Nolan Richardson Appeals Case Against University Of Arkansas

Former Arkansas basketball coach Nolan Richardson filed a notice in federal court today that he will appeal the dismissal of a discrimination lawsuit he filed against the university. The appeal will be filed before the Eighth US Circuit Court of Appeals in Saint Louis. The action filed this afternoon names the university`s Board of trustees, UA System President B. Alan Sugg, Chancellor John A. White and athletic director Frank Broyles. Richardson claimed Arkansas fired him in March 2002 because he is black and speaks his mind. The school said it fired him for making comments showing a lack of faith in the Razorback program. On July Eighth, US District Judge William R. Wilson Junior tossed out the lawsuit. Richardson`s appeal had been due earlier this month, but Wilson agreed, after the university didn`t object, to give the ex-coach more time to prepare an appeal. Richardson attorney John Walker said the ex-coach`s legal team had been working on cases that were delayed by Richardson`s month-long trial in May and June and had not had an opportunity to do a comprehensive evaluation of the former coach`s prospects on appeal. In his lawsuit, Richardson claimed that the university had engaged in racial discrimination and violated his free-speech rights when it fired him March 1, 2002. The former coach had sought more than eight million dollars. University officials contended that they fired Richardson because he made public comments that showed a lack of faith in and damaged the basketball program.