Neuheisel Files Lawsuit

Former Washington coach Rick Neuheisel sued the university and the NCAA on Thursday, alleging he was wrongfully fired for participating in college basketball gambling pools.

The lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, alleges the university fired Neuheisel in an effort to avoid an NCAA investigation of the program. The suit was filed even as the university released three NCAA-produced audiotapes of questioning of Neuheisel by investigators.

The tapes support the university’s position that Neuheisel initially lied about his involvement in high-stakes NCAA tournament gambling pools.

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The Columbus Dispatch reported that 10 Ohio State players who had been declared ineligible by the NCAA had been reinstated. The players were paid an hourly wage by a health-care company in May for signing autographs. Meanwhile, NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown, a friend of the Buckeyes’ Maurice Clarett, said the sophomore tailback, who is awaiting word on his eligibility, would consider challenging the NFL’s early entry rule or play professionally in Canada if he deemed any penalty as being too harsh.