http://blogs.tampabay.com/usf/2010/01/ba....html#more

Tampa lawyer Barry Cohen asked fired USF football coach Jim Leavitt to "man up" and demanded a public apology from Leavitt on behalf of Joel Miller, the walk-on player the university concluded Leavitt hit in a locker room incident during a news conference this morning in Tampa.

Cohen said Miller did not want to sue Leavitt but left open his options if Leavitt does not admit his wrongdoing to USF president Judy Genshaft. Without an apology from Leavitt, Cohen said the coach could face not only a civil lawsuit but criminal charges, mentioning assault and battery. He asked whether the players and coaches that took his defense would be as likely to do so under oath and facing the threat of perjury charges.

"It's time to stand up now, coach, and do the right thing," Cohen said, "because if you don't Steve Romine (Cohen's partner) and I might not know much about football, but we know a lot about hardball."

Miller, dressed in a black suit, said that he and his father lied to the media, then to university investigators -- "I covered it up," he admitted -- because he wanted to protect his coach and assistant coaches and the team as it prepared for its bowl game.

"I'm here to tell you the truth about what really happened," Miller said. "He grabbed me by the neck and he hit me twice."

A university investigation, which interviewed 20 players and nine other people in the locker room, found that Leavitt grabbed Miller by the throat and slapped him twice in the face, a "serious violation" of the school's conduct policies. The investigation also found Leavitt lied to investigators and interefered with the investigation, also violations that led to his firing "with cause" after 14 years as the Bulls' coach.

Leavitt did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment on Cohen's statements.

wow, these are some very serious alegations here, levitts coaching career appears to be done sadly.......the man needs some anger management counseling.....

He better get a NFL gig because his days on college staffs are concluded.

it's pathetic, leavitt had it all and probably still would be coach if he worked with joel to resolve this. now his career is in the gutter along with his reputation. he built this program from scratch and now he'll never be welcomed back.

at least we know why we played with no effort against miami

Why would a Head Coach in Div I college football be dealing 1:1 with a walk-on, anyway?

(01-14-2010 03:36 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Why would a Head Coach in Div I college football be dealing 1:1 with a walk-on, anyway?

I think its a little foul, to, now be demanding an apology after you lied to the media and everyone else for your own benefit. Now that Leavitt is fired, you demand an apology? Leavitt was wrong for hitting the kid, but dont get all holy now that he's gone. The kid and his dad should have stuck with the truth and it still would have worked out for them in the long run. It seems that Leavitt was gone whether the kid and his dad lied or not.

seriously, shut up and go away joel

i hate people like him, why does the apoligy need to be public? stupid attention whore... hes just trying to set up a lawsuit to try and milk some money out of this

someone hits you so you go tell the principal, then hire a lawyer and demand a public apoligy after the guy has already lost his job over it? and this is supposed to be a football player in his 20s?

dont get me wrong, leavitt should have been fired for this, it was a serious offense, but geez kid just go away

(01-14-2010 03:58 PM)BullsBEAST Wrote:  seriously, shut up and go away joel

i hate people like him, why does the apoligy need to be public? stupid attention whore... hes just trying to set up a lawsuit to try and milk some money out of this

someone hits you so you go tell the principal, then hire a lawyer and demand a public apoligy after the guy has already lost his job over it? and this is supposed to be a football player in his 20s?

dont get me wrong, leavitt should have been fired for this, it was a serious offense, but geez kid just go away

who cares about an apology? this is all about money and setting up the eventual lawsuit, look who he retained as an attorney.

which version of this kids story should we believe? he claimed it happenned, then, it didnt, now it did again. even his claim is accurate, the kid and his father lied. which lie do you believe?

As I mentioned when this story first broke in December and I was put down for, the incident did occur and word is that the entire Athletic Department at USF knew about it including the AD. For several weeks after the incident occurred, some in the AD's office and some boosters paid the kid's father and asked him to change his story. The kid even met with Leavitt and exchanged testimonies as the kid received hate mail and threats from fans, other students, and even from some in the USF Athletic Department. The investigation was taken to a higher level within the school and Leavitt was then fired. There will be more to this story to come. Leavitt wants hush money for other secretes within the Athletic Department and since the entire Athletic Department knew about the incident and tried to get the kid to change his story, there may be more fired before the end of this story.

Wouldn't a public apology actually help USF in a big way?

If Leavitt apologizes (admits guilt) then how could he turn around and sue the University?

Is it possible that USF is assisting Joel with his current move? It wouldn't be a dumb thing to do?

(01-14-2010 10:46 PM)MemphisTger Wrote:  As I mentioned when this story first broke in December and I was put down for, the incident did occur and word is that the entire Athletic Department at USF knew about it including the AD. For several weeks after the incident occurred, some in the AD's office and some boosters paid the kid's father and asked him to change his story. The kid even met with Leavitt and exchanged testimonies as the kid received hate mail and threats from fans, other students, and even from some in the USF Athletic Department. The investigation was taken to a higher level within the school and Leavitt was then fired. There will be more to this story to come. Leavitt wants hush money for other secretes within the Athletic Department and since the entire Athletic Department knew about the incident and tried to get the kid to change his story, there may be more fired before the end of this story.

Not sure about all you are saying here, but apparently more knew about it than just w/in the USF program (if this is a doub-post, sorry). From UL's Scout board (link):

"Miller even remarked in the second half of the USF-Louisville game that some USF players told Louisville players about the incident between plays and during stoppages in play."

TAMPA, Fla. -- When University of South Florida sophomore Joel Miller pulled into the St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church parking lot in New Tampa shortly after midnight on Dec. 17, he saw the other car was already there.

Jim Leavitt had already arrived for this pre-arranged meeting. The meeting was to continue the ongoing lie that Leavitt and Miller were carrying on into what really happened during halftime in the locker room of the USF-Louisville game four weeks earlier.

Leavitt, who was Miller's football coach at USF, asked him to bring all the information and provide specific details about his testimony from when Miller spoke to USF investigators about the incident earlier that day.

As Miller pulled into the parking lot, he thought how ironic it was that he was meeting outside a church -- a church of all places! -- to collaborate their stories.

"He told me to bring everything that happened [during Miller's Dec. 16 testimony with USF investigators] and give him everything that me and the investigators talked about and to write it all down on a piece of paper," Miller told FanHouse in an exclusive interview Thursday.

Leavitt initially told Miller to e-mail this information to his wife's e-mail account. His wife's account, of course, would not be accessible through a public records search. But instead of e-mailing the information, Miller and Leavitt met in a church parking lot for about 10 minutes.

Miller gave Leavitt a page that he had typed with all of the details and specifics of his testimony to USF's investigators.

"It was a weird feeling," said Miller about the secretive meeting.

The clandestine meeting between Leavitt and Miller was just one example of the extremes Leavitt, the only coach in USF's 13-year history, took to try and cover up the details about what happened in the locker room that, because of Leavitt's lies, ultimately cost Leavitt his job that would have paid him $9.5 million over the next five years.

Leavitt wasn't the only high-ranking official in the athletics department who was aware of the incident. Miller said "everyone in the USF athletics building, including athletic director Doug Woolard," knew what happened to him days after the incident. "Everyone knew," Miller said. "Everyone knows what happened."

Miller even remarked in the second half of the USF-Louisville game that some USF players told Louisville players about the incident between plays and during stoppages in play.

Two days after the Nov. 21 incident, Miller said he went to Leavitt's office to discuss what had happened. Leavitt refused to apologize or even acknowledge he had done anything wrong. According to USF's investigative report, Leavitt told Miller to "choose his words wisely, because [Leavitt said he] was the most powerful person in the building."

Miller said Thursday that quote was inaccurate.

"He said, 'Before you speak your next words, choose your next words carefully because I'm the reason you're here. You should be coming in here and thanking me [for letting him transfer from The Citadel]. How many walk-ons would have this chance? Zero. You should be thanking me for grabbing you, you were out of it,'" Miller said Leavitt told him.

Leavitt then explained to Miller how Leavitt had been "coached" as a player.

According to Miller, Leavitt told him: "My coach hit me and knocked me to the ground and I was so mad at him. He was like, 'Well leave Jim, leave.' I wanted to fight with him."

Leavitt then told Miller, "You'll look back 20-30 years on this and be thanking me."

On another occasion, Miller said he went into Leavitt's office, hoping for some type of admission of guilt or apology from Leavitt.

Right after I walked into his office, I told him, 'You know I'm lying for you,'" Miller said. "'I'm lying for those coaches.' All he said was, if I did it, I don't remember."

Since FanHouse first reported the incident Dec. 14, Leavitt -- after initially not denying the allegations to FanHouse -- later proclaimed his innocence to local media. He also has hired attorneys and said he "absolutely did not" grab Miller by the throat and hit him twice in the face as a four-week USF investigation, initiated by FanHouse's report, concluded that he did.
" The obvious truth is he grabbed me and hit me twice. This is not about money, not about lawsuits. It's come to a point it's about my character. The one thing I have is my character and I don't want people to perceive me different than I am.
-- Joel Miller

"The obvious truth is he grabbed me [by the throat] and hit me twice [in the face]," said Miller, who was not wearing his helmet at the time. "This is not about money, not about lawsuits. It's come to a point it's about my character. The one thing I have is my character and I don't want people to perceive me different than I am."

Miller said when Leavitt hit him he was "more stunned" than anything.

"It wasn't the physical part," Miller said. "It was more 'why would you hit me?' I was more confused. When it happened, I didn't want it to leak out. I went to try to talk to him, but he didn't apologize and tried to flip it around."

Miller said he spoke to USF investigators twice about the incident and told them nothing happened because he was under intense pressure to keep it quiet. Both Miller and his high-profile attorney Barry Cohen said Miller was concerned by telling the investigators what really happened that it might ultimately cost Leavitt his job and also the jobs of USF's assistants. Miller said he was also concerned how it would affect the team in their bowl game.



"When I heard he [Leavitt] denied it to the public, I was forced to say it [didn't happen] was the truth [because if he didn't] my football career would have a damper on it or people would think 'this kid isn't good,'" Miller said. "'This kid can't handle it.' "

Still, Miller provided investigators five names of players who witnessed the incident, who "were ultimately the sources of information for what happened," according to the investigative report.

Miller said all he wants from Leavitt is a public apology, admitting that Leavitt grabbed his throat, hit him twice and that Leavitt has been lying about this entire incident.

"Why should [Leavitt] apologize for something he didn't do?" Wil Florin, one of Leavitt's attorneys, told The Tampa Tribune. "I don't want to get into [what] Joel Miller [said], but clearly he is under a lot of pressure from a lot of people. I think the real story is how the university will respond. It should do the right thing and reinstate Coach Leavitt to his job.'"

Cohen said if Leavitt doesn't make a public apology within seven-to-10 days "that there may very well be a lawsuit."

Miller said, while having to cover up what has happened, it has affected him and his family and caused a great deal of stress. Cohen said Leavitt had called Miller's father, Paul, at least 15 times telling him to go the media to collaborate the story.

"I haven't been sleeping," Joel Miller said. "It's affected me. No matter where I go, people are always saying stuff to me. A lot of it bad. A lot of people are saying bad things about me."

Miller's mother, Cathy, is a teacher, and his father, Paul, is a former Tampa police officer.

"They've been taking it hard," Joel said. "People have been crucifying them and giving them a hard time too."

Miller said it was difficult not to tell the truth to the investigators, but he was just trying to protect USF's football program.
" There are Leavitt fans out there who think he is God. I'm just a walk-on. Just because I'm a walk-on, they're going to blame me. He's been [at USF 13 years], I've been there two. As the public sees it, it's all my fault."
-- Joel Miller
"When I was growing up my parents told me not to lie, cheat and steal," he said. "They instilled all of the good qualities. It was hard for me to lie. Not just to [the media], but everyone.

"Everyone was saying, 'I was a sissy. I was a liar. You got a great coach fired. You dance ballet.' No one knows what they're talking about. This was real hard for me mentally because I wasn't allowed to say anything.

"There are Leavitt fans out there who think he is God. I'm just a walk-on. Just because I'm a walk-on, they're going to blame me. He's been [at USF 13 years], I've been there two. As the public sees it, it's all my fault."

Cohen, however, challenged Leavitt in a Thursday morning press conference to "man up" and to "go look in the mirror and see a coward who wouldn't man up."

Ironically, shortly after Cohen's news conference concluded from his 10th floor offices in downtown Tampa, East Carolina coach Skip Holtz accepted an offer to become USF's next coach.

Meanwhile, Leavitt and his lawyers continue his legal fight to get his job back, but those slim chances took another hit. Thursday afternoon, USF released the findings from its post-termination meeting Wednesday with Leavitt and "the termination decision should stand," wrote USF Provost Ralph Wilcox.
http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.c...ish-of-leavitt/

(01-14-2010 08:02 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  which version of this kids story should we believe?

Well...since the kids story matches up almost perfectly with most of the witnesses who were interviewed during the Independent Investigation...and even those who were on Leavitt's side...NONE of them ever supported his version of events: (Leavitt said he got down on one knee and spoke quietly to Miller at halftime).

(01-16-2010 08:10 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  

(01-14-2010 08:02 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  which version of this kids story should we believe?

Well...since the kids story matches up almost perfectly with most of the witnesses who were interviewed during the Independent Investigation...and even those who were on Leavitt's side...NONE of them ever supported his version of events: (Leavitt said he got down on one knee and spoke quietly to Miller at halftime).

Im not going to say nothing happened, and I think USF saw this as an opportunity to remove Leavitt under cause and not pay his full contract. I also think that Leavitt's antics on the sidelines and locker room (head butts) fed into an image of this guy is out of ontrol and he could go crazy and do something like it was alleged. But We are also hearing some other stories that paint a different light on this kid. I hope Coach Holts does NOT keep this kid around.

Read on about the latest from St Pete Times
January 16, 2010
Coach: Miller kicked out of Citadel for attitude
The coach that recruited USF walk-on running back Joel Miller to The Citadel in 2007 says the player was booted out of the Division I-AA program for "poor attitude, insubordination (and) disrespect," and that he warned USF coach Jim Leavitt that Miller was a problem before he joined the Bulls.

A university investigation found that Leavitt grabbed Miller by the throat and slapped him twice in the face during halftime of USF's Nov. 21 game against Louisville, a "serious violation" that ultimately cost Leavitt the job he had held for 14 years. Leavitt has denied the allegations against him, and Miller's attorneys are now demanding a public apology and threatening a civil lawsuit or even criminal charges if that apology isn't made. Leavitt's attorneys say that won't happen.

If anyone saw this series of events coming, it might be Ryan Hearn, himself a former USF walk-on football player who has spent the last five years as an assistant coach at The Citadel after working as a graduate assistant on Leavitt's USF staff from 2003-04. He said problems persisted with Miller until he was asked to leave the program.

"We said, 'Joel is no longer allowed in this building. He's not part of this football program,'" Hearn said by phone Thursday night. "I said, 'You cannot be in this building. You cannot be on this campus.' He then transferred to South Florida, of course. It did not hurt anybody up here. And to be honest with you, thank God it happened. His M.O. has carried through. He's been the same guy."


Miller's attorney, Barry Cohen, has described his client as "a courageous kid, a principled kid," but Hearn said Miller was causing problems at The Citadel before he joined the football program, starting with summer classes in 2007.

"We got reports all through summer: 'This kid has a chip on his shoulder. This kid has an attitude problem.' We're not having any other problems. It all seemed to center around this kid," Hearn said. "We bring him in, and it's 'Well, I didn't do that, Coach. They're trying to get me. They have it out for me. Everybody's picking on you.' (I said) They're not picking on you. This school builds principled leaders. They believe you should be able to follow before you lead. The two key principles here are leadership and discipline."

In late summer, Hearn said problems persisted with Miller in "Cadre," where cadets are trained on how to march, to salute and other basics.

"Every day, I was getting a different member of Cadre to come in and say 'Coach, this kid is not a good kid. He's disrespectful to us. He's smarting off, running his mouth, he doesn't want to do this," he said.

After Miller was gone, Hearn said he warned Leavitt of the problems he had with Miller, but USF's coach wanted to give Miller another opportunity to play football with the Bulls.
"Leavitt said 'I've always been a believer in second chances,'" Hearn said. "The guy believes in people and has a good heart. I told him everything. I told him what kind of person he was. But I went there as as walk-on, so I said 'More power to you. I hope the young man works out for you.'"

Hearn said the story of Miller and Leavitt has been talked about much at The Citadel

"There's a lot of reasons we talk about this. We've talked about it in a team meeting," Hearn said. "The kid wants a payday. He wants to have money. I've had every player coming up to me: 'Coach, can you believe what this guy's doing to your program?' You hear it over and over. Everybody up here knows Joel, and no one thinks this is out of the ordinary. It's par for the course."

Hearn, ironically, wore the same No. 37 jersey that Miller wears at USF and said it "burns him" that Leavitt is now gone after being USF's coach for its first 13 seasons.

"I would not be in this office right now if it wasn't for that man. I would not be who I am today without that man," Hearn said. "I want him to know that. It's a sad, sad day that guys won't have the opportunity to be under his tutelage.

"Does everybody do things wrong? Yeah. That's life. But I can tell you examples after examples where that guy went out of his way to take care of his players, to be there for his players. He meant so much in so many people's lives. When I look at how I coach my players every day, he's a guy I try to emulate. I try to be like Jim Leavitt."

Leavitt has not returned calls seeking comment since Thursday. Joel Miller's father, Paul, declined to comment when reached by phone Saturday morning. Citadel head football coach Kevin Higgins did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

(01-16-2010 08:10 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  

(01-14-2010 08:02 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  which version of this kids story should we believe?

Well...since the kids story matches up almost perfectly with most of the witnesses who were interviewed during the Independent Investigation...and even those who were on Leavitt's side...NONE of them ever supported his version of events: (Leavitt said he got down on one knee and spoke quietly to Miller at halftime).

im inclined to believe it did happen, but a good attorney would use millers own words against him. "1st you said you were hit, then you changed your story and said you werent, then changed it back. which is the truth? you obviously lied about one version of events. how do we know you're not lying now?" blah blah blah.
leavitt is gone, it might be best for all, including miller to let it go and move on. usf believed miller, its unlikely those supporting leavitt will change their minds

(01-16-2010 08:10 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  

(01-14-2010 08:02 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  which version of this kids story should we believe?

Well...since the kids story matches up almost perfectly with most of the witnesses who were interviewed during the Independent Investigation...and even those who were on Leavitt's side...NONE of them ever supported his version of events: (Leavitt said he got down on one knee and spoke quietly to Miller at halftime).

FWIW, the guy who runs thebullspen website posted a couple of weeks before the report came out that he'd been contacted by a player who claimed that there were some disgruntled players who were "making sure they had their stories straight" that were trying to orchestrate a coup to get Leavitt fired. Makes the fact that some of the stories "matched perfectly" interesting.

That's not to say that Leavitt didn't do what was alleged. Also, it should be noted that Miller says he and Leavitt met in a church parking lot to coordinate their stories, so it appears that the collusion was going on on both sides. Obviously there's more than meets the eye, and it definitely looks like Skip Holtz is stepping into a conflicted locker room...

USFFan

Whether it happened or not, and I am inclined to think it happened to a certain extent, USF needed a fresh start with Holtz. So this whole thing may be a blessing in disguise.

(01-14-2010 10:46 PM)MemphisTger Wrote:  As I mentioned when this story first broke in December and I was put down for, the incident did occur and word is that the entire Athletic Department at USF knew about it including the AD. For several weeks after the incident occurred, some in the AD's office and some boosters paid the kid's father and asked him to change his story. The kid even met with Leavitt and exchanged testimonies as the kid received hate mail and threats from fans, other students, and even from some in the USF Athletic Department. The investigation was taken to a higher level within the school and Leavitt was then fired. There will be more to this story to come. Leavitt wants hush money for other secretes within the Athletic Department and since the entire Athletic Department knew about the incident and tried to get the kid to change his story, there may be more fired before the end of this story.

Nice try Memphis but your story is complete BS. Now take your probation like a man and live in CDOA.

(01-16-2010 11:26 PM)Atlanta Bull Wrote:  

(01-14-2010 10:46 PM)MemphisTger Wrote:  As I mentioned when this story first broke in December and I was put down for, the incident did occur and word is that the entire Athletic Department at USF knew about it including the AD. For several weeks after the incident occurred, some in the AD's office and some boosters paid the kid's father and asked him to change his story. The kid even met with Leavitt and exchanged testimonies as the kid received hate mail and threats from fans, other students, and even from some in the USF Athletic Department. The investigation was taken to a higher level within the school and Leavitt was then fired. There will be more to this story to come. Leavitt wants hush money for other secretes within the Athletic Department and since the entire Athletic Department knew about the incident and tried to get the kid to change his story, there may be more fired before the end of this story.

Nice try Memphis but your story is complete BS. Now take your probation like a man and live in CDOA.

Miller and his family and Barry Cohen are going after a big payday, seven figures. This will be more than Joel ever makes in his lifetime so don't think for one second this is going to be a quick and easy settlement. What a freaken tool! Leavitt's power trip drove him into the ground and so will Miller's greed.