Posted on 08/14/2004 2:09:06 PM PDT by Stoat
The University of Florida's cheerleading coach was fired Thursday for allowing some squad members to wear T-shirts counting down the "10 Reasons to Cheer Naked" at cheerleading camp this week.
That leaves the squad without a coach with only three weeks to go until the first football game. Practices have been temporarily suspended.
Gene Moore, who has headed the program for five years, was relieved of his duties after the University Athletic Association received complaints about the sexual nature of the list on the back of the T-shirts.
For example, No. 9, perhaps one of the least explicit of the 10, reads: "Players are not the only ones to score."
But Moore, 39, said he was unfairly terminated for a shirt he neither required nor provided.
According to him, a couple of cheerleaders had the shirts printed and then distributed them to the squad to wear on Spirit Day, a day reserved for trading shirts with members of other teams. The "Cheer Naked" shirts replaced others Moore had lined up for that day. He acknowledges he gave them permission to wear them.
Yet, he does question whether the offense rises to the level of termination.
"Yes, I was aware of it and, yes, it was a mistake," Moore said. "I don't feel like firing me over it after I've put in five years was justified."
Mike Hill, UAA's assistant athletic director for external affairs, confirmed Moore's termination but said he could not elaborate.
"It's a confidential personnel matter," Hill said.
Sixteen cheerleaders, two mascots and five "Dazzlers" attended college cheerleading camp in Myrtle Beach, S.C., earlier this week, where they worked alongside teams from other schools to learn new stunts and work on pyramids, Moore said.
Of those, 15 chose to wear the T-shirts. Moore said other schools have worn similar spoof shirts during camp.
Moore's departure means the squad may be without a leader heading into UF's first football game in three weeks. The Gators play Middle Tennessee State University on Sept. 4.
Also leaving the program is Donni Frazier, whose last day is today. Frazier has been the spirit coordinator and Dazzler coach ? UF's dance squad ? as well as Moore's direct supervisor. She's leaving UF for a new coaching position with the Atlanta Hawks.
And Frazier, according to Moore, was in Myrtle Beach for the cheerleading camp. She apparently was not reprimanded for the T-shirt incident.
No replacements have been named, Hill said.
"We will run a national search for a permanent, full-time replacement," Hill said.
Moore, who operates a cheerleading company in Jacksonville and Gainesville, said he earned $9,000 annually his first four years at UF and $19,000 a year beginning last year.
He cheered at the University of West Alabama before joining the city of Jacksonville as a special events coordinator. After a stint doing volunteer coaching on the side, Moore decided to open his own business, Florida Elite All-Stars. It's a business he still owns.
He said he has been reprimanded in the past for being late to practice, the result of commuting between Jacksonville and Gainesville.
He also has been warned this year after receiving three traffic tickets within three months while driving his personal vehicle, he said.
But Moore said he remains baffled at his dismissal. He said he regrets allowing the student to wear the shirts.
"They are making me sound like I'm a bad person," Moore said.
I gotta say, firing the guy seems a little excessive. I mean, these are adults, no? If it was High School I'd have a problem.
Sign me,
Mother of an 18 year old who almost has a heart attack everytime I do her laundry.
It's OK, he'll make more on selling the T-shirts thru his Internet site.
Exactly!! - These are young adults - they can wear what they want - Way over-blown here -
Reason #11: Your cheerleader undies are need for interrogation at Gitmo.
If he were a terrorist, UF would probably have given him tenure.
Why do I always have to beg for pictures?
A national search for a $19,000 job?
A national search for a $19k job? Yeah, right. Moore should be able to make more selling soda at the Gator games.
"Reason #11: Your cheerleader undies are need for interrogation at Gitmo."
LOL, yes!
It is a state supported school. Also there should be some standards. Firing him was the right decision.
We've no idea whether we're getting the full story. Judgment withheld on the termination, but I'm glad the shirts are out.
I wouldn't cry about being fired from a $19,000 per year job.
Reason #4 XXXXX on your XXXXXX gets needed XXXXX'X
Or homosexual lover ...
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