Herald readers just glad it’s over

Published 9:00 pm Monday, March 7, 2005

The response from the public to former University of Washington football coach Rick Neuheisel’s settlement with the university and the NCAA gave a clue as to why the sides settled the case before it went to the jury.

The only agreement was that there was plenty of blame to go around, and there was no consensus on who primarily was at fault.

Some blame Neuheisel, others former UW athletic director Barbara Hedges and former UW president Lee Huntsman, others blame the NCAA.

“Rick should get nothing at all, since he lied about everything he did there,” said Edmonds resident Kenneth Weigel, a member of The Herald’s Reader Network.

“The NCAA messed this one up, and the UW was the loser,” Bothell’s Susan Sheehan said. “It makes me sick to see him walk away with the money. Somehow the UW should be able to sue the NCAA for their screw-up.”

Neuheisel agreed Monday to a $4.5 million settlement after a five-week trial. The NCAA will pay $2.5 million and the UW will pay $500,000. The school also agreed to forgive a $1.5 million loan.

Neuheisel was fired in 2003 for taking part in an NCAA basketball pool, then lying about it to NCAA investigators, as well as lying to the university about interviewing for the San Francisco 49ers job.

“The money is large to be sure,” Granite Falls’ Ken Fricke said. “But then we should blame Ms. Hedges for that since she started the whole sorry episode by hiring him in the first place.”

Former Washington football player Mark Stewart, now the football coach at Meadowdale High School, said the result sounds like “a win-win.”

“I figured the UW would have to pay a little,” Stewart said. “He did lie, so he had to take some blame. It just sounds like everybody got out saving face. Now everybody can just move on.”

The fact that the trial is officially over seemed to be the only agreed upon positive of the day.

“From all appearances, Mr. Neuheisel was treated unfairly,” Everett’s Michelle Hoverter said. “Certainly the UW had some issues with his behavior, however there were other personnel policies available to deal with the offending circumstances, short of ruining a man’s career and life. … Let’s just move on to some other important matters.”

Some of the anger directed at the university comes from the erroneous belief that the $500,000 payment will come out of taxpayer dollars. University President Mark Emmert said that isn’t the case, that the funds will come from money already generated by the athletic department.

“It is really disturbing to me that either public funds or alumni contributions to support the athletic program’s student-athletes will be used instead to pay off a crook,” Normandy Park’s George Hadley said.

Many people found it ironic that Neuheisel, who clearly lied about the pool and the 49ers interview, came out with a large settlement.

“I think the whole trial was just ridiculous,” said current UW student Bob Rosenfeld, a Lynnwood resident. “The guy went from being a weasel to being the little guy getting picked on. It was just really strange. There wasn’t one person involved in the situation that didn’t screw up.”

Some believe the NCAA and the university got off easy.

“The university and the NCAA should get down on their knees and thank God for the largess,” Edmonds’ Beverley Funk said. “Whenever have we run into more poorly-informed university officials and an NCAA bunch of guys who don’t even read and understand their own rules. I frankly am surprised that Rick’s attorneys settled for less than the touted $10 million.”

“I just can’t get over the fact that we’re talking about this kind of money in regards to a football coach,” UW student and Mukilteo resident Kennedy Rapaport said. “I don’t care whose fault it was, I just think it’s sad that a football coach can make the kind of money to make a lawsuit like this possible. It’s crazy.”

Many readers worry that the settlement will teach that it’s OK to lie and break rules, and think that it sets a bad precedent.

“It just shows that being dishonest and breaking the rules will pay,” Everett’s Tom Jones said. “Hopefully now the UW can begin rebuilding their reputation and program under the new management.”