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News Nuggets, 03.04.04
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Former Hamrick competitor quits Montana

Montana athletic director Wayne Hogan resigned Wednesday amid reports that the school's athletic program faces a nearly $1 million deficit due to high spending and accounting errors.

Hogan, a finalist in last summer's UNLV AD search that resulting in the hiring of former East Carolina athletic director Mike Hamrick by the Rebels, took full blame for any mistakes when he announced the move in a news conference at the school.

"It makes no sense to continue to play the game of who's to blame. The buck stops here," Hogan said.

"Human error and the mistakes that were made in my department ... are inexcusable," Hogan said. "They have brought great embarrassment to the athletic department and the University of Montana, and for that I am very sorry."

Hogan's departure came as Montana university system officials disclosed plans to launch an independent investigation into the athletic program's financial problems.

A report prepared by university president George Dennison last week showed that about a third of the potential $959,000 deficit was caused by accounting mistakes.

Montana had assured education officials that the program had a $136,000 balance, and expected to end the budget year with a surplus of more than $200,000.

Hoops doubleheader on aircraft carrier in the works?

The military academies take their basketball seriously. Seriously enough, in fact, to take their teams to sea next fall — temporarily.

Air Force, Navy, Michigan State and North Carolina are in talks about playing a season-opening doubleheader Nov. 12 or Nov. 13 on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, an Air Force official said.

"There is nothing finalized in writing yet," Air Force senior associate athletic director Mike Saks said Monday. "It's a thought, a great thought obviously, if it's approved through all the channels. If all that is all taken care of and we are offered a real contract on all of this, we would sign it tomorrow."

Saks was approached about the game last month. If approved, Air Force would play North Carolina and Navy would play Michigan State. Portable grandstands would be set up to hold about 8,000 spectators.

The NCAA has given its approval and ESPN has agreed to broadcast the game, Saks said. The Defense Department must give final approval, and would determine which carrier would be used and in which port.

The novel approach to hoops competition might be particularly appealing to  the Air Force Falcons. The program is posting its first winning season since 1977-78 and clinched its first Mountain West Conference regular-season title on Monday.

Air Force already has signed contracts to play in a three-game, eight-team tournament at North Carolina State on Nov. 17-19 and at Iowa in late December.

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News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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