UNO's Future Secure But Vultures Still Circle

The future of New Orleans athletics got much brighter this afternoon, but that hasn't stopped the vultures from circling.  George Shinn, owner of the New Orleans Hornets has stepped forward to spearhead a group of business leaders and wealthy individuals that will cover the athletic department deficit. 

"We will have the money when the money's needed," Shinn said in a press conference today. "The calls I've made have been very positive. We're just really committed to build this program to help this university because this is such an asset, we've just got to do it."

In response to the optimism, UNO rescinded a blanket release that had allowed programs to contact UNO athletes.  That however, hasn't stopped coaches from aggressively courting UNO's current and incoming swimmers. 

"As you all know, we have had a rough week which started out with a bleak outlook and ended with evidence that we will thrive well into the future at UNO." said Head Coach Randy Horner before adding, "Therefore I am asking that all correspondence cease with our current as well as incoming freshman."

Yesterday, CSCAA Executive Director Phil Whitten called on the membership to show restraint by directing coaches to contact Horner directly.  Whitten also called on coaches to cease recruiting UNO swimmers completely should efforts to restore the program prove fruitful.  Despite the e-mail being sent twice, some coaches didn't get the memo.

Horner thanked coaches who "showed restraint and contacted me instead of the athletes directly." He then commented how one such coach told him, they had no idea of UNO's situation until the CSCAA e-mail and now was worried, that they "were already too late."

Hopefully, for the sake of UNO's team they are.  With the future of the program secure, albiet tenuous, the last thing the Privateers need, are swimmers jumping ship.