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Petrino investigation to last through weekend
By
Matt Jones
This article was published April 7, 2012 at 2:49 p.m.
PHOTO BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino speaks during a news conference in Fayetteville on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, after being released from a hospital.
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Jeff Long - Bobby Petrino Suspension
Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long addresses Bobby Petrino's suspension as Razorbacks head footba...
Jessica Dorrell and University of Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino appear together in this Feb. 23 file photograph at Searcy High School during a meeting ...
FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas' review of Razorbacks football coach Bobby Petrino will not be completed this weekend, a spokesperson said Saturday.
Petrino was placed on paid administrative leave on Thursday when an Arkansas State Police report stated Jessica Dorrell - hired March 28 to an administrative role within the football department - was a passenger during his motorcycle accident last weekend in rural Madison County.
The report contradicted an earlier UA-issued statement in the week indicating Petrino was the only passenger. According to a 911 call released Friday, Petrino and Dorrell declined a call for an ambulance and were transported to Fayetteville by passing motorists.
In a statement, Petrino admitted to withholding details about the accident and a "previous inappropriate relationship", and expressed his desire to remain Arkansas' coach.
Petrino has a personal conduct clause in his contract for “engaging in conduct, as solely determined by the University, which is clearly contrary to the character and responsibilities of a person occupying the position of Head Football Coach or which negatively or adversely affects the reputation of the University or UAF’s Athletics Programs in any way.”
UA athletics director Jeff Long said Thursday he would conduct a "thorough and judicious" review of the matter to determine whether Petrino, who has coached four years at Arkansas, breached his contract or broke any university rules.
Comments on: Petrino investigation to last through weekend
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poppy1 says... April 7, 2012 at 5:34 p.m.
I know BP's hide is thick and he is probably tough enough to withstand the tidal wave of negative publicity, but can the Razorback nation? The vultures (with ESPN in the lead) are circling ever lower and lower. To have a football team worthy of SEC competition we have to maintain a level of recruiting at least as good as last years. It's going to be hard to recruit with a head coach unable to look those mothers in the eye. Pray for Jeff Long. He holds the future of the Razorback football team in his hands.
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GeraldWells says... April 7, 2012 at 6:59 p.m.
Wll it be the Razorback football program (money) vs. morality? My guess is that Arkansans will go for the money to hell with morality, cheating and lying.
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RadioGoGuy says... April 7, 2012 at 8:07 p.m.
It's a big mess he's gotten himself into. This being the "Bible Belt" morality AND money go hand in hand. It's a tough call at best. Personally, if he had not lied about it and been upfront, I could have overlooked his misdeeds. I certainly do not have the respect I did for him before this matter came to light. I will pray for him, his family and Mr. Long. BP and Jeff Long have a rough road ahead.
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wardmassey11012113 says... April 7, 2012 at 8:14 p.m.
What's sad is all the folks he's draggin along with him. Wouldn't surprise me if we see Capt. Kings retirement announced soon. Good job coach......
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haircutter says... April 7, 2012 at 9:31 p.m.
I don't condone anything the coach has done, but face it, we all make mistakes.
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jgamm02031134 says... April 7, 2012 at 10:14 p.m.
While I am deeply sad for how coach Petrino's actions have hurt his family, our team, himself, the U of A and others involved-- yet I do believe in forgiveness, as I believe do most fans...
It would be a nice first step in restoring trust if we we could both observe and feel there is true contrition and remorse for both what he did and those he has hurt... more than just sorry that he got caught and for what he could lose ...
We would like to see evidence of a deep inner commitment that these things, or even the appearance of wrong doing will never happen again on his watch. Give us all a reason to believe that professional and personal integrity will be a cornerstone going forward.
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Stopdaviolence says... April 7, 2012 at 10:20 p.m.
Dear Jeff Long
I personally could give a rats a$$ who Bobby is sleeping with. That needs to remain between him, his wife, and let God judge him. You hired him to do a job which was to coach the Razorbacks. I think last time I checked, he's doing a pretty darn good job. If you fire him and the new coach SUCKS!! I can guarantee you, all these people that's screaming fire BP will turn on you in a split second. I guarantee you they will start screaming fire Jeff Long. Just remember that winning will put all this to rest. Now do I have a problem with BP committing adultry? Yes I do but it's not for me to judge him on that. I judge him on wins and loses! Isn't that why you hired him?
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bfineprint says... April 8, 2012 at 3:52 a.m.
This is a matter of trust. Pinochiotrino back-stabbed his AD at Louisville, going behind his back to talk to Auburn and lying about it to the AD, then later asking the AD to get him a new 10-year contract bec. he wanted to stay at Louisville a few months before he left. Pinochiotrino's actions also cost the AD and president of Auburn their jobs bec they didn't go through proper channels to talk to Pinochiotrino. You know what happened at Atlanta, and now he can't be honest with the Arkansas AD (who wants to do his best to protect the coach), who is not only responsible for the football coach, but a 25-year-old former Arkansas volleyball player who was hired by Pinochiotrino to basically be his mistress. What if the woman had been killed? Long would be gone. But as I wrote previously, basketball coach Pitino survived a worse scandal in many ways, but it was his first misstep and he leveled with the AD. Long will be putting his career at stake, knowing that Pinochitrino can't be trusted and has left a number of bodies in his wake. Pinochiotrino -- a great football mind, but a horrible human being.
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bigkno1 says... April 8, 2012 at 8:04 a.m.
Character is tested rarely, and only revealed with action, not words. Now is the time for the University. Do you really think Petrino is the only guy on God's Green Earth who can successfully coach the Razorbacks? Well, if you do, then brace yourselves. He has bailed on a team before with not one word of warning, and he'll do it again. What will you do then? Cry? He has no character, and if the University retains him, the stink will spread to the School. You can and will find a better coach to take over. Don't be afraid. Character is not something that is spoken..that's reserved for politicians. Live It!
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Drumroll says... April 8, 2012 at 8:57 a.m.
Everybody deserves a second chance, Coach Petrino included. Screw up again however and he has to go.
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jjordan says... April 8, 2012 at 9:33 a.m.
Nobody cares about Louisville and we certainly don't care about the Falcons. Petrino's poor handling of his departure in Atlanta was the best thing to happen to those fans of Michael Vick who loved to torture dogs in his spare time. It diverted the bitterness to Petrino. Those are the same fans that would probably love to see Vick back in Atlanta. We aren't the ones conducting the investigation so leave the judgment to them. Those calling for his head will be the first ones bitching as we struggle for the next five years rebuilding. Let Long do his job because no matter the decision, people will not be happy. If he lets him go, then so be it, but enough of the berating. It's not your call. See you in church....hypocrites.
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Stopdaviolence says... April 8, 2012 at 9:47 a.m.
James Jordan I totally agree with you. All you fake fans make me want to puke. Here you are celebrating Easter and you people want to crucify a man for making a mistake! How dare you? Didn't we know about all these skeletons before we hired him? Yes we did and you fans were happy because we were winning games! No I don't agree with what he did but as a man we sin everyday. If you look me in the face and tell mr you never sinned one day in your life, then I will look you back in the face and call you a damn liar! Get a life and go check on your own pathetic household before you try to judge someone else business. As they say, get your household in order!! WPS
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LR1955 says... April 8, 2012 at 9:53 a.m.
John 8:7
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
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fly0429 says... April 8, 2012 at 10:07 a.m.
Wow! All of us have made mistakes. It seems reasonable to me that BP would want to inform his family before the entire country. If any of you say you wouldn't, I would question your integrity. At the end of the day, the man made a huge mistake that has consequences. It is unfortunate for all involved. However, I don't think this warrants his job being taken from him. Make no mistake, our sins will be brought to light. Pray for all involved....healed hearts and minds.
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Dogham says... April 8, 2012 at 11:08 a.m.
All of those who do not believe Coach Petrino should be fired are either blind to reality or in denial and only want to win football games. This man has shown many times before his character is questionable. If you don't think the reason Ms Dorrell got the job with the University wasn't because of her relationship, then you are naive. This is not PERSONAL as he lied to the adminstrators, the athletic director, the emergency personnel, his family and many others. Wake up Arkansas while the wins have been nice the whole country is looking to see your next move. Win with integrity or win with dishonesty.
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RC says... April 8, 2012 at 12:44 p.m.
Why all of a sudden are we looking fro integrity? He had none when you hired him and we knew that. Let the man coach football, his wife will take care of the rest.
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razorrod says... April 8, 2012 at 2:11 p.m.
Character is more important than his coaching at Arkansas. There are plenty of top coaches that would love to come to Arkansas . GET RID OF THE LIAR AND THE CHEAT . THE UNIVERSITY IS WORTH MORE THAN HIM!!
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razorrod says... April 8, 2012 at 2:20 p.m.
Back when those quotes for the Bible were made it was also normal to banish a liar and a cheat from the village sometimes even remove a tongue depending on which clan he was a member of .
Arkansas does need BP anymore . Thanks for the ride but you blew it , now bring in Malzahn and let him pick up and set a new standard for the character that we expect here . Just because he was good enough then doesn't mean we have to let him crap all over the University . There was another razorback who is a good man that was hurt by all this too in case you greedy people forgot . They should fire him for hurting another razorback. Some of you people would let him bed your own wife or daughter as long as he wins games and that is very very sad!
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Dellmann says... April 8, 2012 at 4:42 p.m.
I care less whether or not Petrino remains or is fired as head coach. Doubt he gets fired over this because he wins games. Otherwise, he probably would already be gone. The issue is beyond "personal life" issues though because of lying to superiors and possibly giving this young woman a job based on a personal relationship. Donna Bragg wasn't employed by the U of A, and Nutt didn't make that happen for her. I didn't think anybody could make H.D.N. look smart but Petrino's appalling lack of judgement is certainly just about to do so!
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idealisticRZRBKfan says... April 8, 2012 at 4:56 p.m.
I agree with inquire. Why are we surprised by this? We knew what he did at Louisville and at Atlanta when he was hired to come here. How many other previous inappropriate relationships have their been? Still, the issue goes beyond having an affair with a subordinate or throwing suspicion toward the actions of a state trooper - this is just symptomatic of a long history of abuse of power and the selfish disregard for others.
In a NY Times article over the weekend, "Scandal Involving Petrino goes beyond X's and O's," Petrino allegedly told a player who asked to miss practice to be a pallbearer at a friend's funeral, "I guess you don't want to play football here." This is manipulation, and in my opinion, cruelty. It's one thing to be mountain man tough; it's quite another to be abusive. What has he been saying to our players? How is this man a role model for them or anyone else?
The University of Arkansas is a place of higher learning. If BP stays, what is this teaching our kids? Abuse of power is fine, as long as you're a winning coach.
Also, to those who believe first stones should not be thrown: this has nothing to do with anyone judging BP, or as the student worn t-shirt called him after the LSU game, B"MF"P, nor does this have to do with forgiveness. It's about accountability for ones' actions. In my opinion, the university will lose all credibility as a learning institution if it keeps him.
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Oldearkie says... April 8, 2012 at 6:50 p.m.
If he just hadn't lied to start with. By not holding himself to a higher standard, i don't see how he is going to be able to maintain control of his/our football team. He has maintained zero tolerance with the players doing drugs, drinking and sloughing off on practice and that is good. Now what?
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BarichMilhusseinObamaNixonPOTUS says... April 8, 2012 at 7:34 p.m.
OldArkie=dead wrong. First offenses under BP have gotten them suspensions and hard work running bleachers and other things. It's the second offense that gets them kicked off the team. I bet that is what happens to him; he gets one more chance and that is it. I trust Jeff Long to make the right decision. As far as what anyone else thinks who cares.
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T6 says... April 8, 2012 at 7:50 p.m.
I'm all for giving second chances to people who deserve them. Some people learn from their mistakes and change their behavior. But BP continues his destructive behavior. He has not learned nor is he likely to change. It's a character flaw. Respect, integrity, someone's word DOES matter for some, winning at all cost for others.
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bigkno1 says... April 9, 2012 at 6:55 a.m.
I love this tune, "He who is without sin...". First, I'm not perfect, so I think I know Petrino really well. Second, we're not judging him at the Pearly Gates. Third, how often does one get to "...step into it?" There is only one question that counts, and this is it! "Is Bobby Petrino the only person in the world who can win games as the University's Head Football coach?" If the answer is "Yes", let the man do whatever he wants, heck, be a child molester, but don't fire him! But, if the answer is "No!", it's Adios Amigo. The University of Arkansas IS Arkansas. Does all our Pride come from Football? I hope not!
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ArkAlum says... April 9, 2012 at 2:25 p.m.
There is a strong argument that Coach Petrino's alleged affair is between him, his wife, and Ms Dorrell. However, Petrino himself destroyed that argument when he misled the public through both what he said and what he did not say following the accident. Further, his involvement with his employee, an employee presumably paid with public funds, makes the situation very much the public's business. For me, this is not about his having an affair, although it would seem his contract could make it about that; it is about his misleading the public, and more importantly, his employer. Those who wail that Petrino's dismissal would result in Arkansas' not being able to win a national championship place no value on truth and appropriate conduct. I would remind those who place winning above truth that the first two lines of Alma Mater itself talk about purity and the fate of one's soul.
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