Posted on 03/03/2003 11:23:38 AM PST by CFW
Baton Rouge, La. -- Tony Cole makes no attempt to hide his motivation for blowing the whistle on Georgia's basketball program. It is, he freely admits, an act of revenge.
And where he comes from, that's just the way of the world.
Cole grew up mostly on the north side of this southeast Louisiana city, in an area known as Delmont Place. It's the tough part of town, where income and property values are low and unemployment and crime are high.
The word "mostly" is necessary because Cole has lived in different houses in different hamlets all over this area, in Zion City, in North Highlands and in Scotlandville, to name a few. He has lived with friends, with relatives and in the homes of various teammates he has had over the years.
Cole's father is dead and his mother is in a mental institution, hence his cynical laugh when asked if he has anything in the way of a permanent address. Where he is living right now, Cole won't say.
"My personal life, my living and everything, I think that's all personal right now," he said. "I'm fine. That's all you need to know."
The house on Hollywood Street where he spent the majority of his childhood is no longer there. It was condemned and razed many years ago, Cole said.
On the tiny corner lot where the house once stood is a trailer. Not a double-wide or even a single-wide. It's one of those camper types, old and weathered and sitting unevenly on blocks on the overgrown lot.
Sitting on the cinderblock steps outside the trailer are an elderly man and woman whom Cole identifies only as "Auntie" and "Uncle." He declines to give their real names because he says he doesn't want to shame them.
They stay outside most of the time, he says, because there is no power inside the trailer. The woman is obviously happy to see Cole and she runs up to greet him. The man nods hello but never stops working on the rear wheel of a bicycle, which is turned upside down in front of him.
Cole chats with them for only a short while, then hands them $2 each and hugs them before he leaves.
"I don't give them much or they'll go get beer with it," Cole explains.
Cole's slipping money to the elderly couple rings familiar. For it is Cole's claims that Georgia coaches and boosters slipped him money that has the Bulldogs' basketball program in such turmoil these days.
The basketball program is now under investigation after Cole's claims late last week that Georgia head coach Jim Harrick and his assistant coach/son, Jim Harrick Jr., provided him and other Georgia players with money and merchandise and committed academic fraud to gain and maintain Cole's academic eligibility.
Harrick and others involved have denied Cole's claims.
"They did it to themselves," Cole says of Georgia's troubles back in Athens.
While the storm of controversy rages back in Georgia, Cole is "laying low." An admitted basketball gypsy, Cole is plotting his next move. He says he'd like to continue playing, if not in college then possibly as a professional, possibly overseas.
"My career is just beginning," he insists. "Every level you have to start over anyway. As long as you have the will to become better, you always can. Once you give up -- and I could of gave up a long time ago -- that's it. I'm not going to do that. I'm a winner."
Cole claims he is still academically eligible to play college basketball and would have two years remaining if another school would be willing to take a chance on him. But it's unlikely Cole will get that opportunity. After attending two high schools, three prep schools, two junior colleges and, finally, Georgia, most believe Cole has run out of chances.
"The last thing I told Tony is I'm not going to help him [anymore]; the University of Georgia is your last chance," said former LSU coach Dale Brown, whose charitable foundation provides funds for the education of underprivileged persons and did so for Cole. "If you blow it at Georgia, it's over." According to Harrick, Cole blew it at Georgia. He suspended the 5-foot-10 point guard when he was charged with aggravated assault with intent to rape last season, reinstated Cole after those charges were dropped, but then declined to let him practice or play after that because of "issues" believed to be related to academics and attitude. Harrick finally dismissed him from the team before this season.
Cole says he'll survive even if he never plays basketball again. His number one goal in life, he said, is to own a home in Baton Rouge. He said he goes to the local courthouse weekly, looking for properties with liens against them that he might be able to buy cheap.
While Cole comes from an impoverished background, he knows where and how to find money. He drives a late-model silver Cadillac, which he purchased with the money he received from his father's death on a construction site six years ago. He said he also gets government assistance as a result of his mother's situation, and he said he applies for other funds from government sources.
"You know that guy on TV that dresses up in a clown suit and says the government is just dying to give you free money, he knows what he's talking about," Cole says, grinning. Cole said he would have never turned in Georgia had Harrick done just one thing after Cole was cleared wrongdoing in a criminal case in Athens.
"All he had to do was let me play," Cole says. "Just one more year. He wouldn't even have to pick up the fifth year because I was going to graduate before that anyway. Just one more year. But [Harrick] wanted to show [athletics director] Vince Dooley and all the people that he can deal with Tony Cole, that he can [expletive] on Tony Cole."
Why would he get money from anyone for her condition?
Do you think it will do any good (other than make me feel better)?
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