RICK NEUHEISEL UW coach fired for betting and lying

Athletic director Barbara Hedges said she had few options.
SEATTLE (AP) -- Rick Neuheisel might have a difficult time persuading another college athletic director to hire him.
Washington athletic director Barbara Hedges announced Thursday that she's firing the football coach for betting on the past two NCAA basketball tournaments and then lying about it.
"Rick's actions have left me little choice and seriously undermined his ability to continue as the head football coach," Hedges said.
Neuheisel was suspended with pay and given until June 26 to respond to his notice of termination.
"I am not the guy they're portraying me to be," he told KING-TV late Wednesday. "I'll find new challenges. I will hopefully scale new ladders."
Neuheisel initially denied the gambling accusation in a meeting last week with NCAA investigators. He later acknowledged that he bet on the tournaments in 2002 and 2003.
The NCAA prohibits gambling on college sports by athletes or athletic department staff.
Has support
The 42-year-old Neuheisel, 33-16 in four seasons at Washington, insisted he didn't believe he had broken NCAA rules because it was an informal off-campus pool. He also said a memo from the athletic department's compliance director cleared him to participate.
Neuheisel has plenty of supporters.
"He admitted he messed up," said Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Larry Tripplett, a Husky from 1997-2001. "I think he's a great guy. He's a great coach. He took me to the Rose Bowl. It's just such an unfortunate situation."
Hedges, however, couldn't tolerate the gambling issue. The university will conduct an internal investigation, then pass the findings to the Pac-10 and NCAA offices.
"The NCAA has taken a position that such gambling is categorically prohibited by its rules, and that he as coach is responsible for knowing and abiding by those rules," Hedges said.
Opener at Ohio State
The move left Washington without a coach six weeks before the beginning of workouts for this season. The Huskies face a season-opening trip Aug. 30 to defending national champion Ohio State.
Hedges said all the assistant coaches will be retained, and she plans to meet with them to discuss where the program stands.
"A very quick decision will need to be made," she said.
She wouldn't confirm reports that offensive coordinator Keith Gilbertson, a former head coach at California and Idaho, will become interim coach.
"I have no official comment, except that I don't have a boss," Gilbertson said Thursday. "I feel terrible about him."