He didn't have a side of the story. He was too damn drunk to remember, remember?
----- Original Message ----- From: "Devan Orange" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'RollTideFan-The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, July 21, 2003 11:10 AM Subject: RE: [RollTideFan] FICMP interview > Personally, I think he should have had the chance to tell his side of the > story. > JMO.. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, July 21, 2003 7:53 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [RollTideFan] FICMP interview > > > Here's the transcript if you didn't see it. > > > http://msn.espn.go.com/gen/news/2003/0719/1583088.html > > > Sunday, July 20, 2003 > Price believes SI only got his 'name right' > ESPN.com > > Mike Price is still not sure why he was fired at the University of Alabama. > > Price, who left Washington State after last season to coach the Crimson > Tide, was fired May 3 by Alabama president Robert Witt after allegations > arose about his conduct at a golf outing in Florida. > > He had a seven-year, $10 million contract on the table but didn't sign it > before his termination. > > Price has sued Alabama for $20 million, claiming due process was denied, his > civil rights were violated, breach of contract, wrongful termination and > fraud. > > He has also sued Time Inc. for $20 million, stating he was defamed by a > Sports Illustrated article about the strip club visit that led to his > ouster. > > Price addressed his firing and what happened at the golf outing in this > week's Sunday Conversation. Below is the transcript: > > Q: So what happened -- how did we get to this place? > A: Well, you know, I had too much to drink one night and ended up at a > topless bar and made a serious mistake and admitted my mistake. > > Q: Is that a problem for you? Is alcohol a problem for you? > A: No, it's created a problem for me. I don't drink during the season at > all. Haven't drank during the season for 20 years. It's just something I > wouldn't do. But the drinking that night caused a problem for me there's no > question about that. > > Q: There's certainly nothing illegal about topless ... > A: There's nothing, I did nothing illegal or illicit the whole night. Again, > I'd had too many drinks and made a mistake by going there, no question about > that. > > Q: Were you surprised that people recognized you? > A: As evening went on there weren't many people that recognized me there. I > was very quiet and sat at the end of the bar. With a friend and that was > that. > > Q: So there was none of this -- no lap dances? > A: No. I wasn't. I know exactly how much money I spent at that bar and it > was nowhere close to what was reported at SI and all those reports -- were > supposedly all those things happened during the day and I came back at > night, well, I was at Alabama until -- my plane didn't get to Florida until > 5 p.m. and then went right to the dinner. > > Q: A lot of stories have been out there -- Sports Illustrated -- how much of > what they reported was wrong and? > A: Well they got my name right. That's about the only thing they got right > in that story. And it was, I told the author, the writer of the story on the > phone where he was completely off-base. I wasn't even in the state of > Florida when he was making, when some of the girls were making accusations > that they were making. I told him you know he was way off base with this > story but he printed it anyway even though he had facts, other facts, he > printed it. It was just ridiculous what was printed. There was no two, three > women in my room. That didn't happen. > > Q: Was there a woman? > A: Yes, there was a woman that came with me, followed me from the last place > that we were at and came into my room. I fell asleep. I woke up the next day > in my clothes with my glasses on and was surprised to see her still in my > room. So I just, it was early, I had a golf tournament. It was early in the > morning. I was embarrassed, got out of there, got dressed and left. > > Q: And you had to be really afraid at that time or were you? > A: Yeah, oh yeah I was. It was, I hadn't done anything like that before and > I didn't know where to go or where to turn to and um, but um, my wife and > family have been great. And I did, at that time then, a few days later, did > talk with Mal Moore, AD at Alabama and we went in -- and that's about the > first conversation I've had with the president. When we talked about the > situation and he said you're a good man you're caught in a bad situation, > we'll help you through this. And at previous conversations through the week, > he even said I've talked with your former bosses at WSU and they can't say > enough good things about you so we're going to help you through this. > > Q: And then their answer was ... > A: Was termination. They said let's wait for a week and I wasn't allowed to > say anything to press or say my side of story and I was just waiting for the > Board of Trustees meeting and that became a media circus. My wife was asked > to come, and my boys they got up and spoke and some players on team got up > and spoke on my behalf and then my wife and I waited for three hours for > Board of Trustees outside in hallway. And then when they adjourned, I didn't > even realize they'd adjourned, they just said it was a potty break, no > decisions have been made yet. And President Witt went to the microphone and > said I was terminated. I never actually -- you know he never -- said the > words to me and I never had an opportunity to ask why. I still don't know > what the reasons were for termination. > > Q: Which is part of the lawsuit? > A: Which is part of the lawsuit. Right. > > Q: So they never said -- we've heard you've been out partying ... > A: Absolutely not. Nope, no. Absolutely not. I've been doing this for 35 > years in the profession. You can ask any players, any coaches, do I go to > those kinds of places? No. Do I hustle college girls? No. Do I go on the > campus bars with football players and drink with them? No. And ask anybody > that's ever been around me and you'll find the truth. > > Q: What responsibility do you take for what happened? > A: Well I stood up and admitted my mistake from the very start. And I just > don't think I was handled correctly by the university. Think I was wronged > by President Witt and I think I was wronged by SI and it's up to a judge and > a jury to follow it up and get people on the stand that are -- that are > witnesses that are under oath you know, not unnamed sources that so many of > them in particular in SI did. > > Q: Can winning any of these trials or getting a judgment -- can that get you > back what you lost? > A: Well I feel like I had 35 years of integrity and character and honesty -- > I've never been investigated by NCAA -- I love the profession, I'm a coach, > can lead, motivate, inspire, I can teach and can coach, and that's what I'm > going to do. And hopefully I'll get that second chance someplace else, but I > never really got second chance at Alabama. > > Q: What did you tell your wife? > A: I told her the truth. It's been tough. We've been together for 37 years > and have known each other since kindergarten. So we're good friends. She > made a sacrifice to come across the country to Alabama and I'm so sorry for > the players there in that program -- great kids you know -- and I'm sorry > that this happened and I looked forward to being their coach and coaching at > Alabama. > > Q: Has the pain gone away? > A: Every day I think about it. Every morning I wake up you know I wake up > and think about it. But I've got good health, and when it's all said and > done, and I've got great friends. I don't feel sorry for myself. I'm just > going to improve. Make my marriage better, which is solid, and have some > empathy and understanding about it. Think it's going to help me be a better > coach. > > Q: So what is next? > A: Well we're going to travel around country and watch some football games, > watch practices, and just continue to stay in game of football. I've applied > for some jobs obviously and talked to some people and maybe professional > football, maybe head coaching, in college. I'd give anything to be coaching > again next year. And I'll assure you, I'll never make that mistake again. > > Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. > > > ______________________________________________________ > RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List > > "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" > > To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit > http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net > > ______________________________________________________ > RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List > > "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" > > To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net > ______________________________________________________ RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net
