LAWRENCE, Kan. — University of Kansas officials are willing to talk with former players about allegations of abusive behavior by football coach Mark Mangino — and two former players had plenty to say yesterday.
Former Jayhawks receiver Raymond Brown recalled how in 2007, after his younger brother was wounded in a shooting near his home in St. Louis, teammates gathered around and warmly pledged their support.
A few days later, Brown said, an angry Mangino ordered him to the sideline during practice and made a shockingly insensitive comment.
"He went off on me yelling, which is fine," Brown told The Associated Press. "I kept saying, 'Yes, sir, yes, sir,' to everything he was saying. A teammate asked me what happened. Then he started on me again and I said, 'Yes, sir,' and he said, 'Don't you 'yes sir' me. I'll send you back to St. Louis where you can get shot by your homies."'
Brown and another former player also told the AP that Mangino made insensitive comments about a player's father being an alcoholic.
Mangino declined to return calls yesterday but defended himself later last night on his weekly radio program, saying there were "people who are embarrassing this program just for their 15 minutes of fame."
"More than anything some guys might be a little bitter because we have structure and discipline, because I've asked them to represent the football program and the university in a class way," he said. "Ninety-nine percent of our guys have done that. They have been great. I'll be honest with you — some of this stuff is flat-out embellished and not true. Just not true."
The university this week confirmed that it is investigating allegations of verbal and emotional abuse by Mangino, the 2007 national coach of the year.
