Former Northwestern player offers details of more hazing
Ramon Diaz says he was just 17 years old when Northwestern University upperclassmen shaved “Cinco de Mayo” onto the back of his head as the entire football team watched.
“The holiday itself has a significant meaning to me and my family and then the Latino community at large,” Diaz told The Associated Press. “I was mocked and ridiculed.”
Diaz said he was the only Latino offensive lineman at a time when the athletic department's culture allowed racism and sexual abuse to thrive and caused psychological and emotional damage to athletes of color.
A lawsuit announced on Diaz' behalf Wednesday is the 10th against the prestigious private university since student journalists at The Daily Northwestern published an article on July 8 that suggested head coach Patrick Fitzgerald may have been aware of hazing, leading to his firing after 17 seasons.
The lawsuits allege hazing across multiple sports that included sexual abuse by teammates and racist comments by coaches. Diaz, like other former players who have come forward, also described instances of forced nudity and sexual abuse. With Diaz's allegations, the cases now span more than 15 years, from 2005 to 2022.
Fitzgerald has maintained he had no knowledge of the hazing. A statement from his lawyers called the sweeping allegations “imprecise.”
“The facts and evidence will show that Coach Fitzgerald implemented and followed numerous procedures and protocols to ensure that hazing would not occur, and he repeatedly emphasized to Northwestern's student athletes that hazing was forbidden and, if anyone was aware — or was the victim — of hazing, that they should immediately report it so that he could stop it,” the statement said.
In a new statement on Wednesday, Northwestern said it is investigating allegations lodged at Matt MacPherson, who remains listed on the roster as associate head football coach. At least four former players, including Diaz, accuse MacPherson of having witnessed players forced to perform pull-ups while naked as the team watched, as well as other hazing, and taking no action to stop it.
“There is no place for hazing at Northwestern,” the statement said.
GAMBLING CHARGES FILED >> Gambling investigations at Iowa and Iowa State have resulted in criminal charges filed against seven current or former athletes, with ex-Hawkeyes basketball player Ahron Ulis and Cyclones quarterback Hunter Dekkers the ones with the highest profiles.
Each is accused in the complaints of tampering with records related to an Iowa Criminal Division investigation into sports gambling. Current athletes also face a loss of eligibility for violating NCAA gambling rules. According to Johnson County online court records, charges have been filed against Ulis, Iowa baseball player Gehrig Christensen and Iowa kicker Aaron Blom.
Dekkers was charged in Story County, as were ISU football player Dodge Sauser, ISU wrestler Paniro Johnson and former football player Eyioma Uwazurike, who who was drafted by Denver in 2022 and suspended indefinitely by the NFL for betting on Broncos games during his rookie season.
FSU MAY CONSIDER LEAVING ACC >> Florida State President Rick McCullough believes the Seminoles will have to consider leaving the Atlantic Coast Conference unless there is a “radical change to the revenue distribution.” McCullough's remarks stoked more speculation that FSU is poised to break a grant of rights deal with the ACC and join another league.
“We are not satisfied with our current situation,” McCullough said.
The ACC distributed an average of nearly $39.5 million per school for full members for the 2021-22 season compared to $49.9 million for the Southeastern Conference and $47.9 million for the Big Ten. That gap is expected to grow to $30 million a year once the power conferences add Oklahoma and Texas (joining the SEC) and UCLA and USC (joining the Big Ten).
NFL
GAROPPOLO LEAVES EARLY >> Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo left practice early as Las Vegas coaches monitor his time on the field as he comes back from a broken left foot. Garoppolo, who injured the foot last season while with the 49ers, also did not practice Friday. Wednesday was his third consecutive day on the field, and Garoppolo was given the early time off. The team is off Thursday. KAMARA TO MEET WITH GOODELL >> New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara was excused from practice so he could meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in New York to discuss a recently settled criminal case stemming from a February 2022 fight in Las Vegas.
“It shows initiative on Alvin's part to want to get out ahead of this and get his side of the story out in terms of visiting with the commissioner,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said after practice.
Allen said the Saints have yet to receive an indication of if, or when, the NFL could decide on whether to discipline Kamara.
ARNETTE ORDERED TO APPEAR >> A Nevada judge ordered former NFL cornerback Damon Arnette to appear in person to resolve a felony gun case by pleading guilty to two misdemeanors stemming from an argument with Las Vegas Strip casino valets in January 2022.
“I'm going to need the justification for the agreement,” Clark County District Court Judge Ronald Israel told Arnette's attorney, Ross Goodman, before rescheduling a hearing for Monday to accept the plea deal.
Goodman protested that similar deals are routinely accepted by judges without the defendant appearing in court. The attorney pointed to a document that Arnette signed last week with prosecutors calling for him to perform 50 hours of community service, pay $2,000 in fines, “forfeit firearm” and “stay out of trouble for 90 days.” Arnette faces up to one year in jail if he violates the agreement.
NBA
GRAHAM SUSPENDED >> The NBA has suspended San Antonio Spurs guard Devonte' Graham for two games without pay after he pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated. His suspension will start with the next NBA regular-season game that he is eligible for and able to play.
Graham was stopped for speeding in North Carolina in July 2022. Court records show that he was driving 63 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone in Raleigh, North Carolina, and tested with a blood alcohol level of .11, above the state's legal limit of .08. He will be on 12 months unsupervised probation.
WNBA
WILLIAMS GIVEN ORDERS >> A judge restricted WNBA player Riquna Williams from leaving the Las Vegas area and told her she must adhere to personal restrictions to remain free from jail pending court action in a felony domestic violence case. Williams, 33, a member of last year's championship Las Vegas Aces team, hasn't played this season because of a back injury. Her attorney Brandon Albright, said she intends to plead not guilty. Albright also met at the bench with Justice of the Peace Amy Mitchell Williams and prosecutor John Torre.
Torre noted that Williams is under GPS monitoring and the judge told Williams she's prohibited from leaving Clark County, banned from using alcohol, must answer telephonic check-ins, and cannot contact the alleged victim by any means.