Booster offered $200,000 in scholarships if Washington fired football coach, athletic director

1/10/2008 3:47 PM

SEATTLE (AP) -A University of Washington booster offered $200,000 for law school scholarships if coach Ty Willingham and athletic director Todd Turner were fired, The Seattle Times reported Thursday.

The offer made by Ed Hansen, a multimillionaire lawyer and former three-term mayor of Everett, to university president Mark A. Emmert was included in approximately 1,000 e-mails obtained by The Times in a public records request. The e-mails were written to Emmert, Willingham and Turner over the past four months.

Turner was credited with restoring integrity to the Huskies' athletic programs before he resigned Dec. 11, six days after Emmert retained Willingham, who has an 11-25 record in three seasons with Washington. Turner, whose resignation takes effect Jan. 31, was an ardent backer of Willingham.

When Emmert was hired in 2004, the athletic department was reeling from the firing of football coach Rick Neuheisel for lying and participating in college basketball betting pools, his lawsuit against the school, a scandal in which the softball team's doctor pleaded guilty to improperly giving prescription narcotics to players and other problems.

Emmert hired Turner to replace Barbara Hedges after she resigned as AD, and Turner hired Willingham after the coach had been dropped by Notre Dame.

Nearly three-quarters of the e-mails were critical of Willingham, and at least 100 included threats to withdraw or withhold support ranging from season ticket purchases to donations unless the coach, Turner or both were fired.

The 68-year-old Hansen, a Frontier Bank founder whose stock in the bank is worth nearly $7 million, wrote Emmert and, according to The Times, the e-mail read: ``By this letter I hereby pledge to contribute a minimum of $100,000 towards a law school scholarship within 90 days, conditioned upon the termination of Ty Willingham as football coach.

``In addition, I hereby pledge a second $100,000 towards a law school scholarship within 90 days, conditioned upon the termination of Todd Turner as athletic director.

``Also, I do not intend to contribute any further funds to the athletic department as long as these two gentlemen are employed by the university.''

By contrast, Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander praised Willingham for ``holding character above other things,'' according to an e-mail quoted by The Times. ``Let him finish what he started and you'll be pleased with all your decisions.''

Former Seahawks quarterback Jeff Kemp praised Willingham's ``commitment to excellence'' and dedication to ideals, The Times reported.

Emmert told The Times he didn't recall Hansen's e-mail and routinely disregards financial threats or offers based on personnel decisions as ``grossly inappropriate'' and ``the kind of commentary I don't take seriously at all.''

Hansen said he never thought Willingham would stay and Turner would leave.

When asked whether he would make the donation he offered for Turner's ouster, he told The Times, ``Your call is making me evaluate that,'' then added later, ``I think, as you and I are talking, I will go ahead with the $100,000 I mentioned.''