Sign the Petition for Alleva to interview Rick Neuheisel

[Duvall]

I'd rather take a gamble on an unproven assistant with promise than gamble on coaches who have proven problematic to their prior employers.

I doubt we have to go that far. I'm sure there are plenty of coaches that have proven themselves at the FCS level that would be willing to take on this challenge for a shot at the big leagues.

[Defenserules]

Reading this board makes me feel like I'm re-living the Duke Lacrosse debacle all over again. People are basically posting what amounts to half truths or allegations and are taking them as fact. One poster even said that Rick N. had not won his case against UW. That might be technically true, but neither did the Lacrosse guys ever get proven innocent in a court of law. Cases are dropped, charges are dropped. From my understanding UW settled because Rick N. had pretty clear evidence that he had in fact informed them that he was talking to the 49ers and that a compliance officer had approved his participation in a NCAA tournament bracket. As an attorney I can say that you don't drop cases during discovery unless you find that the documents produced have killed the case for your client.

Regardless, I think this board should at least concede that allegations can be false, that any link to a news story should be highly questionable, and that Duke of all places owes people that have been accused of things that were never proven, the opportunity to explain why they deserve a second chance.

I think Rick N. would be a great candidate for Duke’s next head coach. I think he is better than any individual we have interviewed thus far. There are other good candidates no doubt, but please let's stop talking about dirty coaches and Duke's integrity being such that Rick N should not even be considered. In my estimation, I think Alleva could use hiring Rick N as an object lesson from Duke's recent past his presser could go like this: “We've made mistakes as an Athletic Department in the past, we as a University have accepted allegations as truth in the past, and we were wrong, and to show that we have learned our lesson we are taking a chance on a young man that rightly or wrongly believes that he can be redeemed by his actions here as a coach a Duke University. Hopefully, through this action the AD and the University community as a whole can be redeemed as well.” If any university administration in the nation right now needs to believe in the power of redemption it is the Duke Athletic Department and the office of the President.

[Duvall]

Apparently, athletics is the pursuit of culture war by other means.

In any event, if Olympic Fan's claim that Neuheisel lied to an NCAA investigator is true, then why are we even having this conversation? That has to be a dealbreaker.

[throatybeard]

This guy went to UCLA as an out-of-state studen from Arizona, without an athletic scholarship. So, he got in, he had high SATs, and while at UCLA, notwithstanding working his way to a starting position as QB his senior year, he earned a 3.4 GPA before grade inflation...Interview the guy. I say hire the guy.

The score a football coach made on a standardized test people take at age 17 is about the last qualification that should be even remotely relevant.

[Stray Gator]

So . . . I'm assuming that none of you would have interviewed Bobby Knight if K had gone to the Celtics in the 90's?

How many times has Bob Knight been cited for NCAA infractions that resulted in sanctions against a school's program, or been caught in a public lie? For all the controversy surrounding Knight because of his personality and his lack of "diplomacy" in dealing with certain people, I don't believe anyone ever questioned his integrity, or disputed that he has adhered strictly to the rules and has been completely honest (sometimes abrasively so). I might not have favored interviewing him for the head coaching position at Duke, but not for the reasons that I oppose interviewing Neuheisel.

[OldPhiKap]

How many times has Bob Knight been cited for NCAA infractions that resulted in sanctions against a school's program, or been caught in a public lie? For all the controversy surrounding Knight because of his personality and his lack of "diplomacy" in dealing with certain people, I don't believe anyone ever questioned his integrity, or disputed that he has adhered strictly to the rules and has been completely honest (sometimes abrasively so). I might not have favored interviewing him for the head coaching position at Duke, but not for the reasons that I oppose interviewing Neuheisel.

I think you can ask the kid he choked about that. Oh wait, it didn't happen because Knight said it didn't.

I'm not saying we have to hire Neuheisel. I'm saying we should hear what he has to say, and see if he has learned his lesson. Some people seem to assume that, if he comes as a coach, the university will lose all institutional control over the program and he will run wild. The AD's job is to prevent that, IF they believe that he is capable of running the program cleanly.

[rockymtn devil]

If you want the petition to be taken seriously--as if that's even a possibility--you may want to remove Chuck Norris, Jack Meoff, and Ted Roof from the list of signatories.

As has been stated, RN has a lot of baggage. Further, even if he has learned his lesson, what has this guy done to merit another HC position? He was okay at Colorado when the Buffs had just recently won a national title. He took over a team that should've won more titles, or at least competed. They didn't. Neuheisel is an after thought here in Colorado, and there's a reason for it.

[Bluedawg]

I think you can ask the kid he choked about that. Oh wait, it didn't happen because Knight said it didn't.

I'm not saying we have to hire Neuheisel. I'm saying we should hear what he has to say, and see if he has learned his lesson. Some people seem to assume that, if he comes as a coach, the university will lose all institutional control over the program and he will run wild. The AD's job is to prevent that, IF they believe that he is capable of running the program cleanly.

Published reports say that they have spoken by phone...that shoud be good enough to meet your standard.

In a telephone conversation Monday, I asked Neuheisel if he had told Alleva by phone last week, "I want the [Duke] job, and I will make you proud," and the coach said "yes."
Hearald Sun

[formerdukeathlete]

A reasonable relaxation of admissions standards in line with peer institutions is, IMO, an acceptable accommodation

Talk with Kennedy about your suggestion. Admissions standards for Football have been reduced to the point of being lower than the service academies, Stanford, Rice and maybe Northwestern. They are at the point now where to lower any further would admit students who would have difficulty doing the work at Duke, and even more likely, would not enjoy their college experience even if they were able to scrape by. Who else are our peers, Wake, UVa, UNC, Ga Tech, which admit the NCAA minimum? It is not necessary. I assure you this is not necessary. And, I have some fairly direct experience with who Duke has offered, even this year, from my high school, and Duke is not requiring a very high threshold, I would submit, to say the least.

This man has Joe Pa's support. He is an excellent coach, as well as a bright man. The question is, has he redeemed himself enough for a chance to coach at Duke? Perhaps, and the least we could do is interview.

[OldPhiKap]

This man has Joe Pa's support. He is an excellent coach, as well as a bright man. The question is, has he redeemed himself enough for a chance to coach at Duke? Perhaps, and the least we could do is interview.

You have said it much better than I. Agree 100%.



Re: Bluedawg: "Published reports say that they have spoken by phone...that shoud be good enough to meet your standard."

Were all of the folks on the steering committee on the line, or was it just Alleva? That would make a big difference on whether we agree on that point or not. If the whole group talked to him at length by phone, I would feel that he had a chance to fully present his case. If it was a few minutes on the line with Alleva being the breakwall -- no.

[DukeDevilsBB]

Published reports say that they have spoken by phone...that shoud be good enough to meet your standard.

Like I asked before Bluedawg- Who do you think Duke should hire? you seem to be the one that has all the answers.

[Bluedawg]

You have said it much better than I. Agree 100%.



Re: Bluedawg: "Published reports say that they have spoken by phone...that shoud be good enough to meet your standard."

Were all of the folks on the steering committee on the line, or was it just Alleva? That would make a big difference on whether we agree on that point or not. If the whole group talked to him at length by phone, I would feel that he had a chance to fully present his case. If it was a few minutes on the line with Alleva being the breakwall -- no.

The poster i responded to said that he should have a chance to explain himself. Just talking with Joe would do that.

[Bluedawg]

I am opposed to Rick Neuheisel getting the job, but for the record, as a fan, I would support the coach... I may not be happy with the choice...but I'd support him.

[DukeDevilsBB]

The poster i responded to said that he should have a chance to explain himself. Just talking with Joe would do that.

LOL...Alleva surely has proven his competence over the course of his tenure hasn't he? That's the last person I would want to make that decision on his own.

[Olympic Fan]

Apparently, athletics is the pursuit of culture war by other means.

In any event, if Olympic Fan's claim that Neuheisel lied to an NCAA investigator is true, then why are we even having this conversation? That has to be a dealbreaker.

Audio tapes, released under Washington's freedom of information act, prove that Neuheisel "lied numerous times" to NCAA investigators on June 4, 2003:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/huskies/136045_uw20.html

The Washington AD testified under oath that Neuheisal not only lied to the NCAA about his gambling, but he also lied to university officials about his contacts with the San Francisco 49ers:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1982599

You guys want to hire:

(1) a guy that has committed NCAA recruiting violations at both of his schools

(2) a guy who has lied to an NCAA investigator

(3) a guy who has lied to his own school

And even if you throw that stuff out, this guy is Larry Coker with a guitar -- his record looks good until you examine it closely and see that he weakened both programs.

He inherited a Colorado program that was 11-1 and No. 3 in the nation the year before he got there. He went 10-2, 10-2 his first two years ...then 5-6 his third year and 8-4 in his fourth. Gary Barnett, who suceeded him had to endure two losing seasons before he could get the program back on its feet.

He inherited a Washington program that was coming off a 6-6 season, but had averaged eight wins a season in the previous six years. Neuheisel was 7-5, 11-1, 8-4, 7-6 and left the program in a mess when he was fired.

I hope we can do better than Bobby Johnson or Kark Dorrell or Rod Broadway. But I KNOW we can do better than this lying piece of trash.

I don't think I'm holier than thou ... I wouldn't mind George O'Leary if he was interested. I'm in favor of giving the new coach flexibility in admissions. But I think Duke should have some standards -- and you couldn't get much lower than Rick Neuheisel.

[365Duke]

Audio tapes, released under Washington's freedom of information act, prove that Neuheisel "lied numerous times" to NCAA investigators on June 4, 2003:


And even if you throw that stuff out, this guy is Larry Coker with a guitar

just too funny

[Classof06]

I'd take Neuheisel in a second, better yet, half a second. This shouldn't even be a debate; if he wants the job, I say give it to him...please...

[Duvall]

Audio tapes, released under Washington's freedom of information act, prove that Neuheisel "lied numerous times" to NCAA investigators on June 4, 2003:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/huskies/136045_uw20.html

Well, that's that.

[killerleft]

Discount football and the lax stuff and Alleva has a good record as AD. I doubt he is stupid. I'd rather have Leo Hart as AD, but you can't always get what you want.

Even with the negative comments (and excellent points), I still hope Duke formally interviews Neuheisel. Despite other opinions, his credentials will probably beat anyone else's whom we might hire.

If all the negative stuff is as advertised, Duke won't hire him. Let him have his say, investigate, and then decide whether he is the right man for the job.

Just talking to him won't, in my opinion, hurt Duke in any way. And whether he is seriously considered or not, it will send a message that Duke is trying to get a high-profile coach and will leave no stone unturned in their search.

[Carlos]

I'm starting another petition: www.hirebobbycollins.com I'm sure he's learned his lesson plus he was 43-14 at SMU.

Here's another: www.getdennisericksonawayfromASU.com. 63-9 at Miami, 2 National Championships, and 3 years probation. Plus, 31-17 at Oregon State and just a handful of guys arrested.

Anyone know if I can get the domain: www.louholtzforduke.com. He may have left every school he ever went to on probation, but he's such a lovable old coot it would be a great hire.




If we're going to sell out let's at least go all the way with it.