Attorney: Pollock denies wrongdoing
CLEMSON — An attorney representing Clemson's head track coach said his client denies "any and all accusations of wrongdoing" in the wake of an investigation by the State Law Enforcement Division.
A SLED report released last week said Bob Pollock, longtime men's track coach for the Tigers, deposited more than $27,000 worth of university funds into a personal bank account.
The 13th Circuit solicitor did not pursue criminal charges against Pollock and assistant coach Charles Foster because both have already paid restitution to Clemson in the form of salary cuts.
Pollock's attorney, Beattie Ashmore, said Tuesday that Pollock did nothing illegal or improper by taking money from athletes at track events and placing the funds into a separate account. Ashmore said former associate athletic director Linda White, who oversaw Pollock's sport until 2005, orally approved the arrangement for Pollock and his staff to use the funds as compensation for extra work.
White denied that account in SLED's report, submitting a written statement in May of 2007.
"Coach Pollock didn't do anything wrong," Ashmore said. "Everything he did was with the knowledge of Clemson University. That's how they had been running their summer camps for years, and I suspect that many other coaches at many other colleges run their summer programs the same way."
In February of 2007, assistant women's track coach Glenn McAtee informed Clemson's internal auditing department that he had observed Pollock initiate "a pattern of systemic fraud and embezzlement" of athletic department funds, according to SLED's report.
An audit by Clemson found that, from January 2004 to December 2006, a total of $27,397 worth of fees went unaccounted for — $24,872 from high school events, and $2,525 from college functions.
Ashmore said Pollock, Foster and now-deceased coach Jarrett Foster submitted records and receipts of their transactions to a certified public accountant, who in turn provided Clemson with an annual report.
"It's not like we had a track meet in secret, and it's not like we didn't report annually to Clemson on our track meets," Ashmore said. "He had authorization and approval to do this from his superiors at Clemson University."
Pollock is in his 20th season with the Tigers, who placed second at last weekend's ACC outdoor championships. Foster is in his ninth year at Clemson.
Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips has said he'll evaluate the status of both coaches after the season.
Reach Larry Williams at >lwilliams@postandcourier.com and check out the new Clemson blog at www.charleston.net/blogs/tiger_tracks/>
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Comments
This article has 4 comment(s)
Posted by theronce on April 23, 2008 at 7:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Typical for SC.
Posted by rebel1 on April 23, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
so I guess if you rob a bank, get caught but pay the money back, its ok at clemson.BTW if they had the money and didn't spend it on themselves, why are they having there wages garneshed. Just got to the bank and pay it back.NO, the taxpayers of SC are getting stuck. They need to also pay back interest and go to jail. where's all the outrage by puttykat fans.Hypocrites.I guess yall need to clean up your own back yard.
Posted by rebel1 on April 23, 2008 at 1:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips has said he'll evaluate the status of both coaches after the season. Does this sound like a certain coach tammie about a dui case? You got to love it.
Posted by Rggr on April 23, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Rebel1,I'm a Clemson fan and spoke out against the coaches yesterday along with several others. I think the coach's story is BS. If they did it with the knowledge of the school, then why is the school making them pay the money? This makes no sense.
The story about the dui case is different and has been discussed already, so I'll skip it.