I find myself involved in a 'hot' conversation on the softball forum regarding the hiring of a head coach from the Big 12 to be the new pitching coach of a Pac 10 school. This coach formerly held the head coach of the University of Washington, fired over a drug scandal in 2003.
She used the services of retired physician as her 'team doctor'. The rest of the athletic teams used a more established professional practice. Despite many warnings, she insisted on her doctor. This doctor however improperly dispensed many pain killers to players. He filled the prescriptions at a particular pharmacy under one player's names and distributed them liberally in paper bags to the players. Some of these players were injured and the pain medication kept them on the field. Reportedly, at least one player became addicted to the narcotic pain killers.
When it all came out, the doctor lost his license and was convicted of prescription fraud and the softball coach and eventually, the Athletic Director, lost their jobs.
This coach had the reputation of (and took pride in) exerting great control over her program and her players. Ever since, she has proclaimed innocence, citing facts that needed to come out, taking no responsibility. In an interview in the Seattle Times, she placed the blame on disaffected players who didn't get enough playing time who complained. She was not distressed about the damage those drugs did to her players or her part in that. She also blamed the athletic dept who did not hire her an administrative assistant.
Appalling, she was the head coach of major softball team at a Pac 10 team. She would take no responsibility of major wrongdoing on her own watch. Nor did she cite any regrets about some decisions that she did or not make. Then she turned on her longtime assistants who took over as interim coaches citing, of all things, sexual discrimination. In effect, she ruined the careers of her assistants.
Now, as she's hired as an assistant, those program supporters are thrilled at having such a wonderful coach and berating those who bring up the scandal as Washington as mean-spirited and we should just all move on.
I don't agree. Also my daughter was in the next big time Pac 10 softball program down the road. You bet, I had concerns!
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