Happy Thanksgiving, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) fans!!!
Seems like I could run a live blog on the sh*t house that is the Baylor University football and athletics department. According to @WKTX,
Baylor Associate Athletic Director Heath Nielsen, 47, is free on bond following his arrest earlier this month on a misdemeanor assault warrant stemming from an attack on Nov. 5 in which a sportswriter was grabbed by the throat and pushed away from a player after the Bears’ 62-22 loss to TCU.
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Baylor had not commented or released any information about the incident before KWTX reported on it Monday night, but Nielsen has been conspicuously absent for the past several weeks.
Nielsen was booked into the McLennan County Jail on Nov. 8.
The victim, James McBride had received permission from a football player to take a photograph, and after the picture was taken “Nielsen walked up to McBride on the right, grabbed McBride by the throat with his right hand, squeezed and pushed him away from the football player,’ an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by KWTX says.
When McBride and the player asked Nielsen what the problem was, he replied, “He’s abusing his privileges,” ‘the affidavit said.
“McBride had visible scratches and complained of pain around his throat.”
The injuries were photographed, the affidavit says.
…..
Nielsen’s attorney, Michelle Tuegel, issued a brief statement Tuesday in which she said Nielsen denies attacking McBride.
“The one-sided version of events released by the complainant are not true or accurate. Mr. Nielsen maintains that he intervened to stop the interview, but he did not grab the complainant’s throat,” she said in the statement.
“We look forward to vigorously defending Mr. Nielsen and presenting the facts involved in this situation.”
Baylor’s Executive Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs Nick Joos responded Tuesday to KWTX’s request for comment, with a brief statement in which he said, “Baylor Athletics was made aware of the post-game incident involving Heath Nielsen shortly after the game and took immediate action to address it with him through the University’s human resources process. We will continue to handle this personnel matter internally.”
As you know, we’ve written extensively about the dumpster fire that is Baylor football – and now its athletics department. It’s really time to plow a new trail there and start over.
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