University Southern California Trojans
Quotes Regarding Mike Williams Decision
August 26, 2004 | Football
Aug. 26, 2004
Mike Williams' request for reinstatement has been denied by the NCAA on both counts - that of his amateur status and his academic eligibility.
*************************
Statements from USC - Aug. 26, 2004
Re: NCAA's denial of Mike William's request for reinstatement.
USC Head Coach Pete Carroll:
``It's been a long process awaiting the conclusion of the decision on Mike Williams. The process has been uphill throughout. It's been difficult, anxious, frustrating, all of those things. Today we received word that the NCAA denied Mike's request both on an academic and amateur level. It was a very quick decision. It's hard for me to understand how the NCAA can be so insensitive to wait this long when we are an hour from getting on the plane.
"We knew all along from the tone that we got from the highest level, that he would be denied. Their tenor was that he didn't deserve this opportunity. I could tell from the very beginning how hard they were going to make this, but to take it all the way to one hour before we leave? I couldn't be more disappointed. It's very cold and insensitive for them to deny him this opportunity.
"As a football team, we have been prepared for this for a while. I'm not surprised by it, but I'm disappointed for Mike and his family. You'll have to go and ask the NCAA for answers, how they can turn someone down who is otherwise academically eligible. They flatly denied him with an attitude from the beginning and the timing is really, really terrible.
"This isn't the Wizard of Oz making these decisions, these are people. There's a supposed tone of student friendliness now, but that's not the case here. I'm talking about the NCAA at his highest levels. Mike's OK, he could sense it, too. It's been difficult for him. He felt it was an uphill battle from the start. I feel sick for him. The team will be OK, we've prepared without him.''
*************************
Mike Williams by telephone:
``I'm glad it's over. Now the team can move forward and I can move forward. I'm disappointed. I did everything asked of me. I don't know yet what I'm going to do. I'll just relax for the weekend and watch the game and root for my team.''
*************************
USC Vice President and General Counsel Todd Dickey:
"We asked the NCAA at the beginning of this process when we initially submitted the reinstatement request to tell us if the nature of Mike's amateurism violations - his declaring for the draft, signing with an agent and receiving benefits from an agent - were so serious that it was not going to be possible for them to rule in his favor. We asked them to let us know up front if this was a problem so that we could spare Mike, his family and the University from all the press attention, the long wait, the heartache, that a long, drawn-out process would entail if they knew reinstatement was going to be denied. Instead, the NCAA put us through days of further work answering supplemental requests, and searching the country for back up documentation. They encouraged us to follow through with every detail concerning the reinstatement request, leading us to believe they were serious about Mike's potential for reinstatement - that all of the documentation and details were important and would be significant in the decision-making process. We now believe that the NCAA made up it's mind from the very beginning not to reinstatement Mike.
"The NCAA told us that Mike knowingly took a risk by hiring an agent, and that despite the mitigating circumstances involving the Maurice Clarett case ruling, the breadth and depth of the violations exceeded the NCAA's amateurism principles." "Of course, the NCAA knew all of this when we first began the reinstatement process, and yet they strung this out all summer.
"I fear that the NCAA may have put Mike and USC through this process to make the NCAA appear fair and thorough in their deliberations. It appears that they may have decided long ago that Mike would not play college football again.
"It is ironic that the NCAA failed to grant a degree progress waiver when Mike not only met, but exceeded, all the NCAA degree progress requirements except the new rule that requires six units be passed in the immediately preceding regular term. We believe there were exceptional mitigating circumstances surrounding his withdrawing from school during the Spring semester and we do not believe the purpose or rationale for the six-unit rule was even implicated in Mike's case."
