USF's Leavitt channels the ghost of Woody Hayes

[Batman]

Or, I suppose, Bob Knight. An AOL report says Leavitt grabbed one of his players by the throat at halftime of the Louisville game and punched him in the face. Twice.
The player was a walk-on special teamer who had committed a penalty. So, you know, he probably had it coming.

http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/12/14/sources-south-floridas-leavitt-struck-player

 

[imjustagirl]

Or....not.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/usf/2009/12/report-leavitt-grabbed-player-by-throat-struck-him-in-face.html

 

[Ace]

Ugh. Sounds like there might be something there, but fanhouse didn't do a very good job with the story.

If you have five folks who saw it, why use the player's father as a source -- in fact the first source listed --
when he wasn't even there?

They would have been better off keeping it shorter and straighter.

 

[hondo]

A. What took this so long to get out?
B. If it's true, **** Leavitt. He's an asshole.

 

[Football_Bat]

Put a bogus version of the story out there, so that way you can discredit the whole story.

Works almost every time.

 

[zagoshe]

My question is this ---

How the **** would Leavitt know which of his players committed a penalty seeing as the over under for penalties committed on a given play by the Bulls is 2.......and I usually take the over and win.

 

[Batman]

Ugh. Sounds like there might be something there, but fanhouse didn't do a very good job with the story.

If you have five folks who saw it, why use the player's father as a source -- in fact the first source listed --
when he wasn't even there?

They would have been better off keeping it shorter and straighter.

From the Fanhouse story...

The witnesses all talked to FanHouse on the condition of anonymity because they said they feared Leavitt would remove them from scholarship or they might lose their job. Joel Miller's teammates and his high school coach said Miller told them he wouldn't go public because he feared retribution and would be dismissed from the team.

Definitely two contradicting stories, though, which is pretty odd. That means either Fanhouse totally screwed the pooch on this, or Leavitt has circled the wagons.

 

[D-3 Fan]

It sounds like the Dad is backing off for his claim, according to a few news outlets.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

This would be great news for USF. Maybe they could finally get a coach that knows what the hell he's doing.

 

[Batman]

It sounds like the Dad is backing off for his claim, according to a few news outlets.

The question is, is he doing it because the story isn't true or because he's being pressured?

 

[The Big Ragu]

It sounds like the Dad is backing off for his claim, according to a few news outlets.

The question is, is he doing it because the story isn't true or because he's being pressured?

Pressured? The guy is a H.S. football coach. The cynic in me says he quietly finds himself on Leavitt's staff a year or two from now.

 

[dooley_womack1]

That'd be brutal, tho, selling your son down the river to do that.

 

[Moderator1]

I don't think the dad and the high school football coach are the same person - but I could have misread it.

 

[dooley_womack1]

This would be great news for USF. Maybe they could finally get a coach that knows what the hell he's doing.

Wlat?

 

[albert77]

If this is true, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Leavitt is a total sleaze and USF is one of the dirtiest teams in the country.

 

[The Big Ragu]

I don't think the dad and the high school football coach are the same person - but I could have misread it.

Nope. I got it wrong. Just reread.

 

[Pancamo]

He did coach on the same staff with Mangino at K-State.

 

[Ace]

On the other hand, if you are going to assault someone, make sure it's a walk-on.

Here is what really rang false for me in the fanhouse story:

1. We have nothing really from the player describing the hit or slap.

2. We have all this information from the meeting with Leavitt later that could only come from the player. And why would Leavitt get his back all up and make these threats against the kid when if it's true, every player on the team was a witness?