Suzanne Yoculan Talks A Lot
May 2, 2008 by northernriver
I know this has been posted elsewhere, but anyway, here you go:
Yoculan Interview with Inside Gymnastics Part 1 and Part 2
Here the great Madame of Georgia gymnastics talks about…stuff. And about her successor, UGA’s assistant coach Jay Clark (who called Courtney McCool a wimp, ha ha not funny).
And Katie Heenan is engaged, and yes I mean engaged to be married…
Where has all the time gone?! It seems like just yesterday I was watching her in 2004.
Of course, Suzanne neglects to mention that her retirement probably has something to do with her affair with (married) Board of Regents member Donald Leebern.
http://www.nowpublic.com/sports/georgia-gymnastics-coaching-legend-retire-2009
Her sex life is her own business, of course, but when she starts breaking NCAA regulations by flying prospective gymnasts around on her boyfriend’s private jet, that’s crossing a pretty significant line.
I think that’s why a lot of people were unwilling to let Georgia’s podium violation slip by unremarked upon. It’s not the first rule that Suzanne has played fast and loose with, and certainly not the most significant. While I’m glad that the entire team wasn’t penalized for Suzanne’s poor choices about breaking NCAA recruiting regulations, in similar situations, entire athletic programs have been put on probation, lost scholarships, and had coaches outright fired.
Suzanne should really stop with the “gracious” interviews and the “it was just time,” act. Obviously, she’s not going to publicize the real reason for her retirement, but she should be grateful that the NCAA is allowing her to retire with her dignity mostly intact, instead of throwing her out the way many other coaches have been. The NCAA women’s gymnastics program is paying her an immense tribute by allowing her to retire on top, instead of dragging her through the mud, and she should repay this kindness with humility and, for once, a moment of silence.
Umm, Georgia lost two scholarships for the plane incident, which was four or five years ago now and involved PAST, not current athletes. It was well publicized and a very big deal. She has also been with the same man, and yes, he’s married, for more than a decade, closer to two, so it’s hardly like she was forced out because of that. If anything she was worried Jay Clark would jump ship. He’s been up for a lot of head coaching jobs in the past and he was bound to take one at some point.
What a HUGE accusation! Wow! Her retirement decision actually has NOTHING to do with her personal relationships.
You should really get your facts straight BEFORE you put slanderous info out on the web! Whether you like Suzanne or not, your post is extremely inappropriate!
Perhaps the NCAA will put you on a fact finding committee and you can nail EVERY coach who rides the “rule line”! (You will be very busy!)