I’m fine with Art Briles statement however others aren’t buying it.

Deposed Baylor coach Art Briles released a statement on Wednesday regarding the sexual abuse scandal at Baylor. I found Briles to be genuine and honest in the statement however most members of the media did not. They are attacking Briles for not being honest enough in the statement. I think he’s saying about as much as he can say. Here’s the statement. You be the judge.

Baylor Nation,

My heart goes out to the victims for the pain that they have endured. Sexual assault has no place on our campus or in our society. As a father of two daughters, a grandfather, and a husband, my prayers are with the victims of this type of abuse, wherever they are. After 38 years of coaching, I have certainly made mistakes and, in hindsight, I would have done certain things differently. I always strive to be a better coach, a better father and husband, and a better person.

Keep in mind, the complete scope of what happened here has not been disclosed and unfortunately at this time I am contractually obligated to remain silent on the matter. The report prepared by Pepper Hamilton, the law firm hired and paid for by Baylor’s Board of Regents, has not been shared with me directly, despite my full cooperation with the investigation. I can only assume that the report, which is not independent, supports the conclusions that the Board has already drawn. I hope to share with you what I was aware of as soon as I can so Baylor Nation can begin the healing process.

I have the utmost admiration for Baylor University, its community, and its important mission. I am truly grateful for having had the chance to coach hundreds of young student athletes at this University. I am deeply humbled for having had the opportunity to be a part of Baylor Nation.

Coach Art Briles

Again, I think Briles is being sincere and honest about the whole situation. What more do you want him to say? He’s being about as forthright as he can be. Lets not forget, he can’t say much. He is still contractually obligated to the university. Briles does accept some responsibility for what happened by admitting that he could have done things better so at least he’s honest in that regard.

Lets call it for what it is. The whole situation at Baylor is far bigger than Briles. He’s at the center of it because he brought players into the program with a history of criminality and then attempted to cover up for them. However, responsibility for what happened at Baylor shouldn’t just fall on Briles. Former Baylor president Kenneth Starr and former athletic director Ian McCaw should also be held responsible. What happened at Baylor was a systemic failure from top to bottom. That’s why Starr and McCaw are being held accountable as well. Simply pointing the finger at Briles is unfair because while he was a part of the problem, he’s also a good man who made a poor decision. Lets give him a chance to tell his side before we crucify him.