Gene Smith - Outgoing Issues at ASU

[wadc45]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0329wade29.html

some problems for Gene Smith to deal with as his tenure at ASU winds down...

if this has already been posted I will merge it, but I did a search and didn't see anything. Wade was at the center of some controversy back in October of '04 for violating team rules. Apparently one of the rules is not shooting people...

Wade had threatened others, ASU officials say


Jeff Metcalfe and Dan Bickley
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 29, 2005 12:00 AM <!--______START TEXT OF STORY________-->

[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Arizona State University tailback Loren Wade, accused of murdering a former ASU football player, verbally threatened at least two ASU female athletes in the six months since being suspended from the team for an NCAA violation, officials say.

Outgoing ASU Athletic Director Gene Smith said he knew of a threat against gymnast Trisha Dixon in November and learned Monday of a threat against former ASU soccer player Haley van Blommestein that was handled by ASU head football coach Dirk Koetter.

Wade was picking up van Blommestein at a Scottsdale nightclub at 2:30 a.m. Saturday when he shot Brandon Falkner, authorities say. <!-- BOXAD TABLE --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=50 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="COLOR: gray" vAlign=top align=middle>advertisement</TD><TD rowSpan=3>

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Smith and ASU gymnastics coach John Spini said Monday night that there was no gun mentioned in the verbal threat against Dixon on Nov. 24.

Additionally, The Republic learned that on March 6, less than three weeks before the shooting, soccer coach Ray Leone called Koetter about a verbal threat against van Blommestein that included Wade possibly having a gun.

The latter threat came during the weekend that Smith was at Ohio State University to be introduced as that school's new athletic director, which apparently is the reason it was not immediately relayed to Smith.

Dixon said Wade called and threatened her after she told a friend that she had seen him with another girl instead of van Blommestein. That information got to van Blommestein, and Wade learned that Dixon was the source of it, Dixon said. She Dixon said she took the threat to Spini, who contacted Smith and Koetter.

"It was a serious threat," said Dixon, who would not say if it included mention of a gun. "He told me to move from where I was at, that he was going to come and get me. He pretty much threatened my life."

Wade later apologized to Dixon, Spini and Smith, each said.

"All he (Wade) said was 'Stay out of my business,' " Smith said Monday night. "There was no mention of a gun at all. The reality is those aren't signs to say this guy is going to shoot somebody. That's a real stretch."

Spini said: "I felt comfortable because my athlete felt comfortable (after the apologies). Trisha never had another incident.

"She (Dixon) was scared enough to come to me but not scared enough to go to the police. I had to respect her wishes, but I was concerned."

Dixon said part of her motivation for going public with the threat is because of her respect for Falkner.

"I get annoyed with so much focus on Loren," she said. "Brandon was an amazing person. He was one of the few guys you could say was a great guy. . . . "He was not a guy to start anything or any confrontation. That's why this is so shocking. He's not the type of guy to get into arguments."

Leone said that he went to Koetter when some of his players told him there was a problem between Wade and van Blommestein and that Wade might have a gun.

Koetter said he called Wade's mother and asked if she knew of Wade carrying a gun.

"Two hours later, Loren calls back," Koetter said. "He's crying his eyes out. He said he was breaking up with Haley right then. I asked him to put Haley on the phone. I said, 'Haley, this is Coach Koetter, just answer yes or no. Are you in any danger right now?' She said, 'No.' "

Van Blommestein went on to tell Koetter that Wade did not have a gun and that she had never seen him with a gun, Koetter said.

Despite the incidents, Wade was allowed to begin spring practice on March 21. He participated in three practices before the shooting.

"The way he handled it, I thought was perfect," Smith said of Koetter.

Smith's last day at ASU is April 14.

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[BB73]

Koetter has said that he didn't inform Smith of the potential problem in early March, so I don't think Smith should get any flack over this.

But I'm sure he wishes he could have left a month earlier for tOSU, so a probable 1st degree murder charge for an athlete wasn't during his time as AD at ASU.

 

[wadc45]

Part of the concern I think is that the first thing Koetter did as call Qade's mother and ask if she knew of any problems he had with his girlfriend, van Blommestein, and if she knew if he had a gun. Typically, most mothers are problem not going to tell someone they know their son has a gun, whether he does or not. At least this is what they were talking about on the radio when I heard them talking about the story...

 

[LRABuck]

A little more from the Arizona Republic (more opinion-based?)

ASU's side of the story takes some blind faith


The Arizona Republic
Mar. 29, 2005 12:00 AM <!--______START TEXT OF STORY________-->

[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Arizona State's athletic department has lost a family member (Brandon Falkner), a running back (Loren Wade) and every ounce of public trust.

They have told the truth about Wade only when backed into a corner.

For reference, here is what outgoing Athletic Director Gene Smith said on Monday afternoon:<!-- BOXAD TABLE --> [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]The reality is, we will be stigmatized to some degree, like Baylor. But this is not Baylor. There is nothing we're hiding."[/font]

[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]The reality: They are worse than Baylor because they didn't learn from Baylor, when head basketball coach Dave Bliss tried to cover up an intrasquad homicide. And now, head football coach Dirk Koetter is scrambling to save his hide, Smith is maneuvering to keep his plush new gig at Ohio State and the story is fast moving from a murder to a super-sized scandal.

Here is Koetter's side of the story. Believe at your own risk.

He said his involvement began when he got a call on Sunday, March 6, from ASU soccer coach Ray Leone.

"He told me there were problems between Wade and Haley (van Blommestein), and that she was afraid of him and that he might have a gun," Koetter said. "I told Ray that if any of his girls had any concerns whatsoever, they should call the police immediately."

Koetter claims he immediately began his own search for Wade. He called his mother, Patsy, in Los Angeles. He asked if everything was OK. He asked if there were any problems in his relationship with van Blommestein. He asked if Wade had a gun. He claims Wade's mother said no on all accounts.

"Two hours later, Loren calls back," Koetter said. "He's crying his eyes out. He said he was breaking up with Haley right then. I asked him to put Haley on the phone. I said, 'Haley, this is Coach Koetter, just answer yes or no. Are you in any in danger right now?' She said, 'No.'

"I said 'Do you feel threatened by Loren right now?' She said, 'No.' I said, 'Does he have a gun right now? She said, 'No.' I said, 'Have you ever seen Loren with a gun?' She said, 'No.'

"Then I asked her why her friends on the team were saying that he did and that she was afraid. She said that Loren and her were fighting, that her friends jumped to conclusions, that nothing happened."

According to Koetter, Wade came into his office the next morning, as requested. Koetter gave him "the speech" about not wasting his second chance with the Arizona State football team, and Wade seemed very receptive. Five days later, the ASU coach left for a vacation to Mexico. He claims he never told any of this to Smith, his immediate supervisor.

Per terms of his contract, Koetter only has to tell the athletic director of a situation if a law has been broken.

"I usually tell Gene everything," Koetter said. "But this was at the same time that Gene was going to Ohio State, and I just didn't tell him. I didn't think it was an issue."

As close as Koetter and Smith happen to be, that takes some blind faith. Yet Koetter claims that all of Wade's problems were relationship oriented, and that violence never once surfaced on his radar screen.

"I just didn't think Loren was capable of doing anything like this," Koetter said.

Clearly, a football coach can't be a full-time babysitter. Governing and chaperoning 110 kids can't be easy. Not when they're full of testosterone, libido, immaturity and raw impulse.

You can do full background checks, like Baylor and Oklahoma do now, and learn that nothing can predict how an 18-year-old man-child will act in a university setting, unchained from parental supervision for the first time. You can ask team members to raise a flag when fellow players are drifting down dark alleys, and learn absolutely nothing in return.

After all, the code of peer pressure detests a snitch a lot more than a wannabe thug that won't leave home without a gun in the glove compartment. Truth is, most of us wouldn't even recognize the world that kids inhabit these days.

But that's no excuse for hiding from the truth. Especially when hiding under the guise of helping students cope with last weekend's tragedy. That suggests the principals involved here were more worried about their own futures than anything else.

Surely, Wade will pay for his crime. But now, ASU President Michael Crow has some things to think about in the coming days. So do the folks at Ohio State. It's getting ugly, and the case is anything but closed.


Reach Bickley at [email protected] or (602) 444-8253.

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[LightningRod]

Smith is maneuvering to keep his plush new gig at Ohio State and the story is fast moving from a murder to a super-sized scandal.

Oh really? This is exactly what the university needs, more baggage.

 

[BB73]

More problems for Gene Smith before he leaves Arizona State. CFBNEWS is saying that these 2 players secretly videotaped a female without her permission.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/0330asufootdismiss0330.html
ASU dismisses 2 redshirt freshmen

Mar. 30, 2005 12:00 AM <!--______START TEXT OF STORY________-->

[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Arizona State offensive linemen Jonathan Lehmann and Brent Russum, redshirt freshmen, were dismissed from the program Tuesday for violation of team rules.

Initial searches of ASU and other police departments did not produce reports on the players. ASU head coach Dirk Koetter said the dismissals are unrelated to the Loren Wade shooting incident.

Lehmann, 6 feet 4, 285 pounds, is from Giddings, Texas. Russum, 6-5, 275, is from Lewiston, Idaho. Lehmann was injured and not participating in spring practice. <!-- BOXAD TABLE -->[/font]
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Their departures leave Bradis McGriff and Leo Talavou as the remaining offensive linemen from the 2004 recruiting class.

Spring practice resumes Friday with no announcement yet whether it will be re-opened to the public and media.[/font]

 

[Jaxbuck]

This is exactly the last thing we need to have from an incoming AD. He should have a track record for running an absolutely spotless ship, not turning a blind eye, or worse, to bad/dangerous behavior.

There was a pice in the local paper down here on the ASU situation today( copied from an AZ writer), I just have the sick feeling this will turn into much more than it appears on the surface and the media are wanting to get their teeth into it.

If there is even the POSSIBLITY that he covered something up to keep a star player eligible then obviously he needs never step foot on the OSU campus.

No excuse for ASU not seeing Wade's signs


By SCOTT BORDOW
East Valley (Ariz.) Tribune
MESA, Ariz. -- Let's be clear from the start: Arizona State could not have prevented Brandon Falkner's death.

It is Loren Wade who must answer to that charge.

But Wade's continued involvement with the ASU football team up until Falkner's death is on coach Dirk Koetter and athletic director Gene Smith. At the very least, university president Michael Crow should ask himself this question today:

Does Koetter deserve to keep his job?

And if you're Ohio State, do you still want Smith running your athletic department?

It was astonishing Tuesday to hear Smith and Koetter rationalize their decision not to kick Wade off the football team.

Dumbfounding, too, was Crow's defense of two men who, had they acted with just a modicum of common sense, would have washed the university's hands of Saturday morning's shooting.

''No one viewed Loren Wade as a murderer waiting to act,'' Crow said.

That, we can accept. But either Koetter or Smith should have viewed Wade as a deeply troubled individual who had forfeited the privilege of playing football at ASU.

Let's review what ASU knew of Wade before Saturday's tragedy:


He had been suspended during the 2004 season for receiving improper benefits from a university employee.

He had threatened two female athletes, according to Koetter, telling one, ''Be careful walking around.''

ASU had been apprised of other allegations against Wade, allegations revealed in only the most general terms on Tuesday because, Koetter said, ''It serves no purpose at this point. It won't bring back Brandon Falkner.''
The totality of allegations condemning Wade was overwhelming, yet he was practicing with the team and expected to be ASU's No.1 tailback this season.

Falkner didn't get that kid-glove treatment when he was booted off the team in June 2002 after being in court on charges of driving with a suspended license, no registration, failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility and a violation of a promise to appear.

And justice was swift Tuesday, when freshman linemen Jonathan Lehmann and Brent Russum were dismissed from the team after a female student accused them of photographing her while she was nude and without her consent.

But then, Lehmann, Russum and Falkner were not potential 1,000-yard rushers, were they?

Koetter said Tuesday it's easy ''in retrospect'' to say Wade shouldn't have been allowed to wear the maroon and gold.

Well, there wouldn't be any second-guessing had the athletic department acknowledged the obvious -- that Wade was trouble.

''We didn't connect the dots,'' Koetter said.

How could they not?

Gymnastics coach John Spini said team member Trisha Dixon told him that when Wade threatened her last November, Wade told her, ''Don't be walking alone.''

''She was afraid for her life,'' Spini said.

Both Koetter and Smith knew of the threat, yet on Tuesday they said they believed these were relationship issues, not issues portending violence.

''Nothing in these two cases led us to believe he had a violent act in him,'' Smith said.

Wade threatens two girls, he's allegedly in possession of a firearm, and the athletic department doesn't believe violence is implied?

And shouldn't someone at ASU be aware that most violent acts are relationship-oriented?

Here's another head-scratcher: Wade had begun counseling in September after telling Koetter he was thinking of quitting football because he was afraid of getting hurt.

Wade stopped going to the sessions at some point -- ''I don't know when that was,'' Koetter said -- yet he saw no need to get Wade further help after he learned of the threats.

''In my mind I didn't connect that with the reason he was seeing the psychologist,'' Koetter said. ''I didn't connect it. Nobody did.''

Someone should have.

''There's no cover-up here,'' Koetter said.

That's not how it smells or looks. And to think, ASU could have avoided the heat of Tuesday's press conference and the black eye it has suffered had it simply acted responsibly and kicked Wade off the team.

But that didn't happen.

Now, ASU has to pay for its mistake.

 

[LloydSev]

Turning a blind eye??? Are you kidding?

Do you think we would have suspended someone because he got in a verbal arguement with someone that did NOT involve the police?!?!

You MUST be kidding...

Until he shot the guy, there is nothing the athletic department could have done.. hell he wasn't even shot on campus! If the guy was scared for his life, he wouldn't have gotten into an arguement with him at 2:30am at a dance club.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Turning a blind eye??? Are you kidding?

Do you think we would have suspended someone because he got in a verbal arguement with someone that did NOT involve the police?!?!

You MUST be kidding...

Until he shot the guy, there is nothing the athletic department could have done.. hell he wasn't even shot on campus! If the guy was scared for his life, he wouldn't have gotten into an arguement with him at 2:30am at a dance club.

If the coach has to ask the girlfriend "does he have a gun and do you feel like your life is in danger" I think maybe they knew the kid was trouble brewing, but thats not my point.

My point is the media vultures look to be circling and now one of them has brought up the question of why some kids are getting kicked off for, seemingly, mild indicrections and this kid gets multiple chances and ends up killing someone.

I don't want to have to get into the details of this type of thing a hundred times like we've had to do with MoC and Troy S.

What I am saying is that whoever the new AD is, he/she better be beyond spotless after all that has gone on here the past 2 years. Right or wrong I'm afraid if this thing keeps growing he'll be far from spotless and we'll have that stigma attached to us the first fucking time someone does something stupid here no matter how mild.

We're OSU, we can have any AD we want more or less. We need not hire one with any baggage whatsoever and personally I don't really care if its fair to him or not. I care about OSU and fixing our damaged reputation not giving the media jackals more ammo.

 

[BB73]

We're OSU, we can have any AD we want more or less. We need not hire one with any baggage whatsoever and personally I don't really care if its fair to him or not.

He's been announced and isn't on campus yet, but hasn't Smith already been officially hired? Are you suggesting firing him before his start date of April 15th?

 

[Jaxbuck]

He's been announced and isn't on campus yet, but hasn't Smith already been officially hired? Are you suggesting firing him before his start date of April 15th?

If has any dirt on his hands whtsoever, then a resounding yes.

 

[Steve19]

If has any dirt on his hands whtsoever, then a resounding yes.

Surely, his contract will specify that he will have a spotless background and no embarrassing issues. My gut? Cut this loose now.

 

[LloydSev]

I think you guys have taken this to an extreme that shouldn't ever be reached.

Is Andy Geiger responsible for Maurice Clarett? Should he have been fired for it? Hell, Andy Geiger was on CAMPUS during Maurice Clarett's problems, whereas Mr. Smith was not on campus during this affair there.

You guys care less about our fellow humans then you do about Ohio State, and while I certainly love Ohio State, I would not pick Ohio State over the well being of another individual.

You will never find someone with a spotless background EVER. I don't care how hard you look. You will NEVER find someone without baggage that affiliates themselves with Ohio State. Why? Because the media will find something and call it baggage.

 

[Steve19]

I think you guys have taken this to an extreme that shouldn't ever be reached.

Is Andy Geiger responsible for Maurice Clarett? Should he have been fired for it? Hell, Andy Geiger was on CAMPUS during Maurice Clarett's problems, whereas Mr. Smith was not on campus during this affair there.

You guys care less about our fellow humans then you do about Ohio State, and while I certainly love Ohio State, I would not pick Ohio State over the well being of another individual.

You will never find someone with a spotless background EVER. I don't care how hard you look. You will NEVER find someone without baggage that affiliates themselves with Ohio State. Why? Because the media will find something and call it baggage.

LloydSev, of course no one will have a spotless background and I suppose that I should have said, "sarcasm font on now". I thought it would be obvious. There is no legal basis for firing Gene Smith and this is not the kind of thing one does on a gut-level knee-jerk reaction basis!

This is not good news for us and his credibility could be very damaged during the next month if it is shown he has been involved in a coverup. But I don't see anything yet that tells me Smith has been involved in any of this. The coaches are saying that he was not told and the one incident happened when he was in Columbus. The only thing that concerns me is that I am wondering how much in control he was; we need someone who is very much connected and embedded in these programs.

LloydSev, I am sure you will agree with me, if something comes out that does show that Gene Smith has behaved in a way that is incompatible with being AD at Ohio State such as being involved in a cover-up, then he should be fired immediately, even if it happened at ASU and even if it is before his arrival. I just don't think that is what happened.

But, in that case, yes, I put Ohio State before any individual.

 

[LloydSev]

If Gene Smith were involved in bringing NCAA sanctions against ASU, or has legal problems stemming from this, then yes I would agree to rethink the contract.. especially with how much we are paying him...

But regardless, how much work would you be getting done at your current job, if in a month or so you are starting a new job which pays you 10x more and is the best job at your position you can attain.