Jim Leavitt and "Leavitt-Gate" Are the Talk of Tampa

The University of South Florida has always aspired to be the talk of the town in Tampa.

Forget Watergate, we have "Leavitt-gate."

Today USF and Jim Leavitt continue to be the talk of Tampa for all the wrong reasons.

The firestorm that began with the AOL Fanhouse story on Monday, has taken over the airwaves and the newspapers.

The radio talk shows have never been flooded with USF talk like this week. It is THE hot topic.

Leavitt has denied the allegations in the story and the school has promised an investigation.

The topic is so hot, talk show host Steve Duemig of 620 WDAE, The Sports Animal , came back early from vacation days to get in on the storm.

Duemig pulled no punches on his show Wednesday and sent a direct message to the player allegedly struck by Leavitt at halftime of the Louisville game.

"Joel, you are more powerful than Jim Leavitt. You have the hammer young man. You need to bash Leavitt with it. You're the victim. You have the hammer, use it," Duemig said on air. "He [Joel] has the power and he's cowering to a bully head coach."

Duemig wasn't the only critic of Leavitt. Paul Miller, Joel's brother, went on air with WDAE's Ron and Ian show Tuesday morning to speak on behalf of his brother. Producer Justin Pawlowski verified Miller's identity and has provided audio of the interview.

"I'm calling on my brother's behalf," Paul Miller said. "I'm not going into the story. I don't want to take a chance of ruining anyone's career. He's catching heat. They're calling him names. He wants to play football."

Miller was specifically asked about his brother wanting to talk to Leavitt about the alleged incident and Leavitt telling him that "I'm the most powerful man in the building."

"That's why I'm calling," the brother said. "...from what I gather Leavitt's, for lack of a better term, an a-hole. He's impossible to talk to, he's not a nice man...."

Miller continually stuck up for his brother. "He's a good kid, he's a tough kid," he said.

USF itself is under fire. Columnists Gary Shelton and John Romano of the St. Petersburg Times along with Joe Henderson and Martin Fennelly of the Tampa Tribune , have all written columns demanding the truth from USF.

Duemig, in preparation for his show, spent time off the air speaking with The Fanhouse story author, Brett McMurphy.

Duemig said on air he's convinced that the story is credible. "There's no doubt in my mind that this was done," Duemig said on air. "The pressure will be put on by the newspapers and this station."

"If it's [The Fanhouse's story] a lie, sue 'em!" Duemig said.

"If the coaches and players could talk without fear of retribution, they'd unload on him (Leavitt)," Duemig declared.

While the silence at USF continues, it is all but silent around Tampa.

Forget the Bucs, forget basketball, forget that wonderful bowl game that USF will play in Toronto.

All anyone wants to talk about is Leavitt.

And they're not talking about his 3-4 Big East record this season.