Washington coach fights decision on gambling

MEDINA, Wash. -- Rick Neuheisel maintains he did not break NCAA rules when he gambled on college basketball tournaments and believes he should keep his job as Washington's football coach.\nNeuheisel addressed reporters Saturday at his lakeside home, two days after athletic director Barbara Hedges announced her decision to fire him.\n"I remain confident that there will be no finding of any major infraction at the NCAA level," Neuheisel said. "And if the university could see their way to allow me to retain my job, I would guarantee them that if in fact there were a finding of a major infraction, I would resign immediately and ask not for one more penny from the university.\n"I'd go further and promise that I would reimburse the attorney general's office and pay for all their costs associated with defending the university at the NCAA level."\nThe state attorney general's office serves as legal counsel to the university and all other state agencies.\nNeuheisel admits he gambled on the last two NCAA basketball tournaments, but said he didn't realize he was breaking NCAA rules by participating in the pool with friends and neighbors.\nHe invested a combined $6,400 and reportedly won about $12,000, giving some of the money to charity. In his defense, he cited a department memo that said off-campus pools are acceptable.\nJim Daves, a UW athletic department spokesman, had no comment Saturday afternoon in response to Neuheisel's latest statement.\nHedges announced Thursday she was firing Neuheisel for gambling on the tournaments and initially being dishonest with NCAA investigators about his involvement.\nHis lawyers have disputed both allegations and have characterized NCAA gambling rules as ambiguous.\nHis legal team includes Jerry Crawford, a specialist at handling cases before the NCAA infractions committee, and Bob Sulkin, described as Neuheisel's lead trial attorney.\nCrawford said at a news conference Friday that remarks by faculty representative Robert Aronson in university e-mails bolstered their case. Aronson said Thursday the rule "is not the epitome of clarity."\n"Despite obvious confusion in the way the NCAA rule is drafted, the university seeks to terminate coach Neuheisel for violating a rule that their best lawyers and law professors don't understand themselves," Crawford said.\nNeuheisel has until June 26 to respond to his termination notice.\n"I love this job," Neuheisel said Saturday. "I love the kids that I've recruited and brought to the university. And I promised them that I'd do everything I could to retain this job and that's my sole goal and my sole purpose."\nNo announcement has been made on Neuheisel's replacement, though offensive coordinator Keith Gilbertson is considered the leading candidate.\nGilbertson also has participated in a $3 pool on the Final Four. He told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that he informed Hedges of his involvement when he met with her Friday.\nHedges has said university officials are continuing to gather information about the 1999 pool, and that Gilbertson's involvement should not affect his candidacy.