CBS: George Washington coach Mike Lonergan fired after claims of player abuse

[BleedGopher]

per CBS:

George Washington has fired its men's basketball coach, Mike Lonergan, according to USA Today's Dan Wolken on Friday.

Lonergan, 50, took over the Colonials program in 2011. Previously, he was the coach at the University of Vermont. Under Lonergan, George Washington won the NIT championship in March and he took the Colonials to the NCAA Tournament in 2014 and Vermont in 2010.
His dismissal comes after a revealing report by The Washington Post earlier this summer that detailed multiple allegations of "verbal and emotional abuse" by Lonergan to his former and current players. Allegedly, Lonergan also repeatedly made unseemly remarks about his own athletic director, an allegation at least five players reportedly corroborated.

Lonergan was previously addressed by powers-that-be at the university, per the Washington Post, but the university never made any public statements or acknowledgement regarding concerns about Lonergan's alleged conduct and demeanor -- not until the Post's story prompted an independent investigation that began in late July. Multiple players and all of Lonergan's staff were interviewed on multiple occasions by an outside law firm (Saul Ewing), according to a source. In those interviews, some players confirmed disparaging comments Lonergan made about other players on the team, in addition to comments made about at least one opposing player.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...-lonergan-fired-after-claims-of-player-abuse/

Go Gophers!!

 

[GophersInIowa]

I don't know why some coaches continue to use this type of coaching. It just doesn't fly anymore.

 

[GopherJack]

per CBS:

George Washington has fired its men's basketball coach, Mike Lonergan, according to USA Today's Dan Wolken on Friday.

Lonergan, 50, took over the Colonials program in 2011. Previously, he was the coach at the University of Vermont. Under Lonergan, George Washington won the NIT championship in March and he took the Colonials to the NCAA Tournament in 2014 and Vermont in 2010.
His dismissal comes after a revealing report by The Washington Post earlier this summer that detailed multiple allegations of "verbal and emotional abuse" by Lonergan to his former and current players. Allegedly, Lonergan also repeatedly made unseemly remarks about his own athletic director, an allegation at least five players reportedly corroborated.

Lonergan was previously addressed by powers-that-be at the university, per the Washington Post, but the university never made any public statements or acknowledgement regarding concerns about Lonergan's alleged conduct and demeanor -- not until the Post's story prompted an independent investigation that began in late July. Multiple players and all of Lonergan's staff were interviewed on multiple occasions by an outside law firm (Saul Ewing), according to a source. In those interviews, some players confirmed disparaging comments Lonergan made about other players on the team, in addition to comments made about at least one opposing player.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...-lonergan-fired-after-claims-of-player-abuse/

Go Gophers!!

Better call Saul!

 

[Holy Man]

I don't know why some coaches continue to use this type of coaching. It just doesn't fly anymore.

Not sure it's really "coaching." It's a power thing that they guy would likely have used in any profession he was in. Sports provide a greater width of potentially unacceptable behavior because of the culture of intensity and discipline. It is possible to be intense and enforce discipline without insulting and verbally abusing people, though. Sounds like a long pattern of behavior in this guy.