THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 9, 1996 TAG: 9606090161
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 96 lines
East Carolina's attempts to get into Conference USA as a football-only member may be getting a chop block from Louisville.
Again.
Former Louisville football coach Howard Schnellenberger thwarted the Pirates' efforts to join Conference USA two years ago by threatening to pull the Cardinals out of the league if ECU was allowed in. Schnellenberger is gone, but apparently Louisville once again is throwing up barriers at the door of Conference USA football affiliation. The league will play its first football season this fall with six Division I-A teams.
Sources say Conference USA members voted informally 11-1 to expand in football, with Louisville casting the dissenting vote. League bylaws state that nine of 12 presidents must favor expansion for it to pass, but all six football-playing schools must approve.
``I have read and had other sources say Louisville is the sticking point - I don't know that,'' ECU athletic director Mike Hamrick said. ``For the life of me, I have no idea why anyone would want to block East Carolina from getting in a conference.''
Louisville athletic director Bill Olsen did not return phone calls.
ECU has become a top 25 program, has been to bowl games three of the past five seasons and is expanding its stadium to 49,000 seats. Most importantly, the Pirates have a five-year contract to appear on ESPN. Hamrick said they could appear twice on ESPN and twice on ESPN2 this fall.
``There are a lot of positives to our program,'' said Hamrick, who adds that ECU intends to remain in the Colonial Athletic Association for all other sports.
Conference USA presidents meet Monday in Chicago, and expansion is a key agenda item. League commissioner Mike Slive indicated last week it's unlikely an expansion decision will be made Monday.
``There are a lot of important issues to be resolved when it comes to expansion,'' Slive said.
``I personally believe football expansion is in the best interest of this league.''
MORRISON UPDATE: Judge Jackson Kiser will hear a motion to dismiss the civil suit against Virginia Tech linebacker Tony Morrison Monday in U.S. District Court in Roanoke. Christy Brzonkala contends Morrison and Hokie teammate James Crawford raped her in their dorm suite in September 1994. Morrison has said he and Brzonkala had consensual sex.
Morrison lawyer David Paxton said this week he will challenge the constitutionality of using the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, under which the suit was filed, to bring a federal claim against the players. Paxton said it's a state matter, and a grand jury decided there was insufficient evidence to indict Morrison following a two-month state police investigation.
``I think we have a very good chance of prevailing and having the whole thing thrown out,'' Paxton said.
Paxton said Kiser is unlikely to rule for a month or two. But Eileen Wagner, Brzonkala's attorney, has already told Paxton she will appeal in circuit court if Kiser throws it out.
Paxton said if the case against Morrison, a rising junior from Chesapeake, ever goes to trial, it likely will not begin until March or April.
Morrison is projected to start at linebacker for Tech this fall.
PERRY OUSTER: Last summer, Art Perry could take pride in having successfully recruited college basketball's player of the year and the top pick in the NBA draft to Maryland.
This summer, Perry is looking for work.
The assistant coach who recruited Joe Smith was told May 24 he no longer had a job at Maryland. Perry said head coach Gary Williams never specifically told him why he was being let go.
``I was shocked that it happened,'' Perry said last week. ``I still thought I could be an asset to Maryland.
``He never told me anything other than he thought it was time to make a change in the program and staff, and that was it. I thought things were going all right.''
Williams declined to elaborate on his reasons for the move in a recent Washington Post story. The Terps are coming off what was regarded as a mediocre recruiting year, and there is speculation that led to Perry's ouster.
``I've heard people say that and I'd hope that's not the case,'' said Perry, a former Old Dominion assistant under Tom Young. ``He and I've been there six years and I think I've been a part in helping rebuild that program. I've been a proven recruiter. I don't doubt my ability.''
Perry said Smith, the Norfolk native and current Golden State Warrior, was one of many people who called to offer support. Perry is hoping for a call from a head coach who needs a veteran recruiter.
PATIENCE REWARDED: Tommy Conrad spent 15 years as an assistant coach at four schools waiting for a chance to run his own program.
``You have down days when you wonder if you'll ever get the chance,'' Conrad said.
The waiting ended May 28 when Conrad was named the head coach at Charleston Southern of the Big South Conference.
Conrad, 39, was a three-year starter for Old Dominion in the late 1970s. He said ODU assistant Mark Cline has contacted him about the possibility of playing the Monarchs in Norfolk.
Conrad has worked five seasons at Charleston Southern under Gary Edwards, who took a job at Indiana- Pennsylvania. Conrad has six seniors returning from a team that was 15-13 last season. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Former Old Dominion assistant coach Art Perry, who recruited Joe
Smith, was fired last month by Maryland. by CNB