In a transcript of a December interview by task force investigators of Robert Minnix, FSU's associate athletics director for compliance, Hill loses his temper when Minnix openly admits to keeping no written documentation of interviews he conducted in his preliminary investigation of rumors that McPherson was involved in gambling and grand theft.
Hill: "For 20 years you were investigating for the NCAA?"
Minnix: "Right."
Hill: "For 20 years you wrote reports?"
Minnix: "Yes."
Hill: ". . . With nothing written down, you have nothing to show for the magnificent work you've done. . . . That really leaves the wrong impression. I'm not here, nor are these gentlemen, to take a shot at this institution. We're all graduates of this institution. But we are here for one thing; for finding the truth. And it's only the truth that's gonna return integrity to this institution. . . .
"We could have stopped this in May, June, July or August. And sir, with proper documentation, it would have made it a whole lot simpler and we'd have a much better picture. Now we have to start over on the truth."
Later in the interview, Minnix admits he did not write down notes because "to write that down at that stage would subject those interviews, those documents, to the open records act of the state of Florida."
According to police interviews, FSU athletics director Dave Hart and associate athletics director for football operations Andy Urbanic both said they spoke with Minnix about gambling rumors involving McPherson in May or June of 2002. But Minnix insists he heard nothing of them until August when two-a-day practices began.
Minnix remains compliance director and, by all indications, neither his job or the others are in jeopardy. But FSU President T.K. Wetherell admits mistakes were made.
