merchandise exclusively made in the U.S., announced that Fox' DARRELL WALTRIP has become an investor in the company (Authentically American)....Former NFLer CHARLES TILLMAN will serve as the Honorary Pace Car Driver for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton’s 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday (Chicagoland Speedway).
