((HT: Mason City Globe Gazette/KIMT-TV))
First off, Northern Iowa Community College was set to wipe out its football program because of budget shortfalls...about $172K short...
That, we understand...
Here's an interview from the Globe Gazette with NIACC folks about the dissolving and the deception...
Next... someone who ID'd themselves as an assistant coach said Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was going to help out... only Peterson wasn't even contacted about the idea...
Kevin Griffin, who initially was identified as a NIACC assistant coach, told head coach Steve LaLonde on Thursday that Peterson and three other NFL players were willing to give the school up to $150,000.
It turns out that wasn’t the case as Griffin said in a phone interview with the Globe Gazette Friday evening that he never spoke directly to Peterson.
“I made a mistake and anything that comes out of this falls on me,” said Griffin, who started coaching duties at NIACC on Monday. “Nothing ever came out of Adrian’s mouth. I should have said I’ll try to get the money from him and other people. I should have given coach LaLonde more info on that. I’m at fault. I want to apologize to him and the school, to Adrian and the Vikings.”
NIACC’s Sethanne DeGabriele, director of marketing and community relations, issued a statement Friday evening:
“NIACC is extremely saddened to learn that the much-publicized potential donations to save the football team that was presented to the administration earlier this week was not able to be substantiated,” the statement read.
DeGabriele also said that the school continues to try to help players transfer to another school with a football program.
“If a student decides to stay at NIACC to pursue his education, his scholarship will be honored,” DeGabriele said.
LaLonde, who was contacted Friday night, declined comment.
College officials told coaches and players Tuesday that the program was being terminated. NIACC President Deb Derr said donations of $171,996 would be needed to fund the program for the 2009 season.
Griffin, 32, said he has tried to contact Peterson.
“He’s not taking any phone calls right now,” Griffin said. “It’s a bad situation right now. All the blame goes to me.”
Griffin said he talked to “one of his friends” about possibly having Peterson and other NFL players give money to the program.
“It was a close confidant in his inner circle,” Griffin said. “I haven’t spoken to him (Peterson) and don’t know if I ever will. It’s real bad right now.”
Griffin, who has ties to Peterson dating back to his high school playing days in Palestine, Texas, said the last time he saw Peterson was at an Oklahoma Sooner game last fall.
“We talked for about a minute,” Griffin said.
Griffin said Friday that he doesn’t want to hurt Peterson’s reputation.
“Adrian Peterson is a great guy,” he said. “It was my fault for not having all my facts together.”
Griffin was an assistant coach at Jenks High School in Oklahoma and left the position to be an assistant for the Trojans.
“I got here on Monday and got fired on Tuesday,” he said. “I left my fiancee and two children and a great job in Oklahoma.
“Now, I’m scrambling to find a job and obviously this bad press is not helping right now.”
Here's KIMT-TV's report on the deal...AJ Ellingson has the story...
The rest of KIMT-TV's coverage is in black...
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