Missouri assistants received $136,000 to leave

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The University of Missouri-Columbia paid more than $136,000 to two basketball coaches who are accused of breaking NCAA rules in exchange for their resignations and pledges never to sue, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.

Missouri had no legal obligation to pay anything to associate head coach Tony Harvey or assistant coach Lane Odom. Quin Snyder, Missouri's head coach, confirmed to the AP that neither had a contract and both served at his pleasure.

The university president's office referred questions about the payments to Mike Alden, athletic director of the Columbia campus. Alden declined comment Friday through spokesman Chad Moller, who said the payments were tied to the NCAA investigation and that Alden is bound by confidentiality rules.

Missouri was told in the NCAA's formal notice of allegations that Harvey and Odom are expected to testify before its infractions committee about the alleged rulebreaking.

Stu Brown, an attorney who represents both former coaches, said Friday they are cooperating with the investigation.

Harvey was accused by the NCAA of lying on his expense account to conceal impermissible meals for high school and Amateur Athletic Union coaches, violating recruiting rules and giving former Missouri guard Ricky Clemons $250. Harvey has denied the allegations. Odom was accused of various recruiting violations.

An agreement not to sueSeparate settlements signed by Harvey and Odom said they agreed with the university "that their mutual best interests will be served" by the resignations and agreements not to sue.

In exchange, each was paid in a lump sum the equivalent of the rest of this year's salary.

Harvey, who made $140,000 annually, accepted $73,022.73 for leaving.

Odom, who was paid $108,000 a year, received $63,000 in exchange for his resignation and promise not to sue.

The amounts were disclosed by the university after requests from the AP citing Missouri's Sunshine Law.

Attorney Brown said "the payments are appropriate because it is practically impossible to find comparable coaching employment until at least May of 2005," because hiring coincides with the cycles of college basketball seasons.

"From the perspective of the coaches, the dollar amounts were very reasonable and in line with or perhaps less than what other coaches and assistant coaches have received in similar circumstances," Brown added.

Moller, the athletic department spokesman, said money for the settlements came from the department's operating budget, which was just over $30 million in the just-ended school year.

About $230,000 of the department's general budget comes from the university, and the balance is from sources including media rights, sales of tickets and merchandise, private donations and Big 12 Conference revenues.