LSU Probe Reveals No Wrong-Doing

LSU's chancellor, athletic director and football coach said Tuesday they investigated rumors that football players had gambled on games and had found nothing to them.

"It's time to put this to bed. It's time to put this rumor behind us and move on. We have a lot at stake now. Recruiting is going on," athletic director Joe Dean said at a news conference Tuesday morning.

He refused to say which players were interviewed, or even to say how many players they talked with or whether they would continue the interviews.

"We're easing away from it," he said.

Chancellor William Jenkins said the university has talked with local, state and federal law enforcement, including the FBI, district attorney and attorney general. None was investigating the rumors, he said.

Dean said he began hearing rumors five or six weeks ago but waited until last week to discuss the matter with coach Gerry DiNardo. Following school protocol, Dean said, DiNardo did not talk to any players about the matter.

"Any time we have anything that's in any way controversial, no matter what it would be, he puts that on me," Dean said. "He removes himself from that type of thing completely."

Dean also said he has informed Southeastern Conference commissioner Ray Kramer and Baton Rouge district attorney Doug Moreau of the situation.

"There may be something that I don't know," Dean said Monday. "But it's just a rumor as far as I'm concerned. ... A vicious rumor."

Dean suggested LSU's season might have contributed to the gambling rumors. Expected to contend for the SEC championship, the Tigers finished 4-7 -- the first losing record during DiNardo's four years as head coach.

LSU addresses gambling issues during freshman orientation with its athletes, Dean said. The school's football and basketball coaches usually address issues related to gambling and sports agents, Dean said, "trying to make these kids aware that anything they say could be twisted."

The recent indictment of athletes at Northwestern on gambing-related charges raises awareness of the issue. But Dean said he was surprised to hear NCAA executive director Cedric Dempsey recently assert that illegal gambling was a bigger problem than alcohol abuse on college campuses.

"It set me back a bit, because I'm not up on that," Dean said. "But I guess there is (gambling) activity."

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