It's a flipping miracle!

Florida Gulf Coast University's athletic department and administration never ceases to amaze me.

There, it seems, is no lengths they won't go to in order to keep their old boy network intact.

Last fall, while her team was busy winning the A-Sun conference championship in the school's first year in the conference and in Division I, the administrators alleged that something inappropriate might (MIGHT) be happening and suspended coach Jaye Flood. Their evidence: A bad evaluation by her superiors. Remarkably, the first bad evaluation she'd ever had. While she was getting a bad evaluation by her supervisors (sorry, superiors is an inappropriate term here), she was busy being named A-Sun Coach of the year by her peers. Same time. Different groups, different evaluations.

Surprising how two groups of people can look at the same situation and see totally different things? (At the same time, the school was busy chasing off three other female coaches. What a coincidence!)

So, last Friday, Flood filed a federal lawsuit against the university for its actions. And Tuesday, shockingly, the university suddenly found 'evidence' that Flood may have had an inappropriate relationship with a student. Please note the use of the word may, because even the university can't prove it. But they found it MAY have happened.

So they fired her. Four days after she filed her federal lawsuit.

What a coincidence! Four days.

Meanwhile, findings fron the university's own investigation revealed the following:

1. Complaint by volleyball coach Jaye Flood about Title IX violations in the athletics department.

Findings: No evidence of discrimination between the sexes in FGCU athletics

Actions: None

2. Complaint by Flood saying she was retaliated against for voicing Title IX concerns.

Findings: No conclusive information to support retaliation allegation, but Flood shouldn’t have received a poor performance evaluation

Actions: Flood’s evaluation will be voided, and she will receive a $1,000 bonus and a 1-percent pay increase. Also, athletics director Carl McAloose and associate athletics director Kathy Peterson will receive a letter of reprimand for writing the evaluation.

3. Complaint by former women’s golf coach Holly Vaughn about Title IX violations in athletics.

Findings: No evidence of discrimination between the sexes in FGCU athletics.

Actions: none

4. Complaint by Vaughn saying she was retaliated against for voicing Title IX concerns.

Findings: No conclusive information to support retaliation allegation, but Vaughn shouldn’t have received a poor performance evaluation.

Actions: Vaughn’s evaluation will be voided. Also, athletics director Carl McAloose and associate athletics director Kathy Peterson will receive a letter of reprimand for writing the evaluation.

5. Allegation that Flood had inappropriate sexual contact on a volleyball road trip:

Findings: No information to substantiate allegation, which did not involve a student

Actions: None

6. Allegation that Flood had an inappropriate physical altercation with one of her players during a practice:

Findings: While the shirt-grabbing happened, it did not rise to a level to warrant disciplinary action, and the student-athlete was not offended by the incident.

Actions: None

7. Allegation that Flood had an inappropriate relationship with a student and abused her position:

Findings: Flood violated the following University Regulations: conduct unbecoming a public employee in having an inappropriate relationship with a student-athlete; abuse of position for inappropriate use of student’s time while working as volleyball team manager; and sexual harassment.

Actions: Flood will be terminated as volleyball coach

In no sentence there do I see any evidence of proof that Flood did anything wrong. I see allegations. Convenient allegations. I see no proof. No evidence. He said she said stuff. Can't prove it but it must be true...right?

In a number of places I see evidence that the University administration was at fault. In fact, reprimands were handed down.

Flood wasn't reprimanded.

She was fired.

If you read this closely, you will see the real reason she was fired:

SHE WAS FOUND TO BE GAY.

Didn't know that was a firing offense. Not in 2008.

But it is for the Good Old Boy Club that is FGCU.

Here's news GOBC: There are a lot of gays in college sports. Probably quite a few at FGCU. Both women and men.

Always have been. Always will be. You're not gonna stop that by firing an award-winning coach. You gonna try to run all of them off, too?

Is it the fact that she's gay that bothers you so much? Or that she's gay and successful?

You know, it's funny, it often turns out that the people complaining the loudest about things like gays and gay rights turn out to have the most to hide. Wonder who will turn out to be FGCU's Sen. Larry Craig? Wonder if there's more than one? Remember the phrase: Methinks he doeth protest too much.'

Don't know about you, but I'm of a mind to decide whether an institution like FGCU deserves my or anyone else's support. Financial or any other way.

Something's wrong at FGCU, and it sure ain't Jaye Flood.

And so it goes.