He's on tape ... and I would say he's ****ed ... way to go, Dave, you lying asshole
WACO, Texas — Dave Bliss (search), the former Baylor basketball coach forced out last week amid the growing scandal surrounding the death of star player Patrick Dennehy (search), not only ordered players to lie to investigators probing the case, but went as far as to write scripts for them, detailing exactly what they should say.
The new revelations, supported by hand-written notes allegedly written by Bliss, were made public on Saturday by Bill Underwood (search), chairman of a university-sanctioned committee conducting its own investigation.
In an audio taped conversation, Bliss is heard encouraging a player to leave investigators with the impression that Dennehy may have supported himself, including paying more than $7,000 in tuition, by dealing drugs.
"I think the thing we want to do — and you think about this — if there's a way we can create the perception that Pat may have been a dealer," the coach told the player in a conversation secretly taped by assistant coach Abar Rouse and obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (search). "Even if we had to kind of make some things look a little better than they are, that can save us."
None of any of the subsequent investigations has turned up any evidence that Dennehy was involved in drug dealing or had any access to drug money, school officials said.
Rouse, who only joined the Baylor staff on June 1, told investigators he recorded the tapes around a month later, after Bliss threatened to fire him if he did not go along with the plan to incriminate Dennehy.
The tapes also show Bliss knew some players smoked marijuana and that Baylor coaches lied when they denied knowledge another player, Harvey Thomas (search), had threatened Dennehy.
In another conversation, Bliss indicated Thomas would be willing to lie about Dennehy's activities because Baylor coaches publicly said they knew nothing about Thomas' threats.
"Harvey will do anything," Bliss told Rouse. "And the reason is because we did it for Harvey."
Thomas has denied the threats or involvement in Dennehy's death.
Bliss later told the newspaper he has been trying to "share some of the stories that I had heard, and I was completely wrong in what I did."
"But the bizarre circumstances painted me into a corner and I chose the wrong way to react. As of last Friday (Aug. 8), however, those days are over and I have cooperated completely and will continue to do so because I know I have disappointed a lot of people," Bliss said.
When Bliss resigned on that day, Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. said an internal review committee found two players had received improper tuition payments and that Bliss admitted involvement. Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Bliss by telephone were unsuccessful Friday night.
Dennehy, who disappeared in mid-June, died from two gunshot wounds to the head. His body was found July 25 a few miles from Baylor. Carlton Dotson (search), who played basketball at Baylor last year, has been charged with the slaying.
In a statement Friday night, Sloan said he felt betrayed by Bliss' attempt "to suppress and conceal the truth."
Kirk Watson, counsel for the review committee, said members were stunned.
"These tapes are evidence of a desperate person trying to cover up his activities. It is shocking. But the good news is it failed," Watson said.
Dennehy's stepfather, Brian Brabazon, was outraged by the new information, particularly the drug allegations.
"You know what? Somebody is going down, because that is bull talking like that, especially trying to besmirch my son's name when he is dead," Brabazon said
WACO, Texas — Dave Bliss (search), the former Baylor basketball coach forced out last week amid the growing scandal surrounding the death of star player Patrick Dennehy (search), not only ordered players to lie to investigators probing the case, but went as far as to write scripts for them, detailing exactly what they should say.
The new revelations, supported by hand-written notes allegedly written by Bliss, were made public on Saturday by Bill Underwood (search), chairman of a university-sanctioned committee conducting its own investigation.
In an audio taped conversation, Bliss is heard encouraging a player to leave investigators with the impression that Dennehy may have supported himself, including paying more than $7,000 in tuition, by dealing drugs.
"I think the thing we want to do — and you think about this — if there's a way we can create the perception that Pat may have been a dealer," the coach told the player in a conversation secretly taped by assistant coach Abar Rouse and obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (search). "Even if we had to kind of make some things look a little better than they are, that can save us."
None of any of the subsequent investigations has turned up any evidence that Dennehy was involved in drug dealing or had any access to drug money, school officials said.
Rouse, who only joined the Baylor staff on June 1, told investigators he recorded the tapes around a month later, after Bliss threatened to fire him if he did not go along with the plan to incriminate Dennehy.
The tapes also show Bliss knew some players smoked marijuana and that Baylor coaches lied when they denied knowledge another player, Harvey Thomas (search), had threatened Dennehy.
In another conversation, Bliss indicated Thomas would be willing to lie about Dennehy's activities because Baylor coaches publicly said they knew nothing about Thomas' threats.
"Harvey will do anything," Bliss told Rouse. "And the reason is because we did it for Harvey."
Thomas has denied the threats or involvement in Dennehy's death.
Bliss later told the newspaper he has been trying to "share some of the stories that I had heard, and I was completely wrong in what I did."
"But the bizarre circumstances painted me into a corner and I chose the wrong way to react. As of last Friday (Aug. 8), however, those days are over and I have cooperated completely and will continue to do so because I know I have disappointed a lot of people," Bliss said.
When Bliss resigned on that day, Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. said an internal review committee found two players had received improper tuition payments and that Bliss admitted involvement. Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Bliss by telephone were unsuccessful Friday night.
Dennehy, who disappeared in mid-June, died from two gunshot wounds to the head. His body was found July 25 a few miles from Baylor. Carlton Dotson (search), who played basketball at Baylor last year, has been charged with the slaying.
In a statement Friday night, Sloan said he felt betrayed by Bliss' attempt "to suppress and conceal the truth."
Kirk Watson, counsel for the review committee, said members were stunned.
"These tapes are evidence of a desperate person trying to cover up his activities. It is shocking. But the good news is it failed," Watson said.
Dennehy's stepfather, Brian Brabazon, was outraged by the new information, particularly the drug allegations.
"You know what? Somebody is going down, because that is bull talking like that, especially trying to besmirch my son's name when he is dead," Brabazon said
