Doublespeak Seems to Be Price's Forte

Mike Price, is coaching Washington State today in the Rose Bowl. He's also the coach at Alabama. Whether he's being paid by both schools is unclear.

Price is good at deflecting questions.

"Newspapermen would know about double-dipping," Price said. "Good question though."

Bad answer. But typical of too many college coaches these days.

Besides double-dipping, Price knows a little about doublespeak.

"The decision to go to Alabama was easy," Price said. "The decision to leave Washington State and all of the players was tough."

Easy? Tough? Sounds like a man who wants it both ways, catering to the high opinion Alabamans have of their program, making nice with the players and coaches he was abandoning.

Having it both ways, Price is good at that too.

Because he wants to, Price is coaching in the Rose Bowl. He shouldn't be.

While Ohio State couldn't find a way to cut through all the NCAA red tape quickly enough to pay for freshman running back Maurice Clarett's trip from the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., back to Ohio for the funeral of one of Clarett's best friends who had been killed in a shooting, college coaches can play the lying game. Then they can keep benefits from two schools at once.

Let's recap how things were as Price took his shiny, new, high-paying Alabama job.

After UCLA officials had called Washington State, asking permission to speak to Price, Price told his Cougar team that he would never consider leaving for the Bruins. Why?

"Because I can't bring all of you with me," Price said.

While Price spoke those words, a private plane, reportedly dispatched by the University of Alabama, was waiting for him less than 10 miles from campus.

Four days later that plane was taking Price to Tuscaloosa so he could accept the Alabama job. Price wouldn't be bringing any of those young men with him.

Those young men noticed.

"Coach said he wasn't going to UCLA, then the next day he was going to Alabama," receiver Jerome Riley said. "When we first heard the news, it really hurt because we felt he wasn't being honest. But who wouldn't take [the Alabama job]? He bettered his position. When the puzzle came together, we understood. So, yeah, we wanted him here for the bowl game."

Riley's understanding is admirable.

Price's unwillingness to give up any of the Rose Bowl glory isn't.