HARRICK TAKES GEORGIA OFFER.Byline: Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Jim Harrick Jim Harrick (born July 25, 1938 in Charleston, West Virginia) is a former college basketball head coach who coached at Pepperdine University, UCLA, the University of Rhode Island and the University of Georgia. restored his reputation at Rhode Island Rhode Island, island, United States Rhode Island, island, 15 mi (24 km) long and 5 mi (8 km) wide, S R.I., at the entrance to Narragansett Bay. It is the largest island in the state, with steep cliffs and excellent beaches. . Now he's back on the coaching A-list. Harrick was hired Wednesday as basketball coach at Georgia, completing his comeback from a recruiting scandal that led to his firing at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX three years ago. ``From the beginning, we said our commitment would be to hire a proven head coach,'' Georgia athletic Vince Dooley Vincent Joseph Dooley (born September 4, 1932 in Mobile, Alabama) was the head football coach (seasons 1964 through 1988) and athletic director (1979 to 2004) at the University of Georgia. During his 25 year coaching career at UGA, Dooley compiled a 201-77-10 record. said. ``Obviously, we've far surpassed that expectation.'' Dooley checked with the NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association before hiring Harrick, who guided UCLA to the 1995 national championship but was fired the following year for his involvement with an illegal recruiting dinner. Harrick paid the tab and allegedly lied to cover up that more players were at the dinner than allowed by NCAA rules. After sitting out the 1996-97 season, he spent two years at Rhode Island, leading the Rams to the NCAA Tournament NCAA Tournament can mean: Men's Sports
``There were mistakes made and I've discussed this with coach Harrick,'' Dooley said. ``We go the extra mile to operate within the rules and regulations of the NCAA.'' Harrick, who has long maintained that he didn't deserve to be fired by the Bruins, admitted Wednesday that mistakes were made and that he learned from the experience. ``That which does not destroy you only makes you stronger,'' he said. ``I've grown from that. I'm a better coach and a better human being.'' Harrick received about $350,000 a year at Rhode Island, while his four-year contract with Georgia is worth an estimated $550,000 annually in salary and benefits. The school also will set up a yearly $100,000 annuity, similar to the deal for football coach Jim Donnan Jim Donnan was a college football coach and is now an on-air television analyst for college football games. Jim Donnan was the Offensive Coordinator at the University of Oklahoma from 1985-1989. , that would be paid in full if Harrick fulfills his contract. ``We are sorry to see him leave,'' Rhode Island athletic director Athletic director (commonly, "athletics director") is a position at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic Ron Petro said. ``His expertise as a coach was appreciated by the university, our fans, supporters and players.'' Harrick, 60, has a record of 403-182 in 19 years as coach at Pepperdine, UCLA and Rhode Island. His teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament 14 times, including a current streak of 10 in a row. Georgia fired Ron Jirsa on March 11 after he failed to lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament during his two years. Harrick said it was a ``no-brainer'' to accept Georgia's offer, citing the strength of the Southeastern Conference, and came to the news conference with a stuffed dog that belted out the Georgia fight song. ``I'm glad to be in a league where you can play teams like Kentucky and Auburn night in and night out,'' he said. ``That just makes your own team better.'' Harrick was chosen over Appalachian State's Buzz Peterson, who was endorsed by Dean Smith and Michael Jordan, his former coach and teammate, respectively, at North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. . The other finalist, Delaware's Mike Brey, removed himself from consideration. Georgia president Michael Adams was vice president of development at Pepperdine when Harrick coached at the school. The two are close friends, but Adams stressed that the decision to hire Harrick was made by Dooley. Adams also warned that if Harrick made the same mistakes at Georgia as he did at UCLA, he would be fired again. ``I take compliance very seriously,'' Adams said. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) New Georgia coach Jim Harrick talks to the media. Andrew Davis Tucker/Associated Press |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion