Wednesday, February 07, 2001
Local fans: Mumme had to go
May be bad for program, but good for school
By Terry Flynn
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Carl Hosea of Fort Thomas has weathered the good years and the bad with University of Kentucky football since his days as a UK student, and his opinion Tuesday was that Hal Mumme had to go.
“I've had season tickets since 1964, and I've seen some lean years,” Hosea, 59, said. “I don't see this as a setback for the (football) program. I think he had to leave for UK's benefit, because this Bassett thing is a real black eye to the school and the program.”
Former assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Claude Bassett admitted sending $1,400 in money orders to a Memphis, Tenn., high school football coach and improperly cashing a $500 check donated by a booster to help fund Mumme's summer football camp.
“Personally, I think he (Mumme) knew what was going on,” Hosea said. “And my take on him at alumni functions was that he was no asset.”
Ed Groneck, 48, of Camp Springs, said Mumme's departure “is a big setback for the program, but it had to be done. Under Mumme, UK football has been more fun to watch. It's good to see the program come up to the lev el of some of the other SEC teams.”
Groneck, who said he follows basketball and football, said he was impressed with the manner in which UK handled the situation.
“I think it's commendable that they made the announcement that Mumme was leaving the day before the (high school) signing deadline,” he said. “They could have waited until all the recruits had signed, but they didn't.”
Groneck said the Bassett disclosure was “the icing on the cake. There had to be a (coaching) change.”
Groneck and Hosea said they didn't know anything about new head coach Guy Morriss, but both said they would continue to follow and support UK football.
Gayle Stewart, the Union barber whose shop on U.S. 42 is something of a UK athletic shrine, said Tuesday he was much more involved in Wildcat basketball than football but wasn't surprised at the news about Mumme.
“Some of us were talking about it at the shop,” he said. “He's (Mumme) the man in charge, and if something like this happens on his watch, he has to take the blame.”
Complete UK coverage from Louisville Courier-Journal
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Local fans: Mumme had to go
