Easy Mac
07-23-2003, 01:18 PM
link (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2001186171_price21.html)
Mike Price has filed two lawsuits and made a cross-country trip with his wife through 12 states, but he still says he doesn't know why he was fired by Alabama.
Price said last night in an interview on ESPN that he didn't believe he was treated fairly when he was dismissed by Alabama President Robert Witt on May 3.
Price, 57, left Washington State after 14 seasons to take one of college football's most prestigious coaching jobs, but was fired after allegations surfaced about his conduct during a golf trip in Florida that included a visit to a strip club.
Price has since filed two $20 million lawsuits against Alabama and Time Inc., the parent company of Sports Illustrated magazine.
Price said he didn't know he had been fired until Witt surprised him with the announcement at a Board of Trustees meeting.
"You know, he never actually said the words to me, and I never had the opportunity to ask why," Price told ESPN. "I still don't know what the reasons were for termination. ...
"I think I was wronged by President Witt and I think I was wronged by SI."
Price admitted he drank too much the night he went to the strip club, but denied he has an alcohol problem.
"I had too much to drink one night and ended up at a topless bar and made a serious mistake and admitted my mistake," he said.
Asked if he has a drinking problem, he said: "I don't drink during the season at all. ... But the drinking that night caused a problem for me, there's no question about that."
Price said he spent the night quietly at the strip club, and admitted a woman came back to his hotel with him and stayed overnight. But he said many key facts were wrong in the Sports Illustrated article.
"Well, they got my name right. That's about the only thing they got right in that story," Price said. "I told the writer of the story on the phone where he was completely off-base. I wasn't even in the state of Florida when ... some of the girls were making accusations."
ESPN said Price drove with his wife to Idaho after his firing and stayed at a cabin of Ryan Leaf, former WSU quarterback. He said he plans to travel more and watch some college football.
"Hopefully, I'll get that second chance someplace else," he said. "But I never got a second chance at Alabama."
Oh the stories that are coming out of that place.
Mike Price has filed two lawsuits and made a cross-country trip with his wife through 12 states, but he still says he doesn't know why he was fired by Alabama.
Price said last night in an interview on ESPN that he didn't believe he was treated fairly when he was dismissed by Alabama President Robert Witt on May 3.
Price, 57, left Washington State after 14 seasons to take one of college football's most prestigious coaching jobs, but was fired after allegations surfaced about his conduct during a golf trip in Florida that included a visit to a strip club.
Price has since filed two $20 million lawsuits against Alabama and Time Inc., the parent company of Sports Illustrated magazine.
Price said he didn't know he had been fired until Witt surprised him with the announcement at a Board of Trustees meeting.
"You know, he never actually said the words to me, and I never had the opportunity to ask why," Price told ESPN. "I still don't know what the reasons were for termination. ...
"I think I was wronged by President Witt and I think I was wronged by SI."
Price admitted he drank too much the night he went to the strip club, but denied he has an alcohol problem.
"I had too much to drink one night and ended up at a topless bar and made a serious mistake and admitted my mistake," he said.
Asked if he has a drinking problem, he said: "I don't drink during the season at all. ... But the drinking that night caused a problem for me, there's no question about that."
Price said he spent the night quietly at the strip club, and admitted a woman came back to his hotel with him and stayed overnight. But he said many key facts were wrong in the Sports Illustrated article.
"Well, they got my name right. That's about the only thing they got right in that story," Price said. "I told the writer of the story on the phone where he was completely off-base. I wasn't even in the state of Florida when ... some of the girls were making accusations."
ESPN said Price drove with his wife to Idaho after his firing and stayed at a cabin of Ryan Leaf, former WSU quarterback. He said he plans to travel more and watch some college football.
"Hopefully, I'll get that second chance someplace else," he said. "But I never got a second chance at Alabama."
Oh the stories that are coming out of that place.