Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 2, 1995 TAG: 9502020034
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Long
The case of Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth vs. the Metro either will be settled today before Boston-based mediator Eric Green or end up in a courtroom Friday.
``Everyone is interested in settling this without it going to court,'' said Richard Sander, VCU's athletic director.
The mediation meeting will be non-binding. If either side is dissatisfied with what is presented, each is free to walk out.
And walk into Richmond Circuit Court on Friday. A preliminary hearing, during which Tech and VCU will seek a temporary injunction to stop five Metro members from carrying out their plan to expel the two schools and add seven new members, is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Friday
Tech and VCU believe they are entitled to some financial compensation, because the Metro's bylaws say schools leaving the conference must pay a $500,000 departure fee and forfeit their shares of other league revenues.
A VCU source said the Richmond school figures it and Tech are owed $4.2 million - $2.5 million in departure fees from the other five schools, $1.2 million in NCAA Tournament money and $500,000 in other revenue, including television money.
Sander told the Richmond Times-Dispatch he thinks the other schools ``will agree to some fairly substantial settlement ... if they're committed to a fair settlement, this won't go to court. If they're paying lip service to that idea, it will.''
Sander said a settlement of ``about $1.5 million to $2 million is about right.''
Dave Braine, Tech's athletic director, has been directed by school officials to withhold comment on the settlement and pending lawsuit. A high-ranking Tech source who declined to be identified did say the school ``is not after the kind of money VCU is.''
A settlement in the neighborhood of $1.5 million would satisfy Tech, the source said.
Green arrived in Richmond at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and introduced himself to both parties in a short meeting. A law professor at Boston University, Green is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of mediation and arbitration.
SETTLE SOMETHING: Perhaps no one will be happier to see the Metro mess cleaned up than Bill Foster, the Tech men's basketball coach.
Foster, whose Hokies (14-5 overall, 2-3 Metro) entertain Southern Mississippi (11-5, 2-2) at 7:30 p.m. today at Cassell Coliseum, said Wednesday the conference tangle has made recruiting and scheduling ultra-difficult.
``In recruiting, it hurts because you can't tell any kids anything definite,'' said Foster, whose program likely will land in either the Atlantic 10 Conference or Colonial Athletic Association next season.
``Last year at this time we were telling the kids the Big East, because that's what we had been led to believe. Now, it's hard for us to say anything. You hate to tell them wrong two years in a row. All we can tell the kids is that we're going to end up in a solid situation somewhere.
``Scheduling-wise, we know we're going to get 14 or 16 conference games somewhere. For the other 10 games, you try to get some dates and then hold the teams off until you get into a conference.''
Foster said the Hokies' success this season has made finding nonconference opponents for next season very tough.
``Now we've moved up in the computer rankings [Tech was 22nd in this week's Rating Percentage Index], it's almost mission impossible,'' Foster said. ``We've had a couple schools who were interested already call and back out on next year. We can hardly get anybody to come here.''
METRO MUSINGS: The Metro ranks third among NCAA Division I conferences in the latest RPI ratings, behind only the Big Eight and the ACC. The Metro was the only league will all its teams ranked in the top 75, led by Louisville (19th), Tech (22nd) and North Carolina-Charlotte (24th). ... Of course, those numbers were computed before Louisville's startling 81-69 loss at Towson State on Monday night. Towson, which lost by 47 to Maryland and was coming off losses to Winthrop and UNC Asheville, held the Cardinals to 10 points in the final nine minutes. ``It's unbelievable,'' said Foster, whose Hokies have lost twice to Louisville. ``That will hurt us some in the computer, I'm sure.'' ... VCU has lost junior transfer John Smith for the season because of a stress fracture of his right kneecap.
TECH TIDBITS: The Hokies are hoping for a season-high crowd tonight. ``We haven't played in front of the students for 50-some days, so I look for the Cassell to be jacked,'' Foster said. ``We'll have 4,000 or 5,000 students in here. The key is getting those other 4,000 or 5,000 out.'' The Hokies are averaging 6,078 for eight home dates, with a high of 7,582 vs. Louisville on Jan.12. ... Speaking of crowds, Tech has played before 62,766 fans (15,691 per game) in its past four games - all away from Cassell. ... Foster, scheduled to be part of the program at the retirement of Larry Nance's number Monday night by the Cleveland Cavaliers, never made it toGund Arena to honor his former Clemson pupil. ``I spent six hours in the Roanoke Airport instead,'' Foster said. ``I never could get out [because of inclement weather]. They're going to send me a tape of the thing, which is nice.''
... Tech's women were swept for the fourth consecutive season on the Tulane-Southern Miss swing during the weekend, costing coach Carol Alfano's club its first Top 25 ranking in the Associated Press poll. Tech (14-6) was No. 25 last week, but dropped back into the ranks of others receiving votes.
Memo: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.