TV Program Airs Tape of Auburn Allegations : College football: “60 Minutes†broadcast connects Coach Dye to accusing player Ramsey. Dye’s attorney answers.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Auburn Coach Pat Dye did not respond when former football player Eric Ramsey told him about financial help he was getting from an assistant coach, according to a tape recording made public by Ramsey.
CBS’s “60 Minutes†broadcast portions of Ramsey’s tapes Sunday night, marking the first time any parts of the recordings directly involving Dye had been aired publicly. Other tapes of Ramsey’s conversations with Auburn assistant, each time requesting money, have been publicized over the last few months.
The show came after a Saturday report by an Auburn professor, who said Ramsey threatened to expose wrongdoing in the athletic department nearly two years ago, when he was accused of cheating in class.
Robert W. Schaeffer said students in his psychology class turned in Ramsey for cheating on a test in 1989. But Schaeffer said the vice president for academic affairs dropped the charge after Ramsey mentioned possible problems in the football program.
On the tape allegedly involving Dye, Ramsey, a defensive back for the Tigers through 1990, is heard talking about financial aid he was getting, according to an advance copy of the show’s script.
“Coach, I am doing, you know, a lot better with that problem I had financially. Coach Young, he helped me out a little bit. Coach Young helped me out and all that stuff. We . . . had problems with, you know, financial stuff.â€
Dye is not heard responding to the statement by Ramsey.
“The biggest flaw on Dye’s part at that point,†said Donald Atkins, Ramsey’s attorney, “is the fact that he doesn’t question Eric about the remarks involving the money.â€
Ramsey is married and has a young son. Dye’s lawyer, Sam Franklin, said the coach was distracted because he was holding Ramsey’s 3-year-old on his lap during the conversation.
In another tape recording aired in the broadcast, Ramsey asked Dye for help getting a $7,500 loan, and Dye replied: “Let me see what . . . what I can do and I’ll see you in football practice this afternoon.â€
Ramsey said he quickly got approval for a $9,000 loan from Colonial Bank, headed by Auburn trustee Bobby Lowder. Dye is a director of the bank.
If Ramsey received the loan based on Dye’s recommendation, Dye would be in violation of NCAA rules.
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