Collison blasts Bohl, supports coach
Al Bohl had plenty of negative things to say about Kansas University men’s basketball coach Roy Williams after Bohl’s dismissal as KU athletic director on Wednesday.
Among those things. …
- “A source close to the athletic department believes I am one of the misfortunate people in America who personally has endured the results of Roy Williams’ hatred and vindictiveness.”
- “It is a sad day for collegiate athletics when a basketball coach has the power to hire and fire a university athletic director.”
- And a final zinger … “the mandate for my dismissal reverts the Kansas athletics department back to the pattern of great men’s basketball teams with other sports barely surviving.”
Williams elected not to fight back on the day of the AD’s firing.
“It is always sad for the individual involved when a situation like this occurs and a change is made,” Williams said in a statement. “We had difficulties, and we were not as cohesive as the athletic department needs to be.
“This made the atmosphere somewhat difficult. Dr. Bohl tried extremely hard, and it is important now that we stop blaming individuals and pull together to be as successful as we can be.”
Reached later by the Journal-World, Williams declined further comment about this issue or the North Carolina coaching situation, which he — as he was in the summer of 2000 — is being tied to.
One of Williams’ players — Nick Collison — did lash out at Bohl.
“Most people around Kansas really know what goes on. They know what Al Bohl is saying now is a bunch of garbage,” Collison said after hearing Bohl’s news conference on the radio.
“I think the rest of the country that doesn’t know the program as well … that’s what I’m concerned about. I don’t want people to see coach Williams in a negative light because of anything he is saying.
“Coach Williams is going to take the high road because he’s such a classy guy. He won’t say anything, so someone has to say something.”
Collison said Williams flat-out was supportive of all sports at KU.
“When he is trying to say coach Williams is hurting the rest of the athletes, that basketball is hurting the rest of the athletic programs … coach Williams almost single-handedly raised the money for Horejsi Center, which volleyball plays in. Without coach Williams, Dana Anderson would not have donated money for the new weight room.
“Without coach Williams, we would not have the full shoe deal with Nike. He made sure every athletic program would be with Nike. They (Nike officials) didn’t want to have anybody else (sports), but they wanted Kansas basketball, so they did it. He gives money to Olympic sports programs.
“He’s one of the lowest-paid coaches in the Big 12. Three years ago, when he decided to come back (instead of taking the Carolina job), he didn’t ask for more money. He didn’t try to bargain or get anything out of the deal like so many coaches do. That’s what made me so upset (listening to Bohl).”
Collison said he was aware Williams had problems with Bohl.
“I know they didn’t get along,” Collison said. “For the most part, the only time coach has to deal with him is when he shakes his hand before and after the game.”
Collison maintained many others had problems with Bohl.
“I think there are definitely other coaches and other athletes who are not in support of what he’s done here,” Collison said. “It’s pretty obvious what he is trying to do is damage coach Williams’ reputation, but it’s not as much about those two. Coach doesn’t deal with him basically. Coach will do the things he wants to do. I think the reason he was let go had to do with a lot of other issues.”
Collison mentioned some other issues.
“Things at Fresno State,” Collison said of Bohl’s former job. “He talks about being a man of integrity yet he has issues — the magic budget balancing, things like that. The basketball program at Fresno State has not necessarily been a model of what college athletics should be about.”
Meanwhile, Williams’ mentor, Dean Smith, weighed in on the Bohl situation from Chapel Hill.
“That has nothing to do with Roy. That has nothing whatsoever to do with Roy,” Smith told the Carolina media.
6Sports video: KU announces Bohl’s firing
Audio highlights from Hemenway’s and Bohl’s press conferences
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