Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 4, 1990                   TAG: 9004040107
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RALEIGH, N.C.                                LENGTH: Medium

VALVANO'S STATUS CLEARER

"It appears that the option of him staying on as coach is no longer available," said Woody Webb, Valvano's attorney.

Asked if Valvano had given up the fight for his job, Webb said: "I don't know that it's fair to say that we've given up. It's been made abundantly clear to us that they are not going to entertain that idea. But there are people in the Wolfpack Club and elsewhere who are continuing to work for Jim."

Webb said a court fight would be "the only way I know of" for Valvano to keep his job, but he also noted that the coach would "rather be on the basketball court than in court."

Valvano was in his office Tuesday but would not take telephone calls from reporters, said his secretary, Beverly Sparks.

Webb said his client appeared to have accepted the fact that he wouldn't be coaching the Wolfpack next season.

"He just said, `If it's impossible for me to stay on here, then I guess we'll have to focus on a financial settlement,' " Webb said. "He's talking with his financial people to come up with figures that might be agreeable."

Asked whether N.C. State had increased its offer from the $100,000 that was discussed several weeks ago, Webb said, "They have not, in essence, but they have indicated a softening of posture."

Still a concern for N.C. State officials is a clause in Valvano's contract that says the school must pay him $500,000 if he is fired without cause. The contract also calls for Valvano to pay the school $500,000 if he leaves to take another Division I or professional coaching job.

Valvano, who has coached the Wolfpack the last 10 years, guided N.C. State to a stunning victory over heavily favored Houston in the 1983 NCAA Tournament final.

Since January, however, he and the basketball program have been the subjects of controversy. The program was placed on two years NCAA probation in the fall for violations involving the sale of complimentary sneakers and tickets, although Valvano was never accused of any wrongdoing.

Recently, there were allegations of point shaving involving former Wolfpack players. Valvano also came under fire when former player Charles Shackleford, now with the NBA's New Jersey Nets, admitted accepting loans while playing at N.C. State - an NCAA violation that could cost the school up to $1 million in postseason revenue.

Last week, the N.C. State Board of Trustees voted 9-3 to ask its attorneys to find a way to remove Valvano. On Monday, the university was given permission by the University of North Carolina system board of governors to sue Valvano for breach of contract, if necessary.

Webb, however, said he didn't think the school would exercise that option.

"It is less likely than last night that they'll sue, at least that's the way I read it," he said.