New coach looking to bring fundamentals back to the basketball court
Tony Harvey hired as new men's basketball coach
Eboni Graham
Issue date: 4/29/08 Section: Sports
On Friday April 4, 2008, Tony Harvey was welcomed to the tiger athletics family as the new Texas Southern University Men's Head Basketball Coach. This was definitely a momentous time for Harvey since he had not coached collegiate basketball since resigning from the University of Missouri in 2004.
"I had reservations," said Harvey. "I didn't know if I was ready to come back in. I really loved Houston and I didn't really want to go move to small town America where you live your life in a fish bowl."
Harvey left Mizzou under the allegations of being accused by the NCAA of giving former player Ricky Clemmons $250 which violates NCAA rules and also the accusation of treating high school and Amateur Athletic Union Coaches to meals seeking reimbursement from the University of Missouri by the misrepresentation of who received meals. Although he was exonerated of all these charges, he admits to leaving the university due to the strenuous never ending battle of having to clear his name.
"I got tired of fighting an uphill battle," said Harvey who resigned by choice and not by force. "It was a fight. Every other day it was something and at that point, it just wasn't fun anymore. And when it's not fun and you don't enjoy what you do at that particular time, it's just like a relationship; it was time to end it."
Aside from personal doubts about returning to coaching college basketball, Harvey also had initial reservations about coming to Texas Southern due to the various changes going on within the university. It was the formal approach made by Texas Southern's President John Rudley, and the shared vision for the athletics department which persuaded Harvey to make a campus visit.
"I was told that there was going to be a lot of changes and different things of that extent," said Harvey. "I came to visit a couple of games in the end of the season and I saw the potential when I was there and I got intrigued about it. Then, I went through the interviewing process and then the magic happened."
"I had reservations," said Harvey. "I didn't know if I was ready to come back in. I really loved Houston and I didn't really want to go move to small town America where you live your life in a fish bowl."
Harvey left Mizzou under the allegations of being accused by the NCAA of giving former player Ricky Clemmons $250 which violates NCAA rules and also the accusation of treating high school and Amateur Athletic Union Coaches to meals seeking reimbursement from the University of Missouri by the misrepresentation of who received meals. Although he was exonerated of all these charges, he admits to leaving the university due to the strenuous never ending battle of having to clear his name.
"I got tired of fighting an uphill battle," said Harvey who resigned by choice and not by force. "It was a fight. Every other day it was something and at that point, it just wasn't fun anymore. And when it's not fun and you don't enjoy what you do at that particular time, it's just like a relationship; it was time to end it."
Aside from personal doubts about returning to coaching college basketball, Harvey also had initial reservations about coming to Texas Southern due to the various changes going on within the university. It was the formal approach made by Texas Southern's President John Rudley, and the shared vision for the athletics department which persuaded Harvey to make a campus visit.
"I was told that there was going to be a lot of changes and different things of that extent," said Harvey. "I came to visit a couple of games in the end of the season and I saw the potential when I was there and I got intrigued about it. Then, I went through the interviewing process and then the magic happened."
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