Williams in legal dispute
Written by: Don Walker
A legal battle involving Marquette University coach Buzz Williams' tenure at the University of New Orleans, where he served as head coach for one year, has surfaced.
The dispute involves a lawsuit Williams filed in New Orleans last year in which he alleged UNO breached his contract. Williams left New Orleans last year after one year to become an assistant coach at Marquette under then head coach Tom Crean.
Since then, UNO has alleged that Williams left the school without paying a $300,000 buyout.
On Friday, ESPN.com reported that Marquette, which hired Williams this week to replace the Indiana-bound Crean, had agreed to pay the $300,000 buyout.
That was news to Williams' New Orleans-based attorney Henry King. In an e-mail to the Journal Sentinel, King said he could not confirm that report, adding that it was his position that "no monies are owed to UNO."
"We believe Mr. Williams' claims will be deemed meritorious and the UNO's counter-claim will be dismissed. UNO made many promises that it was unable to keep."
Caught in the middle, apparently, is Marquette. Steve Cottingham, Marquette's athletic director, acknowledged that Williams had made Marquette aware of the legal fight while he was being interviewed for the Marquette job.
Asked if MU was prepared to pay at least a portion of Williams' buyout in New Orleans, Cottingham said: "We don't comment on the particulars of anybody's compensation arrangement. We're confident that the matter is going to be handled and resolved."
Cottingham said Marquette might consider, as a means of settling the issue, to play basketball games against UNO. "We'd be willing to explore alternative methods, potentially playing a game," Cottingham said.
Jim Miller, UNO's athletic director, also said he could not confirm whether a buyout deal had been arranged. Miller said he had had no contact with either Marquette or King, Williams' attorney.
At his press conference this week, Williams said little about his experience at UNO, saying that "it was not the best situation for me and my family."
In his lawsuit, Williams alleged that he "quickly learned that UNO was either unwilling or unable to provide even the basic necessities for a competitive men's collegiate basketball program."
"Once classes began in August 2006, Coach Williams encountered significant problems with meal money not being available for the UNO basketball players on a timely basis, and there was insufficient meal money to cover the players for the entire first semester," the suit says.
Williams also charged that, on more than one occasion, UNO failed to provide a bus to take the team to the airport for road games, and did not provide sufficient academic support to the program.
According to the suit: "In April 2007, Williams learned that the Arena would not be open at all during the 2007-'08 season, meaning that for half of his contract term, the men's basketball team would not have a suitable place to play, would have no locker room and there would be no offices for the assistant coaches."
Williams' record at UNO in 2006-'07 was 14-17. Williams is seeking an undetermined amount in damages.
(http://blogs.jsonline.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=153296)
http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/04/11/williams-in-legal-dispute.aspx
Don't be surprised if MU and Crean are caught in a similar battle.
Ya know, I just don't have any sympathy for Williams in this case. He supposedly contacted UNO about their job opening, the AD Miller told him upfront about the difficulties, Buzz acknowledged the difficulties caused by Katrina in his introductory press conference, said it was all about the players (like at his MU press conference), and then bolts after one year out of the blue. Then he sues UNO over the buyout clause? Something just doesn't add up.
Quote from: ToddRosiakSays on April 11, 2008, 07:00:03 PM"Once classes began in August 2006, Coach Williams encountered significant problems with meal money not being available for the UNO basketball players on a timely basis, and there was insufficient meal money to cover the players for the entire first semester," the suit says.
Maybe he didn't like how his players were treated as well?
Also I didn't like the idea of playing UNO to settle the dispute. I think I would rather MU pay the money.
Quote from: Norm on April 11, 2008, 11:50:33 PM
Ya know, I just don't have any sympathy for Williams in this case. He supposedly contacted UNO about their job opening, the AD Miller told him upfront about the difficulties, Buzz acknowledged the difficulties caused by Katrina in his introductory press conference, said it was all about the players (like at his MU press conference), and then bolts after one year out of the blue. Then he sues UNO over the buyout clause? Something just doesn't add up.
Remember that Buzz quit and was not fired. Further it seems like everyone was happy with him. It sounds like the AD did not want him to go.
If someone was sold a bill of goods about a job, this is exactly how they would behave.
Further, what does this quote mean ... "considered more urgently the importance of local roots in hiring a coach after the hurricane"? I could intepret that as meaning; "he should have known that this was going to be a crappy place to work when he took the job."
November 22, 2007 New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/22/sports/ncaabasketball/22neworleans.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5124&en=de5c7139cd9d4766&ex=1353474000&partner=digg&exprod=digg
At least Towe coached here for five seasons. His successor, Williams, resigned after last season to become an assistant at Marquette. Miller, the athletic director, remains puzzled by his departure, saying that Williams, a native Texan, did not have local ties or an apparent appreciation of the halting pace of recovery.
"I guess it was a culture shock, and he couldn't really handle it," Miller said.
The two sides are at odds over a $300,000 buyout clause in Williams's contract. The university says it is owed the money, Miller said, adding that Williams has sued to have the contract voided, claiming he was misled about the post-Katrina conditions. Williams did not return a call seeking comment.
Miller said he clearly explained the situation before hiring Williams, telling him and other coaching candidates that "things could get worse before they get better."
In retrospect, Miller said, he should have considered more urgently the importance of local roots in hiring a coach after the hurricane.