Update Leavitt Investigation

[jdm]

Reported by: Tom Korun

Email: tkorun@abcactionnews.com

Last Update: 2:17 pm

I have just got off the phone with the father of the player who has come forward with more information on the allegation that Bulls Head Coach Jim Leavitt grabbed player Joel Miller by the throat and slapped him twice.

Kevin Erskin, father of Senior WR Colby Erskin, told me he stands by his quotes in the latest FanHouse.com report.

According to the report, Joel Miller confided in Colby Erskin that Leavitt did grab him by the throat and slap him twice at halftime of the Louisville game.

Colby is quoted as saying, "Joel told me that coach Leavitt was in his face and yelling at him for getting a penalty on a special teams play."  "He (Joel) said that Coach asked him a question about the play and Joel said he was hesitant to answer.  Coach asked him the question a second time and Joel still didn't answer, so Leavitt grabbed him with one hand around Joel's neck and he slapped him twice with the other."

Colby Erskin also said Miller told him when he went to Leavitt's office to discuss the incident two days later, Leavitt told miller "before you say anything, just know I am the most powerful man in the building."

Kevin Erskin stepped forward to talk about what his son told him when he found out Leavitt personally took everything in Colby's locker and threw it in a USF equipment room trash bin.

Kevin told me today he would hope that this investigation by the university would conclude soon.

That may happen.  As we understand it, there is enough information to base a conclusion and perhaps disciplinary action against Leavitt.  It's believed that the university is weighting their options at what to do, which could go as far as firing Leavitt.

Stay tuned.

[cmhatter]

;D

[Bull^Shark]

And ESPN...

Another player speaks out about Leavitt

January, 6, 2010 Jan 62:22PM ETEmail Print Share By Brian BennettThe South Florida investigation into allegations of player abuse by coach Jim Leavitt is now stretching into its fourth week. Meanwhile, another player has come forward to back the original accusation by walk-on Joel Miller.

Receiver Colby Erskin tells Fanhouse's Brett McMurphy -- who broke the original story -- that Miller had told him Leavitt grabbed and slapped Miller at halftime of the Louisville game. However, Erskin was not in the locker room at the time.

Erskin's father said he decided to speak out "when he learned Leavitt cleaned out his son's locker Monday and threw the contents, including Colby's personal items and International Bowl jersey, into a trash bin. Equipment manager Jeremy Lees told Colby Erskin that Leavitt had personally removed everything. Colby said he found his belongings in a trash bin in USF's football equipment room."

Joel Miller and his father have publicly rescinded the original accusations. But Miller's high school coach told McMurphy the original report was accurate.

This, clearly, needs a resolution quickly. If South Florida decides to make a change, it's getting late in the game to find suitable head coaching candidates. If not, then this story can only hurt recruiting. The investigation needs to be complete and accurate, obviously, but a month should be enough time to wrap this up one way or another.

[Triple B]

"Journalism" these days is a ******* joke ....

[Bull Martin]

"Journalism" these days is a ******* joke ....

I don't see how Brian Bennett's report is an abortion to Journalism...

He's a reporting a story.  One that will be popular to read.  McMurphy's reporting of second had sources is poor journalism, but I don't see how Bennett is in the wrong here.

[Bullshiznitz]

"Journalism" these days is a ******* joke ....

It actually sickens me a little.  Whether its crap like this, or the TMZ type of stuff.   People who make a living doing something where you're only purpose is to destroy and bring down the lives of others (not all reporting is like this, but sure seems like a majority now) really are scum.   I hope Dante creates a special layer in hell for these people.  Don't see how you can take any gratification from destroying peoples lives and knowing you were a part of that.  

[mikebeau]

How is reporting on a third hand story not a ******* joke?

[Bull^Shark]

"Journalism" these days is a ******* joke ....

I don't see how Brian Bennett's report is an abortion to Journalism...

He's a reporting a story.  One that will be popular to read.  McMurphy's reporting of second had sources is poor journalism, but I don't see how Bennett is in the wrong here.

Probably just how a journalist can reference an article that is clearly using very questionable second hand sources and simply regurgitate the info as his own all the while further damaging a reputation.

[Pike4Heisman]

"Journalism" these days is a ******* joke ....

It actually sickens me a little.  Whether its crap like this, or the TMZ type of stuff.   People who make a living doing something where you're only purpose is to destroy and bring down the lives of others (not all reporting is like this, but sure seems like a majority now) really are scum.   I hope Dante creates a special layer in hell for these people.  Don't see how you can take any gratification from destroying peoples lives and knowing you were a part of that.  

How is a story about a trusted adult hitting a college kid trying to ruin somebody? Your not taking off your fan goggles here guy.

Instead of attacking the reporter, attack the coach that did something wrong.

[Bullshiznitz]

"Journalism" these days is a ******* joke ....

I don't see how Brian Bennett's report is an abortion to Journalism...

He's a reporting a story.  One that will be popular to read.  McMurphy's reporting of second had sources is poor journalism, but I don't see how Bennett is in the wrong here.

I think the story listed in the other thread from the local reportor is atleast fair, because he apparently at least called the sources.   Bennett appears to be only regurgitating the exact story from McMurphy without any fact checking himself.  So basically if the fanhouse story is poor or incorrect, than this gets further spread and so on and so on.  Whether or not this Leavitt story turns out to be true, I think we saw the ugly face of journalism when McMurphys basketball story, which by all accounts seems to have been incorrect if not completely fabricated, was picked up by ESPN and run without any fact checking.  No one ever sees the other side proving the story wrong.