Art Briles' daughter blames media, calls father a scapegoat in Facebook rant
Art Briles' daughter, Staley Lebby, took to Facebook to defend her father, blast Baylor and blame the media for his ouster
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2 min read
It's been a tumultuous Thursday in Waco, Texas, for Baylor football. The Pepper Hamilton report, referenced in a Finding of Facts release from the Baylor Board of Regents earlier in the day, said that football personnel willfully chose not to report sexual assault of multiple football players. The fallout included the reassignment of university president Ken Starr and the soon-to-be-official dismissal of football coach Art Briles.
Officially, Briles has been suspended with the intent to terminate his employment. Unofficially, Briles was fired along with the release of the report. His daughter, Staley Lebby, also the wife of passing game coordinator Jeff Lebby, took to Facebook to share her displeasure with the process.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Lebby accused Baylor of being "influenced heavily by the media," which she alleged conducted a "witch hunt" that "has been the most disturbing thing [she's] ever witnessed."
"I just stopped crying long enough to be able to write this. But this is all I will say on this outrageous situation - anyone who knows my dad knows he is a man of incredible character and faith. He is one of the most giving & unselfish people I've ever been around. He has been through so much in his life and always been a fighter - he's done everything the right way and for the right reasons. He has always wanted to take over programs that were suffering, like he once did, to take them to the top, which he has done at multiple places. He wanted to be successful for his parents and make them proud. He has worked his ass off in his 40 years of coaching to get to where he is today - he has NEVER been fired, his character has NEVER been questioned and he has NEVER been deemed to do anything unethically."
Lebby continued, calling Baylor's treatment of Briles the most "disgusting thing" she'd ever seen.
"There is always so much more to a story than being told. This media witch hunt has been the most disturbing thing I've ever witnessed. The situation has been blown so out of proportion. Sadly, Baylor was influenced heavily by the media and felt pressured to let him go. I guess a man that has resurrected your program and made you a top 10 program wasn't worth fighting for or defending."
She added that she would never wear a Baylor shirt again and the "truth would be told" eventually.
