2 articles on Miami, OH coaches

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Miami coach arrested after shoving fan

 

November 13, 2002

 

 

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Miami of Ohio defensive coordinator Jon Wauford was arrested Tuesday night after allegedly shoving a Marshall fan following the RedHawks' late 36-34 loss.

 

The fan, Robert A. Flaugher of Pickerington, Ohio, hit his head on the artificial turf and was taken on a stretcher to a hospital with a concussion, according to a report filed by State Police in Huntington.

 

Flaugher, 36, was in stable condition at St. Mary's Medical Center, said a nursing supervisor who did not want her name released.

 

``It was a sucker punch, basically,'' Flaugher's brother, Todd, said from the hospital. ``We were on our way to the exit. I saw the follow-through. Two State Police officers were standing about 10 feet away and saw it all.''

 

Wauford, 32 and a former Canadian Football League defensive end, was charged with battery, a misdemeanor. He was transported to Cabell County Magistrate Court and posted bail. The amount wasn't immediately released.

 

``My brother was jumping up and down, celebrating with the Marshall players. He said he was waving goodbye to the Miami players and that one of them threw their mouthpieces at him. He said the next thing he knew, he was in an ambulance,'' Todd Flaugher said.

 

Flaugher underwent a CAT scan and had a ``pounding headache,'' his brother said. ``I'm not sure if he's going home tonight.''

 

Todd Flaugher, 33, said neither he nor his brother used foul or abusive language toward any Miami players or coaches.

 

On Sept. 19, Kansas City Royals first-base coach Tom Gamboa was attacked by a 35-year-old man and his 15-year-old son during a game against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park.

 

The boy was released to his family after pleading guilty Oct. 21 to one count of aggravated battery and two counts of mob action. His father, William Ligue Jr., pleaded innocent to three felony counts of aggravated battery and one felony count of mob action.

 

``This was nothing like that,'' Todd Flaugher said. ``No one touched him.''

 

Last Sunday, a football fan ran onto the field near the end of a CFL playoff game in Winnipeg and jumped on a player. The fan was thrown off, punched and kicked by several players and charged with disorderly conduct.

 

Marshall fans stormed the field after the game, won when Herd quarterback Stan Hill scored on a 1-yard run with 5 seconds left. Wauford allegedly shoved the man and was then handcuffed by State Police.

 

Wauford was a three-time all-Mid-American Conference defensive end at Miami of Ohio from 1989-91. He later played for Ottawa and Las Vegas in the CFL.

 

Mid-American Conference commissioner Rick Chryst was standing near Wauford as he was led away. Todd Flaugher said police led Miami head coach Terry Hoeppner over to see Rob Flaugher down on the ground.

 

``I saw a Marshall fan jumping up and down and he was close to the coach,'' witness Matt Riley said. ``I'm not sure if he said something, but I saw the coach just take his forearm and give him a quick shove. His head looked like it snapped back and hit the turf hard.''

 

Miami officials refused to comment on the incident, and did not make players or coaches available to media.

 

A message left by The Associated Press early Wednesday at Chryst's hotel room in Huntington was not immediately returned.

 

 

Miami suspends two football assistants following game at Marshall

 

November 13, 2002

 

OXFORD, Ohio (AP) -- Miami of Ohio suspended two assistant football coaches Wednesday after one was charged with assaulting a fan and the other damaged a coaches' box following a last-second loss at Marshall.

 

Defensive coordinator Jon Wauford and assistant coach Taver Johnson have been suspended with pay while school officials investigate, the university said.

 

Wauford was led off the field in handcuffs and charged with battery, a misdemeanor, for allegedly shoving a fan who was celebrating Marshall's 36-34 win Tuesday night.

 

Miami officials said Johnson was suspended after taking full responsibility for damaging a Marshall Stadium coaches' box, where a desk was destroyed and chairs were thrown through walls.

 

Miami president James Garland said he was distressed by what occurred after the game.

 

``I don't want to prejudge our investigation of the facts. But I have to tell you, as president, to see one of my coaches led away in handcuffs was one of the most difficult things I've seen since I've been here,'' Garland said. ``We justify our support of athletics because of the message that it sends about character. These events of yesterday suggest that we've fallen short of our goal.''

 

Miami said it will reimburse Marshall for the damage to the coaches' box.

 

``Both of these incidents were highly regrettable,'' said Steven Snyder, Miami's interim athletic director. ``These are leadership positions, and the individuals holding them are held to the highest standards.''

 

Rick Chryst, commissioner of the Mid-American Conference, issued a statement expressing regret.

 

``We are grateful that the injured spectator has been successfully treated and released from the hospital,'' Chryst said. ``The foremost and overriding concern of our member institutions will continue to be the safety of all those involved with our athletics contests, players, coaches, officials and spectators.

 

``I have been in communication with both Miami University and Marshall University and am confident and fully supportive of the actions that each institution is taking in response to the events of last night. Unfortunately, the great competitive and sportsmanlike efforts from both the Miami and Marshall student-athletes have been overshadowed by this incident and we must collectively commit ourselves that this never happen again in the Mid-American Conference.''

 

Wauford was released on $5,000 bond Wednesday and has a court hearing Dec. 13. The fan, Robert Flaugher, 36, was treated at a hospital and released.

 

Flaugher was among thousands of fans who stormed the field moments after Marshall scored the winning touchdown in the closing seconds.

 

West Virginia State Police said Wauford shoved Flaugher, who fell and struck his head on the artificial turf. He was taken away on a stretcher with what was diagnosed as a concussion.

 

Flaugher's brother, Todd, said that neither he nor his brother used foul or abusive language toward Miami players or coaches.

 

``He was waving goodbye to Miami's players ... the coach basically hit him with a forearm. That knocked him flat. His head definitely hit first on the turf. It was basically a sucker punch,'' Todd Flaugher said.

 

Marshall coach Bob Pruett said he didn't see the confrontation and declined to comment on it.

 

Asked about the damage in the Miami coaches' box, Pruett said: ``People get excited after games. It's a very emotional game. You put your life and soul into a ballgame, and sometimes you react in ways that would be distressful.''