Colorado investigation continues

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=750 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class="" vAlign=top width=560><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=7><SPACER type="block" width="1" height="1"></TD></TR><TR><TD class=yspsctnhdln>Report: Two CU athletic trainers say they were sexually assaulted, grand jury uncovers ``slush fund''</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER type="block" width="1" height="1"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>March 1, 2005

DENVER (AP) -- Two female athletic trainers told a grand jury investigating the University of Colorado football recruiting scandal that they were sexually assaulted by an assistant coach, according to a report obtained by The Denver Post and KUSA-TV.

The panel's investigation also uncovered a ``slush fund'' financed by coach Gary Barnett's Football Technique School.

One of the women also said she was ``coerced to perform sexual favors for players and recruits repeatedly over a two-year period,'' according to the report obtained Monday. The woman said she was pressured to have sex with a recruit in a hotel room full of players. It wasn't immediately clear why the panel failed to issue more indictments.

<TABLE cellPadding=1 align=left border=0 vspace="5" hspace="10"><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Money was kept in ``16 or 17'' cash boxes, with each managed by a different person with little oversight, the Post reported.

CU director of football operations David Hansburg ``told the grand jury that up to $2,500 could be missing, but not missed,'' the report says. ``All funds were available to employees of the football program'' and ``all funds were available to coach Barnett to use in his discretion.''

Barnett told the grand jury that ``the school received only income from the registration fees of (football camp) participants,'' the report says.

The grand jury, which finished meeting Aug. 19, handed up just one indictment, accusing former football recruiting aide Nathan Maxcey of soliciting for a prostitute for himself. Former call girl Pasha Cowan has said Maxcey paid her $2,500 for three call girls to visit ``very young, very athletic men'' at Boulder-area hotels, though Maxcey has said any solicitation was for him.

The report concurred with an independent commission's finding last year that players used sex, alcohol and marijuana as recruiting tools without the football staff encouraging or sanctioning it.

But the report said, officials' denial of knowledge about the practices ``demonstrates either conscious disregard of these circumstances or a lack of oversight of recruiting practices.''

In a statement provided by the CU athletic department, Barnett said: ``I am sure there are things I'd like to refute, but since this has to do directly with the grand jury investigation, I am bound by law that I would not discuss my testimony or anything that was discussed by or included in the grand jury report.''

Hansburg also declined comment, citing state grand jury secrecy rules.

The report said Barnett and Hansburg gave conflicting explanations of the team's finances.

Updated on Tuesday, Mar 1, 2005 2:25

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CU director of football operations David Hansburg ``told the grand jury that up to $2,500 could be missing, but not missed,'' the report says. ``All funds were available to employees of the football program'' and ``all funds were available to coach Barnett to use in his discretion.''

this sounds almost unbelievable......

[Taosman]

Not to wish ill on any program.....but , I'm glad to see the Espin spotlight pointed some place else for awhile!

[scooter1369]

Originally Posted by Taosman

Not to wish ill on any program.....but , I'm glad to see the Espin spotlight pointed some place else for awhile!

Agreed, but it would be nice to see it stay away from us awhile longer. They only had time for this because there was nothing new from Columbus.

[BrutusBobcat]

Hmmm...maybe they had to do this to compete with the copious amounts of cash and cars recruits were receiving at OHIO STATE???

(Yes, big huge sarcasm font and all of that. You know that somehow this is Tressel's fault. )

[martinss01]

i clearly went to the wrong college...


i assume mark and trev have already demanded the termination of the head coach and ad at this point.

for the fans sake i hope that isn't true. going to be a tough one if it is.

[BB73]

The Colorado AD last year was Dick Tharp. He hid in the bushes during the months-long media-fest last spring, while Barnett was suspended, and then quietly resigned a couple of months ago.

Tharp was (and I believe still is) on the Board of Directors for the largest chain of liquor stores in Boulder. His obvious conflict of interest in the alcohol/sex recruiting scandal was given very little attention by the media.

But now he's gone and a new AD will decide Barnett's fate.