Richardson, school leaders find no resolution to turmoil

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- The drama surrounding Nolan Richardson deepened Thursday when he met with Arkansas' chancellor and athletic director, canceled a news conference and skipped practice.

The basketball coach had a 90-minute meeting with chancellor John White and athletic director Frank Broyles that ended without resolution of Richardson's status.

Television station KATV in Little Rock reported that Richardson rejected an offer to buy out the remaining six years of his $1.03 million-a-year contract. The university wouldn't say whether an offer was made.

"The discussions from this morning are continuing," White's office said. "The university expects to resolve the situation soon and we'll have no further statements until that time."

Sports information director Kevin Trainor said he expected the discussion to resume Friday.

Richardson, who led the Razorbacks to the 1994 national title, canceled his regular news conference Thursday, with assistant coach Mike Anderson meeting with reporters instead.

Apology was planned

Richardson's agent, Kevin Scanlon, had said Richardson would apologize at a news conference Thursday for an outburst against reporters and hard-to-please fans. At mid-afternoon, the school said Anderson would meet with reporters.

"Coach Richardson was not at practice," Anderson said. "He was attending to some business of a personal nature."

After practice, junior forward Alonzo Lane said the university should keep Richardson as coach.

"It would be the right thing to do to bring him back," Lane said. "They just don't know what he means to this program. He built this place and he's been treated rough."

Athletic director Frank Broyles sought the meeting after Richardson, at a news conference Monday, denounced reporters and the Razorbacks' most critical fans. Richardson complained he was treated differently because he is black.

A magazine's Internet site reported Wednesday that Richardson would be asked Thursday to quit for $3 million. White and Scanlon disputed the report by Hawgs Illustrated, saying there was no effort being made to buy out the last six years on Richardson's contract. At the end of the day, it hadn't changed its story.

Anderson said the mood at practice Thursday "was somber at first, but once we got on the floor we visited a little bit.

"It's a very emotional time, to say the least, with everything that's going on, but this team is a big-time family," Anderson said.

The initial statements

On Monday, Richardson criticized reporters and fans, closed his practices and questioned why only white reporters were assigned to cover his team.

He said Saturday in Lexington, Ky., after discussing the pressures on him and Kentucky coach Tubby Smith, that, "If they go ahead and pay me my money, they can take the job tomorrow."

White said Sunday that Richardson was just venting and said he expected Richardson to honor the remaining years on his seven-year pact. On Wednesday, however, White said Richardson's future at Arkansas couldn't be guaranteed before he and Broyles met with the coach.