Assistant coach: Locksley hit me
Mike Locksley has jokingly likened himself to former Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight, and they’re starting to mirror each other in reputation as well as appearance.
To date, Locksley has more legal troubles than wins. The list includes a pending sexual harassment lawsuit and, now, allegations of battery.
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According to an Albuquerque Police Department report he filed Sept. 20, wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Jonathan “J.B.” Gerald said Locksley approached him in an “aggressive manner” after the two exchanged words in a “heated” conversation during a coaches’ meeting that day.
“Locksley grabbed him by the collar, and as other coaches were attempting to intervene coach Locksley punched him in the mouth, causing a small cut on the inside of his upper lip,” according to the report.
Gerald, who’s been on staff since late January, was not available for comment on Monday.
In a news conference Monday, Vice President for Athletics Paul Krebs said Gerald won’t file charges.
Gerald has been on paid administrative leave since last week.
Krebs said he hopes everything gets smoothed over and Gerald opts for a return to the Lobos’ sidelines.
“We would welcome J.B. back to the program,” he said. “That issue rests with him right now.”
In a written statement, Locksley didn’t dispute some of the facts outlined in the police report.
“I acknowledge that an altercation took place last Sunday between myself and assistant coach J.B. Gerald during a meeting with the offensive coaching staff,” Locksley said. “I apologized to coach Gerald, the coaching staff and our team for my poor judgment. I would also like to apologize to Lobo fans. Like I remind our players, when mistakes are made, you acknowledge them and deal with the consequences. Our focus is now preparing to play a very good Texas Tech team Saturday in Lubbock.”
However, in a news conference at 7 p.m. Monday on the Lobos’ practice field, Locksley said the confrontation was no worse than getting in a fight with one of his brothers.
“I’m not going to get into specifics. In the coaching offices, we have disagreements. We can agree to disagree. It should never get to the point that it got to,” he said. “I’d venture to say it wasn’t necessarily a punch.”
Krebs said that the University won’t tolerate this type of behavior and that he verbally reprimanded Locksley and will follow up with a written letter.
“It’s a mistake that can’t be repeated again,” he said. “We cannot condone coach Locksley’s actions. You simply cannot put your hands on another coach. That is simply not acceptable under any circumstance.”
Krebs said he found out about the police report last Tuesday, but the Athletics Department waited until Monday’s announcement to formally address the issue.
Defending his hire, Krebs said he doesn’t believe this incident is indicative of Locksley’s character.
“I think there’s been a tremendous amount of leadership exerted,” Krebs said. “People are being held accountable for their behavior, and this is a lesson for all of us.”
This isn’t the first time Locksley and Gerald have locked horns. Earlier in the year, The Daily Lobo reported that the two had a verbal exchange after practice on Aug. 13.
During that altercation Locksley pestered Gerald, continually advancing toward him as the wide receivers coach attempted to distance himself from Locksley. Eventually, Gerald walked off in the opposite direction.
The next day, Gerald downplayed the exchange: He said it was simply a disagreement among coaches.
“He’s the head coach, and I have to get my guys playing,” Gerald said. “That’s the extent of it. It’s not a big deal at all. I love the guy. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve been around.”
Intense media scrutiny and a winless start allegedly contributed to the incident on Sept. 20, Krebs said.
“Coaching is a high-stress business — an incredible amount of hours, time, commitment,” he said. “You’re in a very closed environment with your staff members. I have no doubt that the frustration over losing adds to that. In this business it is not uncommon for coaches to have heated discussions.”
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by lazo
Disgusting. Anyone, student or staff member at UNM should be disappointed at this kind of behavior.
by somebodysaysomething!
Big Red policy #3215: “… Some violations (listed in Section 5.) could be of such a serious nature that disciplinary action could lead directly to suspension or discharge with the approval of the Vice President for Human Resources.
Proper cause is any behavior significant or substantial in nature relating to the employee’s work that is inconsistent with the employee’s obligation to the University. A list of examples of behavior … is shown below for guidance only, and is not considered as an all inclusive list.
[Section 5 – partial listing (sic)] * Assault or battery on another person. * Creating a hostile working environment. * Incompetence. * Insubordination. * Performance which continues to be inadequate after reasonable time has been allowed to correct it. * Sexual harassment. * Uncooperative behavior. * Violation of University policies.
which to choose, which to choose?
by somebodysaysomething!
Big Red policy #3215: “… Some violations (listed in Section 5.) could be of such a serious nature that disciplinary action could lead directly to suspension or discharge with the approval of the Vice President for Human Resources.
Proper cause is any behavior significant or substantial in nature relating to the employee’s work that is inconsistent with the employee’s obligation to the University. A list of examples of behavior … is shown below for guidance only, and is not considered as an all inclusive list.
[Section 5 – partial listing (sic)] * Assault or battery on another person. * Creating a hostile working environment. * Incompetence. * Insubordination. * Performance which continues to be inadequate after reasonable time has been allowed to correct it. * Sexual harassment. * Uncooperative behavior. * Violation of University policies.
by abqwoman
somebodysaysomething, you didn’t include the items “misconduct” and “inefficiency.”
A charge of misconduct seems more and more believable as does the case asserting sexual harassment, discrimination.
As for “inefficiency,” even for a first year coach who is rebuilding both the offense and defense, performance that puts his team in the bottom 10 in Division I is inefficient use of his resources. The bottom third of division I belongs to perenniel losers. All employees on 6-month probation are expected to demonstrate ability to do acceptable work very quickly. Give him one full season to get his act together, but not two. In an academic department, that would be throwing good money after bad. And the non-academic Coach Locksley is getting a lot of the state’s good money.
The man seems to be going for a perfect score in the section 5 list of offenses. He’s brought scathing media attention for transgressions and even a lawsuit on himself. He’s an immature adult who is getting more and more out of control. I’d like to slap this big guy myself for his arrogance, but I’d not get the extra chances to stay employed that he is receiving. Consider yourself slapped, Coach!
by abqwoman
Retaliation, like sexual harassment and discrimination, is a subset of misconduct.
by abqwoman
Final comments on this staff member’s fitness to be a UNM employee:
Two minimum requirements of a head coach are
1) Ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments.
and
2) Ability to foster a cooperative work environment.
Interesting to note that UNM’s head football coach has only the minimum education of a bachelor’s degree. The assistant he struck in the face is a dissertation away from a Penn State PhD. Coach Locksley must have problems fostering a cooperative work environment with assistants whose graduate work is from a big 10 school while he stopped with a Bachelors from Towson University. Which man is more likely to encourage academic work beyond a bachelors for his student athletes? Which man has demonstrated more mental self-discipline? But which man got sent home after the so-called “altercation?”
by slowhike
Looks like Lockley was a bad pick or “bad hire”. This is what we call “a teachable moment” for UNM administration. Let him off, and you teach the following:
1. Football coaches are not held accountable as are the faculty
2. Assault is not a bad a role model for sports enthusiasts
3. We as a NM State University administration are unable to set good examples, we will use incident to demonstrate our impotence.
4. Well for African Americans we provide more leniency than we would for a Hispanic or Caucasian employee.
by slowhike
Maybe the coach knows Obama; and the UNM administration doesn’t want this to turn into a Gates thing.
by JubJub
Why is it that the victim (Assistant Coach) sent home on administrative leave when the perpetrator has a talk with the Athletics Director (who is also a Vice President)? And the words that come out of their mouths about the assistant coach, “we would welcome him back” makes it seem like the assistant coach was the wrong doer. Shame on UNM Athletics. You are defending an accused sexual harasser, guilty by mouth assualter, and a losing program. If any student athlete, were to have these credits to his or her name, they would not have been recruited or would have been suspended from their ability to participate at the university level of athletics. Oh yeah, by the way, coach Locksley makes $750,000 a year plus bonus’. I wonder if he gets a performance bonus this year, when the rest of the university staff get nothing, not even a state wage increase.
by staff
That Locksley is getting away with this is ridiculous! ANY other staff member (not in Athletics or the President’s Office) would have been fired for hitting another person or any of the other numerous infractions committed by Locksley.
Well, as a staff member at least I now know I am allowed one good sucker punch to a coworker who pisses me off and the worst that can happen is a verbal reprimand and note in my file.
Thanks UNM administration!
by Tyler
JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!
by Mark
Ridiculous! Until now I was all in favor of giving coach Locksley some time to re-build the program even though things haven’t looked very good so far. I really don’t think coach Locksley is capable of leading the Lobo Football program. As a leader you resolve disputes and differences not create them. Like many others have commented, if that kind of incident had taken place outside the athletic department somebody is going to get fired.
by Debbie
Embarrassing!!! Not only are we ranked the seventh worst in the nation, now we receive national press that the head coach punched the the assistant coach. This news comes when we are having a losing season where we couldn’t manage to beat the Aggies. A team we haven’t lost to since 2002. When will this nightmare end?!! I dare say he would not have received even a written reprimand if this wouldn’t have been reported to the media. What is wrong with UNM administration?
by slowhike
It’s time for President Schmidley to admit this was a bad hire, perhaps Locksley’s Employment references were not verified. The candidate was not thoroughly “vetted” as the media often describes, for bad temper, lack of professionalism, common sense, etc.
by Buck
In the real world if a employee strikes another employee he is fired on the spot. In the real world that company could not afford the repercussion such as law suit or poor press. Krebs should fire Locksley or step down regardless if the Lobo’s record is 0-4 or not. Do you think if Locksley punched Krebs, would Krebs fire him? Simple cut and dry, fire him or step down!
by Buck
Krebs fire Locksley or resign!
by AA
Further proof of the corruption and fetishising of the consistently over-the-decades, weak-ass football program here. The same old crap times ten. A thugish, poorly educated “coach” and his pack of “recruits” (hired, uneducated thugs themselves for the most part) and a corrupt, failed Administration rife with wanna-be jocks/football players who once again try their damnedest to downplay this incident. This season has also seen ineligible players due to falsified transcripts, violent public behavior from past and present players as well as what has already been documented.
Meanwhile sports that produce wins and academic achievement get their budgets slashed and no real recognition. Don’t even get me started on who low actual academics rank in this administrations set of priorities. A crumbling infrastructure who’s guardians are told to cut their budgets and freeze hiring, a lack of support to the libraries and the mentality of turning researchers into money gathering drones so that the mission of UNM Incorporated can be realized. Plenty of cash to bust out for salaries of useless coaches and upper level fat cats. Plenty of money for more buildings that can’t afford maintenance, custodial services or even completion of entire floors of these monuments to upper administrations ego. And as long as the faculty, students and staff just sit and gnash their collective teeth and refrain from any direct action, this sort of double standard, corrupt bullshit will continue.
Good For yoUNM!
by Doris V
Sound to me that all of these people need to grow up (coaching staff, Krebs and the whole bunch). Sure in the real world Locksley would be out of a job. The assistant coach would either work or be off without pay. Something really stinks in this university!!
by not penn st
Towson University is a fine institution.
He received his BA in business administration and marketing.
His coaching record speaks for itself as far as being an integral part of WINNING programs.
As for the WinLESS start of the lobos, you have to look at the 11 guys wearing UNM jerseys on the field of play.
There were opportunites that the players have not takin advantage of…
Missed TD catch (WIDE OPEN) in the 4th quarter, Missed catch for 1st down yardage on a critical drive, 2 missed field goals, poor punting…
It’s not just the head coach in all of this.
And it always takes two to tango.
The fight occurred one day after Air Force beat the Lobos.
If the team showed this much fire on game day we wouldnt be talking about anyone’s job stability.
by AJ
This assault is inexcusable. Coach Gerald is a very smart, very hard working coach who followed Locksley from Illinois. There is no way he deserved this. The AD said the issue rests with Coach Gerald and that is dead wrong! Coach Locksley was way out of line and he needs to fix this. He needs to reach out to JB and make this right. Otherwise, UNM will lose a good young coach.
by Employee of another NM Higher Ed Institution
The toleration of this behavior, the placing of blame on the employee on the receiving end of the assault, and placing said employee on administrative leave by UNM administration is absolutely disgusting. Why we, as a society and as state institutions, coddle athletic employees and accept unacceptable behavior (for anyone else) from athletic employees, especially head coaches like Locksley, is beyond me. President Smidley needs to do the right thing—tell Krebs to immediately fire Locksley and reinstate Gerald and then he must offer Krebs the option of being fired or stepping down. Neither Krebs or Locksley should be “welcomed back” to UNM.
I must note that last night’s quote by Locksley on KOB 10pm news shocked me, “…this is not the type of leadership…” Locksley—assault upon another, and especially a subordinate as in this case, is the antithesis of leadership.
by Disgusted
Any one shocked by personal violence in the UNM Athletic Program forgets that David Schmidly avidly recruited Bobby Knight to coach at Texas Tech (after Knight was fired for personal violence, etc). Locksley does not recognize that Schmidly will negotiate with terrorists only if they are WINNING coaches or the vice president for enrollment management.
by Disgusted
Coach Gerald, expect an offer of a cash settlement with the usual confidentiality, non-disclosure and non-disparagement clause. That’s how Schmidly sweeps “troublemakers” and institutional problems under the UNM carpet, so you might as well pay off all your student loans at one time. Be ready to reject the first $ offer. Don’t even try to get a local attorney to represent you. UNM has all the best attornies on retainer. They can’t represent you because of a “conflict of interest”!
by What?
What if Locksley had smacked President Schmidly or Kreb in the mouth? Would we be talking about understanding and looking into it? I doubt that, so what is the difference? No teacher, ever, should use any kind of violence against anyone. It is not different because he is a coach. What he taught us all is that if mad, it is alright to punch, hit or smack someone and just get a reprimand. What? And this guy gets $750,000 a year. Unbelivable. The other Coach should sue UNM and Locksley for harassment and pain and suffering.
by Brandon Curtis
This incident, while the facts are still being gathered, shows
two things:
1: Once again, the city and state live up to their rep as
a corrupt banana republic. Let’s compare: APD cops and
UNM coaches can commit assault, cause the loss of money and
resources and no consequences are forthcoming. If an
employee in a private organization not named the Oakland
Raiders committed such an act, someone would be getting
fired.
2: The larger question is, why is there such a thing as
college athletics at the public university level? It simply
is little more than public subsidy of private profit, as
the main beneficiaries are the NFL and NBA. They have no
investment into a system that they benefit from.
Why not just sell off the athletic departments and see
how Lobo, Longhorn or Wolverine football or Tar Heel
basketball does in the marketplace? It would save money
that could actually be invested in education and it would
allow athletes to earn money as they move up towards the
NFL or NBA, similar to minor league baseball. Issues of
grades and academic eligbility, transcript forging, etc,
would not be an issue.
As for situation with Locksley, if facts bear out (and they
seem to, as he has admitted such), he should be fired
for cause, which would usually negate any contract issues
that may be of concern for violation of school/company
policy; paid only a pro-rated amount for time worked.
by Bret Green
Unbelievable, Mr. Krebs the AD should be fired for the way in which he handled this; if Mr. Krebs was unaware of how to handle it; he should have asked someone in the university’s personnel office. If you hit someone, they should only investigate long enough to determine it happened. Once that’s verified, he should be terminated immediately. There should not be a job in the world that allows an employee to strike another employee and still keep their job. The message that it sends is that it’s okay to assault someone if you are stressed,tired or angry, UNM is a university where people are expected to behave like civilized human beings. We all should be setting good examples and instill morality in our children. Shame on you Mr. Krebs and the UNM President; do your JOB! Locksley should have been F-I-R-E-D!
by Jake
This is bad for everyone, but it begs the question of “Can this society forgive?” Can people get a second chance?
If ex President Bush hit someone should he be fired?
If president Obama hit someone should he be impeached and fired?
Obviously there is a double standard.
A just way to go about this, imo, is, after hearing both sides and all witnesses, if Coach L is contrite and there is makeup between the two men I dont see why they cant stay and coach. Similarly if a professor hit another faculty member same thing. The key is mutual make up and a form of compensation from the offender. If this is agreed upon by both adults, let it go. If it happens again then let the person go. If makeup can not happen then I do think there may need to be a changing of the guards.
I think our society has become a bit too unforgiving, and excessive in lawsuits. Lets see if adults of the same profession can make peace with each other. Who is without sin, or without mistakes?
by Josh
Forgiveness is something that we all need at some point in our lives however, along with forgiveness comes taking responsibility for our actions. For a head coach or ANYONE to display physical violence to a member of his staff is simply unacceptable. Using the excuse of “feeling the pressure” as a “justification” for his actions are the words of a man with no character or integrity.
The issue is Assault in the workplace; campus policies on acts of violence which is 0 tolerance and assault or battery on another person is grounds for suspension and even termination. The assistant coach could have pressed charges because he was assaulted; Locksley could have been arrested. The only double standard here is if it were anyone besides the head coach, that commited this violation – once it was verified, they would have been terminated immediately.
FYI: Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, but acquitted by the Senate. Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached.
Too Unforgiving? Maybe. People need to behave or there will be a price to pay!
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MIKE LOCKSLEY IS IN OVER HIS HEAD
• New Mexico finished the season 1-11, its worst record since the 1980’s. Many of those losses were blowouts.
• Coach Locksley admitted striking an assistant coach during a “physical altercation”.
• As of 10-10-09, Locksley had been blown out in 5 out of 6 games.
• Loss at home to undermanned and less talented NMSU squad.
• Poor leadership and example for student athletes — physical violence in the workplace.
• Talented recruiting class not yet in the works, despite Locksley’s supposed expertise as recruiter.
• Rapid decline in football game attendance, and general apathy toward program under Locksley.
• Segment by ESPN Outside the Lines alleges cover up and previous anger management issues.
________________________________________
Despite big promises and big words, University of New Mexico Lobo head football coach Mike Locksley delivered only a single victory in 2009, at a cost of $750,000 to the taxpayers of New Mexico. That’s right, $750,000 per victory — what a bargain. The Lobos finished near the bottom of the NCAA in most important offensive and defensive statistical categories — so much for Locksley’s bragging assertion that another number would need to be added to the scoreboard — if it was needed, it was needed on the opposing team’s side this year. Coach Locksley was hit with an EEOC complaint earlier in 2009 that has now been settled, with his former employee being given a newly created, higher-paying position, back pay, lifetime season tickets to UNM sporting events, and an undisclosed, behind the scenes settlement. Coach Mike Locksley has admitted to striking assistant coach J.B. Gerald in a “physical altercation”, and it appears possible that this incident may result in a lawsuit against UNM, as Coach Gerald has opted to leave the team, and retain an attorney. Locksley has also failed to land the recruits he could supposedly deliver, losing two of his top three recruits in 2009 to their failure to qualify. Another one of Locksley’s highly touted recruits briefly left the program and returned because of the controversy surrounding the gerald situation.
The University of New Mexico pays Coach Mike Locksley $750,000 annually, or approximately $14,423.08 per week. Has Coach Mike Locksley done anything to demonstrate that he is qualified to be a head football coach at this level? Is Mike Locksley representative of the values of the University of New Mexico Lobos, or the state of New Mexico? Does he really deserve this kind of money, based on performance, or should the University of New Mexico have terminated him for cause when they had the opportunity to do so? We feel the answer is a resounding “yes”, based on his record, performance, and behavior. Mike Locksley was a very bad hire.
The taxpayers of New Mexico and fans of University of New Mexico Lobo football deserve more coaching and more integrity for their money. It is time to recognize the mistake made by Paul Krebs in hiring Coach Locksley, and sever ties with Coach Locksley, before the program suffers irreparable damage. New Mexico Lobo football cannot survive 5 more years of Mike Locksley, and this style of management, or lack of coaching ability. Our student athletes deserve better leadership.