UPDATE: On February 24th, attorneys representing Jonathan Blue and Tracy Blue in their divorce case announced a settlement. Therefore, Charlie Strong will not have to face an embarrassing deposition related to an alleged relationship with Mrs. Blue. Now he can focus on Texas football and calming his wife Vicki Strong.
#BREAKING: As part of Blue divorce settlement all pending motions are cancelled, including motion to subpoena Charlie Strong. @WHAS11
— Kayla Moody (@WHAS11Kayla) February 25, 2016
Original post:
ESPN: Charlie Strong on “core values”
Kay Bailey Hutchison lauds Charlie Strong’s “core values”
Charlie Strong hates the media spotlight. He laughs at tough media questions to delay his haphazardly assembled answers. He loathes having media responsibilities required by his contract.
The media frenzy is on, and Coach Strong’s lawyers are quietly working to keep him out of it.
Two of Louisville’s superstar divorce lawyers, Ann Oldfather and Laurel Doheny, could be about to launch a battle that would make Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey flinch. They’re due in court on a high profile divorce action on February 26th.
Because of fiercely worded legal filings submitted by Oldfather, Coach Strong is already getting hit with a tsunami of negative media attention.
Instead of prepping for spring practice, Charlie could be practicing his lines for a grueling deposition. At least one legal analyst predicts that Strong’s lawyers can delay his participation long enough to allow the couple to mediate a settlement.
NOTE: claims made in a lawsuit give only one side of a case.
Charlie Strong issued a statement one day after his name was tied to the divorce case between UofL trustee Jonathan Blue and Tracy Blue, his wife of 17 years.
There has been rampant speculation that Charlie Strong used a University of Texas plane to transport Mrs. Blue for rendezvous but a source with knowledge of the situation says that Strong “has no access to that plane.”
University of Texas officials including President Gregory Fenves, an athletics administrator, and Charlie Strong have consulted with at least one Louisville lawyer. The source says UT officials are supporting their football coach for now, a disappointment to rabid boosters upset with his won/loss record.
Strong could lose more than $15 million in future income if his contract is terminated for cause. UT administrators would have to determine Strong’s actions “reasonably bring(s) into question the integrity” or conduct “unbecoming to a head coach.”
Filings in Oldham County Family Court are demanding Strong’s travel and spending records from 2012 to present, plus cell phone calls & texts from Strong and his Texas football associates, and written communications between the coach and Tracy Blue, wife of UofL trustee and major booster Jonathan Blue. The legal papers also ask for the return of jewelry, clothing, shoes, and other gifts from Tracy Blue to Charlie Strong.
Jonathan Blue is requesting subpoenas for Coach Strong plus six other individuals not named publicly.
Mrs. Blue was removed as publisher of the Voice-Tribune newspaper two weeks ago, a society newspaper owned by Mr. Blue’s company.
Court documents claim that Tracy Blue was “merely granted the honorary title of publisher.”
The paper has published multiple flattering articles about Charlie Strong, alluding to his character and family values.
When Strong took the Texas job in 2013, ESPN chronicled the coach’s leadership through “core values” he demands of his players.
Strong’s employment contract with Texas specifies that “any conduct (university administrators deem) unbecoming to a head coach or which reasonably brings into question the integrity of the coach” could be grounds for firing with cause, which means the school does not have to pay him anything following termination. Strong earns more than $5 million per year.
In October 2014, former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison lauded Charlie Strong’s values and firm leadership of young men at UT, her alma mater. She is currently president of UT’s alumni association.
Here is a profile of Charlie Strong’s family from a Texas TV station, aired not long after he accepted the UT head coaching job.
Twitter: Tracy Blue Jonathan Blue Charlie Strong
In this noteworthy interview from December 2012, Charlie Strong addresses loyalty violations: “I’m not cut like that” Strong said to host Jim Rome.
Messing around with the wife of a trustee, a person who votes on your hiring and salary level? Let’s hope it’s all crazy talk.
Best of luck to all parties involved as this unsavory mess further cements the University of Louisville’s public relations image as a scandal-plagued institution.
There is speculation that another FBI investigation into malfeasance is forthcoming at UofL.
Again, Claims made in any lawsuit give only one side of a case.
For over a year, UofL seems to make news only with sex scandals, FBI investigations, and peculiar payoffs to departing employees.
Scandal U.? It’s hard to see it any other way. Here’s to a squeaky clean University of Louisville in 2017.
