Rick Reilly on former Duke lax coach Mike Pressler (SI, 4/23/07; unposted):

Then on April 5 [2006], Pressler says, Duke athletic director Joe Alleva called him in and said, "Mike, I've got to let you go." Which was amazing to hear, because only a few months earlier Alleva had given Pressler, the 2005 NCAA Coach of the Year, a rich three-year contract extension.

"But, Joe," Pressler pleaded. "You stood up before my players and said you believed it never happened. The DNA is coming back any day. Wait for the truth."

"It's not about the truth anymore, " Pressler says Alleva told him. "Its about the faculty, the NAACP and the special interest groups." (Alleva did not respond to SI's calls.)  So after a 153-82 record and a 100% graduation rate in 16 years, Mike Pressler was canned...

...Would Pressler ever go back to Duke? "After what those folks did to us?" he says. "What those people did to those kids? To go back under that leadership? No, I couldn't do that."

But the question is: When does this fine man who did absolutely nothing wrong get his apology? Where are the mea culpas from Nifong? From Alleva? From Duke president Richard Brodhead?

The wording of Alleva's alleged remarks sounds a little wooden and not-quite-real, but if the substance is in doubt then why was Pressler fired?

Maybe someone could ask Julianne Malveaux (who was chastised in the print edition of this morning's N&R) if Pressler deserves an apology.

Comments

[Connie Mack Jr]

The wording of Alleva's alleged remarks sounds a little wooden and not-quite-real,* Ed

Hate to tell you Ed. Alleva remark was real as hell, simply because he was following orders.

Alleva himself dodge the firing issue himself a year ago when him and son drank too many beers one Sunday afternoon on little fishing trip north of Durham and about wipe out half of the beach in a boat accident. Alleve suffer over 100 stiches in his head and his son, a former assistant basecoach coach at Duke pleaded out to a DUI on the boat accident.

The only thing that made this case go away was when Coach K went public a month or so back. So you runs Duke and has the final say when " The Diversity agenda gone wild at Duke" was finally expose?

[Kevin Murphy]

This is the kind of case where huge punitive damages are really called for. Make them fear lawsuits if they knuckle under to the Jesse Jacksons and AL Sharptons.

As for Alleva -- he had his chance to resign and he followed orders instead. No excuse. He and Brodhead and anyone else involved should be fired. Any alumni who sends money this year is a fool.

[Mister Snitch!]

Make them fear lawsuits if they knuckle under to the Jesse Jacksons and AL Sharptons.

Balance of terror.

[Donald Zeiter]

Let's list all the wrong things Pressler did:

There's uh,the uh, he didn't, well he uh;

That's right, he did NOTHING wrong.

It was the police, Nifong, the Duke administration, the wretched gang of 88, NAACP, Sharpton, Jackson etc that were wrong. But Pressler is the one that loses his job.

[apb]

Eh -

Expect nothing from Brod Dickhead and the rest of the progressive dunces at Duke. If anything, these clowns (and others - Colorado, Berkeley, etc.) are at least providing a roadmap of universities NOT to have your kids attend.

[The Fop]

It really sickens me how college football and basketball are sold to the public as a celebration of rah-rah, all American apple pie, complete with fresh faced cheerleaders and brass bands. Meanwhile, our college campuses have become petri dishes for the most vile anti-American propoganda.

As far as I'm concerned, the great coach K has no testicles, or else he'd speak out against what happened to these lacrosse players and their coach. He is the most visible person at Duke. Guess he doesn't want to upset the women's studies department.

[Connie Mack Jr]

As far as I'm concerned, the great coach K has no testicles, or else he'd speak out against what happened to these lacrosse players and their coach. He is the most visible person at Duke. Guess he doesn't want to upset the women's studies department.*The Fop

Whoa Fop! That is a techincal foul for fibbing about Coach K..He did and so did others in Duke Sports.....

[JorgXMcKie]

Isn't it about time that Pres Brodhead's name was changed to Butthead?

[Austin Mike]

Was the contract for 3 years paid off? Cuz if you're gonna get canned from a high paying job, it helps to be able to cry all the way to the bank. I certainly hope at least the small justice of paying off the contract was carried out here.

Try googling Jackie Sherrill, former TAMU football coach - he was canned for various and sundry NCAA rule violations (things like sweatshirts given to potential recruits) and his 5-year contract was paid off in full when he was fired.

[kpdjr]

Pressler's book will be released in a couple of weeks where he can shove it up the asses of those who were quick to rush to judgement and pillory him and 46 kids who for all intents and purposes had the best years of their lives ruined. He will have have the last laugh when he confirms what the public already thinks of Broadhead, Jackson and Sharpton...garbage.