Alford Issues Apology Regarding Pierce

I understand you're being professional here Jon, but come on. The guy issues an apology 2 weeks after being introduced as the head coach at perhaps THE most prestigious basketball school in the country. Do you really think he did it because he felt bad or did he do it because he's under some intense scrutiny at a major college basketball school and it just won't go away until he says his piece?

I think anyone with half a brain knows the answer. The guy is a freakin weasel. Like another poster above said... if he was truly sorry he would be calling the victims and apologizing. He would be calling Harty to ask him for his niece's number so he can reach out to her. Most importantly, he wouldn't make it a point to let the press know that he apologized. What I see here is nothing more than a PR move to try to get people to lay off.

Might as well say "I'm not going to accuse Pierre Pierce of trying to do anything shady with Harty's niece because no sexual assault actually occurred. Maybe he came into her dorm room to ask her if he could borrow some peanut butter". Sometimes ya just need to call a spade a spade. However, I do understand in your line of work you need to be a little more cautious.
 
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hawkmatt said:
Does he apologize if he's still with New Mexico??

So it takes him being scrutinized by the media to apologize? Did he just realize he was wrong??
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The New Mexico media wouldn't have pressed him on it. They were just glad to have what looked like a winner leading their blasketball program.

Media in Southern California is a whole 'nother matter...
 
So, if Bruin fans are already upset with the AD for "Sucking the life out of the program", you have to wonder how much of a safety net Alford has with an AD who may very well be on a hot seat. Maybe Alford should have checked out Dan Guerrero to see if he is going to be around to protect him the way Bowlsby did.

If Guerrero gets fired for not properly vetting Alford and embarrassing UCLA, I can't see a new AD keeping Alford around. Especially if he is pulling the NCAA early exit stunt as he is known to do.
 
That apology does nothing for me and he is directing his apology to the wrong people. That apology should go to the victim and her family, the apology he owes the University is how he tossed them under the bus after he was questioned about it.

He even goes into detail on why he is making the statement:

"It's important for me personally and professionally to make sure Chancellor Block, Athletic Director Dan Guerrero, all of my student-athletes and the entire UCLA community, including our fans, understand that today I would handle the situation much differently, with the appropriate regard and respect for the investigative process and those impacted by it."
 
JonDMiller said:
I understand the skepticism and not saying I am buying it either. That said, I know there have been times in my life where I have had to apologize for something, and really, really was repentant, and if the other person to whom I needed forgiveness from hadn't taken me at my word, life would have been tough. They had every reason to believe I was just apologizing to make a situation much better, or take away the stress, etc. But they chose to forgive me and move on....at that point, it was up to me to prove how earnest I was.

You can always know sincerity by the fruit a person bears after they ask for forgiveness.
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Jon, my guess is your apology was heartfelt and authentic. I have a strong feeling Alford's apology was the product of a lawyer or press agent and came with billable hours.
 
Tvismylif said:
So, if Bruin fans are already upset with the AD for "Sucking the life out of the program", you have to wonder how much of a safety net Alford has with an AD who may very well be on a hot seat. Maybe Alford should have checked out Dan Guerrero to see if he is going to be around to protect him the way Bowlsby did.

If Guerrero gets fired for not properly vetting Alford and embarrassing UCLA, I can't see a new AD keeping Alford around. Especially if he is pulling the NCAA early exit stunt as he is known to do.
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guerrero got an extension after alfred was hired. this was after all the 'outrage' pointed towards him because of the hiring.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
It sure isn't worded like something he would write himself either. Where was that statement 14 some odd yrs ago. If that isn't UcLa trying to just put a glass of water on a forest fire I dunno what is. He's so disingenuous it's not even funny. It'll pacify the Bruin faithful I suppose but will it pacify their beat writers?
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If Alford would have worded it would have read like this:
"I did all I could...I apologize for saying the Pierce was innocent it's not like I can make the guilty plea for the player."
 
Hawkfnntn said:
It sure isn't worded like something he would write himself either. Where was that statement 14 some odd yrs ago. If that isn't UcLa trying to just put a glass of water on a forest fire I dunno what is. He's so disingenuous it's not even funny. It'll pacify the Bruin faithful I suppose but will it pacify their beat writers?
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He does sound a little bit too humble and that is not his forte....

John Wooden is squirming in the resting place.....
 
I still think he is a scumbag...but I am glad an apology and admission of fault/mistake has been made...albeit late it was still done. And yes I know he didn't write it but maybe having to say he wrote this will at least make him contemplate what happened.
 
Anyone who even remotely buys this lawyered up, supposed apology should look up "gullible" in the dictionary and find their picture. The timing and motive behind an apology usually defines ones intent. Just last week Alfraud was claiming he did nothing wrong, and placed ALL the blame on the university. Did he not say he did what he was told by the University...and offered no remorse or apology at that time? He was "just following orders" -- as if that is a valid excuse for his behavior. Now, under immense media pressure, he issues this ridiculous statement.

Also, where is the apology for Athletes in Action and his role in trying to hush up the victim? This statement only addresses one of his MANY sins while in Iowa City. This guy is a putrid human being, and putrid human beings only "apologize" when forced to, and when it is in THEIR best interests. It is like the convict who apologizes because they got caught. We all know who this guy is so when Jon tried to sell that there may be some merit to this statement, I threw up a little in my mouth...and lost a little respect for him in the process.
 
JonnyGuido said:
Anyone who even remotely buys this lawyered up, supposed apology should look up "gullible" in the dictionary and find their picture. The timing and motive behind an apology usually defines ones intent. Just last week Alfraud was claiming he did nothing wrong, and placed ALL the blame on the university. Did he not say he did what he was told by the University...and offered no remorse or apology at that time? He was "just following orders" -- as if that is a valid excuse for his behavior. Now, under immense media pressure, he issues this ridiculous statement.

Also, where is the apology for Athletes in Action and his role in trying to hush up the victim? This statement only addresses one of his MANY sins while in Iowa City. This guy is a putrid human being, and putrid human beings only "apologize" when forced to, and when it is in THEIR best interests. It is like the convict who apologizes because they got caught. We all know who this guy is so when Jon tried to sell that there may be some merit to this statement, I threw up a little in my mouth...and lost a little respect for him in the process.
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I really thought Jon was trolling is own site, but I think he actually means what he said.
 
JonDMiller said:
It's never too late to apologize for something we have done or said. However, it is the motive behind the repentance that matters most. If Alford came to his AD and felt like he needed to do this because it has been weighing on his conscience and he needed to do it, then its never too late. If he did it because he felt like it was good PR and he was taking heat for it and this is an attempt to get the heat off his back? He'll have to deal with that.

Being that I don't know what it is, I sure as heck am not in a position to judge it, as I've apologized for things I've done and said years later after being convicted of the need to do so.
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I think you miss the boat on this one, Jon. The biggest flaw in Alford's apology is that he STILL doesn't take ownership of his actions. He tries to portray his role as the one-time, immediate reaction of sticking up for his player. In actuality, he went out of his way over a number of months to proclaim Pierce's innocence, including at the Big Ten media day at which point he had already been looped into the plea bargain dealings. Worst of all, in my mind, is the prayer meeting he orchestrated in order to - and this is putting it nicely - influence the victim.

Forget about forgiveness for a minute, it's obvious that this is about crisis/reputation management. The first step in improving one's reputation is to fully acknowledge and take ownership of the mistakes that have been made. Alford fell well short of this goal, either because his handlers still don't fully understand his role in the Pierce case or they hope that the fans and media don't.

I think it's possible Alford and UCLA will face even more of a backlash with this failed attempt to come to Jesus. You only get one chance, and they may have blown it.
 
SwirlinLingerie said:
I think it's possible Alford and UCLA will face even more of a backlash with this failed attempt to come to Jesus. You only get one chance, and they may have blown it.
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i don't know how harsh the LA media in general will take it, but i know folks like TJ Simers will just pile it on more now.

and yes, this apology comes off as a one-time mistake where he misspoke, when in actuality this was drawn out over a considerable time. and a time when he had many chances to change his story with new evidence coming out.
 
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