Holtz Says He Won't Read Book
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Lou Holtz says he has no intention of reading the book that accuses him of paying players while he was at Minnesota and encouraging steroid use during his seven seasons at Notre Dame.
The coach of the Irish remained firm but even-tempered yesterday as he was pressed for reaction to the book during a news conference leading to No. 7 Notre Dame's opener Saturday against Northwestern.
"I have not read the book. I do not plan on reading the book, and I'm not going to answer questions about the book," Holtz said.
"This is not easy for me to do this, but in fairness to our football team, this is the way it is going to be handled."
The book, "Under the Tarnished Dome: How Notre Dame Betrayed its Ideals for Football Glory," is written by Don Yaeger and Douglas Looney. It is due Sept. 7.
Holtz, 56, is accused of participating in the payment of players while he was coach at Minnesota in 1984-85. He took over at Notre Dame in 1986.
His stay at Minnesota has been investigated twice by the NCAA, yielding a total of five years' probation and other penalties for the Gophers.
Holtz acknowledges giving a total of less than $300 to two players. However, he denies allegations first made in Minnesota's internal investigation and again in the book that the total was $700. The players claim in the book that Holtz asked them to lie to protect him.
Also in the book, former Notre Dame player George Williams said as many as 50 players on the 1988 national championship team took steroids. Holtz repeatedly has defended the university's drug-testing program as one of the nation's best.
On the book's first page, former Notre Dame offensive lineman John Askin calls Holtz a hypocrite because he "would never stand for people to treat him like he treats others."
Later, Askin, who played from 1983-86, says Holtz "took the position, `I'm authority.' We needed that, but we didn't need an abuser, basically."
However, in a two-page letter dated Monday to Notre Dame Athletic Director Dick Rosenthal, Askin charges Yaeger for misrepresenting his comments.
"This is outright fraud," wrote Askin, who says he has Yaeger's statements on tape.
Yaeger and Looney have been told by the book's publisher, Simon & Schuster, not to comment on the book for several more days. However, Yaeger told The Associated Press he is speaking out to refute Askin's contentions.
Yaeger stressed that Askin's criticism was directed entirely at Holtz, not Notre Dame. He said he met with Askin at Askin's home Sunday night.
Askin did not return telephone messages left at his home and office last night.