CBS Now Turning Eye From Harrick

The continuing controversy surrounding Jim Harrick has caused CBS to have second thoughts about hiring the former UCLA basketball coach as a commentator and studio analyst.

In a separate development, Pacific 10 Conference investigators are looking into what roles two of Harrick’s associates, millionaire UCLA booster Frank Pritt and local youth coach Pat Barrett, might have played in steering recruits to UCLA and possible NCAA violations. Among the questions being asked was whether Pritt flew players’ parents to road games in his private jet.

Meanwhile, according to his attorney, Robert Tanenbaum, Harrick apparently has set a timetable, this weekend, for possible legal action against the school.

The network acknowledged Tuesday that its plans to hire Harrick have been affected by recent developments.

“We’re going to wait for all the shoes to fall into place before we make a final decision,” said Rick Gentile, the head of production for CBS sports.

“It’s unfortunate. We like Jim a lot and CBS has always had a good relationship with him. We wanted to hire him, but there’s been a lot of disturbing stuff coming out. Right after we had breakfast with Harrick, it came out that he had lied eight times about his expense report, and that was very disturbing.”

Gentile, Harrick and an agent representing Harrick, Rick Bradley of the William Morris Agency, met Nov. 14 to discuss possible employment. That day, newspaper stories reported that an internal UCLA investigation had found Harrick lied eight times about who was present at a $1,085 recruiting dinner that he put on an expense report.

Then, stories ran in The Times detailing another Pacific 10 Conference investigation, prompting CBS to delay a decision about Harrick. Gentile said another factor is that “people within the college community” questioned CBS’ interest in hiring Harrick.

“I don’t want to say who those people are, but there have been people who have raised concerns and questioned our interest in hiring Jim,” Gentile said. “My main concern at this time is to not get CBS caught in the middle of any cross-fire.”

Bruin Athletic Director Peter T. Dalis said UCLA has not been contacted by the NCAA during the Pac-10’s latest investigation and said he or the school have not pressured CBS about hiring Harrick.

“I would never do that,” Dalis said. “And it’s none of my business to do that. Some of us in the Pac-10 don’t like Dick Vitale doing games, and that hasn’t stopped him at all.”

Harrick’s lawyer, Tanenbaum, was asked whether he thought the NCAA or UCLA had influenced the network.

“Well, I’d be very disturbed if that happened,” he said. “It goes to damages. Where does anybody come off telling somebody not to hire someone?”

Harrick is considering a lawsuit against UCLA in an attempt to collect on the final four years remaining on his contract, which would be $1.8 million. Although Tanenbaum contends that Harrick has a strong case against the school, he wants Harrick--who has made no secret of his desire to return to college coaching--to realize the consequences of such a serious action.

Tanenbaum said UCLA has not approached him about a settlement but another source has suggested that Harrick might be willing to accept a number far lower than seven figures. Dalis would not rule out a settlement.

David Price, the Pac-10’s associate commissioner, left Southern California on Monday after conducting interviews late last week but the investigation is believed to be continuing.

Price interviewed Pritt’s accountant, Robert Shaw, for two hours on Friday in Orange County, according to Shaw.

“We’ve been completely honest from the beginning,” Shaw said. “To the best of my knowledge, no parents or players have ever been on [Pritt’s] plane.”

Shaw was also questioned about Pritt’s business relationship with Orange County Hoops, a nonprofit organization begun by Barrett and heavily funded by Pritt, who changed the name of the organization to Values For a Better America. Shaw was asked how much of the organization’s money Barrett had access to and what the funds were used for. An issue in the probe is the sale or gift of a used car by Barrett to UCLA recruit Olujumi Mann in 1994. Also, Shaw said he was asked about Barrett’s documentation for expenditures in 1993 and 1994.

Pritt has been out of the country but has spoken with Price on the phone, Shaw said, and will probably be interviewed when he returns.

Price also spoke to the parents of UCLA basketball players, among them Ed O’Bannon Sr. and Madeline O’Bannon. The O’Bannons have attended nearly all of UCLA’s basketball games on the road.

“They asked me if I knew [Pritt] or if I have ever been on his plane,” Ed O’Bannon Sr. said. “I said, ‘No, not at all.’ I’ve spent an unbelievable amount of money on flights.”

Previously, Price had called the parents of Brandon Loyd but that was in mid-November, shortly after Harrick was fired. He did not ask about Pritt, according to Loyd’s father, Bill Frampton.

“They were just trying to find out of there were any improprieties,” said Frampton, who tries to attend about one road game a month. “My wife talked to him and she said they were mainly asking about the road trips we took. We paid for every meal and every trip. I’ve never seen [Pritt] and never heard of him.”

Dalis said he did not think that the recent reports and investigations show a lack of institutional control over the sports programs.

“Would we like a germ-free environment, where nothing is ever wrong?” Dalis asked. “Yes, of course, I would love that. But that can’t happen in America. You just try to foster trust and integrity among everybody in the organization, that’s the best you can do.”

Times staff writers Lisa Dillman and Jason Reid contributed to this story.