University of Virginia Library

Team Petitions
Gibson Tonight
On Complaints

By Bob Cullen
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Five Virginia basketball players will meet tonight with coach
Bill Gibson, athletic director Steve Sebo, and the faculty athletic
advisory committee, to discuss a list of complaints against Coach
Gibson formulated by the team in a private meeting Sunday.

The team, which will be represented by Norm Carmichael,
Chip Case, John English, Mike Wilkes, and Tony Kinn at tonight's
meeting, issued the following statement yesterday afternoon, in
what will be their only statement to the public until after the
meeting.

"In regard to the incidents following the Atlantic Coast
Conference Tournament, the University of Virginia basketball
team feels it necessary to clarify its present stand.

"We apologize for the manner in which the situation has been
handled, and we are genuinely repentant for any discredit which
our actions have brought upon the University.

"We do, however, feel that there exist a number of justifiable
grievances which were catalytic to the premature exposure of
certain team members' feelings. It is regrettable that the
discontent was expressed in such a vein.

"We do not consider this statement
a climax to the present
situation. It is our understanding
that the issue will remain open, and
that any further public releases will
be made through the Athletic
Department.

"This statement reflects unanimously
the feelings of the members
of the University of Virginia basketball
team."

The apology in the statement
apparently referred to the actions
of several members of the team
who voiced their discontent with
Gibson's methods to members of
the press at a party in Charlotte
after the Cavaliers had been eliminated
from the ACC tournament in
the first round. It was also thought
to refer to the arrests of five players
for scalping tickets to the tournament.
Their cases have been
referred to the Judiciary Committee
for hearing.

The five players, Bill Gerry,
John Gidding, John English, Norm
Carmichael, and John Hill, were
arrested Friday night by
plain-clothes detectives of the Charlotte
police department, who