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Nov. 5, 1999 SportsLine wire reports |
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Players suspended, players arrested, players
investigated.
Police book man for offering bribe to LSU football coach
With losses mounting and pressure on coach Gerry DiNardo growing, there
seems to be an almost daily dose of scandal for the Louisiana State football team.
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Two LSU players arrested on theft charges T O P N E W S
"To say this has been a very, very difficult season and we are all highly distressed by it is stating the obvious. ... This is not what we expect from LSU football," LSU system president William Jenkins said.
LSU opened with victories against San Jose State and North Texas, then lost six straight Southeastern Conference games going into Saturday's game with Alabama. After breaking a six-year losing streak by going to three straight bowl games, LSU is 2-12 in league play the last two seasons and facing its second straight losing record.
Off the field, there is no end to trouble.
Cocaptain Larry Foster was arrested and accused of purse snatching. He was then found to have warrants against him for issuing worthless checks.
Cornerback Mark Roman and safety Clarence LeBlanc were ruled ineligible, accused of inappropriate contact with an agent. LSU police are also checking out a Lincoln town car that Roman drives. His mother said she paid $13,000 for the car for her son, but police want to see the paperwork.
On Friday, LeBlanc and tackle Brandon Winey were arrested in connection with alleged use of long distance telephone access codes at LSU.
This week, Randall Menard was arrested and charged with bribery and violations of sports agent laws for allegedly offering money to an assistant coach and an academic counselor.
Police say Menard, who implied he was representing William "Tank" Black, a prominent sports agent from Columbia, S.C., offered assistant coach Mike Haywood $30,000 or "whatever it takes" to help him sign nose guard Anthony McFarland before last spring's draft. Menard was also accused of offering $10,000 to LSU academic counselor Verge Ausberry to help convince Roman to forgo his senior year and turn professional.
Menard's attorney said he did not believe Menard worked for Black and said he will be cleared of the charges.
McFarland, the No. 1 draft pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, did not sign with Black.
Recently, Kevin Faulk, LSU's career leading rusher, said Menard was a longtime friend who gave him thousands of dollars in gifts and cash while he played at LSU. Now a rookie with the New England Patriots, Faulk said the money was not meant to influence who represented him in contract negotiations. Black represented Faulk in negotiations with the Patriots. Black said he has no relationship with Menard, however.
The NFL players' union has accused Black of using Menard to offer money to an LSU assistant coach in hopes of securing players. The union has accused Black of several violations and recommended that he be barred from NFL business for three years. Black is appealing.
"It's too soon to say if we will be making further arrests," said Capt. Ricky Adams of the LSU police. "Right now we're still focusing on Menard and the evidence seized from him."
Haywood and Ausberry have refused to comment on their cases, stemming from what happened in December 1998 and January 1999.
Haywood and Ausberry refused the bribes, LSU said. But there was no report to Jenkins, then the chancellor, or the LSU police. The LSU police began their investigation only after receiving information from the University of Florida in August.
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| LSU coach Gerry DiNardo has had plenty of trouble this season.(AP) |
"I'm distressed that I didn't know about it at the time," Jenkins said. "I'm not sure how it was handled then or why it was handled that way."
LSU sports information director Herb Vincent said he had been directed by the school's attorney not to comment. He said, however, he did not believe the NCAA was investigating the program.
Athletic director Joe Dean also refused to comment beyond a written statement declaring the department's commitment to run a clean program and keep sports agents from athletes.
"We do not anticipate any further action against other athletes, but we will take action if necessary," Dean said.
Meanwhile, there is the long distance telephone scam that resulted in Friday's arrest of LeBlanc, Winey and former players Jesse Harmon and Clarence Stamps. Before the arrest there reports that as many as six players were being investigated for illegal use of a telephone access code.
LSU police said Friday more arrests are anticipated. This is the third time LSU athletes have been implicated in that kind of scam.
"We talk to the athletes ever year and warn them about that," said Major Eric Sanchez of the LSU police. "We're not sure what their take on the warning was, but obviously they weren't focusing on what we were saying."
DiNardo said it was distressing that this had happened before.
"I haven't lost any more or less control than the average American parent, teacher, or principal," DiNardo said. "My son does more at home than my dad let me do. This is a reflection of how our society is changing, not just football. The American family and schools have changed."
Meanwhile, irate fans are calling for DiNardo to be fired, and players are trying to focus on the remaining games.
"It's tough to do," fullback Tommy Banks said. "When you go to class everybody is asking questions, everybody is saying coach is going to be fired, everybody is saying we stink."
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