Claiming "there's a hypocrisy that reeks" in college athletics, fired Ute football Coach Jim Fassel held an emotional press conference Wednesday, in which he chastised the University of Utah for its handling of his situation.
Fassel, who was released Tuesday afternoon by Utah Athletic Director Chris Hill, expressed dismay over his sudden firing. Fassel said he objected especially to being let go without being given time to call the assistant coaches or their wives to break the news.Asked if the school's commitment to academics is only rhetoric, Fassel said, "I think in college athletics there's a hyprocrisy that reeks. I think within college athletics there's a wear-it-on-your-shirtsleeve attitude of, `What are we really here for? What is our main primary goal?' and that's to educate people. I think a lot of times that's lip service. I still refuse to really actually accept the fact that that isn't a big part of the evaluation process, but again I think the bottom line in college athletics is you'd better win."
The 40-year-old coach, who reportedly had a good record of graduating players, spoke in a husky voice and stopped several times to get composure as his wife, Kitty, looked on. There were no official representatives from the university at the press conference. The meeting was held at the University Park Hotel.
Fassel indicated he would meet Wednesday night with University President Chase Peterson to talk about what happened. The move, according to Hill, was approved by Peterson. "I respect Chase Peterson as much as any person I've ever been around," said Fassel. "That's why I want to meet with him. But right now, the message I got is different."
The former coach said he met with players Wednesday afternoon. "The question they kept asking was `Why? Why?,"' said Fassel.
Although Fassel said he doesn't know what he plans to do, he said he has options. "Right now I have bitter feelings about college athletics." He said he has contacts who could help him get into private business or he could get a position job in the National Football League.
Fassel said he expects next season to be a good one, as he has nearly doubled the number of fifth-year seniors in the program. "I think that the person (Hill) recognized that and said `Let's get rid of Jim Fassel, bring a new guy in and he can get off on a very good foot because he should have a very good football team, and the schedule is not one that's going to kill anybody."
The remaining three years on Fassel's contract, along with paying off the remainder of his assistant coaches' contracts, could cost the university over $500,000. Fassel's two coordinators have two years left on their contracts and the other assistants are reportedly under contract until next July. Hill said on Tuesday that the school will honor the coaches' contracts, and said they will be paid by private donations and athletic revenues.
Hill declined to comment on Fassel's statements, but said he had been working Wednesday on finding a replacement. Hill speculated it could take three weeks or less to find a new coach.
Meanwhile, a colleague of Fassel's took sides this week. Hawaii Coach Bob Wagner decried the firing. "I'm disappointed," said Wagner to Honolulu Advertiser sports writer Ferd Lewis. "He's (Fassel) a high character individual who didn't cheat and had a good academic record, from what I hear, and he gets fired.
"All this rhetoric about doing the right thing and being a good example and the bottom line is still that things haven't changed a whole lot - they really haven't. It's `Don't cheat, but you better win.' I mean, that's the message I hear from that."