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American Morning
UC Football Program Without Leader After Series of Late Night Moves
Aired February 19, 2004 - 08:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The University of Colorado football program is without a leader today after a series of late night moves by the school. Coach Gary Barnett has been put on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of two investigations into rape allegations and other accusations of wrongdoing. Barnett defiantly addressed the media last night, saying some comments he made about an alleged rape victim, a former player, were misrepresented.
Here's the coach last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARY BARNETT, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: I'm a team player and I'll accept what President Hoffman, President Hoffman's decisions. While I do not agree with it, I will deal with it like I would expect one of my players to handle his consequences.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Now the morning after, let's go live to Boulder, Colorado.
Josie Burke standing by and watching this -- Josie, good morning.
JOSIE BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
A main part of the decision to suspend Gary Barnett, according to C.U. President Betsy Hoffman, had to do with the comments that he did make after new allegations came out on Tuesday. Those allegations came from a former player, Katie Hnida. She said that in the summer of 2000, she was raped by a teammate.
And in response to those rape allegations, Barnett actually launched into an attack on Nhida's playing abilities. He said that she was "terrible," that "she couldn't kick the ball through the uprights."
Now, yesterday he did say that those comments were either misrepresented or taken out of context. But Hoffman, she wasn't buying it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIZABETH HOFFMAN, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: We believe that in the context of a rape allegation, it is inappropriate to make statements about the ability of the player and particularly the way those statements were made. We think that the appropriate answer to a question about her ability was to say that that was an inappropriate question in the context of an allegation of rape.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE: That press conference where Betsey Hoffman spoke did take place late last night. She made the announcement that Barnett was being placed on paid administrative leave. But we can tell you that he just came into this building a few minutes ago, went out, said that he was going to supervise his players as they went through their conditioning drills. He also said that he was given 48 hours by the university -- Bill.
HEMMER: Josie, also, Gary Barnett said he would stand a hundred percent behind one of his players.
Can you tell us more about that?
BURKE: This is a quote that's almost taken directly from a police report that the Boulder Police Department released yesterday. And it concerns another claim that was made by a woman back in 2001. She claimed, went to the police, said that she was raped by a C.U. football player. Also in this police report, Gary Barnett, according to the woman, had a meeting with her where he said if she were to pursue criminal charges, that he would stand behind his player 100 percent. That woman never did pursue criminal charges -- Bill.
HEMMER: It continues.
Josie Burke, thanks, live in Boulder.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Night Moves>
Aired February 19, 2004 - 08:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The University of Colorado football program is without a leader today after a series of late night moves by the school. Coach Gary Barnett has been put on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of two investigations into rape allegations and other accusations of wrongdoing. Barnett defiantly addressed the media last night, saying some comments he made about an alleged rape victim, a former player, were misrepresented.
Here's the coach last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARY BARNETT, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: I'm a team player and I'll accept what President Hoffman, President Hoffman's decisions. While I do not agree with it, I will deal with it like I would expect one of my players to handle his consequences.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Now the morning after, let's go live to Boulder, Colorado.
Josie Burke standing by and watching this -- Josie, good morning.
JOSIE BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
A main part of the decision to suspend Gary Barnett, according to C.U. President Betsy Hoffman, had to do with the comments that he did make after new allegations came out on Tuesday. Those allegations came from a former player, Katie Hnida. She said that in the summer of 2000, she was raped by a teammate.
And in response to those rape allegations, Barnett actually launched into an attack on Nhida's playing abilities. He said that she was "terrible," that "she couldn't kick the ball through the uprights."
Now, yesterday he did say that those comments were either misrepresented or taken out of context. But Hoffman, she wasn't buying it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIZABETH HOFFMAN, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: We believe that in the context of a rape allegation, it is inappropriate to make statements about the ability of the player and particularly the way those statements were made. We think that the appropriate answer to a question about her ability was to say that that was an inappropriate question in the context of an allegation of rape.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE: That press conference where Betsey Hoffman spoke did take place late last night. She made the announcement that Barnett was being placed on paid administrative leave. But we can tell you that he just came into this building a few minutes ago, went out, said that he was going to supervise his players as they went through their conditioning drills. He also said that he was given 48 hours by the university -- Bill.
HEMMER: Josie, also, Gary Barnett said he would stand a hundred percent behind one of his players.
Can you tell us more about that?
BURKE: This is a quote that's almost taken directly from a police report that the Boulder Police Department released yesterday. And it concerns another claim that was made by a woman back in 2001. She claimed, went to the police, said that she was raped by a C.U. football player. Also in this police report, Gary Barnett, according to the woman, had a meeting with her where he said if she were to pursue criminal charges, that he would stand behind his player 100 percent. That woman never did pursue criminal charges -- Bill.
HEMMER: It continues.
Josie Burke, thanks, live in Boulder.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Night Moves>
