Mobley said he did not hear from Heckman again until Seattle-area newspapers reported Mobley's oral commitment to sign with Washington State.
Mobley said he was put off by Heckman's remarks during their dinner conversation.
"I sort of felt pressured," he said, "because he was saying, 'Well, if you change your mind (about Washington State), we can write up a big article about why you changed your mind and make it seem like it was just a last-minute thing on (deciding) what school you wanted to go to.' He was saying, 'You can have the front page (of Heckman's magazine).' "
Published reports have revealed that Heckman urged a former Washington player to recant allegations of NCAA rules violations published in December in The Times. According to the reports, Heckman also offered the former player, tailback Vince Weathersby, $500 for an interview.
Heckman has filed a libel suit against The Times, alleging that the newspaper incorrectly reported that the offer of a payment to Weathersby was tied to the former player recanting his allegations.
In addition, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has reported that an arrangement through which former Washington wide receiver Mario Bailey received summer employment at Heckman's magazine in 1991 apparently violated NCAA rules.
According to the Post-Intelligencer, Bailey's salary was paid by Seattle businessman Herb Mead, a prominent Husky booster. Heckman described the payments as a loan to his company.
In any case, the newspaper quoted an NCAA official as saying the use of a source other than Heckman to pay Bailey would appear to violate NCAA rules governing summer employment of college athletes.
