I rarely agree with Kevin Scarbinsky, but he nails one in today's Birmingham News--Things turn ugly in the Loveliest Village

I believe in honesty and truthfulness, without which I cannot win the respect and confidence of my fellow men. Those are the words of Auburn's first football coach, George Petrie. It's the third principle of a document known as the Auburn Creed, which Auburn men and women hold almost as dear as the Pledge of Allegiance.

I believe some of the most important officials entrusted with upholding that creed have made a mockery of it.

I believe honesty and truthfulness have been replaced by deceit and duplicity at the highest levels of the Auburn family.

I believe the Loveliest Village has never been uglier than it looks today.

The statement released Tuesday night by Auburn President William Walker confirmed the most shocking machinations since the last time the school tried to whack a coach and walk away without blood on its hands.

Walker admitted in his statement that he, AD David Housel, board of trustees president pro tem Earlon McWhorter and board member Byron Franklin flew to Louisville last Thursday night. They met with Bobby Petrino there. [...]

Consider what those Auburn officials really did.

Without once expressing dissatisfaction to Tommy Tuberville about his job performance, the president hired a search firm to look for his successor.

Without once looking Tuberville in the eye and telling him his job was on the line, Walker decided to give his job to someone else.

Two days before the Iron Bowl, while Tuberville and his assistants and their players were working together to prepare for Alabama, their so-called superiors were working against them.

This is the intercollegiate equivalent of treason. Why didn't one of the Gang of Four just fax a copy of the game plan to Mike Shula? [...]

It's a sickening indictment against college football in general, to be sure, but more heartbreaking is that it is just a continuation of the duplicity and backroom deal-making that has been a hallmark of Auburn's so-called benefactors and boosters over the past years.

Yes, they see themselves as "doing what's right for Auburn", but these shenanigans are an unseemly and undignified blot upon what I, and many others like me, believe Auburn should be about.

To his credit, Mr. Petrino has withdrawn his name from consideration, and apologized for meeting with these snakes:

[...] "First of all, I made a mistake in meeting with those people that came in, and for that I apologize," Petrino said. "I should have spoken to (UofL athletic director) Tom Jurich and the University of Louisville. I want to apologize for that. I'm very grateful that Tom has given me the job here at UofL. It has been something that I've always dreamed of. We've had a great year. I'm very happy with the effort that my coaches and players have put into it. And I'm going to stay here at the University of Louisville. It's the place I want to be and the job I want."

Petrino also apologized to Tuberville and said that he no longer is a candidate for the Auburn job.

Jurich said he accepted Petrino's apology and is ready to move forward. He said he will enhance Petrino's contract after the season, as he had planned to do before the controversy. [...]

At least someone in this mess has the stones to stand up and admit being wrong.

(And yes, it is a shame that he had to get caught first before confessing. But he's still the only one to even give an inkling that something underhanded was going on.)
posted by Terry at 8:27:00 AM